Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 (My 2025 Review)

When it comes to all-in-one business suites, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are two leading platforms that seriously deliver.

Both platforms offer a full suite of business collaboration and productivity tools, such as documents, spreadsheets, presentations, emails, calendars, storage, and security.

Each tool has its own individual strengths:

Microsoft 365 shines with its depth of features and robust capabilities, making it a favorite for larger teams or those with complex needs.

Google Workspace is all about simplicity and real-time collaboration, and is better for smaller businesses and those who prioritize teamwork.

So, what exactly are Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, and what are the specific differences between them?

Let’s dive into the details and compare them head-to-head.

Google Workspace is an all-in-one business suite designed by Google to boost productivity and streamline collaboration for businesses of every size.

Essentially, this platform combines a wide range of familiar tools, including Gmail, Google Docs, Drive, Calendar, Meet, Sites, and more, into a single, connected platform.

Everything is completely run on the cloud, meaning your team can create, share, and work together in real time, from anywhere.

And with everything stored safely online, there's no need to worry about saving files or dealing with outdated versions. 

From drafting a proposal in Docs, scheduling meetings in Calendar, or hopping on a quick video call in Meet, Google Workspace keeps it all accessible and organized in one place.

Microsoft 365 is an all-in-one business suite for workplace productivity developed by Microsoft.

It offers a robust set of cloud-based tools that mirror Google Workspace’s functionality, as well as powerful desktop applications.

Essentially, users get access to the latest versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, and more.

But what sets Microsoft 365 apart is its hybrid approach. You can work online in the cloud, just like Google Workspace, or install the apps on your device to work offline.

The desktop apps often pack more advanced features, which is a significant advantage for larger or more complex teams.

Both platforms offer professional email hosting, collaboration tools, and secure cloud storage, making them top choices for those aiming to stay connected and productive.

So, how do they really compare to each other?

Google Meet: If you need to connect face-to-face, Google Meet makes virtual meetings easy and accessible. Integrated directly with Gmail and Calendar, it just takes a couple of clicks to pop into a video call or set up a webinar!

Google Chat: Google Chat keeps team communication flowing with direct messages, group chats, and collaborative spaces. As it works alongside Docs, Sheets, and Drive, you can seamlessly share files and update projects without having to constantly bounce between apps.

SharePoint: SharePoint enables businesses to create internal websites that share resources, manage projects, and facilitate more effective collaboration. It’s beneficial for building intranets or organizing company-wide documents.

When choosing between Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, pricing is always a significant factor, especially for small teams on a budget.

Thankfully, both platforms offer free plans and flexible pay-per-user paid plans, which are based on different team sizes and needs.

Google Workspace keeps things simple with three core paid business tiers: 

Business Starter ($7 per user per month). Great for small teams just getting started. You’ll get a custom email, cloud storage, and access to all the core Google tools.

Business Standard ($14 per user per month). Ideal for growing teams who need more storage and advanced features for collaboration and video meetings.

Business Plus ($22 per user per month). Perfect for those needing extra storage, security, and advanced admin controls.

Microsoft 365 offers pricing plans for individuals, as well as four paid business plans: 

Business Basic ($6 per user per month). Includes web-based versions of the office apps, cloud storage, email hosting, and Microsoft Teams.

Business Standard ($12.50 per user per month). Additional desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, plus integration with Teams and cloud tools.

Business Premium ($22 per user per month). Advanced security features and device management, ideal for businesses with higher compliance needs.

Apps for Business ($8.25 per user per month). For teams only requiring Office apps and OneDrive (without email or Teams).

As the price difference between the two platforms is relatively small, the battle between the pricing of these all-in-one tools really comes down to the features your team values most.

If your business relies on advanced desktop applications and robust email management, Microsoft 365 might be the best choice.

But if real-time collaboration, cloud-native tools, and simplicity are more important to you, Google Workspace delivers the goods.

If your team thrives on real-time collaboration, needs flexible cloud storage, and prefers simple, streamlined tools, Google Workspace might be the better choice.

But if offline access, powerful formatting tools, and advanced email and document management are essential to you, Microsoft 365 could offer the edge you’re looking for.

Let’s take a look in detail at the key features of both platforms now:

As you can see, both platforms offer similar tools for document creation and collaboration, each offering its own respective spreadsheet and document apps.

But the difference lies in each platform's approach. 

Google Workspace is designed with collaboration in mind, with tools like Google Docs and Sheets that enable multiple team members to work on the same file simultaneously.

