Naven vs Google Chat at a glance
| Compared on | Naven | Google Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Phone number required | Never. The email address you already have | Not required — a Google account |
| App install required | Nothing. The whole product runs in a browser | Web-first, with apps |
| End-to-end encrypted | No — and Naven says so. Pre-send screening and E2EE cannot both be true | No |
| Platforms | Any browser: Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, iOS, Android | iOS, Android, web |
| Communities | Public and invite-only channels, plus an AI newsroom | Spaces |
| Age model | Age bands; under-13 accounts get the strictest screening, and are suspended pending guardian approval if it is repeatedly tripped | 13+ (under 13 only through Family Link or a school account) |
| Moderation model | Pre-send. Twelve published categories, checked before delivery | Workspace admin controls, blocking and reporting; nothing screens messages before they are delivered |
What Google Chat does better
Free with any Google account and built into Gmail, with threaded spaces for large groups, scheduled messages, huddles, and tight links to Drive, Calendar and Meet. For a group already on Google Workspace it is the obvious choice.
Where Google Chat gets in the way
Reviewers complain about notifications that do not arrive, slow loading, search that struggles with older messages, and confusion between Google Chat, Google Messages and the old Hangouts. Gemini in Chat needs a paid Workspace plan, and on a school account the administrator can see chats and usually blocks anybody outside the school.
Who should stay with Google Chat
Your group already lives inside Google Workspace, or your school gives you Google Chat for class.
Who Naven is for instead
Naven is built for a group that spans devices and will not all install the same app — a family across iPhone and Android, a club with one member on a school Chromebook, friends in three countries with three different SIMs. It is also built for a parent who wants a real answer about safety: messages are screened before they send — slurs, strong language and ten kinds of conduct, all published in full — while ordinary disagreement is deliberately left alone.
Moving a group off Google Chat
The hard part of leaving Google Chat is never the software, it is the eight people who have to agree. Two things make that easier here. First, nobody has to install anything or hand over a number, so "I'll do it later" stops being a reason. Second, you do not have to move everything at once — start one group, keep Google Chat for the people who are staying, and let the rest follow when they see the link works.
- Open Naven in the browser you are reading this in and sign in with Google or an email address.
- Create the group and send the link into your existing Google Chat chat — that is where everyone already is.
- People open the link and they are in. On Google Chat they would first need the app installed.
- Keep Google Chat for anyone who wants it. Naven does not need to be your only messenger to be useful.
Frequently asked
Is Naven a good Google Chat alternative?
It depends what you want from Google Chat. Free with any Google account and built into Gmail, with threaded spaces for large groups, scheduled messages, huddles, and tight links to Drive, Calendar and Meet. For a group already on Google Workspace it is the obvious choice. If that is the part you rely on, stay. If what bothers you is the install requirement, the device fragmentation, or the fact that harm is only handled after somebody reports it, then Naven is built for exactly that complaint.
Is Naven end-to-end encrypted like Google Chat?
No. Content that never reaches a server cannot be screened before it sends, so pre-send screening and end-to-end encryption cannot both be true. Naven chose screening because it is built to be usable by children. Naven is transport-encrypted throughout, publishes no member directory, and does not profile or sell what you send. If end-to-end encryption matters more to you, use Signal for those conversations.
Can I use Naven without downloading anything?
Yes. Messaging, group chats, channels, voice calls and video calls all run in a web browser on any operating system. There is no app to install and no app store account required.
Does Naven need my phone number?
No. You sign in with an email address you already have — through Google, with a one-time code emailed to you, or with a passkey. There is no phone number field anywhere in Naven.
Is Naven free?
Yes — free, with no advertising, no paid tier, no algorithmic feed and no data sale.