Overview
Attendee bots can join meetings on three major video conferencing platforms: Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. Each platform has unique characteristics and requirements.Zoom
How Zoom Bots Work
Zoom bots use the Zoom Meeting SDK to join meetings as virtual participants. The SDK provides access to audio and video streams, allowing bots to record, transcribe, and interact with meetings.Zoom provides the most mature and feature-rich SDK for meeting bots, with advanced capabilities like per-participant audio streams.
Requirements
To join Zoom meetings, you need:- Zoom OAuth Credentials - Client ID and Client Secret from your Zoom app
- Meeting SDK Enabled - Enable the Meeting SDK toggle in your Zoom app settings
Getting Zoom Credentials
Create Zoom App
Navigate to Zoom Marketplace and register/log into your developer account. Click “Develop” then “Build App” and choose “General App”.
Zoom-Specific Features
- Zoom RTMS - Real-Time Media Streaming for app sessions
- ZAK Tokens - Start meetings with a Zoom user’s ZAK token
- Join Tokens - Local recording permissions for specific meetings
- Web and Native SDKs - Choose between web-based or native SDK implementations
Google Meet
How Google Meet Bots Work
Google Meet doesn’t provide an official SDK for meeting bots. Attendee bots join Google Meet meetings by running a full instance of Google Meet in Chrome, similar to how a human user would join.Because Google Meet bots run in Chrome, they require more resources than Zoom bots but provide the same functionality.
Requirements
To join Google Meet meetings, you may need:- Google Workspace Account (optional) - For meetings requiring authentication
- Bot Login Credentials (optional) - Google account credentials if meetings require sign-in
Google Meet Features
- Anonymous Join - Join public meetings without authentication
- Authenticated Join - Use bot login credentials for private meetings
- Closed Captions - Transcribe from Google Meet’s native closed captions
- Login Modes - Configure when bots should use login credentials
Microsoft Teams
How Teams Bots Work
Similar to Google Meet, Microsoft Teams doesn’t provide a dedicated SDK for meeting bots. Attendee bots join Teams meetings by running Teams in a Chrome instance.Requirements
To join Microsoft Teams meetings, you may need:- Microsoft Account (optional) - For meetings requiring authentication
- Bot Login Credentials (optional) - Microsoft account credentials for private meetings
Teams Features
- Public Meeting Join - Join meetings via public links without authentication
- Authenticated Join - Use bot login credentials for organization-restricted meetings
- Teams Closed Captions - Transcribe from Teams’ native closed captions
- Login Modes - Configure when bots should use login credentials
Platform Comparison
| Feature | Zoom | Google Meet | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official SDK | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Audio Recording | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Video Recording | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Transcription | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Speaker View | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Gallery View | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Anonymous Join | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Authenticated Join | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Breakout Rooms | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Waiting Rooms | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Chat Messages | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Voice Input | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Video Input | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Platform Captions | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Choosing a Platform
When deciding which platform to support:Zoom
Best for applications requiring advanced features, per-participant audio streams, or breakout room support.
Google Meet
Ideal for Google Workspace integrations and organizations primarily using Google’s ecosystem.
Microsoft Teams
Best for enterprise customers heavily invested in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
All Platforms
Support all three platforms to maximize compatibility and reach the widest audience.
Technical Considerations
Resource Requirements
- Zoom bots (native SDK) - Lower resource usage, more efficient
- Google Meet bots - Higher resource usage (Chrome-based)
- Teams bots - Higher resource usage (Chrome-based)
Authentication Complexity
- Zoom - OAuth app setup required, but well-documented
- Google Meet - Optional authentication, straightforward for public meetings
- Teams - Optional authentication, can be complex for enterprise configurations
Attendee abstracts platform differences into a unified API, so you can support all platforms without writing platform-specific code.
Next Steps
Create a Bot
Learn how to create your first bot
Configure Settings
Explore bot configuration options