Why are businesses moving from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365?

When it comes to meeting business needs for everyday tasks, cloud-based office suite software is often the answer. These packages offer productivity apps, collaboration options, and much more. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are two of the best options in this category, and both offer versions aimed at businesses. When technology companies like Microsoft and Google are in direct competition, upgrades are inevitable, so companies may switch from one to the other for several reasons, including access to the latest features. For example, opting for Microsoft 365 means businesses have offline access to Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

Google Workspace requires an Internet connection for its productivity apps unless you set up offline work before losing online access. With intermittent or no Internet access, being able to continue working with Microsoft applications can be a huge benefit to your business. Plus, once Internet access is restored, Microsoft 365 automatically copies any changes you’ve made to the cloud. That said, businesses can only use Microsoft 365 apps without an internet connection for up to six months, and a subscription is required to do so. Some people think that this cost is one of the disadvantages of using Microsoft Word compared to Google Docs.

Although Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace both offer security features, Workspace’s features may be too basic for some businesses, leading them to make a change. Microsoft 365 is generally considered to offer more advanced data protection, including the ability to manage data security preferences by region. For healthcare companies that manage data with HIPAA compliance in mind, for example, Microsoft 365 is known as the more secure option compared to Workspace.

While both suites are HIPAA, GDPR, and SOC 2 compliant, this is not automatic with Workspace and requires additional steps, such as adopting certain security settings. Additionally, Microsoft 365 includes email encryption, helping to protect sensitive health information. Gmail only offers this level of encryption in some of its enterprise subscription tiers. 365 also offers data loss prevention (DLP) tools to limit leaks, while Workspace also requires an enterprise subscription tier for this feature.

Some businesses might consider Microsoft 365 an essential app for remote workers because it allows safe and secure collaboration on files created in Word or PowerPoint when using Teams. When collaborating with remote workers in Teams, you can also set file sharing security settings based on whether the team is private or public, as well as who can see or edit files.

Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 have subscription fees associated with their professional tiers. Pricing tiers are similar, with Microsoft 365 ranging from $7 to $32 per month per user, while Workspace pricing tiers range from $7 to $22. However, some businesses can save money with 365 because it includes some features that cost more with Workspace. For example, if you need to host live remote video meetings for a large organization, Microsoft Teams allows up to 20,000 participants and every 365 Professional pricing tier allows recording. Workspace is limited to 1,000 people and higher subscription tiers are required for registration. Businesses would also need an enterprise-level pricing tier to allow for more meeting participants.

Additionally, one of the hidden features of Microsoft 365 that businesses can use to save money is Copilot, which is Microsoft’s AI tool. Rather than paying for a separate subscription for a third-party AI tool, such as ChatGPT, you can use Copilot as part of the Microsoft 365 subscription you’re already paying for. Both Copilot and ChatGPT use OpenAI models as their core technology. If you prefer to work with Gemini AI, Google Workspace began integrating Gemini in early 2025. It is easily available in the Workspace side panel to help you write or manage daily tasks.