Microsoft vs Google

Tom Tardy
Jul 28
3 min read

Choosing the right productivity suite is a crucial decision for any business, as it affects communication, collaboration, file management, and day-to-day operations. Two of the most popular options on the market today are Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. Both platforms offer a suite of powerful tools designed to boost efficiency, support remote work, and enhance team collaboration—but they differ significantly in features, user experience, pricing, and integration. In this comparison, we’ll break down the pros and cons of Microsoft 365 vs. Google Workspace to help you decide which platform is the best fit for your business.

1. 🔍 Core Apps & Functionality

Feature	Microsoft 365	Google Workspace
Word Processing	Word – Rich formatting, templates, styles, mail merge	Docs – Simple, web-based, great for real-time collaboration
Spreadsheets	Excel – Advanced analytics, pivot tables, macros	Sheets – Easy to use, good for basic to moderate tasks
Presentations	PowerPoint – Templates, animations, design tools	Slides – Light, quick, good for team-built decks
Email	Outlook + Exchange – Enterprise-grade email	Gmail – Easy, fast, powerful spam filter
Calendar	Outlook Calendar – Integrated with Exchange & Teams	Google Calendar – Simple sharing, automatic Meet links
Video Meetings	Microsoft Teams – Chat + meetings + file sharing	Google Meet – Simple video calls, integrated with Gmail & Calendar
Chat	Teams – Full Slack-like platform	Google Chat – Lightweight, simple integration

🟩 Microsoft 365 Strength: Power users, enterprise features, deep formatting.🟩 Google Workspace Strength: Simplicity, ease of use, fast cloud tools.

2. ☁️ Cloud Storage & File Management

Feature	Microsoft 365	Google Workspace
Storage (Basic Plans)	1 TB per user (OneDrive)	30 GB (Business Starter)
Higher Plans	Up to unlimited storage (OneDrive + SharePoint)	Up to 5 TB/user or pooled (Business Standard/Plus)
File Access	Local & cloud, strong offline	Primarily cloud, limited offline
Sharing & Permissions	Strong with SharePoint & OneDrive	Simple and intuitive with Drive

🟩 Microsoft: More traditional file/folder structure, good for Windows-heavy environments.🟩 Google: Easy sharing, faster collaboration on cloud-native documents.

3. 🤝 Collaboration & Communication

Feature	Microsoft 365	Google Workspace
Real-Time Editing	Yes (Word Online, Excel Online) but not as fluid as Google	Yes – near-instant changes in Docs/Sheets/Slides
Video Calls	Teams: Screen sharing, file sharing, apps	Meet: Clean UI, auto-captions, browser-based
Internal Chat	Teams – robust with channels, apps	Google Chat – lightweight and integrated with Gmail

🟩 Microsoft: Great for organizations using Teams heavily.🟩 Google: Ideal for teams working across locations in the cloud.

4. 🔐 Security & Compliance

Feature	Microsoft 365	Google Workspace
Data Centers	Global Microsoft infrastructure	Google’s global network
2FA / MFA	Yes	Yes
Admin Console	Powerful, but complex	Clean and intuitive
Compliance	HIPAA, GDPR, FedRAMP, ITAR, more	HIPAA, GDPR, FedRAMP (with some plan limits)
DLP, E-discovery, Legal Hold	Included in premium plans	Included in Business Plus or Enterprise

🟩 Microsoft: Extensive tools for IT admins and compliance-heavy industries.🟩 Google: Simpler controls, less granular but very secure.

5. 📱 Mobile Experience

Both platforms have excellent mobile apps for email, calendar, and document access.However:

Microsoft 365 mobile apps are more powerful but can be bulky.
Google Workspace apps are lightweight and sync quickly across devices.

If your team relies heavily on iOS/Android tablets or Chromebooks, Google is more native. Microsoft works best on Windows PCs and Microsoft Surface devices.

6. 💵 Pricing Breakdown (as of 2025)

Plan	Microsoft 365	Google Workspace
Basic	$6/user/mo (Business Basic) – web apps only	$6/user/mo (Business Starter) – 30GB storage
Standard	$12.50/user/mo (Business Standard) – desktop + cloud apps	$12/user/mo (Business Standard) – 2 TB storage
Premium	$22/user/mo (Business Premium) – security, Intune, Defender	$18/user/mo (Business Plus) – 5 TB storage, Vault

Note: Enterprise pricing is available for both but varies by need.

7. 🏁 Summary Recommendations

Business Type	Recommended Platform	Why
Small Business / Startup	Google Workspace	Cost-effective, easy to set up and manage
Remote Teams / Cloud-first	Google Workspace	Fast collaboration, low hardware needs
Traditional Office / Desktop-heavy	Microsoft 365	Familiar tools, better desktop apps
Heavily Regulated / Compliance Required	Microsoft 365	Strong compliance, legal hold, audit features
Education / Nonprofits	Both (depending on need)	Google often offers free/discounted plans