Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 for Small Business
Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 cost the same at the comparable middle tier ($14 per user per month for Google Workspace Standard on an annual commitment, and $14.00 per user per month paid yearly for Microsoft 365 Business Standard), so the choice comes down to whether your team works in a browser or in desktop Office files, and who will administer devices and identity. Google Workspace Starter starts at $7 per user per month, and Microsoft 365 Business Standard costs $16.80 per user per month on a monthly subscription. Prices were read from the vendors' own pages on November 2, 2026 (UTC); Microsoft Business Basic and Premium prices were not available on the page reviewed.
Quick comparison
| Criterion | Google Workspace | Microsoft 365 Business Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Primary work surface | Browser-first apps plus Gmail and Meet | Desktop, web and mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook |
| Mid-tier price | Standard $14 per user per month (annual commitment, billed monthly) | $14.00 per user per month, paid yearly; $16.80 monthly subscription |
| Entry price | Starter $7 per user per month | Not on the page reviewed |
| Storage per user | 30 GB (Starter), 2 TB (Standard), 5 TB (Plus), pooled | 1 TB of cloud storage per user |
| User ceiling | 300 users on Starter, Standard and Plus; none on Enterprise | Core identity and access management for up to 300 users |
| Meetings | 100 participants (Starter), 150 (Standard), 500 (Plus) | Microsoft Teams chat, calls, meetings and webinars |
| AI | Gemini AI assistant in Gmail from Starter; Gemini in Docs and Meet from Standard | Secure AI chat included; Copilot version $23.50 per user per month, paid yearly |
| Trial | 14 days | 30-day risk-free trial; Try for free |
Sources: workspace.google.com/pricing and the Microsoft 365 Business Standard page, read November 2, 2026 (UTC).
Price per user per month, USD
Google figures are the $7, $14 and $22 prices shown under its annual-commitment toggle, before the new-customer offer. All plans are billed monthly on Google.
Storage per user, GB (Google pooled; 1 TB = 1,000 GB)
Google storage is pooled across the organization per its footnote; Microsoft lists 1 TB per user.
Pricing: what each plan costs
| Plan | Price | Billing basis | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Workspace Starter | $7 per user per month | Annual (save 16% with 1 year commitment); all plans billed monthly | New-customer offer: $3.50 for the first 3 months |
| Google Workspace Standard | $14 per user per month | Same | New-customer offer: $7 |
| Google Workspace Plus | $22 per user per month | Same | New-customer offer: $11 |
| Google Workspace Enterprise | Contact sales | n/a | No minimum or maximum user limit |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard | $14.00 per user per month | Paid yearly; annual subscription auto renews | $16.80 on a monthly subscription |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot | $23.50 per user per month | Paid yearly | Usage-based billing for select advanced AI features |
The Google offer is for new customers only and, per the fine print, for the first 20 users added for 12 months.
What a 10-user team pays
| Setup | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Google Workspace Standard, 10 users at $14 | $140 | $1,680 |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard, 10 users paid yearly at $14.00 | $140 | $1,680 |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard, 10 users on a monthly subscription at $16.80 | $168 | $2,016 |
| Google Workspace Starter, 10 users at $7 | $70 | $840 |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot, 10 users at $23.50 | $235 | $2,820 |
Derived: users x price x 12 months. Excludes taxes and add-ons.
Google Workspace: capabilities and limits
Starter lists secure custom business email, a Gemini AI assistant in Gmail, video meetings for 100 participants, Google Vids and security and management controls. Standard adds 2 TB pooled storage, video meetings with recording and noise cancellation for 150 participants, appointment booking pages, eSignature with Docs and PDFs and the Google Workspace Migrate tool. Plus adds 5 TB, eDiscovery, Vault to retain, archive and search data, secure LDAP, advanced endpoint management and meetings for 500 participants. Enterprise adds data loss prevention, context-aware access and S/MIME encryption.
Weak point: Starter and Standard and Plus cap at 300 users, so growth beyond that moves you to Enterprise by contract.
Microsoft 365 Business: capabilities and limits
Business Standard lists desktop, web and mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, a custom business email address, 1 TB of cloud storage per user, Microsoft Teams chat, calls, meetings and webinars, and 10+ additional apps including Microsoft Loop, Clipchamp, Bookings, Planner and Forms. The page also lists core identity and access management for up to 300 users.
Weak point: only Business Standard is priced here, so the other Business tiers are not compared. Confirm Basic and Premium on the vendor page before shortlisting.
