When it comes to choosing the right productivity suite for your business, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are the two heavyweight contenders. Both offer cloud-based tools designed to help your team collaborate more efficiently, streamline communication, and boost productivity – but which one is the better fit for your organization?
In this blog, we’re breaking down the core differences between Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace so you can make an informed decision. We’ll compare their pricing models, application offerings, ease of use, collaboration features, and how they integrate with other tools your business may already rely on. We’ll also take a close look at key components like email systems, cloud storage, and even the AI tools each platform is rolling out.
Table of Contents
Use the links below to navigate to any portion of this article.
- Overview of Microsoft 365
- Overview of Google Workspace
- Microsoft 365 vs. Google Workspace: Pricing
- Comparing Applications & Capabilities
- Which is the Right Platform for Your Business
Overview of Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based suite of productivity tools developed by Microsoft. It combines powerful desktop software with cloud functionality, enabling businesses to work from anywhere, collaborate in real time, and maintain tight security and administrative control. What sets Microsoft 365 apart is its deep integration across tools and its flexibility – making it a go-to choice for businesses that need robust capabilities and scalability.
Microsoft 365 operates on a subscription model, giving companies access to continuous updates, cloud storage, and enterprise-level tools. It includes everything from word processing and spreadsheets to advanced communication tools, cloud collaboration, and even AI-powered assistance through Microsoft Copilot.
Key Applications in Microsoft 365
- Outlook: Email and calendar management tool with built-in contact organization, scheduling, and task tracking.
- Word: A word processing application used for creating, editing, and sharing documents.
- Excel: A powerful spreadsheet tool used for data analysis, budgeting, and reporting, known for its advanced functions and formulas.
- PowerPoint: Presentation software used to create dynamic slide decks for meetings, training, and events.
- Teams: A hub for team collaboration, offering chat, video conferencing, file sharing, and integration with all Microsoft 365 apps.
- OneDrive for Business: Cloud storage platform for file backup and sharing with advanced security and sync across devices.
- SharePoint: A web-based collaboration platform used for document management, intranet sites, and workflows.
Who Typically Uses Microsoft 365?
While companies of all sizes use Microsoft 365, it has wide adoption by mid-to-large enterprises, particularly those with complex IT needs and larger teams. Companies that require advanced data security, robust administrative controls, and full desktop software capabilities often lean toward this solution. More recently, small businesses and personal users have increased their adoption of Microsoft 365, taking advantage of new pricing models.
Overview of Google Workspace
Google Workspace is Google’s suite of cloud-native productivity and collaboration tools designed to help teams work smarter, faster, and more efficiently – no matter where they are. Formerly known as G Suite, this platform emphasizes simplicity, ease of use, and real-time collaboration across devices.
Nearly everything in Google Workspace lives in the cloud. It’s accessible via any modern browser and offers seamless syncing across desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Google Workspace is built around the idea of working together in real time, with tools that let multiple users edit documents simultaneously, leave comments, and easily share files.
It’s known for its intuitive interface and clean design, which makes it a favorite among leaner teams and those who prioritize collaboration over customization.
Key Applications in Google Workspace
- Gmail: Google’s user-friendly email platform known for powerful search, integrated calendar features, and industry-leading spam protection.
- Google Calendar: A scheduling tool that integrates directly with Gmail and other Workspace apps, making it easy to manage appointments and meetings.
- Google Drive: Cloud storage platform where users can store, share, and collaborate on files from any device.
- Google Docs: Web-based word processor that allows multiple users to write, edit, and comment in real time.
- Google Sheets: Spreadsheet tool that supports real-time collaboration, ideal for data entry, budgeting, and simple reporting.
- Google Slides: Presentation software used to create visually engaging slide decks, with intuitive sharing and editing features.
- Google Meet: Video conferencing tool integrated with Calendar and Gmail, used for secure meetings and webinars.
- Google Chat: Messaging platform designed for quick communication and collaboration within teams.
