If your office runs Windows computers and keeps client, patient or financial records, Microsoft 365 Business Premium is usually the better fit, because it manages and protects the computers as well as the email. Google Workspace fits teams that work mostly in the browser, on Chromebooks or Macs, and share documents more than they manage devices. Both can be run securely, and both can be run badly.
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Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 at a glance
| Microsoft 365 Business Premium | Google Workspace (Business plans) | |
|---|---|---|
| Email and calendar | Exchange Online, used through Outlook | Gmail and Google Calendar |
| Documents | Word, Excel and PowerPoint, desktop and web | Docs, Sheets and Slides, browser first |
| Files | OneDrive and SharePoint | Google Drive and shared drives |
| Meetings and chat | Microsoft Teams, which can also be your phone system | Google Meet and Chat |
| Computer management | Intune, included | Endpoint management, with more control on higher plans |
| Endpoint protection | Defender for Business, included | Not included; bought separately |
| Sign-in controls | Entra ID P1 with Conditional Access | Context-aware access on Enterprise plans |
| Plan size limit | Up to 300 users | Business plans up to 300 users |
| HIPAA | Microsoft signs a business associate agreement for in-scope services | Google signs a business associate agreement for in-scope services |
Where Microsoft 365 pulls ahead
Business Premium includes things Workspace doesn’t: Intune to manage and lock down Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android devices, Defender for Business to protect them, and Conditional Access to decide who signs in from where and on what. For an office that has to show an insurer or auditor that every laptop is encrypted and watched, those are the pieces that matter.
The catch is that included isn’t the same as turned on. When we review a new client’s Microsoft 365, the common findings are Microsoft’s defaults everywhere, auditing off, no Conditional Access, and Intune licensed but unused. Some offices pay for Standard where they need Premium. Others pay for Premium and use it like Standard.
Where Google Workspace fits
Workspace is simpler to run for a team that lives in the browser. Sharing and editing a document together feels natural, there’s less to install, and Chromebooks are cheap to replace. If your staff don’t use desktop Office apps and your line-of-business software is web based, Workspace can be the cleaner choice.
Watch for the gaps: you’ll need separate endpoint protection for computers, and Excel-heavy roles (accounting, finance, many grant reports) often end up keeping Office licenses anyway.
Things to decide before you switch either way
- 01Which line-of-business apps plug into Outlook, Excel or Gmail?
- 02Who outside the organization sends you Word and Excel files, and how often?
- 03Do you need to manage and encrypt the computers, or just the email?
- 04Who will back up the mail and files? Built-in retention isn’t a backup: deleted items age out, and a taken-over account can delete a lot at once.
We migrate in both directions and from any source, including Microsoft 365 bought through GoDaddy. Whichever you choose, we back up Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace three times a day to storage that can’t be altered once written. We’re a Microsoft CSP partner.
If you’re paying for Business Premium, you may already own the device management and protection you’ve been shopping for. Book a 15-minute call and we’ll tell you what we’d turn on first. See our Microsoft 365 managed services.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
Can you use Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 together?
Yes, but it’s rarely worth paying for both. A mix that can work is Google Workspace for email and files, plus a few Microsoft 365 Apps licenses for staff who need desktop Excel.
Is Google Workspace HIPAA compliant?
Google signs a business associate agreement covering in-scope Workspace services, which makes HIPAA compliance possible. It isn’t automatic: you still have to configure sharing, sign-in, retention and device access correctly and use only the covered services for patient information. The same is true of Microsoft 365.
Which is more secure, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365?
Both are secure platforms when they’re configured well. The practical difference for most offices is that Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes device management and endpoint protection for computers, while Google Workspace needs separate tools for that. Either one can be left exposed by default settings, missing MFA or no backup.
Is it hard to switch from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365?
It takes planning but is routine. Mail, calendars, contacts and Drive files can all be moved, the final cutover is usually scheduled outside business hours, and staff need a short orientation on Outlook, OneDrive and Teams. Our Office 365 migration guide walks through what to expect.
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Licensing through our Microsoft partnership, migrations, and the security settings Microsoft leaves off.
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