Google Workspace Pricing

Google Workspace has different pricing plans depending on your company's needs. Read on to find out which plan is the best for your team.

With hybrid work and work from home as part of the new normal, collaborating can be more challenging.

Many applications have tried to solve this problem. But they can get really pricey.

Not to mention, using multiple applications for various purposes can get confusing.

It's a good thing that that's not the case with Google Workspace. Starting at $7.20/user/month with a monthly commitment, let's talk about how it can be worth it. Read on.

What is Google Workspace used for?

Google Workspace is a suite of applications you can use to manage your team. Your employees will also be able to collaborate with each other online through it. Some of these applications include Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Meet.

These online productivity tools can make business management a lot easier and faster. You can have more control over your team wherever you may be. Stay in the loop even if you're out of the office.

With Google Workspace, you can do things like:

• Schedule virtual meetings
  
• Secure documents and data
  
• Organize calendars
  
• Edit documents in real-time
  
• Keep files in a secured cloud drive

Now, let's get into their plans and features!

Google Workspace Plans and Features

Google Workspace was previously known as G Suite. It's one of the most popular Google services used by companies, students, and educators.

Since its rebranding in 2020, Google has added extra features to its Google Workspace plans.

With each plan, the apps you can get include:

1. Gmail
   
2. Drive
   
3. Meet
   
4. Calendar
   
5. Chat
   
6. Jamboard (web-based)
   
7. Docs
   
8. Sheets
   
9. Slides
   
10. Keep
    
11. Sites
    
12. Forms

The difference between the plans lies in the number of users and advanced features.

Here's a chart highlighting the major differences:

You can also opt for add-ons sold separately:

• Google Meet Hardware
  This is an all-in-one video conferencing device. It has a camera, noise-canceling mic, and voice controls to join and leave video meetings.

• Jamboard
  It's a 55-inch, 4k display whiteboard where you can sketch or write your ideas.

• Chrome Enterprise
  This browser enables IT and security teams to keep corporate data protected with customizable enterprise-grade security controls.

• Voice
  This is an app used to send texts, talk on the phone, and forward calls to other devices. Google currently has 3 different Voice plans.

• AppSheet
  This is an app that enables you to build and extend applications without coding.

Google Workspace offers 2 payment options:

• Flexible Plan
  With the monthly plan, you'll only pay for the accounts you have during that month. Monthly plans are recommended for organizations with a variable workforce. It's a great option for businesses with temporary or seasonal employees as you can add or remove user accounts at any time. You can cancel the service whenever you want without penalty.

• Annual/Fixed-Term Plan
  Annual plans are best for businesses with a constant workforce looking for long-term commitment and it offers discounted monthly price. However, even if you cancel your subscription before the contract is over, you are still obliged to pay for the full value.

Now that you have the overview, let's talk about how to choose the right plan for you.

Which Google Workspace plan should you choose for your business?

Here are the things you should consider when choosing your Google Workspace Plan:

1. Choose the Business Starter Plan if you:
   
   • Are a small business owner
     
   • Handle or manage a small team—10 or fewer employees
     
   • Are a freelancer or a solopreneur
     
   • Want simple features such as business email and file sharing
     
   • Don't need a lot of storage for your files (less than 30GB/user)
     
   • Don't need to archive messages

2. Choose the Business Standard Plan if you:
   
   • Own a small to medium company—with less than 300 employees
     
   • Handle multiple teams
     
   • Require storage not more than 2TB
     
   • Want to record meetings
     
   • Want the option for using Google Chat outside of the organization
     
   • Want more security and controls around mobile device management

3. Choose the Business Plus Plan if you:
   
   • Own a larger company—but still less than 300 employees
     
   • Need premium analytics, security controls, and email encryption
     
   • Don't need cloud storage of more than 5TB for each user
     
   • Want automated mobile device controls and tracking

4. Choose the Enterprise Plan if you:
   
   • Have a large business—with over 300 to 1,000 employees
     
   • Have multiple teams in need of high security
     
   • Need unlimited cloud storage
     
   • Require premium support, advanced DLP features, encryption, and data regions

Next, let's talk about how you can benefit from Google Workspace if you're not a business.

Google Workspace for Nonprofits

If you're a nonprofit, you can get the different Google Workspace plans at discounted rates. And this offer is available in 65+ countries worldwide.

They even have a free plan you can use if you just need the basic Google Workspace features. You just have to meet their eligibility requirements to qualify.

Like their standard plans, you also get access to their different productivity apps, like Google Docs, Calendar, Drive, etc. If you opt for their higher plans (Business Plus and Enterprise), you also get enhanced security and management features like Google Vault.^[3]

Besides Google Workspace, nonprofits can also enjoy other products like Google Ad Grants, Google Maps Platform, and YouTube Nonprofit program for free^[4]. But their availability depends on the country^[5].

Google Workspace for Education

As mentioned, schools aren't eligible for the nonprofit discount. That's because Google has a separate set of plans for schools and other educational institutions called "Google Workspace for Education" (previously "G Suite for Education").

