Know Why Microsoft 365 is Better Than Google Workspace
Based on a recent survey, most organizations are switching from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365. After hearing about it, you might wonder why this is happening. There are a lot of reasons behind this change, which include the benefits of Microsoft 365 over Google Apps. Hence, in this blog, we are going to find the reasons why Microsoft 365 is better than Google Workspace.
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In today’s era of technology, businesses are constantly looking for more modern yet effective business office suites that can drive more productivity at a lower cost. Since they are essential for business growth, choosing the right one plays a vital role in developing and shaping the organization.
When it comes to choosing the right one for your organization. Then the two prominent competitors come to mind, those are Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. While both comprise robust features and security, Microsoft 365 emerges as the prime choice of users due to several modern facilities. These include offline Office software, rich features, and regular security updates. Let’s have a quick overview of the features comparison.
Features That Make Microsoft 365 Lead Over Google Workspace
| Features | Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace |
|---|---|---|
| Applications | Outlook 365, OneDrive for Business, Teams, SharePoint, MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, Access, etc. | Gmail, Google Drive (Docs, Sheets, Slides), Hangouts (rebranded as Google Meet and Chat), Calendar, Sites, etc. |
| Email Storage | Email storage varies based on the plan, typically ranging from 50 GB to unlimited storage. | Gmail offers various storage options, with the basic plan providing 30 GB. Higher-tier plans offer more storage.
Google Drive usually includes 30 GB of storage, shared between Gmail and Drive. More storage is available in higher-tier plans. |
| File Storage | File storage usually includes 1 TB of OneDrive storage for most business plans. | |
| Security Services | Utilizes advanced security tools, including AI-driven threat detection, compliance management, and data loss prevention. | Provide the services to auto-detect suspicious activities from both user and admin accounts. |
| Pricing | Depending on the plan and features, plans are typically divided into Business, Enterprise, and Education categories, with prices ranging from $5 to $35 per user per month.
Note: Plans with below 50 GB of Emails and 1TB of cloud storage are different |
Google Workspace offers plans from Basic to Business Plus, with monthly prices ranging from $6 to $25 per user. |
| Accessibility | Provides offline access to applications like Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint through desktop applications. | Online access only |
| Communication Services | Outlook emails, Teams | Gmail, Google Meet |
| Intranet | SharePoint | Google Sites |
Different Functions of Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace
In the above section, we saw the features that create the difference between Microsoft 365 and G Suite services. In the following section, we are going to discuss why Microsoft 365 is Better than Google Workspace. Let’s get started.
Consistent Familiar UI
Microsoft 365 maintains a consistent interface across offline and online platforms, offering familiarity to users accustomed to Microsoft applications on Windows. This continuity contributes to its popularity.
On the other hand, Google Workspace, while intuitive, might have a different user experience, potentially causing some difficulty for users transitioning from desktop-based applications.
Storage Space
Microsoft offers 50 GB storage with its basic plans, which store email messages and attachments. For Documents, it offers 1 TB of extra storage in terms of OneDrive for Business. On the other hand, Google Workspace only offers 30 GB, which is pooled storage, meaning it would be used by all its applications, including Gmail, Drive, Sheets, Word, etc. This is a significant advantage of choosing Microsoft 365 over Google Workspace.
Security and Compliance
Based on security, both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace give you robust functions to secure your account and data.
- Both platforms contain major global standards like GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2. But, in addition to these standard Office 365 offers specialized certifications like FedRAMP, CMMC, and ITAR
- Microsoft has its own dedicated Microsoft Purview Compliance manager to govern data, manage risk, and track compliance. Whereas G Suite offers essential tools for compliance, like Google Vault for eDiscovery and archiving. But these are available for higher plans.
- Both programs support Data Loss Prevention (DLP) to prevent sensitive information leaks. But Microsoft 365 has better DLP features than Google.
High Efficiency & Compatibility
Microsoft 365 is highly compatible with various applications and software, enabling efficient data transfer without significant compatibility issues. On the other hand, Google Workspace might have compatibility limitations when exchanging data between different applications, creating potential user challenges.
Better Online Collaboration
Microsoft Teams facilitates seamless online collaboration and meetings with features like unlimited audio/video meetings for up to 300 users, along with private social networks for instant messaging and file sharing. Although Google Workspace offers Google Meet for online meetings, but with limitations on the number of participants and meetings per month compared to Microsoft Teams.
Reliability & Scalability
Microsoft 365 is known for its reliability, backed by a financially supported service level agreement (SLA). It also offers scalable services based on user needs. Google Workspace’s reliability might not be as transparent, and service downtime might be recognized only after a substantial portion of the user base is affected.
AI Productivity Tools
Artificial intelligence would be the next era of technology. That will completely change cloud computing. To keep it with AI, Microsoft and Google created their own AI tools for productivity: Copilot and Gemini.
Microsoft Copilot or Copilot for Microsoft 365 helps you to directly integrate with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, MS Teams, and OneNote. It can also be used to understand the organization-wide data using Microsoft Graph. Also develop specialized copilots like Copilot Studio, Security Copilot, Power Automate, etc.
Whereas, Google Gemini or Duet AI for Workspace is embedded within the Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail, Meet, and Drive. It has its own advanced AI foundation model and access to it from Gemini for Workspace and Gemini for Business users.
Also Read: How to Migrate Google Calendar to Office 365 – Top 2 Approaches
From these comparisons, Office 365 provides you with great facilities. Same with the G Suite. Both provide one of the best features to the users. It depends on the user’s need. If they want a program that can deal with heavy data and offer enterprise-level features. Microsoft 365 would be the best choice. If you are thinking of switching to Office 365 from G Suite. Then, I have a great solution that you can use.
Advice for Moving to a Microsoft 365 Environment
Microsoft 365 provides desktop-based applications for offline access, enabling easy synchronization between offline and online workspaces for efficient data management. Google Workspace primarily operates online, which can pose challenges for users needing offline access to manage their data.
These advantages influence users’ preferences based on their specific needs and familiarity with either suite’s interface and functionalities. If you think you need to migrate G Suite to Microsoft 365. Then you can use the SysTools G Suite to Office 365 Migration tool.
You Can Also Read – G Suite Legacy Free Edition Now Discontinued – What You Should Do Now?
Conclusion
In this comprehensive guide, we’ve highlighted the critical reasons why Microsoft 365 stands out over Google Workspace. Both services excel in their own right, catering to diverse user needs. However, the advantages presented by Microsoft 365 make it a more prominent choice for organizations and users.
Additionally, if you ever think about switching from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365, then it is suggested to use the above software. It will help perform the entire migration with flying colors.
Users Mostly Asked Questions
Q. Is Google Workspace cheaper than Microsoft 365?
Ans. Yes, G Suite is much affordable than Office 365 because it focuses more on web-based tools. It is great for individuals, small businesses to get the advantage of Google tools.
Q. What is the disadvantage of Google Workspace?
Ans. One of the main disadvantages of G Suite is hevel relies on an internet connection. Also, its features are not up to the enterprise level.
Q. What is the disadvantage of Office 365?
Ans. High subscription cost, reliance on internet connection, and it is much complex for simple needs. These are the common limitations of Microsoft 365.
