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Google Hangouts [EOL] vs Polycom RealPresence Desktop comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 27, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Google Hangouts [EOL]
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
59
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Polycom RealPresence Desktop
Average Rating
7.0
Reviews Sentiment
8.5
Number of Reviews
1
Ranking in other categories
Virtual Meetings (18th)
 

Featured Reviews

Mariana-Piñeres - PeerSpot reviewer
Customer Success Manager Latam at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
Recording and transcription enhance global client meetings
Google Hangouts sometimes consumes significant resources. When comparing it to WhatsApp on desktop for calls, there are instances when Google Hangouts freezes or stops working, but switching to WhatsApp runs smoothly. This might be related to the resources Google Hangouts requires. The service occasionally experiences lag issues where the image gets frozen or the voice transmission becomes interrupted. When these issues occur, possibly due to internet connectivity or other factors, WhatsApp continues to function properly while Google Hangouts does not perform well.
NH
Network Technical Advisor at a government with 10,001+ employees
Regular use enables effective communication with room for improvement in interoperability
The most valuable part of the desktop is the ability to make voice and video calls. Without getting too technical or divulging too much due to the environment we are in, it allows us to further our reach, from a traditional video conferencing room. Scalability was easy. It was based on calls, not licenses.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"Google Meet has excellent audio quality, good images, and a robust set of features."
"What I like best about Google Hangouts is its integration with other Google solutions, so scheduling is easy because you have the calendar. It also has a whiteboard feature. I also like its polling feature and that it even has a captioning feature."
"The ability to share a screen during a meeting is one of the most valuable features. You can also be directly connected on the computer and on the phone with the same account. It is flexible."
"The solution is easy to use and navigate."
"Google Hangouts is user-friendly. It supports low internet bandwidth."
"We use Google Hangouts to chat and exchange some quick information."
"The solution scales well."
"The ease of navigation is good, as we can easily share data and screens."
"It allows us to further our reach, from a traditional video conferencing room."
 

Cons

"Google Hangouts has breakout rooms now, but not as extensive as Zoom, so that's one area for improvement. I mentioned that I like the Google Hangouts captioning feature, but that could be improved. For example, importing Filipino-English captions here in the Philippines would be great."
"There could be more precise instructions for beginners using the solution."
"Sometimes, due to system restrictions, I can't use blur effects or other filters."
"Can be improved by including a larger library of video filters and adding custom filters."
"Google Hangouts should add a feature to show how someone connects, such as via a laptop or phone. If you know if someone is using a laptop you can ask them to share their screen."
"The stability of Google Hangouts has had some issues, such as video call delays. The stability could improve."
"Sending documents and other things is not an option."
"You only get 60 minutes of video conferencing."
"There is probably room for improvement in interoperability."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We pay an annual license to use the solution."
"We are a small team and a small organization such as ours just uses the free version of Google, so there's no cost associated with Google Hangouts at the moment."
"We are using the free version of Google Hangouts."
"There is no license cost."
"I pay $6 per user per month for Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Hangouts."
"Google Hangouts has reasonable pricing, but I don't use the paid version because I only have a small budget, though you get more features from the paid version."
"We access the solution through Google Workspace. It is inexpensive to use."
"I think there is a need for payment for licensing, but as students, we didn't have to pay for it when we were using it. Our professors were the ones paying for it since they needed to record the sessions."
Information not available
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Marketing Services Firm
18%
Manufacturing Company
14%
University
10%
Outsourcing Company
8%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business28
Midsize Enterprise16
Large Enterprise18
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Google Hangouts?
It's integration with Google is the valuable feature.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Google Hangouts?
Google Hangouts comes as a package, so it's difficult to say or comment on the price of this particular product.
What needs improvement with Google Hangouts?
Sometimes when we have a call and need to share audio or play a video, we find it challenging to switch from sharing the complete desktop to only a particular Chrome tab, as it doesn't support audi...
What needs improvement with Polycom RealPresence Desktop?
There is probably room for improvement in interoperability.
What is your primary use case for Polycom RealPresence Desktop?
We use the desktop. It was used in the same case. We use it with our partners.
 

Also Known As

No data available
RealPresence Desktop
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
John Laing, China Daily, Lincoln Fire and Rescue, NATO Communications and Information Agency, NHS Home Dialysis, Silver Chain, South Carolina Department of Mental Health, nimed
Find out what your peers are saying about Zoom Video Communications, Cisco, TeamViewer and others in Virtual Meetings. Updated: January 2026.
881,757 professionals have used our research since 2012.