With real-time updates, edits, and comments that facilitate seamless collaboration and synchronization, they’re perfect for fast-paced teamwork where instant feedback matters.

In comparison, Microsoft 365 takes the lead in terms of depth and design.

Word and Excel simply offer more advanced formatting, a wider range of templates, and additional features that are key for producing polished, professional content.

If your business needs rich formatting or complex spreadsheet functions, Microsoft 365 might be a better fit.

But if your focus is on collaboration and simplicity, Google Workspace has you covered.

Check out how you can use Google as a project management tool here. 

Gmail is renowned for its clean, intuitive design and interface, making it an ideal choice for teams seeking a simple yet effective email management service.

It also comes with handy features like Smart Compose, Email Scheduling, and the option to ‘undo sent messages’.

Gmail also integrates seamlessly with other Google Apps, such as Google Calendar and Google Drive, for easy access.

Plus, there are plenty of CRMs that integrate really well with Gmail. 

Outlook also allows you to seamlessly organize your inbox, offering strong tools such as advanced filters, a built-in calendar, and contact tools.

And like Gmail, Outlook also has a strong integration across Microsoft Apps for a true all-in-one business management experience.

Overall, Outlook offers a more feature-rich experience, so for small businesses that rely heavily on email to manage projects and clients, Outlook may be the better choice.

Google Meet is incredibly user-friendly and integrates directly with Gmail and Calendar, making it easy to start, jump in, or schedule a meeting with just a click.

Microsoft Teams is more complex to set up and use than Meet, and offers a full collaboration hub with video meetings, file sharing, and chat all in one.

It works seamlessly with other Microsoft apps, which is why it's the obvious choice for those already using other Microsoft Apps.

However, if you’re looking for a simple video conferencing tool that does the job, Google Meet is the better choice.

Deciding which all-in-one tool is for you may come down to this, especially for teams handling large files!

Regarding storage, there are several key points and differences to consider.

Basically, Google Workspace shares its storage space across Google Drive and Gmail, so everything you store or receive counts toward your limit.

Storage space ranges from 30 GB to 5 TB, depending on your plan. Also note that with Google Workspace, your files are only accessible online.

But with Microsoft 365, OneDrive offers dedicated storage for your files. This is separate from your email storage in Outlook!

Microsoft 365 offers less storage than Google Workspace, with 1 TB of OneDrive storage available per user on all small business plans.

And Enterprise plans include 5TB of storage per user, with additional storage available upon request.

AI tools are certainly redefining how we work, collaborate, and connect with information.

And luckily, both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 offer their own built-in AI tools to help you be more productive!

Google Workspace free plans include helpful tools like Smart Compose, Smart Reply, and Smart Fill, all designed to save you time and reduce repetitive work.

And if you opt for paid plans, you’ll get access to Google’s impressive AI assistant, Gemini AI, to help with writing, analyzing data, and even building custom AI tools.

Microsoft 365’s Copilot is an AI-powered assistant developed by OpenAI that helps write documents, summarize data, and generate content within Word, Excel, and other apps.

And with add-ons like Power Automate and Microsoft Editor, you can easily bring automation and writing assistance into your daily workflow.

As a relatively new product, Gemini AI initially had fewer features compared to Copilot, but their capabilities are now quite comparable!

Read more about everything you can do with Gemini here 

The right choice between Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 really depends on how your business operates on a day-to-day basis.

If your team thrives on real-time collaboration, intuitive tools, and cloud-based workflows, Google Workspace is a strong fit.

It’s especially ideal for small businesses that want to stay nimble, connected, and organized without having to spend hours mastering a steep learning curve.

Microsoft 365, on the other hand, offers powerful desktop apps, advanced formatting options, and a more traditional software experience overall.

This makes it an excellent choice for businesses that need to work offline or those with more complex documents and spreadsheets.

Additionally, for larger teams that require app access across multiple devices at any time, Microsoft 365 is a strong option.

Another advantage that Google Workspace has over Microsoft 365 is that small businesses can use my innovative, easy-to-use Google Sheets business toolkits! 

With Sheetify CRM, Sheetify Bookkeeping, and Sheetify Projects, you can manage your contacts, emails, inventory, finances, projects, tasks, and more directly in Google Sheets.

These Google Sheets templates are serious game-changers for small and micro-businesses looking to effectively manage their entire business within Google.

Learn more about Sheetify business toolkits here.