Microsoft 365 vs. Google Workspace: Pricing
Choosing the right productivity suite for your business starts with understanding exactly what you’re getting for your money. Let’s break down the pricing and features across equivalent tiers of Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace to help you identify which might be best suited for your organization.
Microsoft 365 Business Basic vs. Google Workspace Business Starter
These entry-level business packages are perfect for smaller teams needing essential productivity tools.
Microsoft 365 Business Basic
- Price: $6.30 per user/month (annual commitment)
- Features include:
- Web and mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint
- Outlook for business email (with custom domain) and calendar (50 GB mailbox)
- Microsoft Teams for collaboration, chat, and video conferencing (up to 300 participants)
- 1 TB OneDrive cloud storage per user
- Basic security and compliance tools
Google Workspace Business Starter:
- Price: $7.00 per user/month (annual commitment)
- Features include:
- Gmail with a custom domain (30 GB storage per user, pooled)
- Google Meet for video conferencing (up to 100 participants)
- Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive for cloud-based collaboration
- Calendar, Chat, and Keep
- Basic security and administrative controls
Quick Comparison
Microsoft 365 offers significantly more cloud storage per user (1 TB vs. Google’s 30 GB pooled). Microsoft is also one dollar cheaper per month per user, which could add up if your organization has a lot of users.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard vs. Google Workspace Business Standard
Ideal for businesses needing a full suite of productivity tools and greater capabilities.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard
- Price: $13.13 per user/month (annual commitment)
- Features include:
- Desktop and web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook
- Microsoft Teams with advanced meeting and webinar features
- 1 TB of OneDrive storage per user
- Microsoft Loop, Clipchamp (video editing), and additional productivity tools
Google Workspace Business Standard
- Price: $14.00 per user/month (annual commitment)
- Features include:
- Enhanced Google Meet features (up to 150 participants with recording capability)
- 2 TB pooled storage per user
- Advanced collaboration and productivity features including eSignature capabilities in Docs
- Gemini AI assistance integrated into productivity applications
- Enhanced administrative controls
Quick Comparison
The primary difference here is that you get desktop applications for Microsoft. Google doesn’t offer desktop apps – it’s a mostly cloud-based platform. Microsoft 365 is also significantly better on price.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium vs. Google Workspace Business Plus
Best suited for businesses looking for advanced security, device management, and collaboration.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
- Price: $23.10 per user/month (annual commitment)
- Features include:
- Everything in Business Standard, plus advanced security features such as Microsoft Defender
- Device and data management tools (Intune)
- Protection against cyber threats and advanced compliance features
- Comprehensive desktop and cloud capabilities
Google Workspace Business Plus
- Price: $22.00 per user/month (annual commitment)
- Features include:
- 5 TB pooled storage per user
- Enhanced security features including advanced endpoint management, Vault for eDiscovery, and data retention
- Google Meet with extensive video conferencing capabilities (up to 500 participants)
- Expanded administrative and data analysis features
- Integrated Gemini AI across Workspace apps for improved efficiency
Quick Comparison
Pricing is identical, but Microsoft emphasizes desktop productivity and comprehensive cybersecurity. Google, on the other hand, emphasizes its AI integrations and offers a significant amount of cloud storage.
Microsoft 365 Enterprise vs. Google Workspace Enterprise
Enterprise-level solutions from Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace cater to large organizations with complex needs, offering highly customized solutions, extensive security, compliance, and administrative controls, as well as tailored support and integration capabilities.
Microsoft 365 Enterprise provides clear, specifically defined tiers that enable organizations to choose exactly the features and level of service they require. It even has plans specifically for government entities and other types of organizations.
In contrast, Google Workspace Enterprise doesn’t publicly disclose pricing details, opting instead to provide customized quotes based on individual organizational requirements.
Comparing Applications & Capabilities
When it comes to business productivity tools, both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace offer robust applications that cover everything from communication and file sharing to project management and automation. However, how those tools function – and who they’re best suited for – can differ quite a bit.
