Which is cheaper, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365?

Headline pricing is close. Microsoft 365 usually costs less overall once Intune, Defender and Entra ID features you would otherwise buy separately are counted.

Can we run both suites?

You can, and some companies do after an acquisition, but paying twice and splitting identity rarely pays off long term.

How hard is a migration between the two?

Mail and files move reliably with tooling. The real work is retraining, shared drive structure and rebuilding identity and device policy.

Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365: Which Suite?

Quick Verdict

Google Workspace is faster to live with day to day and is a good fit for smaller, Mac-heavy, collaboration-first teams. Microsoft 365 bundles considerably more security and identity capability into E3 and E5, which is why companies facing compliance requirements tend to end up there. The suite is not really the decision. The identity and device stack attached to it is.

Google WorkspaceBest for collaboration-first teams, Mac-heavy companies, and organisations that value simplicity over configurability.

Microsoft 365Best for Windows fleets, regulated or compliance-driven organisations, and anyone who will need Entra ID, Intune and Defender anyway.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Google Workspace	Microsoft 365
Email and calendar	Gmail, Google Calendar	Exchange Online, Outlook
Documents	Docs, Sheets, Slides, cloud-native	Word, Excel, PowerPoint, desktop and web
Real-time collaboration	Best in class	Good, historically desktop-first
Identity provider	Basic IdP, SSO for a limited catalogue	Entra ID, enterprise grade
Conditional access	Context-Aware Access (Enterprise tiers)	Conditional Access with P1 (in E3)
Device management	Endpoint Management, basic for Mac and Windows	Intune, full MDM across platforms
Endpoint security	Third party required	Defender for Endpoint (E5 or add-on)
SCIM provisioning to third-party apps	Limited catalogue	Broader, still behind Okta
Compliance and eDiscovery	Vault	Purview, deeper controls
Offline working	Improved but browser-centric	Full desktop applications
Admin complexity	Lower	Higher, more configurable
Bundled value at scale	Suite plus paid add-ons	E3/E5 bundle security and identity
Best for	Collaboration-first, Mac-heavy teams	Windows fleets and compliance-driven estates

Not sure which one fits?

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When to choose Google Workspace

Collaboration is the workflow

Simultaneous editing, commenting and sharing are still smoother in Google. Teams that live in shared documents notice it every day.

Mac-heavy company

Google is browser-native, so the experience is identical on macOS. Microsoft has closed the gap but parity is not complete.

You want less to administer

Fewer levers means fewer misconfigurations. For a small team without a dedicated IT function, that is a genuine advantage.

Under fifty people, low compliance load

Below that mark, and without SOC 2 or ISO 27001 in scope, Google usually covers what you need.

When to choose Microsoft 365

You need Entra ID anyway

E3 includes Entra ID P1, which means conditional access and enterprise SSO without a separate identity purchase.

Windows fleet

Intune, Autopilot and Defender fit together and are already licensed. Managing Windows outside that stack is more work for less control.

Compliance requirements

Purview, retention, eDiscovery and access reviews are more mature. Auditors ask questions Microsoft has ready answers for.

Excel is load-bearing

Finance and analytics teams running heavy models are rarely happy in Sheets, whatever the rest of the company prefers.

The identity question decides it

Google Workspace works as an identity provider for Google applications and a limited set of third-party SAML integrations. It runs out of road at conditional access, SCIM provisioning to most non-Google applications, and compliance-grade governance.

Microsoft 365 E3 includes Entra ID P1, so the identity platform arrives with the suite. That single fact resolves the majority of comparisons we are asked to run.

Google Workspace companies are not stuck. Layering Okta on top gives enterprise identity while keeping Gmail and Docs, and that combination is common in the SaaS-first companies we work with.

What migration actually costs

Mail and file migration is a solved problem. Four to eight weeks is typical, and the tooling is mature in both directions.

The unbudgeted work is everywhere else: shared drive permissions to rebuild, service accounts and integrations to repoint, and calendar and meeting-room configuration to recreate.

Switching suites purely on licence price rarely pays back. Switching because the identity and compliance stack no longer fits usually does.

Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 FAQs

Which is better, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365?

Neither is better outright. Google Workspace is stronger on real-time collaboration and simplicity. Microsoft 365 is stronger on identity, device management and compliance, mainly because E3 and E5 bundle Entra ID, Intune and Purview.

Is Google Workspace enough as an identity provider?

For smaller teams using mostly Google-native tools, often yes. Once you need conditional access, SCIM provisioning to non-Google applications or access reviews, you layer Okta or Entra ID on top.

Does Microsoft 365 include device management?

Intune is included in Microsoft 365 E3 and E5 and manages Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. Mac-majority fleets often still add Jamf for full Apple coverage.

Can we run both?

Some companies do, usually after an acquisition. It works but doubles the administration and creates two places for data to sit. Treat it as a transitional state with an end date.

How long does a migration take?

Four to eight weeks for most companies under a few hundred people. Mail and files are straightforward. Shared drive permissions, service accounts and integrations take the time.

Which is cheaper?

Per-seat list prices are comparable at equivalent tiers. Microsoft usually wins on total cost once you account for identity, device management and endpoint security being bundled rather than bought separately.

Weighing up a suite migration?

We license and run both. Tell us your fleet split and compliance requirements and we will tell you which one costs less overall.

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Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365