Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 (SharePoint)
Comparison of Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 with an emphasis on the storage components
Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are the two biggest all-in-one solutions for cloud storage, mail, and productivity apps. Both share the same core feature set but branch out with specific functionality that can make them generally more suitable for different types of organizations.
Because SharePoint and Google's cloud storage are so intrictely tied to their respective all-in-one solutions, this comparison will compare the platforms as a whole, with a focused breakdown of SharePoint and Google Workspace storage on their own.
Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 comparison
Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace - Similarities
Both platforms follow a similar pricing model and include access to various apps and features along with a highly-maintained cloud storage platform. Similarities include:
Cloud storage where each user receives private storage and a pooled team maximum
Syncing agent that allows users to work on files offline
Apps for word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations, all with document collaboration
Mailboxes with custom email domains and calendars
Video conferencing and live chat
AI assistant and AI-powered insights
If the reasons for choosing a platform simply include the above, either option will work. However, for more specific needs and use cases, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace may hold clear advantages due to their different business approaches.
Business approaches
While the platforms share many similarities, they focus on different types of businesses.
Google was originally designed as a consumer-first platform. This means it was built around the needs of individual users like students, as well as small businesses. Because of this, it emphasises collaboration, sharing, and ease of use. Many settings are pre-configured, and it works well "out of the box" as a result.
Microsoft 365 was built to meet the needs of Enterprises, originally with on-premises apps and services. SharePoint was originally on-prem only, pivoting to the online version over a decade later when cloud computing started to gain traction. As a result, security and admin settings can be fine-tuned to meet practically any requirements, but require a more technical team to configure and manage.
SharePoint and Google Workspace Storage comparison
Below is a table comparing SharePoint and Google Workspace as cloud storage platforms across different areas. The TCSG Advantage column is "The Cloud Storage Guide Advantage", and, in our view, is the platform that is better-performing overall in this area.
Collaboration
Real-time editing, easy file sharing, no file type or naming restrictions
Co-editing, complex permission structure, filename and type limits
Navigation
Familiar file structure, clear breakdown of shared and private drives
Can be difficult to learn due to breakdown of Sites and Document libraries
Security
Zero-trust security, threat prevention, SSO, data soveriengty, data encryption at all stages
Active Directory, fine-tuned security policies, SSO, SIEM integrations, various user authentication policies, threat prevention
SharePoint
Documents
Proprietary doctypes, simple but limited productivity apps
Near-universal doctypes, advanced and feature-rich productivity apps
SharePoint
Limits
100 subfolders, 5TB single files, 500k items/drive, 750GB upload/user/day, no naming limitations
400 and 255 character filename limits, character restrictions, 50k items per subfolder, 250GB single files, Resource Unit limits
Admin Controls
Admin console, Endpoint management
Admin portal, gain user OneDrive access, PowerShell, Intune MDM
SharePoint
Storage
1TB pooled per user, additional available
30GB - 5TB per user, additional available
Both
Choosing between SharePoint and Google Workspace
Deciding between SharePoint and Google Workspace is a decision that should be carefully considered, and the right choice will depend on many variables such as existing storage configurations, user familiarity, current and planned storage use cases, and essential features.
Because members of The Cloud Storage Guide have worked with thousands of different customers, we have noticed some patterns of organizations that thrive and struggle with different storage platforms. As a result, the below section recommends the types of organizations that, in our opinion, are best-suited for either SharePoint or Google Workspace based on interactions with various users.
Organizations that should consider SharePoint over Google Workspace
While SharePoint is missing some of the collaboration features of Google Workspace, it is a good fit for many organizations looking for an all-in-one mail, document creation suite, video conferencing, and cloud storage platform with extensive features and admin controls.
We believe SharePoint is a good fit for:
Organizations already using Microsoft 365. SharePoint is already included in M365 Business and Enterprise plans, including allocated storage at no additional cost.
If not used as the primary storage, SharePoint can still function as an auxiliary storage location as it is already included.
Organizations familiar and comfortable with Microsoft apps. Microsoft has been the de facto choice for office productivity applications for decades, and while Google Workspace apps share much of the core functionality as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, advanced app users or organizations using other Microsoft apps can benefit by keeping everything in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Organizations primarily working with large, established companies. Many large enterprises have used Microsoft 365 for decades, and working with them is easier when using the same platforms to avoid discrepancies and different limitations.
Organizations needing an extensive or customizable feature set, or with a large number of "power users".
Organizations where the majority are experienced technical users who can quickly grasp the differences of SharePoint compared to other storage platforms and make use of the unique features.
Organizations with strict compliance standards. While both platforms are highly secure, SharePoint's security controls make it better for some compliance standards, especially ones that consist of general guidelines that must be met and actively managed.
Organizations that should consider Google Workspace over SharePoint
While Google Workspace lacks some of the powerful admin controls and security features that SharePoint has, it is a good fit for organizations looking for an all-in-one mail, video conferencing, simple document creation suite, and cloud storage platform that is ready to use and easy for users of all technical levels to understand.
We believe Google Workspace is a good fit for:
Organizations already using Google Workspace for emails, as storage usage is included.
Startups and small businesses with a low number of users. When user counts are small, Google's admin controls are usually sufficient to easily manage individuals and the organization as a whole, and the more intricate configurations are generally unnecessary at this size.
Organizations that rely heavily on content collaboration and ad-hoc sharing. Google's live co-editing and sharing structure makes it ideal for iterative changes and updates to documents, and most users find shared drives and folders easier to navigate and find what they need compared to sites and document libraries in SharePoint.
Organizations that require more flexibility. Structure in SharePoint is much more limited, and teams are forced to adapt to fit that structure. Google Workspace is much more flexible, with team drives and the flat hierarchy allowing it to be more adaptable to existing working styles.
Having no character limit and allowing duplicates also make Google Workspace flexible to fit unconventional naming structures
Organizations that want to get started right away. Although Google has fewer settings to fiddle with, it is more or less ready to use immediately without a significant investment in admin and configuration.
Organizations that only require basic settings. Google Workspace is the easiest way to get a company email address, cloud storage, conferencing, and document creation suite all at once, making it an ideal way to get started with working in the cloud, for organizations with low usage requirements, and for teams with less technical users.
Links to Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 plans
For more details on Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 and the differences at various plan levels, see the following:
Microsoft 365 Business Plans and Pricing
Compare Flexible Pricing Plan Options | Google Workspace
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