Overall, here are the primary takeaways:
In general, Microsoft 365’s applications tend to be more feature-rich, offering deep functionality, customization options, and advanced tools that appeal to power users, IT admins, and teams with more complex workflows. These applications have matured over decades and are often the industry standard, especially in fields like finance, engineering, and healthcare.
On the other hand, Google Workspace is known for its simplicity, user-friendly interfaces, and seamless real-time collaboration. For teams that value speed, flexibility, and a lighter learning curve, Google’s applications make it easy to jump in and get to work with minimal training or setup. Everything happens in the cloud, and multiple users can easily work on the same file at once without worrying about version control.
In the next few sections, we’ll dig deeper into how their individual applications compare – email, document creation, video conferencing, cloud storage, and even AI tools – so you can get a clear picture of which platform best supports your team’s way of working.
Email: Outlook vs Gmail
Email is one of the most critical tools in any business environment, and both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace offer powerful platforms to manage communication. But depending on your team’s needs and preferences, one may serve you better than the other.
Outlook (Microsoft 365)
Outlook is a fully integrated email and calendar application that’s part of the Microsoft 365 suite. It offers deep functionality, including powerful rules and filters, shared inboxes, customizable views, and seamless integration with other Microsoft apps like Teams and OneNote. Outlook is also available as both a web-based tool and a full-featured desktop app, which is a plus for teams that prefer more robust local applications.
However, with that depth comes complexity. Outlook can have a steeper learning curve, especially for users who are new to Microsoft’s ecosystem or don’t need all the advanced features it offers.
Gmail (Google Workspace)
Gmail is known for its clean interface, intuitive design, and ease of use. It’s streamlined and modern, making it easy for users to jump in and manage their inbox without much training. Gmail also shines in a few key areas:
- Spam filtering is among the best in the industry.
- Search functionality is lightning-fast and reliable, letting users quickly find messages using natural keywords, dates, or filters.
Gmail integrates seamlessly with Google Calendar, Drive, and other Workspace apps. And because it’s entirely browser-based, updates are continuous and users always have access to the latest features.
Which Is Better?
If your team needs an email platform with extensive customization and deep integration into a Microsoft tech stack, Outlook is likely the better option. But if you’re looking for an easy-to-use, low-maintenance email experience with excellent search and spam protection, Gmail is hard to beat.
Documents, Presentations & Spreadsheets
Both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace offer a full set of tools for word processing, creating presentations, and managing spreadsheets – but they differ in terms of depth and ease of use.
Microsoft 365: Word, PowerPoint and Excel
Microsoft 365 provides more advanced capabilities across the board. Word and PowerPoint offer rich formatting, design flexibility, and robust desktop versions for users who need full control over their documents or slides. Excel, in particular, is the standout – it’s widely considered the most powerful spreadsheet tool available, with features like pivot tables, macros, and data modeling that go far beyond what most teams will ever need.
Google Workspace: Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides
Google Workspace, by contrast, focuses on simplicity and collaboration. Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are all designed to be intuitive and accessible from any device. Their real-time collaboration features make them ideal for fast-paced teams that prioritize shared access and ease of use over advanced features. While Google Sheets can handle most everyday spreadsheet tasks, it’s not equipped for the same level of complex data analysis as Excel.
Which Is Better?
In short, Microsoft’s tools are ideal for teams that need power and precision. Google’s tools are perfect for those that value speed, accessibility, and seamless collaboration.
Meeting & Communication Software: Teams vs Google Meet/Chat
Effective communication tools are essential for modern businesses, especially in hybrid or fully remote environments. Both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace offer solutions for messaging and video calls – but how they function and integrate with the rest of their respective platforms is where the differences really stand out.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a unified communication platform that combines chat, video meetings, file sharing, and collaboration into one centralized hub. It’s deeply integrated into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, allowing users to jump from an email in Outlook into a Teams chat, collaborate on a Word document during a video call, or manage tasks with Planner – all without switching platforms. For teams that need a fully connected digital workspace, Teams makes internal communication seamless and efficient.
