Katrina Oko-Odoi
Sr. Content Marketing Manager
In case you aren’t already familiar with both platforms, let’s take a moment to cover the basics.
What is Google Workspace?
Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) is a web-based software that combines all of Google's productivity products under one integrated suite. Google Workspace prioritizes collaboration and aims to make jumping between applications seamless.
Google Workspace includes all of Google's popular tools, including Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Sheets and Docs.
What is Microsoft Office 365?
Microsoft Office 365 (now known as Microsoft 365) is a desktop-based software that brings together Microsoft's flagship applications and productivity tools to provide businesses with the resources they need to get the job done.
Microsoft 365 includes all of Microsoft's most popular tools, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
At first glance, the biggest difference between the two is their native environment. Google Workspace is browser-centric and is native to the web, whereas Microsoft 365 is installed on desktops via click-to-run packages.
Sure, both can operate in the other environment: Workspace has an offline option, and Microsoft 365 has an online option. But neither are as powerful in their non-native state.
This initial difference isn't the only comparison point between the two suites. So, let’s look at Google Workspace vs. Office 365 in a true head-to-head comparison.
The head-to-head: Google Workspace vs. Office 365
We’ll start with what Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 have in common before digging into what actually makes them different.
At their core, both are cloud-based productivity suites designed to run your day-to-day work. Email, documents, spreadsheets, calendars, video meetings — it's all there. The idea is simple: keep your team working in one connected system instead of bouncing between random tools.
When you compare Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 at a high level, they check many of the same boxes. Both are trusted, long-standing platforms. Both offer strong security and admin controls. Both give you cloud storage and tools built for growing teams.
On paper, they look similar.
But once you start using them, the differences become more obvious.
(Note: For clarity, we’re comparing Google Workspace with Microsoft 365 Business and Enterprise plans — the versions built for companies. Personal and family plans don’t include the security, support, and admin features businesses need.)
Feature and application comparison
Both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 include the core tools most businesses rely on:
- A word processor
- A spreadsheet tool
- A presentation app
- Calendar
- Contacts
They also include messaging, note-taking apps, and video conferencing. So what’s the real difference? It comes down to how the tools feel — and what they’re built to prioritize.
Take email. Gmail (Google Workspace) and Outlook (Microsoft 365) both handle business email well. But they’re designed differently. Gmail is clean and simple. Outlook tends to offer more built-in controls and customization. Many teams already have a strong preference here, and that alone can influence the decision.
Now look at word processing: Google Docs vs Microsoft Word.
Microsoft Word is feature-heavy. It’s built for detailed formatting, complex layouts, and advanced editing. If your team creates long reports, structured documents, or highly formatted materials, Word gives you a lot of control.
Google Docs focuses on collaboration first. Multiple people can edit at the same time without worrying about saving versions or emailing attachments. Comments, suggestions, and sharing are seamless. It’s designed to make teamwork feel natural.
That theme carries across the entire Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 comparison.
Microsoft 365 tools often feel robust and deeply developed. There’s a lot under the hood. You can customize more. You can control more. For some teams, that’s a major advantage.
Google Workspace tools feel streamlined and intuitive. They prioritize speed, clarity, and real-time collaboration. Everything connects smoothly — Gmail links to Docs, Docs connects to Meet, Sheets integrates easily across the system.
Microsoft supports collaboration too, especially in its newer cloud-first versions. But many of its tools were originally built for individual desktop use, and that foundation still shows in some workflows.
So choosing between Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 isn’t really about which one is “better.” It’s about how your team prefers to work. Do you want advanced controls and feature depth? Or seamless collaboration and simplicity?
That’s the real decision.
Price comparison
Both suites run on subscriptions and charge businesses per user, per month. But once you look closer, the pricing structures start to feel very different.
Google Workspace keeps things relatively simple with four main plans.
- Business Starter: $11 per user, per month
- Business Standard: $22 per user, per month
- Business Plus: $34.40 per user, per month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
The main differences between Google’s tiers come down to storage (30GB pooled storage in Starter, 2TB in Standard, 5TB in Plus), meeting capacity, and increasingly advanced security and admin controls as you move up.
Microsoft 365 gives you more variations — especially depending on whether you want Teams included.
Under Plans with Teams (paid yearly):
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $6.00 per user, per month
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard: $12.50 per user, per month
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium: $22.00 per user, per month
Under Plans without Teams (paid yearly):
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic (no Teams): $4.40 per user, per month
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard (no Teams): $9.29 per user, per month
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium (no Teams): $18.79 per user, per month
- Microsoft 365 Apps for business: $8.25 per user, per month
And that’s before you layer in Copilot bundles, enterprise tiers, or industry-specific pricing.
It can get a little dizzying. Some plans include desktop apps. Some focus more on web-based tools. Some bundle Teams. Some remove it. The price shifts depending on what’s included.
In short, Microsoft 365’s business plans range from $4.40 to $22 per user per month (with higher enterprise and AI bundles beyond that). Google Workspace runs from $11 to $34.40 per user per month, plus custom enterprise pricing.
At the entry level, Microsoft can be the cheaper option — especially if you don’t need Teams. But as you add desktop apps, advanced security, and AI features, pricing climbs. Google’s pricing is more streamlined, but the higher tiers come at a premium.
Different pricing philosophies. Same goal: giving your team the tools to work smarter.
And that’s before you layer in Copilot bundles, enterprise tiers, or industry-specific pricing.
The pros and cons
Let's drill down on each service’s main advantages and disadvantages to make the decision even easier for you.
Google Workspace
Pros:
- Easy-to-use
- Made for collaboration
- Productivity-centric
- Straightforward pricing
Cons:
- Features aren’t as robust as Microsoft’s
- Lower storage options on lower-tier plans
Even though many people are already familiar with the Microsoft suite, Google is easier to learn and is more intuitive. In contrast, Microsoft 365’s apps and functionality will take a bit of learning for the uninitiated.
In other words, the applications weren't designed to work together in a seamless ecosystem. They were built separately and don't work together as efficiently as Google Workspace does.
Microsoft 365
Pros:
- Robust application functionality
- Likely familiarity with the suite
- Plan customization
- Desktop applications available
Cons:
- Steep learning curve
- Requires local installation
- Not built for collaboration
People have been using Microsoft products for a long time, and that familiarity makes Microsoft 365 the easy choice for many companies. While their pricing and plan options can be overwhelming, some people like the option to customize their plans on this more granular level.
The most significant advantage to Office 365's platform is its desktop applications. Many companies still only use Microsoft, so it's helpful to be able to save, edit, and work in a file's native format. But then again, you can easily download Google Workspace apps into Microsoft format like Word, Excel or PowerPoint.
The winner: Google Workspace vs. Microsoft 365
So, who wins in a Google Workspace vs. Microsoft 365 showdown? It probably boils down to a matter of personal preference.
But from an innovation, productivity and collaboration standpoint, Google Workspace comes out on top in every category.
In fact, Google Workspace users save an average of 171 hours each year and experience a 331% ROI and a 1.5% increase in revenue just from using the suite.
If you're looking for a productivity powerhouse that prioritizes collaboration and allows your team to work together efficiently and seamlessly, Google Workspace is the clear winner — and switching from Microsoft 365 is simpler than you might expect. Even when you compare Microsoft Teams vs. Google Workspace, Google’s communication applications still come out on top.
Google Workspace also integrates with third-party applications with ease, including our relationship-centric CRM, Copper.
Copper CRM is the only CRM listed on Google's recommended applications, and it was built to integrate with Google Workspace with ease. Try Copper free for 14 days .
