Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365: Which Is Right for Your Team?

Last checked: 13 August 2026.

Short answer: Microsoft 365 usually suits teams that depend on desktop Word, Excel and Outlook, work with complex Office files or want Microsoft device management. Google Workspace usually suits browser-first teams that value simple real-time collaboration in Gmail, Drive, Docs and Meet. Neither platform is automatically the better choice. The right answer depends on how your team works, which files and applications clients send you, and who will administer the service.

Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 at a glance

Question	Microsoft 365	Google Workspace
Business email	Exchange Online and Outlook	Gmail
Files	OneDrive and SharePoint	Google Drive and shared drives
Documents	Word, Excel and PowerPoint	Docs, Sheets and Slides
Meetings	Teams on plans sold with Teams	Google Meet
Entry storage	1 TB per user on Business Basic	30 GB pooled storage per user on Business Starter
Best fit	Office-file and desktop-app workflows	Browser-first collaboration

The names can be misleading. Microsoft 365 Business Basic provides web and mobile Office apps, not the installed desktop versions. Microsoft 365 Business Standard adds the desktop applications. Microsoft also sells UK business plans both with and without Teams, so check the exact product name before buying.

How much do Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace cost in the UK?

These are the suppliers' displayed UK prices when this guide was checked on 13 August 2026. Promotions are excluded. Microsoft displays prices excluding VAT; confirm tax and billing terms at checkout. Its current comparison page presents Business Standard as a Copilot bundle, so the table names that product exactly rather than quoting the price of an older plain Standard plan.

Plan	Annual commitment	What matters
Microsoft 365 Business Basic with Teams	£5.40 per user/month	Web and mobile apps, email, Teams and 1 TB storage
Microsoft 365 Business Basic without Teams	£4.20 per user/month	Web and mobile apps, email and 1 TB storage
Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot and Teams	£18.10 per user/month	Desktop, web and mobile Office apps, Copilot, email, Teams and 1 TB storage
Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot, without Teams	£15.60 per user/month	Desktop, web and mobile Office apps, Copilot, email and 1 TB storage
Google Workspace Business Starter	£5.90 per user/month annually; £7 flexible	Gmail, browser apps, Meet and 30 GB pooled storage per user
Google Workspace Business Standard	£11.80 per user/month annually; £14 flexible	2 TB pooled storage per user and added Meet and collaboration features

Microsoft's Standard pricing above is for the Copilot bundle currently featured on its UK page, not a claim that every existing tenant or reseller agreement has moved to that product. Prices and bundles change, so use the current Microsoft business-plan comparison and Google Workspace UK plan page before ordering.

Do not compare subscription price alone. Migration work, staff training, backup, security configuration and paying for a second office suite can cost more than the difference between licences.

Which is better for documents and offline work?

Microsoft 365 is normally the safer fit when a business exchanges complex Word, Excel or PowerPoint files with clients. The desktop applications handle advanced formatting, macros and large spreadsheets better than browser-only tools. Business Standard is the relevant small-business plan when installed desktop applications are required.

Google Workspace is strong when teams create and edit documents together in the browser. Docs, Sheets and Slides make commenting, sharing and simultaneous editing easy. Google supports offline access, but it must be enabled and tested before somebody relies on it away from a connection.

Test your real files before migrating. A ten-minute trial with an ordinary document says little about a finance workbook, mail merge, case-management export or client template.

Which is easier for email and calendars?

Both platforms support email on a company domain, shared calendars, mobile access and spam filtering.

• Choose Gmail when staff already prefer its browser interface and the business works mainly in Google Drive.
• Choose Exchange Online and Outlook when shared mailboxes, Outlook workflows, desktop Office integration or existing Microsoft accounts are central to the business. Check the likely support route for issues such as Outlook not syncing.
• Check third-party systems such as scanners, CRM platforms, website forms and accounting applications before changing mail provider.

A mail migration also involves the domain's DNS records, mailbox data, aliases, groups, mobile devices and authentication. It is not simply a matter of buying licences.

Which platform has better security?

Both can be configured securely. The plan and the configuration matter more than the logo.

Microsoft 365 Business Premium adds controls such as Intune device management, Microsoft Defender for Business and stronger identity features beyond the Basic and Standard plans. Google adds more security and management functions as you move from Business Starter to Standard, Plus and Enterprise.

Whichever platform you choose, the minimum setup should include:

• multi-factor authentication for every user;
• separate day-to-day and administrator accounts;
• SPF, DKIM and DMARC email authentication;
• a documented starter and leaver process that protects company data;
• recovery details that the business controls;
• an independent backup decision for important mail and files.

Microsoft explains how SPF, DKIM and DMARC work together. Google provides equivalent setup guidance for Workspace administrators.

Which platform is easier to administer?

Google Workspace often feels simpler for a small browser-based team. Microsoft 365 exposes more interconnected services, which is useful when the business needs them but creates more settings to understand.

Before choosing, answer these questions:

1. Does anybody need installed Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook?
2. Do clients send files that must retain exact Microsoft Office formatting?
3. Will the business use Chromebooks, Windows PCs, Macs or a mixture?
4. Does the business need shared mailboxes or shared drives?
5. Who will add users, remove leavers and review security settings?
6. How will mail and files be backed up?

Can you move between Google Workspace and Microsoft 365?

Yes, but the work needs planning. A migration can include mailboxes, calendars, contacts, shared files, permissions, aliases, groups and user devices. Some Google file types need conversion, while complex Office files should be tested before a move in the other direction.

For a small team, use a pilot account first. Confirm mail flow, file access, mobile setup and the rollback route before changing the whole domain.

Which should a small business choose?

Choose Microsoft 365 when:

• desktop Office applications are part of daily work;
• the team exchanges complex Office files with customers;
• Outlook, shared mailboxes, Teams or Windows management are important;
• the business plans to use Microsoft identity and device controls.

If Teams meetings are part of the decision, test the workflow staff will actually use, including how they schedule a Teams meeting from Outlook.

Choose Google Workspace when:

• the team works mainly in a browser;
• simple real-time document collaboration is the priority;
• staff already work comfortably in Gmail and Google Drive;
• the business wants a lighter administration model.

Some businesses genuinely need both, but that should be a deliberate decision. Running two identity, storage and collaboration systems without clear ownership often creates duplicate files and confusing access.

Get help choosing or setting up the platform

Verge Tech Solutions provides Microsoft 365 setup and support and Google Workspace setup and migration for small businesses across London, Berkshire and Surrey. Our small-business IT support can also cover the wider device, backup and user-account work around the platform. We can review your users, files, devices and current email before recommending a route.

If you have already chosen a platform, we can also handle the domain, mailboxes, authentication records and user setup through our business email setup service. Ask us to review your setup.

Sources

• Microsoft: Microsoft 365 business plans and pricing
• Google: Workspace plans and UK pricing
• Microsoft Learn: add a custom domain to Microsoft 365
• Google Workspace Admin Help: set up MX records