Google Chat
Google Chat is a messaging and collaboration service included with Google Workspace at no additional cost.
What Google Chat is
Google Chat is a messaging and collaboration service included with Google Workspace at no additional cost. It runs on web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, and persistent collaboration spaces can hold up to 500,000 members. Administrators can set whether message history is on or off by default. Chat connects with Workspace apps including Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Meet, and Google Groups, and with tools such as Asana, Jira, GitHub, Salesforce, and Trello. Organizations can build custom apps using Chat APIs and Apps Script, and data can be migrated from Slack or Teams with interoperability solutions available. Gemini in Chat can summarize conversations, share action items, translate, and brainstorm. Workspace provides a 14-day free trial. Paid Business Starter costs $7 a month on an annual commitment, billed monthly for a year, and supports up to 300 users; the Base plan supports up to 20 users. Workspace subscriptions also include other apps, including Gmail, Meet, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, and Sites.
Good
- Included with Google Workspace at no additional cost.
- Runs on web, desktop, and mobile platforms.
- Persistent spaces support up to 500,000 members.
- Administrators can control default message-history settings.
- Gemini can summarize, translate, and brainstorm.
Watch out
- The Base plan supports a maximum of 20 users.
- Business Starter and Standard support up to 300 users.
- The 14-day trial is provided through Google Workspace.
Who it suits
Google Chat suits individuals and organizations seeking messaging alongside other Google Workspace apps. Its large collaboration spaces and custom-app options also fit teams that need to connect Chat with other tools or build extensions.
Verdict
Google Chat combines messaging spaces with Workspace apps, integrations, and custom-app options. Workspace plan user limits and message-history controls are worth checking against an organization's needs.
Plans and prices
From Google Chat's own pricing page, checked 20 Sep 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Business Starter | $7 a month | 30 GB pooled storage per user · Maximum 300 users · Annual/Fixed-Term Plan; billed monthly for a yearly commitment |
| Business Standard | $14 a month | 2 TB pooled storage per user · Maximum 300 users · Annual/Fixed-Term Plan; billed monthly for a yearly commitment |
| Business Plus | $22 a month | 5 TB pooled storage per user · Maximum 300 users · Annual/Fixed-Term Plan; billed monthly for a yearly commitment |
| Enterprise | Priced on request | Contact sales; no minimum or maximum user limit · Enterprise security and management controls · DLP and context-aware access · Enhanced support options |
| Base | — | 50% off for 3 months; introductory offer for new customers and first 20 users · billed monthly |
| Starter | — | Price per user per month; taxes not included · billed monthly |
The facts
Each one read from Google Chat's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Admin support
- Google Workspace provides support resources for administrators and users.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Annual commitment
- Annual/Fixed-Term plans can charge the full commitment term at the end of the first month.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Attack protection
- Google Workspace email protection blocks more than 99.9% of attacks.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Base user limit
- The Base plan supports a maximum of 20 users.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Business user limit
- Starter and Standard plans support up to 300 users.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Channels
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
- Enterprise controls
- Enterprise includes DLP, context-aware access, data regions, and endpoint management.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Gemini in Chat
- Gemini can summarize conversations, share action items, translate, and brainstorm.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Guest access
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
- History control
- Administrators can turn Chat history on or off by default.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Included with Workspace
- Google Chat is included with Google Workspace at no additional cost.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Integrations
- Gmail,Calendar,Drive,Meet,Google Groups,Asana,Jira,PagerDuty,GitHub,Workday,Salesforce,ServiceNow,Trello,Zapierchecked 20 Sep 2026
- Maximum members
- 500000checked 20 Sep 2026
- Migration support
- Existing data can be migrated from Slack or Teams, with interoperability solutions available.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Paid from
- 7checked 20 Sep 2026
- Popular integrations
- Integrations include Asana, Datadog, GitHub, HubSpot, Jira, Salesforce, Trello, Workday, and more.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Security and privacy
- Some Workspace plans include enterprise-grade security and privacy.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Space member limit
- Persistent collaboration spaces support up to 500,000 members.checked 28 Sep 2026
Where it runs
- Custom apps
- Organizations can build custom apps with Chat APIs and Apps Script.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Included apps
- Workspace plans include Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, and Sites.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Supported platforms
- Web,Windows,macOS,Linux,iOS,Androidchecked 20 Sep 2026
Money
- Free plan
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
- Free trial
- Google Workspace provides a 14-day free trial.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Monthly billing
- Paid subscriptions are automatically charged at the beginning of each month.checked 28 Sep 2026
Alternatives to Google Chat
- 1
Zulip
Free planOpen sourceAndroidiOSWebAPI9.4From $3.50 a month - 2
Lark
Free planAndroidiOSWebAPI9.1From $6 a month - 3
Microsoft Teams
Free planAndroidiOSWebLinux9.0Free plan - 4
Slack
Free planAndroidiOSWebLinux9.0From $8.75 a month - 5
Rocket.Chat
Free planOpen sourceAndroidiOSWebAPI8.9Free plan - 6
Wire
Free planAndroidiOSWebLinux8.6From €7.45 a month