True cost comparison — not just what the pricing page says
Quick Verdict
Microsoft 365 saves you 14%
Best for Microsoft 365
Cloud-native teams preferring browser-based collaboration and Google ecosystem integration
Best for Google Workspace
Organizations needing desktop Office apps, larger storage, and Microsoft ecosystem compatibility
Microsoft's business productivity suite (Outlook, Teams, Office apps). Per-user ...
Advertised
$6
/month
True Cost
$114
/month (typical)
Desktop Apps Require Business Standard
Business Basic ($6/user/mo) only includes web and mobile Office apps. Desktop Word, Excel, PowerPoin...
Copilot AI Add-On
Microsoft 365 Copilot AI is $30/user/mo — separate from all base plans. For 50 users, Copilot alone ...
Compliance Features Require E5
Advanced compliance (eDiscovery, DLP, Information Barriers, Insider Risk Management) require Enterpr...
Teams Phone Add-On
Microsoft Teams Phone System for PSTN calling is not included in any standard plan. Teams Phone Stan...
Google's business email and productivity suite (Gmail, Drive, Docs, Meet). Per-u...
Advertised
$7
/month
True Cost
$56
/month (typical)
Storage Limit Per User
Business Starter includes only 30GB/user pooled storage. Heavy Google Drive users or teams with larg...
Vault & DLP Require Business Plus
Google Vault (eDiscovery, retention), DLP, and advanced endpoint management require Business Plus at...
Gemini AI Add-On
Gemini for Google Workspace AI features (AI writing in Docs, smart replies, meeting summaries) are a...
Google Meet Recording Gate
Meeting recording and transcription require Business Standard ($14/user/mo) or higher. Starter plan ...
Microsoft 365 Basic starts at $6/user/mo vs Google Workspace Starter at $7/user/mo — Microsoft is slightly cheaper
Google Workspace includes Meet for video. Microsoft 365 includes Teams for video + chat + calling
Both charge extra for AI: Gemini add-on ($10-30/user/mo) vs Copilot ($30/user/mo). Microsoft Copilot is pricier
Google Workspace storage: 30GB/user on Starter. Microsoft 365: 1TB/user on all plans — Microsoft wins on storage
| Metric | Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertised Price | $6/mo | $7/mo | Microsoft 365 |
| True Monthly Cost | $114/mo | $56/mo | Google Workspace |
| Hidden Fee Total | +$107.5/mo | +$49/mo | Google Workspace |
| # Hidden Fees | 4 | 4 | Microsoft 365 |
| Confidence Score | 84% | 85% | Google Workspace |
| Pricing Tiers | 3 | 4 | — |
| Affiliate Program | No public affiliate program | No public affiliate program | — |
Microsoft 365 advertises $6/mo and Google Workspace advertises $7/mo. However, when you include hidden fees, Microsoft 365 has 4 documented hidden fees adding +$107.5/mo, while Google Workspace has 4 hidden fees adding +$49/mo. Based on true cost, Microsoft 365 is typically 14% cheaper.
Microsoft 365 has 4 documented hidden fees: Desktop Apps Require Business Standard, Copilot AI Add-On, Compliance Features Require E5, Teams Phone Add-On. These add approximately +$107.5/mo on top of the $6/mo advertised price.
Google Workspace has 4 documented hidden fees: Storage Limit Per User, Vault & DLP Require Business Plus, Gemini AI Add-On, Google Meet Recording Gate. These add approximately +$49/mo on top of the $7/mo advertised price.
Choose Microsoft 365 if: Cloud-native teams preferring browser-based collaboration and Google ecosystem integration. Choose Google Workspace if: Organizations needing desktop Office apps, larger storage, and Microsoft ecosystem compatibility. The right choice depends on your team size, usage volume, and which features you need most.
This comparison is based on manual research of official pricing pages, terms of service, and user reports. Microsoft 365 data has a 84% confidence score and Google Workspace has 85%. Prices were last verified in April 2026. For the most accurate estimate, enter your specific usage in our calculator.
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