By AppHub Editorial Team · Updated August 5, 2026
Google Chat
Overview
Business
Google LLC
Free
Feb 28, 2018
No
Feb 26, 2026
Features
Google Chat is the best way for teams using Workspace to connect, collaborate and get things done.
AI-first messaging & collaboration, transformed by Gemini
Everything teams need to stay connected and get work done
Google Chat is the best way for teams using Workspace to connect, collaborate and get things done. AI-first messaging & collaboration, transformed by Gemini
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Ratings breakdown
335,000 reviewsDeveloper contact
Name
Google LLC
Address
1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy Mountain View, CA 94043 United States
Website
https://chat.google.comPhone
+1 650-253-0000
Support
apps-help@google.com
Privacy
View policyFrequently Asked Questions
Is Google Chat free to use? high
Yes, Google Chat is free to use. It is included as part of Google Workspace for consumer, education, and business customers. Some premium features require a paid subscription.
Source: app_metadata, app_description
Does Google Chat have ads? high
No, Google Chat does not contain ads.
Source: app_metadata
What happened to Google Hangouts? Is Chat a replacement? medium
Yes, Google Chat replaced Google Hangouts. Some users in recent reviews express frustration with this transition, calling Chat clunky and a downgrade from Hangouts.
Source: user_reviews, app_metadata
Can I attach multiple photos at once in Google Chat? low
Based on one recent user review, Google Chat only allows attaching one photo at a time, which some users find limiting.
Source: user_reviews
Is Google Chat good for business teamwork? medium
Google Chat is designed for teams using Workspace, with features like collaboration through smart chips, audio/video messages, huddles, and integration with Gmail, Calendar, Drive, and Meet. However, some users in recent reviews find the UI clunky and basic compared to other platforms.
Source: app_description, user_reviews
How to Use
Google Chat is a messaging and collaboration app for teams using Google Workspace to communicate, share files, and manage tasks. (app_description)
Getting Started
Source: app_description_and_user_feedback_noted
- Sign in with your Google Workspace account (consumer, education, or business).
- Start a direct chat with a colleague, create a group chat, or join a space for team discussions.
- Send text messages, audio/video messages, or start a huddle for real-time conversation.
- Use smart chips to share files, people, and spaces directly in messages.
- Enable status updates to let others know when you are available or heads-down.
Key Features (from app listing)
Source: app_description
- AI-first messaging with Gemini integration for conversation summaries and AI-powered search.
- Automatic message translation across over 120 languages.
- Integration with Workspace apps like Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Tasks, and Meet.
- Smart chips to link files, people, and spaces for streamlined collaboration.
- Audio and video messages for detailed updates.
- Huddles for real-time voice or video conversations.
- Support for third-party apps like PagerDuty, Jira, and GitHub.
- Google Drive app integration for managing requests and approvals.
- Security with zero-trust architecture, data loss prevention, and phishing/malware detection.
One user in recent_reviews (#4) expressed confusion about the separation of rooms and chats, wishing for a unified message view. This tip addresses that feedback by suggesting a clear organizational use case.
How this content was created
Content type: pattern_analysis_of_user_reviews_and_metadata
AI generated: Yes
- Google Play user reviews (5 per app), From June 2021 to November 2025
- Google Play ratings distribution
- App Store listing metadata
- Review samples are not statistically representative of all user sentiment
- Claims labeled 'low confidence' are based on single-review observations only
- No real-world app testing was conducted
- Feature availability may vary by region, device, and app version
- Only recent_reviews bucket was available; no positive reviews or mixed feedback were included
Pros & Cons
Based on analysis of Google Play user reviews
Pros
- Integrated with Workspace apps like Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Tasks, and Meet for seamless teamwork.
Theme 'Workspace integration' identified in app description.
Evidence (1)
“Integrated with Workspace apps like Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Tasks, and Meet”Rating: 5★ App description - AI-powered features like conversation summaries and translation across 120+ languages enhance productivity.
Theme 'AI features' identified in app description.
Evidence (1)
“AI-first messaging & collaboration, transformed by Gemini”Rating: 5★ App description - Protected by Google's cloud-native, zero-trust architecture for secure communication.
Theme 'Security' identified in app description.
Evidence (1)
“Protected by Google's cloud-native, zero-trust architecture”Rating: 5★ App description
Cons
- Status messages are truncated and not fully visible, making the feature feel half-baked.
Theme 'Status message truncation' identified in recent_review #1.
Evidence (1)
“the interface often truncates longer messages, so most of what you write isn't fully visible.”Rating: 2★ November 29, 2025 126 likes - Only allows attaching one photo at a time, wasting time for users who need to share multiple images.
Theme 'Single photo attachment' identified in recent_reviews #3 and #5.
Evidence (2)
“only being able to attach 1 photo at a time is a waste of my time.”Rating: 1★ July 07, 2022 403 likes“doesn't allow you to send more than one image at a time”Rating: 1★ June 22, 2021 263 likes - Conversation layout is clunky with no chat bubbles, making it hard to read and follow discussions.
Theme 'Poor conversation layout' identified in recent_reviews #3 and #4.
Evidence (2)
“The entire conversation is left justified, instead of my chats on the right and everyone else on the left.”Rating: 1★ July 07, 2022 403 likes“Chat is clunky in comparison and doesn't work as consistently.”Rating: 2★ August 24, 2021 93 likes
Recent Reviews
Daniela S
2★Google Chat feels basic and limited when it comes to status messages. While you can technically type up to 64 characters, the interface often truncates longer messages, so most of what you write isn’t fully visible. Unlike other platforms, there’s no reliable way to make your status stand out or fully readable in all views. Overall, it works for simple communication, but the status feature feels half-baked and frustrating if you want to share more than a few words. For a feature meant to express
Go Baibe
2★I mean, if forced to use, ok, but really, the chat kinda sucks! If forcing a replacement, the least it could be is better than what is replaced. For desktop, there's no browser extension and the desktop app is basically just a browser without tabs. What is spaces and why? If this is something for businesses that use Google products, leave it on that side of things. Setting up groups worked perfectly fine. No separate space needed.
Keith Bernier
1★The entire conversation is left justified, instead of my chats on the right and everyone else on the left. Since there's not even individual chat bubbles, it's hard to scroll through and annoying to try to read through the conversation. Also, only being able to attach 1 photo at a time is a waste of my time. Furthermore, the video chat isn't convenient nor is it easy to utilize. Overall, a junk app.
Debra Lankford
2★It's an adjustment from Hangouts for sure. Chat is clunky in comparison and doesn't work as consistently. I want the option to combine chats and rooms into one page. I just want to see all of my most recent messages at the top of the page regardless of whether it's a "room" or a "chat". And like someone else said, I miss being able to see who has seen the messages.
Joceline Faubert
1★Google is shooting itself in the foot by killing everything that actually worked. Google Chat is a copy-pasted version of Microsoft Teams. Not a single unique thing about it. That would be all well and good if they weren't killing Hangouts to make it! Hangouts was never great, but at least it was meh. Google Chat removed the side separation of chats, doesn't allow you to send more than one image at a time, you can't scroll between images, and in general is not a personal communication app. Bad.