Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace - Which is best for my organisation

Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are both powerful productivity tools but each has its pros and cons.
Google Workspace excels in collaboration and simplicity, with an intuitive interface and excellent real-time collaboration features. Microsoft 365 also offers this, but in combination with a particularly comprehensive set of tools, such as SharePoint, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams that are long-established in many companies.
Moreover, further integration with the rest of your organisation is easier to lay.

Microsoft 365's superiority in privacy, support and versatility

Microsoft 365 has a strong reputation for privacy with robust security measures and clear policies. It also offers comprehensive support, with 24/7 phone and online help. Moreover, Microsoft 365 is highly versatile with a wide range of applications that can be customised to an organisation's specific needs.

The added value of Teams integration

Teams, Microsoft's communication and collaboration tool, is deeply integrated into the Microsoft 365 suite. This enables seamless collaboration, with features such as file sharing, video conferencing and chat all accessible within the same application. Teams can also be integrated with other Microsoft applications, making it a central hub for collaboration.

The ease of Active Directory integration in Microsoft 365

Active Directory (AD) integration in Office 365 makes user and group management easier and more secure. AD allows administrators to centrally manage access rights and policies, ensuring better security and efficiency.

Security measures of Google Workspace and Microsoft 365

Both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 offer strong security measures, including Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), data encryption, and advanced threat detection.
However, Microsoft 365 has an edge with its Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) service, which offers advanced security features such as Single Sign On (SSO), link and attachment inspection.

Integration with Windows and Windows Server environments

Microsoft 365 integrates seamlessly with Windows and Windows Server environments, making it an obvious choice for organisations already using other Microsoft products. This provides a centralised, smooth user experience and simplifies IT resource management.

Conclusion and comparison table

Although Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 ebide strong productivity suites, Microsoft 365 still has the slight advantage in terms of privacy, support, versatility, and integration with other Microsoft products. However, the choice between the two will ultimately depend on your organisation's specific needs and circumstances.

	Microsoft 365	Google Workspace
File storage	1TB with 'Business Basic' plan; but basically this is a soft-limit	30GB with 'Business Starter' plan, 2TB or 5TB with 'Business Standard' or 'Business Plus' plans
Email storage	50GB inbox on top of file storage with 'Business Basic' plan	Total storage of 30GB, including e-mails, with 'Business Starter' plan
Desktop applications	Full versions of Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Projects, Whiteboard, OneNote etc. can be installed on the desktop and used offline.	No desktop applications, only web-based apps
Web applications	Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, One Note, SharePoint, Teams, Yammer, Whiteboard, Forms...	Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, Gmail, Google Keep, Google Sites, Google Forms, Google Meet, Google Spaces, Google Jamboard...
Collaboration	Real-time collaboration possible with both online and offline apps	Real-time collaboration possible with all apps
Video calls	Up to 300 participants with 'Business' plans, up to 1,000 participants with some 'Enterprise' plans	Up to 100 participants with 'Business Starter' plan, 150 with 'Business Standard' plan, 500 with 'Business Plus' plan, and 1,000 with 'Enterprise' plan
Automations and links	The Microsoft Dataverse and Microsoft Power Platform communicates smoothly with internal and external databases to build automation flows, Power Apps and interactive dashboards.	Google Workspace also communicates smoothly with APIs, the Looker Studio (formerly Datastudio) is also very user-friendly. Of course, integration with Google Analytics and Google Ads, among others, is easier here.