As technology has evolved, businesses have increasingly relied on cloud-based productivity tools to help them work efficiently and collaborate remotely. Two of the most popular options today are Microsoft 365 (formerly known as Office 365) and Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite). Both offer an array of tools that include email, document creation and collaboration, video conferencing, and more. But which is the better choice?
Read on to learn the similarities and differences between Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, so that you can decide which is the optimal choice for your business.
Comparing Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace
| Applications | Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace |
|---|---|---|
| Word processing | Word | Google Docs |
| Spreadsheets | Excel | Google Sheets |
| Presentations | PowerPoint | Google Slides |
| File storage | OneDrive | Google Drive |
| Outlook | Gmail | |
| Video conferencing | Microsoft Teams | Google Meet |
| Document management/website creator | SharePoint | Google Sites |
Both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace offer a range of productivity applications to help business users work efficiently and collaborate remotely. But there are some key differences between them.
Microsoft 365 features the most popular applications from the Microsoft Office suite: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, and SharePoint. These tools provide powerful document creation and collaboration capabilities with integration across apps. Additionally, Microsoft Teams allows users to stay connected with colleagues through chat, video conferencing, and shared documents, all of which are highly useful features for remote teams. And with the recent integration of Amazon Web Services AWS Chatbot into Teams, enterprise users can stay informed about crucial events such as security risks and system health updates.
On the other hand, Google Workspace offers a host of productivity applications: Gmail, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, and Google Drive. These tools enable users to create and work on documents with one another over the cloud in real time. Workspace’s Microsoft Teams counterpart is Google Meet, which enables users to communicate on high-quality video conferences.
In terms of security measures, both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace offer robust protection against hacking attempts via two-factor authentication. They also employ encryption technologies to secure sensitive data such as personal information or financial records. Finally, both have cloud-based disaster recovery mechanisms, which provides additional protection against data loss caused by natural disasters or cyberattacks.
Our verdict: We recommend Microsoft 365 — here's why
Unsure if Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace is the ideal choice for your business? While both offer exceptional productivity tools, Microsoft 365 ultimately pulls ahead for these compelling reasons.
Microsoft 365’s desktop applications are more robust
While both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace offer desktop apps with similar basic functionalities, such as word processing, spreadsheet management, and email, there are some substantial differences between their apps.
For instance, Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365’s word processing app) has a more robust set of tools for creating and editing documents, including a desktop app suite that integrates with Microsoft's OneDrive cloud storage platform. On the other hand, Google Workspace’s Google Docs is nowhere near as powerful as Word particularly in terms of functionality and customization. Docs’ best quality is arguably its feature that allows multiple users to simultaneously work on the same document.
Additionally, Google Workspace is more focused on web-based applications, while Microsoft 365 provides a more traditional desktop experience.
Microsoft 365 is more customizable to business needs
Microsoft 365 offers businesses more customization options than Google Workspace does. With a range of tools and applications for communication, collaboration, and productivity, Microsoft allows users to tailor its suite to fit their unique business needs. This includes flexibility in choosing which applications are installed, as well as the ability to integrate with third-party services.
Microsoft 365's basic plan offers huge storage
When it comes to storage, Microsoft 365 offers a significant advantage over Google Workspace. Even with a basic Microsoft 365 plan (Microsoft 365 Business Basic), users get 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage. This is significantly more than on Google Workspace: 15 GB on a free plan and 30 GB for its Business Starter paid plan. Businesses can also purchase additional storage space with Microsoft 365, up to a whopping 5 TB.
Microsoft 365 offers more value for money
Finally, Microsoft 365 offers better prices than Google Workspace. Microsoft 365’s basic plan includes all of the features mentioned above and starts at just $6 per user/month. Google Workspace's basic plan, by comparison, costs $6 per user/month and does not include access to the desktop version of its suite.
Related reading: How Microsoft 365 helps you save money
Overall, while both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace provide solid productivity suites for businesses, we recommend Microsoft 365 due to its enhanced security measures, desktop version availability, and greater customization options. With this platform, you can be assured that your data is secure, available on and offline, and tailored to your specific needs.
If you need further advice on which productivity suite is best for your organization or are thinking of switching productivity suites, ask the experts at USWired for advice. Give us a call.
