Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace for SMBs: the honest comparison

As an SMB, do you go for Microsoft 365 or for Google Workspace? It's a decision that sticks around for years. It determines what your people work with every day, where your files live and how well protected you are. Reversing the choice is possible, but it costs time and money.

In this article we line up both platforms honestly on the points that really matter to SMBs. IT-gemak is a Microsoft partner and in practice we usually recommend Microsoft 365. Even so, Google Workspace is a perfectly good choice for some companies. We explain what suits whom, so you can make a well-founded decision yourself.

What is the choice really about?

Both are what you'd call productivity suites in the cloud: a subscription that gives your staff email, documents, calendar, storage and online meetings. You no longer install your own server and you pay per user per month.

The big difference lies in the philosophy. Microsoft 365 builds on the familiar Office programs (Word, Excel, Outlook) that you install on your computer and also use in the browser. Google Workspace originally grew up entirely in the browser, with Gmail, Google Docs and Google Drive as its foundation.

The comparison at a glance

| Aspect | Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace |
|---|---|---|
| Office apps | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook (desktop and web) | Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail (mostly web) |
| Email | Outlook with Exchange, very business-oriented | Gmail, fast and familiar |
| Storage and files | OneDrive and SharePoint | Google Drive and Shared drives |
| Collaboration | Microsoft Teams | Google Meet and Chat |
| Security and management | Extensive, suitable for NIS2 | Solid, less deep for compliance |
| Price (indicative, per user/month, excl. VAT) | roughly 6 to 19 euros | roughly 7 to 21 euros |
| Works offline | Yes, full-fledged desktop apps | Limited, mostly online |

The prices are indicative and change regularly. Always ask for an up-to-date calculation based on your situation.

Office apps: Office or Google Docs?

For most SMBs this is the most decisive point. Word, Excel and PowerPoint have been the standard for decades. Almost everyone knows them, and most documents you receive from clients, suppliers, accountants and the government are Office files.

Google Docs and Sheets are perfectly fine for simple work and writing together in the browser. But anyone using heavier Excel models, with pivot tables, macros or complicated formulas, often runs into limits with Google. Do you receive a lot of Office files from outside? Then Microsoft 365 stays the smoothest, because the formatting simply comes out right.

Does your team work in a light, web-focused way, with few complex documents? Then Google Workspace does the job just fine.

Email: Outlook or Gmail?

Both deliver reliable, professional business email. Many people know Gmail from personal use, which makes it easy to get started with. Outlook with Exchange is more deeply integrated with calendars, shared mailboxes and rules, which is handy as soon as several people manage mailboxes together, such as info@ or admin@.

For smaller teams the difference matters little. As your organisation grows and more shared mailboxes and structure are needed, Microsoft 365 offers just a bit more.

Storage and files: SharePoint or Google Drive?

Here lies an important difference. With Microsoft 365 you store personal files in OneDrive and shared files in SharePoint. SharePoint works as a central, structured company environment with fine-grained permissions: who may see and edit what. That gives control and overview, certainly with sensitive data.

Google Drive and Shared drives are simple and intuitive. For many companies that works pleasantly. But as soon as you want tight agreements about access, folder structure and management, SharePoint offers more depth.

Collaboration: Teams or Google Meet?

Microsoft Teams has grown into a complete workplace: chat, calls, video meetings and working on documents together in one place. For many SMBs, Teams has become the daily hub. On top of that, it can be connected to telephony, for example via a 3CX or VoIP solution.

Google Meet and Chat do their job well and are nice and simple, but they feel more like separate parts than one integrated environment. Do you want to really bring chat, calls, meetings and documents together? Then Teams is stronger.

Security and management: the difference you don't see, but do notice

This point is underrated, while it's actually becoming more important. With legislation like NIS2, SMBs too are expected to have their digital security properly in order.

Microsoft 365, and especially the Business Premium plan, offers extensive security: multi-factor authentication (an extra login step alongside the password), protection against phishing, device management and ways to protect data and prevent leaks. Much of this is included as standard in a single license.

Google Workspace is also well secured, but the deeper management and compliance options are less fully developed for a typical SMB. If you want to demonstrably meet growing requirements, Microsoft 365 gives you just a bit more to hold on to. Read more about our approach on Microsoft 365 & modern workplace.

Licensing and price: apples and oranges

On paper the prices are close to each other. The entry level of both costs around 6 to 8 euros per user per month (excl. VAT), and the extensive plans head towards 20 euros.

The crux lies in what you get for your money. With Microsoft 365 a lot of security is already included in Business Premium, whereas with Google you partly have to arrange it separately or do without. So don't count on the entry price, but on the total picture for your situation. Prices also change regularly, so always ask for an up-to-date calculation.

Ease of migration and vendor lock-in

Many SMBs already use Office files today, even if they're on Google. Switching to Microsoft 365 therefore often connects seamlessly to what people already know.

A legitimate concern with any platform is vendor lock-in: the idea that you're tied to a single supplier. With both providers, your data always remains yours and is exportable. A clean migration, retaining email, calendars and files, is possible in both directions. It's mainly a matter of good preparation. See for example our page about migration from Google to Microsoft 365 and the broader cloud migration.

When do you choose which?

Choose Google Workspace if:

• your team works in a light, web-focused way, with few complex documents;
• people are already used to Gmail and the Google environment;
• you value simplicity more than in-depth management.

Choose Microsoft 365 if:

• you work a lot with Office files or receive them from outside;
• you use heavier Excel files;
• you want to bring collaboration, telephony and documents together in Teams;
• security and meeting requirements like NIS2 are important;
• you want structure and control over permissions and files.

Conclusion: for most SMBs, Microsoft 365 wins

Fair is fair: Google Workspace is a good product, and the right choice for some companies. But for most SMBs we speak with, the balance tips towards Microsoft 365. The familiar Office apps, the seamless handling of files from outside, the power of Teams and the extensive security that grows along with legislation like NIS2 together tip the scales.

The most important thing is that the choice fits how your people work. A wrong choice only shows up months later, in frustration and lost time.

Need help with the choice or the switch?

IT-gemak helps SMBs without their own IT department make the right choice and switch over worry-free. We look at how your team works, handle the migration while retaining email and files, and make sure everything is securely set up. One fixed team, one fixed rate, personal and pragmatic.

Schedule a no-obligation consultation and find out which platform best suits your organisation.