Google Meet/Chat
Google Workspace splits communication between two tools: Google Meet for video calls and Google Chat for messaging. Both tools are easy to use and integrate with Calendar and Gmail to a degree, but the experience feels more fragmented. You can’t move between apps as fluidly and moving between the applications is not as streamlined as Microsoft Teams.
Which Is Better?
While Google’s tools are lightweight and accessible, especially for teams already operating in Gmail and Calendar, Microsoft Teams offers a more complete and tightly integrated solution for businesses looking to centralize communication and collaboration in one place.
Cloud Storage: OneDrive vs Google Drive
Cloud storage is essential for modern businesses that need secure access to files from anywhere. Both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace offer solid cloud storage solutions – OneDrive and Google Drive – that enable users to store, share, and collaborate on files across devices. While they’re similar in core functionality, there are key differences in how they handle security and search.
OneDrive for Business
OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud storage solution and is tightly integrated with its ecosystem – including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. Users can easily share and collaborate on files within those tools, and everything syncs automatically across devices.
OneDrive stands out when it comes to security and administrative control. It offers advanced features such as:
- Sensitivity labels
- Ransomware detection
- Detailed access permissions
- Enhanced compliance settings for regulated industries
These capabilities make OneDrive a strong choice for businesses with complex IT requirements or stricter compliance standards.
Google Drive
Google Drive serves as the storage backbone of Google Workspace, seamlessly connecting with Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Gmail. It’s simple to use, fast to set up, and designed with real-time collaboration in mind.
Where Google Drive really shines is search. Built on Google’s powerful search engine, Drive offers:
- Fast and intuitive file discovery
- Smart suggestions based on recent activity
- Strong metadata and content recognition
This makes it easier for teams to locate files quickly – even in large or disorganized folder structures.
Which Is Better?
If your organization prioritizes security, control, and compliance, OneDrive is likely the better fit. But if ease of use and advanced search functionality are more important to your team, Google Drive may be the way to go.
AI Tools: Copilot vs. Gemini
Both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace have introduced powerful AI tools – Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini – designed to enhance productivity by assisting users with everyday tasks. These AI features are embedded directly into their ecosystems and offer similar capabilities.
With either platform, users can leverage AI to:
- Summarize long documents or email threads
- Draft emails, meeting notes, or reports
- Create visual presentations from prompts
- Analyze data and generate insights
Right now, the AI race between Microsoft and Google is moving fast. Each time one platform launches something new or innovative, the other responds quickly. This constant back-and-forth makes it difficult to declare a clear winner – and even harder to predict who will lead the space in the long term.
For that reason, we don’t recommend choosing between Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace based solely on their AI capabilities. Both offer strong tools today, and both are evolving rapidly. Instead, focus on the platform that best fits your team’s overall workflow and collaboration needs – AI will continue to improve on both sides.
Which is the Right Platform for Your Business
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to choosing between Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. Both platforms offer powerful tools, secure cloud infrastructure, and collaboration features that support businesses of all sizes. The best choice depends on how your team works and what your business needs most.
- Microsoft 365 may be the better fit for:
- Most businesses, especially ones that have complex IT or compliance needs
- Companies or organizations that require advanced security features or integration with legacy systems
- Companies or organizations that depend on deep administrative control and desktop-based applications
- Google Workspace may be the better fit for:
- Smaller teams, one-person shops , or startups
- Organizations that want a simple, intuitive platform that’s easy to set up and use
- Organizations that use real-time collaboration and a cloud-first approach are top priorities
Still not sure which direction to go? Keystone’s technology experts work with both platforms daily and can help guide you to the right decision for your organization – plus provide expert IT support along the way.
Reach out to Keystone for personalized advice from a team that knows these systems inside and out.
