[Last updated on August 2, 2020]
[January 2023 – Despite the significant evolution of both platforms – since renamed Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 – the article remains relevant as a whole and our point remains current. We have renamed the terms G Suite to Google Workspace, the current name of the solution]
[January 2023 – Despite the significant evolution of both platforms – since renamed Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 – the article remains relevant as a whole and our point remains current. We have renamed the terms G Suite to Google Workspace, the current name of the solution]
As early as 2006, a pioneer of high-velocity collaboration, Google Apps (which became G Suite then Google Workspace) quickly attracted organizations looking for new ways of working and simplicity. At that time, Office 365 was a limited cloud suite. Today, Microsoft 365 has caught up. And Google has made Google Workspace a mature product.
Broadly speaking, new businesses, small and medium-sized structures, and sectors such as technology, creation, communication, etc. prefer Google Cloud, while large organizations, “older” companies, and highly regulated industries favor Microsoft.
Google retains the advantage in collaborative performance and simplicity. Microsoft benefits from its historical hegemony. The two SaaS platforms are neck and neck. What to choose for your business?
Paddle or excel
Michael Phelps had a dream. To become the greatest athlete of all time. For this, he trained for 5 years, every day without exception.
Anyone can swim. You can swim with Google Workspace just as you can swim with Microsoft 365. But if you want to perform better and excel, like Michael, you need a strategy.
Tom Enders, the CEO of Airbus, says: “Airbus has decided to take a major step by switching to Google Suite. We need technologies that actively support our new ways of working, modern tools that allow us to be fully collaborative. Choosing G Suite is a strategic choice, a clear break with the past”.
You must define a vision for your company. Towards what ways of working and collaborating do you want to lead your company? What are the stakes? Without a clear strategy for your work environment, you will paddle whether with Google Workspace or with Office 365.
We offer you a 1st piece of advice to help you take stock, define a strategy, and establish an action plan.
Break or continuity
G Suite and Microsoft 365 come from two very different worlds. Google is “digital native,” a nature rooted in the web and user-centric. Microsoft is rooted in the physical world of computers and software.
Essentially, choosing between Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 is choosing disruption or choosing continuity. You don't need to compare feature by feature. You need to know why choose disruption or why choose continuity.
To read on the subject of disruption: Google Workspace superior to Microsoft 365
This choice is made by the vision for your organization. For example, if your vision is to transform the way your teams work and collaborate, you will lean into disruption with Google Workspace. If your challenges lie elsewhere than in the digital transition of teams, if a radical change is dangerous for your structure, or if you are deeply rooted in the Microsoft world, then Microsoft 365 is the obvious choice.
High-velocity collaboration
On the Google side, you can rely 100% on Google Drive as a server. Storage and sharing in the same place. Drive File Stream serves files by streaming them to the user's computer. Even with several tens of terabytes of data, Drive's performance is top-notch.
On the Microsoft side, relying on SharePoint and OneDrive as cloud server(s) is a bit more arduous (limitations, SharePoint team site, etc.).
In terms of cloud storage and sharing, Google Drive is simpler and more efficient.
Google offers a lighter work environment, focused on essentials and simplicity, accessible from any device without feature limitations. Real-time collaboration on documents remains smoother with Google.
Microsoft 365 is preferentially Windows and requires installed applications to take advantage of all features. Collaborative dynamics are less intuitive than with Google Workspace.
To read on collaboration: Work OS, collaboration reinvented
Formatting and office features
On the Microsoft side, MS Office offers a much wider range of features than the Google suite. If the work of the majority of your collaborators relies on advanced, if not expert, features of MS Office, then Microsoft 365 is the right choice.
On the Google side, the embedded office suite (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms) includes features useful for daily work and meets the needs of 95% of users.
MS Office integration in Google Workspace is strengthening. For example, it is possible to collaboratively and simultaneously edit – like Google Docs – documents in MS Office formats, without leaving the web browser.
