Cloud-based productivity tools and services are an area where Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are competing aggressively for your company’s attention and budget.
It’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed when delving into the wide world of business productivity softwares due to the abundance of jargon and unfamiliar terms you’ll encounter.
Invisible to end users, yet essential to the smooth operation of your platform, these features are where it’s at when it comes to controlling productivity and collaboration.
Google Workspace was designed with the cloud in mind.
Microsoft 365 was initially meant to be a static experience, at first.
Both are easy to use, security-driven, adorned with incredible features.
So, which one should you be using for your business, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite vs Office365)?
Stick around to find out.
But first, let’s talk about the elephant in the room…
Which one is better, Google Workplace or Microsoft 365?
Both of these services rely on a strong, reliable cloud infrastructure with data centres all over the world.
Suites like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace make it possible to do routine office work from anywhere with an internet connection and a web browser.
The following features are included in each suite:
- Email and calendaring services for businesses with their own domains.
- A cloud-based storage service that provides both a communal workspace and a sizable amount of personal storage space for each user.
- Apps that help you get work done, such as those used for word processing, spreadsheets, and PowerPoint
- Messages, online meetings, and video conferencing are all ways for a business to communicate.
- Administrative interface, offering enhanced security options like two-factor authentication and compliance and archiving for business customers.
There are a few smaller competitors, such as Zoho Workplace, but these two businesses have a stranglehold on the market for enterprise productivity software.
At Glance: Features Comparison
What is the advantage of Google Workspace?
Google Workspace has smart apps. This was Google Apps until it re-branded in 2016. With the exception of Google Workspace Essentials, all Google Workspace packages have all claimed capabilities, while Microsoft’s offerings vary widely in the number of applications, add-ons, and other extras that are included. There is a wide range of options available for team collaboration, communication, email, and scheduling.
Google Workspace Business Premium and Enterprise plans have a lot more features, including at least 5 TB of cloud storage per user, eDiscovery and email options, and the ability to limit user access based on location.
Image creditsCreate, talk, and work together more effectively with Google Workspace.
Business Email Apps
Gmail vs. Outlook
The user interface is the key differentiating factor between these two email applications. Here, staff members can get instruction on how to make the most of their email inbox by reading messages, reacting to them, and filing them away properly. Both Gmail and Outlook are straightforward to learn and use, but Gmail lets users customise their inbox, while Outlook’s design can be complicated.
Gmail’s rich, fast, and easy-to-find messages with outstanding search options shouldn’t be a surprise given Google’s expertise in this field.
Due to Gmail’s popularity, third-party apps have been developed.
Gmail lacks sorting and grouping, which most users want. (A solution is to seek for messages beginning with “from” or “to,” but this isn’t as helpful as sorting or grouping). With that being said, Outlook has more grouping and sorting features than Gmail.
These two upgrades to Google Workspace Individual streamline sending “professional-looking emails to large audiences.” “Announcements, newsletters, and other mass-email apps” can leverage Gmail for web functions.
Outlook has all the finer things users want. But, Gmail is faster.
Google Chat:
Google Chat is Google’s new rival communication app. It’s a private forum for teamwork, complete with one-on-one and communal chitchat. By incorporating Google bots and other third-party apps into your discussions directly, you may streamline your interactions and save time. Every Google Workspace package comes with Google Chat at no extra cost.
How does Google Docs compare to Microsoft Office Suite?
Google Docs lets you work in real-time with teammates, make comments, and more. While the counterpart Microsoft Word, lets you collaborate with peers, create documents, and share your work.
Google Docs helps with simple edits like:
- Text formatting/image insertion
- Tablemaking
- Paragraph styles
Microsoft Word is best for creating:
- Indexing
- A dynamic TOC
- Chapters
Google Workspace Pricing
Google’s new Workspace branding includes distinct pricing tiers for small, large, and enterprise-level businesses.
| Google Workspace Starter £4.14/monthly | This package is designed for start-ups and small enterprises and includes Google Apps for Work and Gmail with a custom domain. Each user has a combined total of 30 GB of cloud storage to use across Google Drive and Gmail. Only 100 people can participate in a video conference at once. Each licence costs a set amount per month, and you can add or remove users at any moment. |
| Google Workspace Standard £8.28/monthly | Increased administrative and safety safeguards are built into this scheme. Each user is given 2TB of storage space on Google Drive, and audio and video conferences can include as many as 150 people. Team Drives facilitate the exchange of files between members of a team. |
| Google Workspace Plus £13.80/monthly | This plan increases each user’s storage space to 5TB and adds email archiving and eDiscovery. Meetings may now accommodate 250 individuals. Team Drives facilitates workgroup collaboration. |
What’s in Microsoft 365?
