Google Meet, a video conferencing platform, will be available for free starting early May. Anyone with an email ID can sign up for Meet and enjoy its services.

Google Meet offers features such as simple scheduling and screen sharing, real-time captions and layouts that adapt to users’ preferences.

Those who want to use the video conferencing platform straightaway from next week might not be able to create meetings, as the company will be “gradually expanding its availability to more and more people over the following weeks.”

(Also read: Facebook Messenger Rooms: What is it, how does it work and should you use it? All your questions answered) 

Users can sign up on Meet to be notified when it is available to them.

Meet claims to keep data safe and secure. The platform lets a user admit or deny entry to a meeting, and mute or remove participants, if required.

Anonymous users are not allowed to join meetings created by individual accounts. Meet does not require plugins to use it on the web. It can be accessed on Chrome and other modern browsers. Meeting codes on the app are complex, making them resilient to brute-force guessing.

For groups and teams, Google is offering G Suite Essentials. It offers advanced features such as dial-in phone numbers, larger meetings and meeting recording.

G Suite Essentials allows users “easy and secure access” to all of a team’s content, and docs, sheets and slides. “Through 30 September, we’re providing G Suite Essentials and all of these advanced features free of charge,” Google said in a blog post.

Recently, Google introduced new features to Google Duo. The company will introduce a new video codec and is working to ensure that video calls on Duo are clear and uninterrupted.