They have pretty much the same features as the regular Google Workspace plans but are more geared toward learning and collaboration in the classroom. And like Google Workspace for Nonprofits, there's a free option called "Education Fundamentals."

Besides the free plan, there are 2 other editions of Google Workspace for Education^[7]:

• Education Standard - costs $3/student annually
  
• Education Plus - costs $5/student annually

These come with the standard Google Workspace productivity apps. Like Gmail, Google Meet, Google Docs, Google Classroom, etc. You also get one staff license for every 4 student licenses.

You can also add the Teaching and Learning Upgrade to Fundamentals or Standard if you want a smoother classroom experience. This costs an extra $4/mo per license and gives you an additional 100GB of cloud storage per staff license.

Next, let's take a look at how you can enjoy Google Workspace for personal use.

Can I buy Google Workspace for personal use?

Yes! Google Workspace has an Individual plan you can purchase for $9.99/month or $8.33/month when you pay annually.^[8]

Here's a list of what you get with it:

• Extended video calls
  
• Unlimited group calls
  
• Call recording & noise cancellation
  
• Easy appointment booking on your own professional booking page
  
• Gmail customizable layouts and multi-send
  
• Get live support

GOOGLE WORKSPACE INDIVIDUAL VS BUSINESS STARTER PLAN

It might look like both plans have the same features, but they don't.

Here are some of the features that make the Individual plan different.

If you're still undecided, you could compare Google Workspace to one of its major competitors. Read on.

Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365

If you're looking for an alternative to Google Workspace, then the most popular one is Microsoft 365 (previously known as Office 365).

Is it better than Google Workspace? Again, this depends on your business needs.

Both serve the same solution—to make team collaborations better and easier. However, they do have different prices and tools available.

Let's have a quick look at Microsoft 365 pricing plans and features.

MICROSOFT 365 PRICING AND FEATURES

Here are the Microsoft 365 subscription plans you can choose from:^[9]

1. Microsoft 365 Business Basic ($6.00 per user/month)
   • Web and mobile versions of Office apps only
     
   • Chat, call, meet up to 300 attendees
     
   • 1TB of cloud storage per user
     
   • Business-class email
     
   • Standard security
     
   • 24/7 phone and web support

   For the same price, Google Workspace's Basic Starter plan only gives you 30GB storage per user and 100 meeting participants.

2. Microsoft 365 Apps for business ($8.25 per user/month)
   • Desktop versions of Office apps with premium features
     
   • 1TB of cloud storage per user
     
   • Standard security
     
   • 24/7 phone and web support

   Google Workspace doesn't have a similar plan like this. Most of their apps and tools are web-based focused.

3. Microsoft 365 Business Standard ($12.50 USD per user/month)

   Everything in Business Basic, plus:

   • Desktop versions of Office apps with premium features
     
   • Easily host webinars
     
   • Attendee registration and reporting tools
     
   • Manage customer appointments

   Google Workspace's Business Standard Plan pricing is cheaper by 50 cents and has higher cloud storage of 2TB/user.

   They, however, don't offer desktop versions of their apps.

4. Microsoft 365 Business Premium ($22.00 USD per user/month)

   Everything in Business Standard, plus:

   • Advanced security
     
   • Access and data control
     
   • Cyberthreat protection

   Google Workspace Business Plus is cheaper by 40¢, has higher cloud storage of 5TB/user, and offers advanced security and protection features.

   However, they don't offer desktop versions of their apps.

GOOGLE WORKSPACE COMPARED TO MICROSOFT 365

Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are both subscription-based. They both have features suitable for different types of customers.

Here's a side-by-side comparison:

• Google Workspace is mostly web-based, but you can also use it to work offline.

  Microsoft 365 is based on installed desktop software and provides web-based versions of its applications. However, it doesn't have the powerful features Google Workspace has.

• Google Workspace tools are more focused on web-based usage.

  Microsoft 365 offers both web-based and desktop versions of their applications.

• Google Workspace is better when it comes to live collaboration. You can see live how your documents progress—your team's edits, comments, etc.

  On the other hand, Microsoft is great when it comes to non-live collaborations. You can get their applications' desktop versions and use them even without the internet.

• Google Workspace has one Enterprise plan where you can customize features depending on your needs.

  Meanwhile, Microsoft has 3 different Enterprise Plans that you can get for as low as $8.00 per user/month.^[10]

To sum this up: Google Workspace is better for businesses that are aimed at online collaboration. Microsoft 365 is better for businesses that are in a hybrid work setup.

Is Google Workspace Worth It?

Yes! Google Workspace is worth it if you're planning to take your business online and give up desktop-based apps.

It is a great option if you want to work with people around the world—especially if you are switching to a remote or hybrid work setup.

You can collaborate with anyone in real time. Not to mention, you can get a complete record of all your revisions. You can also retrieve or restore anything you need.

It's a good choice for new and small businesses. Its affordable plans make it a good investment.

BOTTOM LINE

Google Workspace is a great and affordable solution for creating a smoother workflow for your team.

It is also very easy to use, which means this will reduce the time required for your employees to learn the tools and applications.

You just need to know and decide which of its plans is the best for your company.

Have you decided if it's the right tool for you?

References