# Google Meet vs Messages

The clearest difference is rating: Google Meet at 4.8 against Messages's 4.1. Google Meet also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (2.3M vs 39K). Messages's advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium) and device support (5 vs 2). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Google Meet holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Meet has 2.3M ratings behind it against 39K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 46% and 46% positive.

Google Meet ships an update weekly, Messages every 6 months. Both last shipped on October 21, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Google Meet | Messages |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2.3M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-meet/id1096918571/reviews)** | [4.1 (39K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messages/id1146560473/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.3M** | 39K |
| Positive reviews | **45.7% of reviews** | 45.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#9** | — |
| Size | 607 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [Apple](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) |

## What reviewers say

### Google Meet

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-meet/id1096918571)

**Currently charting:** #9 Top Free · Social Networking, #132 Top Free (US App Store)

Connect with friends, family, and colleagues through high-quality video calls and meetings. Schedule calls, send video messages, or join spontaneous conversations. Enhance interactions with features like real-time captions, in-call chat, and engaging effects.

**Highlights:** High-quality video calls, Scheduled meetings, Video messages, Real-time translated captions, In-call chat, Screen sharing, Stackable effects

**Features:** Siri integration

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 High-quality video and audio
- 💡 Cross-platform compatibility
- 🤝 Allows communication with non-iPhone users
- 😊 Overall positive experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent freezing and disconnections
- 🔋 High battery drain
- 🔇 Audio issues like echoes and delays
- 📵 Inability to use without a phone number
- 🤔 Confusing UI and limited features compared to competitors

**Reported bugs**

- Video freezes when moving away from WiFi
- Inability to answer calls or end them properly
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between apps

**Requested features**

- Add screen sharing capability
- Implement group chat and texting features
- Allow customization of user profiles and group chats
- Improve compatibility with older devices and operating systems


### Messages

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messages/id1146560473)

Communicate with contacts through unlimited texts, photos, videos, and documents. Supports iMessage for Apple devices and RCS, SMS, and MMS for others. Features include message editing, unsending, and scheduling.

**Highlights:** Send unlimited texts, photos, videos, and documents, iMessage, RCS, SMS, and MMS support, Edit and unsend messages, Schedule messages, Message effects and stickers, Group chat features, Messages in iCloud

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and reliable messaging
- 🔒 End-to-end encryption
- 👍 Seamless integration with Apple devices
- 💡 Fun features like Memoji and stickers
- 🤝 Easy group chat management

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Limited search functionality
- 📤 Inability to delete messages for others
- 🔔 Lack of typing indicators in group chats
- 📱 Incompatibility with non-Apple devices

**Reported bugs**

- Messages not delivering consistently
- App crashing or freezing on launch
- Issues with iCloud sync and message history
- Problems with location sharing and privacy

**Requested features**

- Ability to schedule messages
- Option to lock specific conversations
- More customization options for Memoji
- Improved voice message functionality
- Expanded reaction/emoji options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Google Meet free?

Google Meet is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Messages free?

Messages is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Google Meet or Messages?

Google Meet is rated higher. Google Meet averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.3M ratings, while Messages averages 4.1 from 39K ratings.

### Do Google Meet or Messages have ads?

Neither Google Meet nor Messages shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Google Meet or Messages?

Google Meet ships an update weekly, and Messages every 6 months. Most recently, Google Meet was updated on October 21, 2026 and Messages on October 21, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*