Every growing business eventually needs to move away from free personal email accounts to a proper business email solution. The two dominant options are Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 — and the right choice depends on how your team works.
What You Get with Both
Both platforms offer professional email on your own domain, cloud storage, video calling, document collaboration, and admin controls. The price difference is minimal — both start at around £4.60/user/month for entry-level plans.
Google Workspace
Google Workspace centres around Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet, and Calendar. If your team already uses Google products personally, the learning curve is minimal.
Strengths:
- Excellent browser-based collaboration — multiple people editing the same document in real time just works
- Gmail is the best email client for many users, with superior search and spam filtering
- Google Meet video calls are simple and reliable
- Easy to administer — the Admin Console is straightforward for non-technical managers
- Strong mobile apps on both iOS and Android
Weaknesses:
- Google Docs/Sheets formatting is still less capable than Microsoft Word/Excel for complex documents
- No native desktop app equivalent to Office
- Microsoft Office file compatibility can occasionally cause formatting issues
Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 centres around Outlook, Exchange, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint. It's the industry standard in many sectors, particularly finance, legal, and healthcare.
Strengths:
- Full desktop Office apps included on higher plans (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Excel is simply the most powerful spreadsheet tool available
- Teams is excellent for larger organisations with complex communication needs
- Deep integration with Windows and enterprise software
- Required by many enterprise clients who need files in Office formats
Weaknesses:
- More complex to set up and administer
- Teams can feel heavy for small teams
- Outlook's interface is less intuitive than Gmail for many users
- SharePoint has a steep learning curve
Cost Comparison (2025)
Google Workspace: Business Starter £5.20/user/mo | Business Standard £10.40 | Business Plus £15.60
Microsoft 365: Business Basic £4.60/user/mo | Business Standard £10.30 (includes Office apps) | Business Premium £17.60
For access to desktop Office apps, Microsoft 365 Business Standard (£10.30) is genuinely good value compared to buying Office separately.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Google Workspace if:
- Your team is remote and values real-time collaboration
- You predominantly work in a browser
- Your team is used to Gmail and Google tools
- Simplicity and ease of admin is important
- You don't need native desktop Office apps
Choose Microsoft 365 if:
- Your industry or clients require Office file formats
- Your team does complex work in Excel or Word
- You're already on Windows and the Microsoft ecosystem
- You need Teams for a larger or more structured team
- You have an IT person or managed service provider
Can You Switch Later?
Yes — we migrate businesses between the two platforms regularly. Email, contacts, and calendar data all transfer cleanly. Migrating files from Drive to OneDrive (or vice versa) takes more work but is entirely achievable.
If you need help setting up or migrating either platform, Quadcydle offers Google Workspace setup and Microsoft 365 setup and migration services.