A Microsoft 365 subscription gives the subscriber access to either the cloud-based services or the Office desktop programs on up to 15 devices. Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote are desktop programs; Access and Publisher are Windows-only. Microsoft has revealed intentions to include a “lightweight” version of Visio in Microsoft 365 business subscriptions.
Microsoft 365 Pricing
Microsoft 365 Business Basic
Microsoft 365 Business Basic costs £4.50/monthly with an annual commitment.
Microsoft 365 Apps for Business
Microsoft 365 Business Basic costs £7.90/monthly with an annual commitment.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard
Microsoft 365 Business Standard costs £9.40/monthly with an annual commitment.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Microsoft 365 Business Premium costs £16.60/monthly with an annual commitment.
How they compare
Though, we’d like to add that Google Workspace’s collaborative features are easier to understand than Microsoft 365’s, perhaps because the product is simpler.
- possesses less features
- is based on teamwork Microsoft 365 has expanded from a desktop suite to a solution with collaboration functions.
VOIP add-ons
Add telephony to your office suite? Google and Microsoft both provide a cloud-based VoIP add-on. You can make and receive calls on your computer, desk phone, or smartphone with auto attendant, call transfer, and voicemail transcription.
Microsoft 365 Business Voice costs $15 per user per month and is exclusively accessible with Teams. Google Voice is a $20 per-user-per-month add-on for Workspaces for domestic and international enterprises. If you need electronic fax and additional functions, consider a stand-alone VoIP service. Microsoft 365 Business Voice doesn’t offer business texting, while Google Voice does.
Extensive integrations and add-ons
When it comes to compatibility with third-party software, both Google and Microsoft have you covered. But you should check their functionality to make sure they perform as planned. Some calendar connections may be one-way.
If your practice management app “syncs” with the calendar, information may only be updated in one. Or the add-in may only be in Microsoft software, not on the cloud. Make sure your integrations and add-ons perform the way you expect them to by asking a lot of questions and conducting extensive testing.
Which is more secure – G Suite or Office 365?
In Google Workspace (previously known as G Suite), security measures have been strengthened to prevent potentially harmful account activities. These measures include the automated denial of account hijacking attempts with identity verification prompts and the logging of such attempts for further analysis.
By adding this extra security measure, unscrupulous actors won’t be able to access a user’s account, protecting customer data and business secrets.
The additional levels of account protection are available to all Google Workspace customers, including those who previously used G Suite Basic or Business.
However, Essentials view in Microsoft 365 admin centre outshines Google Workspace in that it allows you to manage new and current users, modify licences, pay bills, and install Office on devices. In addition, it offers a convenient Add User process for centralising user configurations including email, licencing, roles, contact information, and more.
Microsoft 365, despite its less intuitive user interface, outshines the competition in terms of admin account security, mobile administration, and management features. For businesses without stringent compliance needs, Google Workspace delivers the essential management capabilities.
Cloud productivity/collaboration
In terms of teamwork and communication, both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 have a lot to offer. The challenge is in knowing which apps are best for specific jobs.
When using either service, many people can work on the same document at the same time online. Microsoft’s OneDrive makes it possible to work together with desktop apps, which can ease bandwidth concerns. Coworkers can see exactly who is making changes at any given moment, eliminating the need for different versions of a document or tracked changes.
Compared to Google’s document collaboration, which occurs totally in the cloud and, like other cloud products, can unexpectedly time out or lag while you’re in the middle of using it, this is a more user-friendly alternative.
With Microsoft Teams, you can access all of your communication features from a single hub, making for a more immersive experience. If, however, you’re already in your Gmail inbox, you only have to click once to access any of Google’s other handy applications.
Conclusion
Both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace provide a wealth of beneficial technologies that can increase your office productivity and performance. Google Workspace is an excellent choice for new and small businesses that want basic but useful business software to get up and running fast.
Microsoft 365 is the greatest productivity bundle for businesses since it includes all of the functions they require. If you need similar collaboration and productivity tools, Microsoft 365 has you covered. When compared to Google Workspace’s ease of use, the learning curve may be more than a little difficult.
Google Workspace can be a more cost-effective option to Microsoft 365 for businesses that do not need all of Microsoft’s services on a regular basis. They each offer their own benefits, but we’ll let you make the ultimate call after you’ve had a chance to try out both productivity softwares. Schedule a meeting with us to discuss the ways in which we may assist you in enhancing your company’s operations.
