Microsoft Office was the undisputed ruler of the business technology industry in the 1990s and early 2000s. Then Google introduced Docs and Sheets, making it a viable alternative for most businesses. Both platforms have since rebranded and have improved their apps and usability. However, this only complicates the decision between Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) and Office 365.
Choosing the best platform to manage your team and increase productivity will be determined by your working preferences. Google Workspace (G Suite) and Office 365 both provide outstanding cloud-based tools and offline apps. However, their functionality may be limited in some cases, so it is critical to first determine your needs.
In this article, we will compare Google Workspace (G Suite) vs Office 365 to help you decide which is best for your business or personal needs. Let's get started!
Features: What you get with Google Workspace vs Office 365
Before we dig deeper, Google Workspace and Office 365 share similar features such as:
- Cloud storage and file-sharing options
- A variety of business apps
- Tools for collaboration such as chat or audio and video calls
- Business email, which you can configure with your domain
Let's take a closer look at them.
Google Workspace (GSuite)
Google Workspace provides 30GB to unlimited cloud storage as well as powerful file-sharing features. You can work on documents in real-time or you can make projects available offline depending on your preference.
It also includes all of the popular Google apps on the market such as:
- Gmail
- Google Calendar
- Google Docs, Sheets & Slides
With its drag-and-drop functionality and user-friendly interface, you can also get access to Google sites, which makes it simple to create team websites.
With Chat and Google Meet for messaging and video conferencing, Google Workspace makes team collaboration a breeze.
Google Workspace is ideal for remote teams due to its cloud-based nature, which facilitates online collaboration. Users can work on multiple files at the same time, leave comments, and make suggestions. Google Calendar and Keep also make it simple to create shareable tasks and timelines.
Office 365
All Office 365 plans include a generous 1TB of storage, though none offer an unlimited option. You also get an additional 50GB for each user’s mailbox.
OneDrive makes it simple to manage and share files. The web-based Office 365 apps, on the other hand, are not as robust as their desktop counterparts. However, all of its offline tools are highly compatible with Windows, making integration simple if your business is based on Windows.
You’ll have access to popular feature-rich apps like:
- Outlook
- OneNote
- Publisher and Access (PC only)
- Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint
Office 365 also includes excellent collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, which allows users to seamlessly transition from chat to video conference. You can also share files, make real-time edits, and leave comments and suggestions.
Finally, Office 365 provides advanced security features. The Business Premium plan includes advanced threat and malware protection, access control, Windows Defender, and other features.
Ease of Use
Most people are familiar with Google Workspace and Office 365, making them simple to use. Choosing one over the other comes down to personal preference and workflow.
For example, if you’re already used to working with Microsoft or prefer to use desktop tools, Office 365 may be a better investment. Its apps work seamlessly together, which is especially important if you’re going to rely on Windows. Their feature-heavy nature on the other hand may take some getting used to for newcomers.
The Google Workspace interface, on the other hand, is highly intuitive and extremely simple to use, even for inexperienced users. There are helpful behind-the-scenes features like auto-save that make the platform user-friendly for beginners. It’s also designed for cloud-based collaboration, which means it will likely be easier to use if team members work remotely.
Personalization
You can create custom-branded email addresses for your company on both platforms. You must first purchase a domain or use an existing one and connect it using an easy-to-use setup wizard.
Google Workspace includes Gmail for Business, so you’ll be using the same familiar Gmail interface (without ads). Office 365 for Business, on the other hand, includes Outlook, a well-known desktop client. Both apps also give access to a robust calendar scheduling system.
Pricing
Google Workspace costs $6 per user per month for the Business Starter plan, which includes 30GB of storage. More expensive plans include unlimited storage or 2TB of storage per user. The more expensive plans begin at $12 per user per month.
With a yearly commitment, Microsoft 365 Business Basic costs $5 per user per month. This plan, however, only includes web-based Office apps with limited functionality. Furthermore, it does not support business email.
The Business Standard plan adds support for business email and desktop versions of the Office apps for $12.50 per user per month. There is also a Premium version available for $20 per user per month, which includes cyber threat protection and device management.
Which is better for your business: Google Workspace or Office 365?
Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are both excellent business suites that will increase the productivity of your team. They allow you to work both remotely and locally, collaborate with others, and store and manage files.
However, they may not be appropriate for all types of businesses. Large enterprises, in particular, may benefit from Office 365 due to its advanced security and feature-rich options suitable for larger businesses. However, if your operations are entirely remote, this may not be the best option.
Google Workspace provides a variety of apps that are jam-packed with powerful features that make real-time file collaboration a breeze. Small businesses, in particular, will benefit from it because it is simple to set up and manage user accounts (as well as being a bit more affordable).
Your team is likely already familiar with popular tools like Gmail and Google Docs, which is beneficial when onboarding new members. Unfortunately, Google Workspace lacks a diverse set of desktop apps. However, if your employees are not geographically restricted, this should not be a problem.
Conclusion
Choosing the right collaborative platform can significantly increase the productivity of your team. It's essential these days to be able to work remotely, exchange files, and communicate via chat and video conferencing apps. These options are available in both Google Workspace and Office 365, but there are some key differences.
To summarize, Google Workspace is an unquestionable winner for smaller businesses that primarily operate, collaborate, and share files online. It has unrivaled real-time file editing capabilities. The simple, clean design will appeal to the majority of users. On the other hand, large businesses that require more features and functionality and are accustomed to working with Microsoft desktop apps will most likely benefit from Office 365.
Have your own thoughts? Reach out to us at Pro5!