Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 both bundle email, office apps, cloud storage, and video calling into one per-user subscription, and both have leaned hard into bundling AI assistants into their mid-tier plans rather than selling them separately. The practical differences come down to how each one structures tiers, what’s actually included at the entry level, and how much you’ll pay once introductory discounts expire.
At a Glance
| Plan | Google Workspace | Microsoft 365 Business |
|---|---|---|
| Entry tier | Business Starter — $7/user/month, 30GB storage | Business Basic — $7/user/month, web/mobile Office apps only |
| Mid tier | Business Standard — $14/user/month, 2TB storage, Gemini AI | Business Standard with Copilot — $23.50/user/month, desktop apps + Copilot |
| Top business tier | Business Plus — $22/user/month, 5TB storage, eDiscovery/Vault | Business Premium with Copilot — $32/user/month, device management + security |
| User limit | 300 users (Starter/Standard/Plus) | 300 users (all three Business tiers) |
All prices above are list prices per user, per month, billed annually, in USD. Both vendors run introductory promotions that undercut these figures for new customers — confirm current promo pricing directly before purchasing, since both change these periodically.
What You Get at Each Tier
Google’s Business Starter ($7/user/month) includes custom business email, Gemini built into Gmail, Google Meet for up to 100 participants, Google Vids, and 30GB of pooled storage per user — genuinely usable for a small team, but tight if you store a lot of media or documents. Business Standard ($14/user/month) is the plan most small businesses land on: it jumps storage to 2TB per user, adds Gemini throughout Docs and Meet with expanded access, custom mail merge, appointment booking, eSignature, and Meet with recording and up to 150 participants. Business Plus ($22/user/month) adds compliance and security tooling — eDiscovery, Vault, Secure LDAP, advanced endpoint management — plus Meet with attendance tracking for up to 500 participants and 5TB of storage.
Microsoft’s Business Basic ($7/user/month) gets you web and mobile versions only of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook — no desktop app installs — plus Teams chat and calls, custom business email, and basic AI chat with web grounding. Business Standard with Copilot ($23.50/user/month) is where desktop Office apps show up, along with Copilot built into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, and AI chat grounded in your organization’s own data. Business Premium with Copilot ($32/user/month) adds device security and management, advanced threat protection, data loss prevention, and a Windows 11 Pro upgrade with Intune device management — aimed at businesses that need to manage and secure company devices centrally, not just provide office apps.
Where the Two Differ Most
The sharpest difference is at the entry tier: Google’s $7/user/month Starter plan already includes AI features (Gemini) and video calling for up to 100 people, while Microsoft’s $7/user/month Basic plan has no desktop apps and no Copilot at all — you jump to $23.50/user/month before Copilot or desktop Office appear. If your team needs the AI assistant and full desktop apps, the realistic price comparison is Google Standard at $14 versus Microsoft Standard with Copilot at $23.50 — a meaningful gap. Where Microsoft pulls ahead is device management and security depth at the top tier: Business Premium’s Intune device management, data loss prevention, and Windows 11 Pro upgrade are aimed squarely at IT-managed fleets of company laptops, a use case Google Workspace’s Business Plus addresses less directly even with its own endpoint management and Vault features.
Pros and Cons
- Google Workspace pros: AI and video calling included from the cheapest tier; simpler three-tier structure; generous storage jump at Standard. Cons: less mature device management/security tooling for IT-managed company hardware.
- Microsoft 365 pros: deepest device management and security story at Premium; Office desktop apps remain the industry standard for complex documents and spreadsheets. Cons: Copilot and desktop apps are locked behind a $23.50/user/month plan — more than triple the entry-tier price.
Who Should Pick Which
Teams that live in a browser, want AI assistance and video calling without jumping tiers, and don’t need heavy desktop Office features are generally better served, and better priced, by Google Workspace Business Starter or Standard. Teams that depend on full desktop Office apps, need to centrally manage and secure company laptops, or are already standardized on Outlook and Teams for other reasons will find Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Premium a more natural fit, even at the higher price point once Copilot is factored in.
Bottom Line
Both platforms now price AI as part of a mid-tier bundle rather than a cheap add-on, but Google reaches that bundle sooner and cheaper, while Microsoft’s Premium tier goes further on device security and management for IT-managed fleets. The right pick depends more on whether your team needs desktop Office apps and centralized device management than on brand loyalty — run the per-user math at the tier that actually includes the features you need, not the cheapest advertised entry price.
Sources
Discover more from Software Online Review
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