Google Docs may not be able to reproduce particularly elaborate document formatting from Word. In exchange, because it is 100% online, Google Workspace users do not have the compatibility problems that can be encountered with MS Office (between PC and Mac, missing fonts, different Office versions, etc.).
Excel macro specialists will need to learn JavaScript with Sheets. A migration to Google Workspace does not prevent you from maintaining macros and Excel thanks to Drive File Stream.
Determine to what extent formatting and office functionalities are a real issue in the company's overall vision.
Prefer a clear and definitive choice. Don't try to have the best of both worlds. You must choose an infrastructure, your «backbone». Even if with Google Workspace it is not excluded to maintain MS Office licenses for specific users.
From the IT administrator's perspective
Google has an “out of the box” approach with simplified management, significantly lightening the IT workload. Because it is 100% web-based, Google Workspace is completely cross-platform and offers a consistent experience from any device.
Microsoft is more complex in terms of settings and individualization. Office 365 is preferentially Windows / PC and still requires software installation and maintenance. The workload for the IT team is greater.
For both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, you will find all the necessary functionalities for security and user, device, and policy management.
Again, it's your strategic vision that matters. What is truly essential in terms of IT infrastructure? Do you have imperatives that imply one choice or another? What are your constraints (clients, geographical, legal, etc.)?
Both offer an MDM solution and enhance endpoint management capabilities (endpoint security).
Cloud data storage
There are no fundamental differences regarding the storage and security of your data in Google or Microsoft clouds and on user devices. They are state-of-the-art.
To read about security: Malware, a danger for cloud servers?
Certain industries or certain data have legal constraints regarding the storage location. Regarding Switzerland, there is a certain myth about mandatory storage within the country. EPFL has deployed Google Drive, public schools in Geneva, Jura, Bern, Valais use Google Workspace for education. Switch and Educa have signed framework agreements for the use of G Suite and Microsoft 365 in schools and higher education.
Whether it's Google Workspace or Microsoft, the client can choose a storage location exclusively in Europe for all or part of its users.
Emails and messages
Some will choke, but let's be clear: Gmail remains the fastest and most efficient messaging service. Faced with the daily avalanche of emails, quickly finding information and keeping the inbox clean thanks to innovative features – such as snooze or confidential mode – is key. The rest is accessory.
Meet and Chat for Google versus Skype and Teams for Microsoft. Teams is a good asset of Microsoft 365, which presents itself as a good collaboration and communication tool.
Price
Google Workspace remains cheaper than Microsoft 365. Three pricing plans for Google versus 7 for Microsoft. That said, price is never a selection criterion (or else you missed the chapter on vision).
A mistake not to make
Whether you choose Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, you will achieve nothing without employee training. If you don't take the time to train them, don't expect one of these tools to bring more performance.
If nothing changes, don't expect the results to change. Resistance to change is the primary cause of failure for any transformation. A failure costs much more than a change plan.
It's about implementing better methods, more efficient ways of doing things, promoting a more collaborative culture, and accelerating daily work. This support is very profitable!
Do you want to establish a realistic and effective change plan?
On the Office 365 side, you can get by without a change plan. But you won't leverage the added value of Office 365.
On the Google Workspace side, a change plan is necessary. It's a break for users accustomed to the Microsoft environment. The break can be an asset and part of your strategy.
Read about the advantages of the break: Google Workspace superior to Microsoft 365
Conclusion
Choose Google Workspace if you are looking for more agility and simplicity for both users and technical management. If the quality of collaboration is an important issue, then Google is undoubtedly the best choice.
Choose Office 365 if your company is deeply rooted in the Microsoft world and you need to rely on continuity for both users and the IT team.
Not changing costs too much. It is illusory to think you can remain competitive with the tools and methods of the last century. Otherwise, you will soon no longer have your place in the market.
In either case, you must treat the choice of Office 365 or Google Workspace not as a technical choice but as an element that should support and promote an evolution of mindsets and ways of working.
Take advantage of a 1st free consultation to help you choose between Google Workspace and Office 365.