Google Workspace features by tier
| Feature | Starter | Standard | Plus | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pooled storage per user | 30 GB | 2 TB | 5 TB | 5 TB or upgrade |
| Meeting size | 100 participants | 150 participants, recording | 500 participants, attendance tracking | 1000 participants, in-domain live streaming |
| Appointment booking pages and eSignature | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vault, eDiscovery, secure LDAP | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Data loss prevention, S/MIME | No | No | No | Yes |
Vendor wording from workspace.google.com/pricing, read November 2, 2026 (UTC); "No" means not listed for that tier on the page.
Which team fits which suite
| Team | Pick | Reason from the pages |
|---|---|---|
| Under 10 people, browser work, tight budget | Google Workspace Starter | $7 per user per month |
| Needs desktop Word and Excel on every device | Microsoft 365 Business Standard | Desktop, web and mobile apps; 1 TB per user |
| Needs legal hold and eDiscovery | Google Workspace Plus | Vault and eDiscovery listed on Plus at $22 |
| Wants AI chat bundled | Either | Gemini in Gmail on Starter; secure AI chat on Business Standard |
| Over 300 users | Google Enterprise (contact sales) | No user limit on Enterprise |
Migration
Google lists a Google Workspace Migrate tool for data migration from Standard upward. Microsoft lists custom business email on Business Standard. Plan mail, calendar and file moves before cutover, and run both suites side by side for a short period.
Head-to-head: how the pricing models differ
Both are per-user subscriptions with a near-identical mid-tier price. The differences are the commitment structure and storage. Google bills monthly under an annual commitment; Microsoft prices the annual subscription at $14.00 and a monthly subscription at $16.80. Per-seat pricing scales linearly with headcount, a point covered in the per-seat vs flat-rate SaaS pricing guide.
Head-to-head: collaboration and chat
Google bundles Meet with participant ceilings by tier (100, 150, 500). Microsoft Business Standard includes Teams for chat, calls, meetings and webinars. For a deeper chat comparison see Slack vs Microsoft Teams.
When to choose Google Workspace
- Your team already works in the browser and collaborates in shared documents.
- You want the lowest entry price: Starter is $7 per user per month.
- You need storage scaling by tier: 30 GB, 2 TB or 5 TB pooled.
- You are under 300 users.
When to choose Microsoft 365 Business
- Your files are desktop Office documents and you want the apps installed.
- You want 1 TB per user and Teams in the same subscription at $14.00 per user per month paid yearly.
- You plan to add Copilot at $23.50 per user per month.
Which one should you choose?
If the price is a tie, decide on workflow. A team that lives in spreadsheets with macros and desktop Excel belongs on Microsoft 365. A team that shares documents and runs meetings in the browser belongs on Google Workspace. In both cases, price the renewal term rather than the introductory offer, and confirm the plan names before signing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 cheaper for a small business?
At the comparable middle tier they are level on the pages reviewed: Google Workspace Standard lists $14 per user per month on an annual commitment and Microsoft 365 Business Standard lists $14.00 per user per month paid yearly. Microsoft shows $16.80 per user per month on a monthly subscription. Google's Starter is $7 per user per month, and the Microsoft Basic and Premium prices were not on the page reviewed.
How much storage does each include?
Google Workspace lists pooled storage per user: 30 GB on Starter, 2 TB on Standard and 5 TB on Plus. Microsoft 365 Business Standard lists 1 TB of cloud storage per user.
Is there a user limit?
Google says Starter, Standard and Plus can be purchased for a maximum of 300 users, with no minimum or maximum for Enterprise. Microsoft lists core identity and access management for up to 300 users on Business Standard.
Which has a free trial?
Google Workspace lists a 14-day trial. Microsoft 365 Business Standard shows a Try for free option and a 30-day risk-free trial in its next steps.
What does the Microsoft 365 Copilot upgrade cost?
Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot is listed at $23.50 per user per month, paid yearly, with usage-based billing for select advanced AI features.
What are the introductory prices?
Google shows a new-customer offer of 50% off for 3 months (for example $3.50 against $7 on Starter); the fine print says the introductory price is only for the first 20 users added, for 12 months, and standard pricing applies afterwards. Price the renewal term, not the opening offer.
By SoftwareSift Team. Prices verified November 2, 2026 (UTC). SoftwareSift earns affiliate commissions from some reviewed tools; see the affiliate disclosure.