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Collaboration Communication Microsoft 365 Microsoft Teams

Which one is reliable, Google Chat or MS Teams?

Is a dedicated chat client better or more reliable than MS Teams. Is that even a sensible question to ask?

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

I frequent Quora, mostly answering technology questions and trying not to get drawn into irrational debates. Every now and then I publish answers I have provided to my blog. This question was interesting as it both misses the point about Microsoft Teams and focuses on reliability rather than just features or some arbitrary view of ‘better’ (there are many that try to compare Teams with Zoom, focusing only on the video meeting capabilities, for example).

Which one is reliable, Google Chat or MS Teams?

It’s a bit of a challenging comparison. It’s like asking which is reliable, a toothpick or a Swiss Army Knife. For clarity, Google Chat is the toothpick; and it does just one thing and does it pretty well; however a toothpick can’t pare wood, open bottles, file metal, cut paper… you hopefully see the extended metaphor.

MS Teams has its frustrations.

  • The desktop client occasionally has trouble starting (I have a very complex, multi-tenanted, multi-identity environment, to be fair), getting stuck in an identity loop which I have to resolve by launching the web client first.
  • There have been times when chats arrive out of sequence in some team area channels.
  • Some UI decisions are poorly done (like putting the close image button directly over the Leave meeting button). But that’s the price of sophistication initially.
  • Switching tenants in the desktop client requires logging out and logging in again.
  • It resolutely refuses to place my most commonly used identity on the pick list of log in identities, so has to be added manually every time.

Teams is complex and not everything is perfect.

If the only thing a person or team needs is chat then it is possible Google Chat is more reliable or possibly even better suited as it focuses on the one job they need. It would be considered a best of breed rather than broadly integrated application in this regard and such things have their place. However, if the only thing needed is chat then the needs are probably not very sophisticated and one might want to look to something secure like Signal.

One needs to be careful of the definition of ‘reliable’ of course. I would want to state or agree what the criteria for reliability actually are before making any statements that compare products. My intuition says that reliability is less about whether there are any defects or weaknesses and more about whether these ever let you down when it matters. Teams has come close to not launching or not letting me authenticate when I have needed to, but ultimately has never broken while I have been using it despite being a member of 6 different tenants and guest on half a dozen more. Nor has it ever forced an update on me when I have needed to do something else.

We use Teams in all my companies, it’s never let us down and it has reduced internal email by 90%, while letting us continue to run our businesses without a hitch through the lockdown years. We use Teams chat and it has never let us down, but we also use it for its full breadth of features and that makes all the difference.

From an original answer on Quora https://www.quora.com/Which-one-is-reliable-Google-Chat-or-MS-Teams/answer/Simon-Hudson-4?ch=18&oid=351096347&share=c9fa6d07&srid=whk5&target_type=answer

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By Simon

Simon Hudson is an entrepreneur and health sector specialist. He formed Cloud2 in 2008 following a rich career in the international medical device industry and the IT industry. Simon’s background encompasses quality assurance, medical device development, international training, business intelligence and international marketing and health related information and technology.

Simon’s career has spanned both the UK and the international health industry, with roles that have included quality system auditing, medical device development, international training (advanced wound management) and international marketing. In 2000 he co-founded a software-based Clinical Outcomes measurement start-up in the US. Upon joining ioko in 2004 he created the Carelink division and, as General Manager, drove it to become a multi-million pound business in its own right.
In 2008, Simon founded Cloud2 in response to a need for a new way of delivering successful projects based on Microsoft SharePoint. This created the first commercial ‘Intranet in a Box’ solution and kickstarted a new industry. He exited that business in 2019, which has continued to grow as a leading provider of Power BI and analytics solutions.

In 2016, he co-founded Kinata Ltd. to enable effective Advice and Guidance in the NHS and is currently guiding the business beyond its NHS roots to address needs in Her Majesty’s Prisons and in Australasia.

In 2021, Simon founded Novia Works Ltd.

In 2021 he was invited to become Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Hull.

In 2022 he was recognised as a Microsoft MVP.

In 2025 he founded Sustainable Ferriby CIC, a community energy not-for-profit to develop energy generation, energy & carbon reduction, and broader sustainability & NetZero projects in the West Hull villages.

Simon has had articles and editorials published in a variety of technology, knowledge management, clinical benchmarking and health journals, including being a regular contributor to PC Pro, as well as a presenter at conferences. He publishes a blog on areas of interest at noviaworks.co.uk. He is a co-facilitator of the M365 North User Group. He is a lead author and facilitator on the Maturity Model for Microsoft 365. He is the author of two patents relating to medical devices. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Physical Science and a PGCE in Physics and Chemistry from the University of Hull.

Simon is passionate about rather too many things, including science, music (he plays guitar and octave mandola), skiing, classic cars, narrowboats, the health sector, sustainability, information technology and, by no means least, his family.

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