Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365
Google Workspace is sold in three self-serve tiers that pool storage across the company and run in the browser. Microsoft 365 Business gives every user a fixed 1 TB of OneDrive and adds installed desktop apps from the Standard tier up. Both stop self-serve at 300 users. Google is easier to price from its own page; Microsoft wins on per-user storage and offline apps.
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Choose Google Workspace ifyou want a browser-first suite, a price you can read on the vendor page, and a meeting-size ladder that rises with each tier.
Choose Microsoft 365 ifyour staff work in installed Word, Excel and Outlook, you want a fixed 1 TB per person, and you accept that the cheapest tier is web-only.
Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 side by side
| Google Workspace | Microsoft 365 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our office suite rank | #9 of 12 | #8 of 12 |
| Established in | United States | United States |
| Pricing | Per-user tiers, published; 14-day trial | Per-user subscription tiers; Business plans capped at 300 users |
| List price, 20 October 2026 | Business Starter 6.80 euros, Standard 13.60, Plus 21.10 per user per month on monthly billing, excluding tax; 50% introduction offer on the first 20 users for 12 months | Not stated: Microsoft's price pages blocked our automated read |
| Free tier | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | Companies that want zero training cost and the best spam filter | Organisations that need desktop Office apps and Microsoft services in one subscription |
| Not for | Organisations with a strict European data sovereignty requirement | Buyers who want to avoid a single vendor for files and mail |
Both are reviewed in full in our office suite ranking: Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
Where they differ
Google Workspace 1 · Microsoft 365 2 · open 2- 01
Storage per person
Google's pricing page lists pooled storage per user: 30 GB on Business Starter, 2 TB on Standard and 5 TB on Plus. Pooled means the company shares one total. Microsoft's service description gives 1 TB of OneDrive per user on Basic, Standard and Premium, with tenant-level pooling still applying. A small team with a few heavy users fits Google's pool; an even spread of files fits Microsoft.
Edge: Microsoft 365
- 02
A price you can read
Google lists Business Starter at 6.80 euros, Standard at 13.60 and Plus at 21.10 per user per month on monthly billing, excluding tax, with a 50% introduction offer for the first 20 users over 12 months. Microsoft's own price pages refused our automated request, so we state no Microsoft amount. Treat the Microsoft figure as something to confirm on the day you buy.
Edge: Google Workspace
- 03
Installed desktop apps
Microsoft's plan table shows the desktop client apps as not included in Business Basic and included from Business Standard. Google's suite is delivered through the browser and its apps, and its pricing page lists no installed-app tier. If staff need Excel on a laptop without a connection, Microsoft's Standard tier is the entry point, not Basic.
Edge: Microsoft 365
- 04
Growing past 300 users
Both vendors cap their self-serve business tiers at 300 users. Google lists Enterprise with no maximum and no price (contact sales). Microsoft's documentation says organisations above 300 should move to its enterprise plans, which carry no user limit. Neither one lets a fast-growing firm stay on the cheap tier, so budget a re-contract at that point.
Depends on the buyer
- 05
Contracting company
Google's privacy policy names Google LLC in Mountain View, California. Microsoft's services agreement names Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, Washington, for most services. Both vendors are US companies by those documents. We did not verify where either stores customer data or which regional entity signs a European contract.
Depends on the buyer
When neither fits
If you want an office suite from a smaller vendor or one you can run yourself, our office suites ranking leads with SoftMaker Office, with ONLYOFFICE close behind. Both trade the integrated mail and chat of the two giants for independence.
Google Workspace or Microsoft 365: questions
4 answersIs Google Workspace cheaper than Microsoft 365?
We can only confirm Google's side: 6.80 euros per user per month for Business Starter, excluding tax, on monthly billing. Microsoft's pricing page blocked our automated read, so we give no Microsoft amount. Compare the same tier, since Microsoft's cheapest plan has no desktop apps.
How much storage does each give per user?
Google pools storage across the company: 30 GB per user on Starter, 2 TB on Standard, 5 TB on Plus. Microsoft documents 1 TB of OneDrive per user on Basic, Standard and Premium, with pooled limits still applying at tenant level.
What happens above 300 users?
Google's Starter, Standard and Plus tiers are limited to 300 users, and Enterprise has no maximum. Microsoft states its Business family is designed for up to 300 users and points larger organisations to enterprise plans.
Does Microsoft 365 Business Basic include Word on the desktop?
No. Microsoft's service description marks the desktop client apps as not included in Business Basic and included in Business Standard and Premium. Basic gives you the web versions.
Sources
Checked 20 October 2026- Google Workspace pricing: tier prices, pooled storage, 300-user limit, Meet participant limits, introduction offer, Enterprise on request.
- Google Workspace Gmail product page: custom-domain email and included Docs, Sheets, Slides and Meet.
- Google privacy policy: Google LLC, Mountain View, California.
- Microsoft 365 plan options (Microsoft Learn): 300-user limit for the Business family, desktop apps not in Basic, Teams in all Business plans.
- OneDrive service description (Microsoft Learn): 1 TB per user on Business Basic, Standard and Premium.
- Microsoft services agreement: Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington as contracting entity.