Understanding the Differences Between Google Workspace and Microsoft 365

Do you all agree that "productivity" and "collaboration" are the two terms we use the most in the corporate world, especially in the wake of the pandemic? Statistics indicate that employee engagement and heightened productivity correlate with a 21% increase in profits. Considering this, more than 1.8M companies are currently using productivity tools to build communication and productivity in their work environments. While productivity tools were already prevalent in larger enterprises pre-pandemic, the transition to remote work during the pandemic further underscored their importance, amplifying their relevance and adoption.

Nowadays, numerous tools aim to enhance workflow efficiency, with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 emerging as the most prevalent choices. If you're seeking the optimal productivity solution for your business and grappling with the decision between Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, this guide is tailored to assist you in making a well-informed choice to propel your business growth.

Let's dive deeper into this article.

What is Google Workspace?

Google Workspace is a cloud-based productivity tool, formally known as G-Suite. Google Workspace offers a wide range of applications to improve collaboration and communication among individuals and businesses.

Google Workspace or G Suite Hosting provides a range of tools and applications, including Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Forms, Google Calendar, Google+, Google Sites, Hangouts, and more.

History of Google Workspace

The whole successful journey of Google Workspace started on August 28, 2006, when Google launched Google Apps for your domain, which were free for everyone. This includes several applications, such as Gmail, Talk, Calendar, and Page Creator. Later in the year, Google launched its first paid-version app platform called Google Apps Premier. This paid version offered 10 GB of additional storage space per user and cost $50 per user per year. During that time, they also released a full version of documents, spreadsheets, and presentations for both paid and free users. In 2008, Google replaced Google Page Creator with Google Sites. In 2009, they announced that Google apps were no longer in beta testing.

In March 2010, Google launched the Google Apps Marketplace, which allows third-party developers to create apps and work with Google apps. In addition, more features have been added, and at the same time, some restrictions have been introduced for free users, but they have never stopped providing impressive features to businesses and individuals for great success.

What is Microsoft 365?

Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based productivity suite that grants access to the latest Microsoft Office applications including Microsoft Office, Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, Exchange, SharePoint, OneNote, Access, Planner, and Yammer. It also helps you improve collaboration, communication, and productivity.

History of Microsoft 365

Office 365 was announced in October 2010 for corporate users, and it was released to the public on June 28, 2011, which included plans for individuals, small businesses, and enterprises. Office 365 encompasses applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, alongside cloud-based offerings like Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and Skype for Business. Later in 2017, Microsoft officially rebranded the name Office 365 into Microsoft 365, and it moved from a traditional software licensing model to subscription-based cloud services.

In 2018, Microsoft introduced Dynamic 365, a suite that includes customer relationship management and enterprise resource planning software. This makes Microsoft 365 a comprehensive platform for all sizes of businesses. But every year, they update the suite based on technology development, which helps the business improve its collaboration and productivity.

Comparison of Google Workspace and Microsoft 365

Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 stand out as the leading options. While they boast similar features, distinctions lie primarily in their plans, pricing, and storage offerings. Microsoft provides 50GB to 1TB of file storage, while Google Workspace offers 30GB per user. These factors should factor into your decision-making process when selecting between the two. Additionally, the following considerations are outlined below to aid you in making an informed choice regarding the ideal productivity tool for your business.

Word processing

Google Workspace offers Google Docs for word processing, while Microsoft 365 provides Microsoft Word. The choice between the two depends entirely on your requirements. If collaboration is your top priority, then Google Docs is the best choice because team members can collaborate in real time, easily share a file via links, and manage file access.

On the other hand, if your objective is to craft text documents for brochures, resumes, or any other type of content, then Microsoft Word is the optimal selection. Microsoft Word provides a plethora of ready-made templates, streamlining your workflow and saving time. For example, in business, Word offers 300 different templates, while Google Docs has only 55 templates in total, which include business, personal, and educational templates.

Spreadsheets

Between two productivity suites, you may choose Google Sheets over Microsoft Excel if you value more on collaboration more than producing individual spreadsheets. Microsoft Excel works better as a standalone app used individually, while Google Sheets works better when multiple people are editing spreadsheets simultaneously.

Microsoft Excel boasts over 80 templates catering to various budgeting needs, ensuring compatibility with any event or purpose. In contrast, Google Sheets offers only three budget templates. Excel also outshines Google Sheets in chart variety, offering a wide range including pie, bar, and line charts. On the other hand, Google Sheets excels in real-time collaboration, enabling multiple users to work concurrently on sheets, make modifications, and communicate effectively. Additionally, it offers seamless sharing capabilities, allowing documents to be shared outside of your organization with view-only or edit-only access.

Presentation

As mentioned earlier, it's crucial to prioritize either collaboration or advanced functionalities. Microsoft 365 provides PowerPoint for presentations, offering professional-looking slides with a wide array of templates, formatting options, animations, and multimedia integration. Moreover, customization is simplified, allowing easy adjustments to layouts and templates.

Google Slides enables real-time collaboration amongst team members, but it may not be suitable for creating intricate presentations. Compared to PowerPoint, some features may be lacking. Thus, the decision rests with you. If you seek perfection in your presentation, PowerPoint is the ideal choice. However, if you value more on collaboration, Google Slides is the preferred option.

Email and calendar

Microsoft 365 includes Outlook, a comprehensive tool for managing email, calendar, and contacts seamlessly in one interface, aiding in efficient work organization. Outlook offers features such as meeting scheduling and calendar sharing with others.

Similarly, Gmail is a widely-used email service that mirrors the functionalities of Outlook. In Gmail, users can implement filters for important contacts, automatically categorize messages, adjust the timing of outgoing emails, declutter social media and promotional emails, schedule tasks, enhance productivity through software integrations, and create templates. The choice between these platforms typically hinges on the size and specific needs of your organization.

Security Protection

When it comes to security, both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 provide security measures to ensure that user data is safe. Microsoft 365 offers robust security features such as multi-factor authentication, data encryption, and access control, as well as protection against phishing and malware. At the same time, Google Workspace offers similar protection against data loss through two-factor authentication and encryption, which prevents sensitive data from being accessed by unauthorized persons.

While both Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365 offer native backup and restore features, but Google Vault provides a more comprehensive solution covering various Google Workspace services. Organizations may choose to augment these capabilities with third-party backup solutions for enhanced flexibility, granularity, and comprehensive data protection.