# Google Chat

> Team messaging and spaces built into Google Workspace

Google Chat is the messaging app in Google Workspace, with direct messages, group conversations and persistent spaces for teams. It is available inside Gmail as well as on its own, and ties into Drive, Calendar, Meet and Tasks for sharing files, scheduling meetings and assigning work. Chat is not sold separately: it is included with every Workspace plan, and Gemini features such as summaries and translation start at Business Standard.

- **Category:** Team Communication
- **Made by:** Google
- **Website:** https://workspace.google.com/products/chat/
- **Runs on:** Web, iOS, Android
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 9, 2026

## Pricing

Google Chat has a free plan. Paid plans start at $7 per user / month with a 1-year commitment (Google Workspace).

- **Pricing model:** Free plan
- **Free plan:** Google says Chat is included for consumer Google Workspace users as well as business and education customers; some premium features need a paid subscription.
- **Free trial:** 14-day free trial of Google Workspace.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Consumer (Google Account) | $0 | Chat for consumer Google Workspace users. Google notes that some premium features require a paid subscription. |
| Business Starter | $7 per user / month, 1-year commitment, billed monthly | Google Workspace suite plan that includes Chat, with 30 GB of pooled storage per user. Gemini in Chat is not included. |
| Business Standard | $14 per user / month, 1-year commitment, billed monthly | Suite plan with Chat plus Gemini in Chat to find, summarize and translate conversations, and 2 TB of pooled storage per user. |
| Business Plus | $22 per user / month, 1-year commitment, billed monthly | Suite plan with 5 TB of pooled storage per user, Vault to retain and search data, and advanced endpoint management. |
| Enterprise | Custom | Suite plan with data loss prevention, context-aware access and data regions, with no minimum or maximum number of users. |

Read from https://workspace.google.com/pricing on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Google Chat before buying.

## Ways to pay less

- **Save 16% with a 1-year commitment** (Annual discount): Google's pricing page says the Annual plan saves 16% compared with paying without a commitment. The listed prices are the Annual ones, billed monthly. Source: https://workspace.google.com/pricing
- **Up to 50% off the first 3 months** (Other savings): New Google Workspace customers get up to 50% off their first 3 months, a limited-time offer with no end date given. The discount on each plan differed between copies of the US page from October 4 and 7. Source: https://workspace.google.com/pricing
- **Free Google Workspace for Nonprofits** (Nonprofit): Eligible nonprofits get Google Workspace for Nonprofits, which includes Chat, at $0 per user, and Business Standard for $3.50 per user / month on a 1-year commitment. Source: https://www.google.com/nonprofits/offerings/workspace/
- **Education Fundamentals at no charge** (Education): Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals, which includes Chat, is available at no charge to qualifying institutions. Education Plus is a paid edition. Source: https://edu.google.com/workspace-for-education/editions/compare-editions/
- **Lower price shown to buyers in India** (By country): On October 9, 2026 Google's pricing page showed Starter at ₹270 per user / month to a visitor in India, against $7 in the US version, and listed a Base plan at ₹99 that the US version does not show. Source: https://workspace.google.com/pricing

## Key features

- **Direct messages and spaces:** Chat covers direct messages, group messaging and persistent spaces with threaded conversations. Google says a space can hold up to 500,000 members on eligible plans.
- **Huddles and voice or video messages:** Huddles let teammates connect in real time for drop-in collaboration, and updates can be shared as recorded audio or video messages.
- **Gemini in Chat:** Gemini summarizes conversations, lists action items and translates messages. The pricing table includes it from Business Standard up, not in Business Starter.
- **Built into Gmail and Workspace:** Chat appears in Gmail's left navigation and works with Drive, Calendar, Meet and Tasks, so files, meetings and assigned tasks are handled from a conversation.
- **Chat apps and API:** Chat apps cover tools such as Asana, Jira, GitHub and Salesforce. Custom apps can be built with the Chat API, webhooks and Apps Script, or without code in AppSheet.
- **Migration and interoperability:** Existing data can be migrated from Slack or Teams, and interoperability products from Mio and NextPlane connect Chat with other messaging platforms.

## Good for

- Organizations already paying for Google Workspace
- Teams that work in Gmail and want chat in the same window
- Companies moving chat history over from Slack or Teams

## Worth knowing

- Chat is not sold on its own: a business gets it by paying for a Google Workspace plan that also covers Gmail, Drive and Meet.
- Gemini in Chat is left out of Business Starter, and Google marks some listed features as coming soon or limited to Business and Enterprise plans.
- There is no native desktop app: computers use the web interface, Chat inside Gmail, or a standalone web app installed through Chrome. The store apps are for phones and tablets.
- Business Starter, Standard and Plus can be bought for a maximum of 300 users.

## What people say

- **App Store rating of the iPhone and iPad app:** 4.6 out of 5 from 306,312 ratings in the United States, read Oct 5, 2026. This is the store's rating of the app, not a score from ToolGPA. Source: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1163852619

## Works with

Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Google Meet, Asana, Jira, GitHub, Salesforce

**Tags:** Team chat, File sharing, Tasks, AI features, Public API

## Alternatives

- [Slack](https://toolgpa.com/tools/slack): Channel-based team messaging with huddles, workflows and AI. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/google-chat-vs-slack)
- [Microsoft Teams](https://toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-teams): Chat, video meetings and calling tied into Microsoft 365. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/google-chat-vs-microsoft-teams)
- [Zoho Cliq](https://toolgpa.com/tools/zoho-cliq): Team chat, calls and meetings from the Zoho suite. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/google-chat-vs-zoho-cliq)
- [Lark](https://toolgpa.com/tools/lark): All-in-one suite of chat, meetings, docs, email and workflows. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/google-chat-vs-lark)
- [Pumble](https://toolgpa.com/tools/pumble): Team chat with unlimited message history on the free plan. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/google-chat-vs-pumble)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026:

- https://workspace.google.com/pricing
- https://workspace.google.com/pricing?region=US&hl=en
- https://web.archive.org/web/20261007092156/https://workspace.google.com/pricing
- https://workspace.google.com/products/chat/
- https://support.google.com/chat/answer/9455386?hl=en
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/google-chat/id1163852619
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.dynamite&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://www.google.com/nonprofits/offerings/workspace/
- https://edu.google.com/workspace-for-education/editions/compare-editions/

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/google-chat
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).