Slack vs. Google Hangouts – Two Collaboration Giants Head to Head

Which affordable team collaboration app should you choose?

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Slack vs Hangouts
CollaborationTeam Collaboration Software Reviews

Published: August 22, 2019

Rebekah Carter - Writer

Rebekah Carter

Google Hangouts or Slack?

These days, there are so many different collaboration tools available on the market, that it’s challenging to keep track of all your options. Today’s businesses are beginning to realise that excellent communication and virtual collaboration go hand-in-hand.

For smaller businesses without a lot of cash to invest in the latest collaborative solutions, tools like Slack and Google Hangouts represent a fantastic opportunity. Both of these options come with free-to-access features that make it easy to start collaborating no matter how small or dispersed your workplace might be.

Slack is one of the best-known collaborative tools in the world today – and it was one of the first apps to introduce the world to the potential of team collaboration. On the other hand, Google Hangouts is a two-part tool available from Google’s productivity stack. While Google Hangouts Chat supports instant messaging and file sharing, Hangouts Meet delivers simple and straightforward meetings at the click of a button.

Here’s your guide to both options.

Slack Features

Perhaps the main advantage that Slack has in the current landscape is the fact that it’s so well-known. With both a free and premium version of the tool available, depending on what you need in terms of features and functionality, anyone can start using Slack with ease. What’s more, many people in the consumer environment already rely on tools similar to slack for communication, which makes adoption easy.

Another significant benefit of Slack is the fact that it comes with so many integrations available to access. Although there are only a handful of combinations possible in the free version if you upgrade to the full premium service, the options to extend your collaborative tool are practically endless. Features of Slack include:

  • Channel-based conversations
  • Efficient searchable history
  • Tool and service customisation
  • Collaboration with outside vendors and guests
  • Face-to-face and face-to-screen conversations (video and content sharing)
  • Integrated file-sharing with drag and drop functionality
  • Private groups and messaging
  • Snippets and webhooks
  • Feedback and progress archives
  • Notifications

Google Hangouts Features

The biggest benefit of Google Hangouts to people looking for a new collaboration tool is the fact that it’s already so deeply integrated with the rest of the G Suite. If you rely on Google for other solutions like Docs, Sheets, Drive, or Slides, then joining meetings and conversations with Google Hangouts will feel like a natural step forward. What’s more, there are bots integrated into the Google experience to make sure that you’re always aware of what’s going on with notifications from your files and your calendar service.

As part of a comprehensive solution within the G Suite, Google Hangouts gives you the freedom to converse and communicate with your colleagues in real-time, through access to document sharing, video conferencing, email, and everything else you might need in the same place. You can even launch meetings directly from your Google calendar or Gmail. Features include:

  • Voice and HD video calls
  • Auto screen focus
  • Instant messaging
  • Google application integrations
  • Screen and file sharing
  • Intelligent muting solutions
  • Custom admin control options
  • Access to various integrations
  • Private or group messaging
  • Searchable histories

Slack vs. Google Hangouts: Integrations

Both Slack and Google Hangouts were designed to make teamwork in the modern world easier and more intuitive. They do this by offering instant messaging solutions, real-time voice and video conversations, and even file sharing and annotation options. What’s more, the two apps are both available on a range of devices so that users can access them on the go.

To make your collaborative experience even more convenient, both Slack and Google Hangouts also offer a range of integrations to choose from. This means you can connect your collaborative tools to other crucial things like Box for file sharing, Salesforce for CRM connectivity, or Trello for Project management.

Slack’s App Directory features more than 1,500 apps to choose from which you can integrate into Slack as long as you have a premium account. This means you can spend less time jumping between tabs, and more time getting things done. Additionally, Slack also offers the option to build your own integrations with the Slack API, which is excellent for developers.

Google Hangouts offers fewer integrations, but there are still plenty of options to choose from, including connections with Zendesk, Slack, Flow dock, Sprint, Smartsheet, and many more. What’s more, with Google Hangouts, you get the benefit of having in-depth integrations with the wide selection of tools in G Suite.

Slack vs. Google Hangouts: Security

One of the most significant concerns that companies have when it comes to investing in collaboration tools is how they’re going to be able to keep the data in those applications safe. Many business leaders assume that a free tool won’t have the right security standards in place to protect them. However, both Slack and Google Hangouts take security very seriously.

Slack uses Slack itself, which means that it’s committed to keeping data secure for its own purposes, as well as yours. The Slack application is independently assessed by countless bodies to ensure compliance with various security standards, such as ISO 27001, HIPAA, and SOC 2 Type II. Additionally, there’s encryption available for data at rest and in transit, and support for two-factor authentication and single sign-on.

On the other hand, Google Hangouts builds on the impressive security-first ecosystem in G Suite, with an enterprise-grade approach to keeping your connections safe. With integrated support for the Google “Vault” security offering, admins can also search, preserve, export, and archive specific data in their chat environments.

Slack vs. Google Hangouts: Which One Should You Choose?

Slack and Google Hangouts both offer exceptional opportunities for companies that want to invest in collaboration without spending a fortune on their new initiative. Although the way that both of these applications work is a little different, with disparate interfaces and unique approaches to messaging, they’ll both ensure that you can communicate more effectively with your team members through chat, video, and voice.

The question is whether you feel more comfortable using something like Slack with team members who might already be familiar with the tool – or you’d prefer to access something that’s aligned with the G Suite environment you already use.

 

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