Both are excellent. Both will run your email, files and meetings. The right choice depends less on features and more on how your team works, what your clients use, and how much security you want built in.
| Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace | |
|---|---|---|
| Outlook / Exchange Online | Gmail | |
| Documents | Word, Excel, PowerPoint: full desktop apps on Business Standard and above | Docs, Sheets, Slides: browser-first |
| Meetings and chat | Teams (chat, meetings, calling) | Google Meet and Chat |
| File storage | OneDrive and SharePoint | Google Drive and shared drives |
| Device management | Intune, included in Business Premium | Endpoint management, more advanced on higher tiers |
| Identity and access | Entra ID, conditional access on Business Premium | Google identity, context-aware access on higher tiers |
| AI assistant | Copilot Chat included; Microsoft 365 Copilot as a paid add-on | Gemini bundled into most business plans |
| Strongest at | Complex documents, enterprise compatibility, bundled security | Real-time co-editing, simplicity, browser-only teams |
This is where most decisions are really made. Google Docs and Sheets are superb for fast, simultaneous editing in a browser; there's nothing to install and it works on any device. Microsoft 365 now offers solid co-authoring too, but its real advantage is the desktop apps.
If your finance team builds multi-sheet Excel models with macros, your proposals go out on carefully formatted Word templates, or your clients send you .docx and .xlsx files all day, staying in Microsoft avoids constant conversion and formatting drift. In Singapore, where many corporate clients, banks and government agencies run on Microsoft, that compatibility counts for a lot.
Teams is also more than a meeting tool: chat, channels, file collaboration and business phone calling in one app. Google Meet is simpler and very good for video calls, but there's less around it.
Both platforms run on world-class infrastructure. The practical difference for an SME is how much security comes in the box.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium bundles Intune device management, Entra ID P1 conditional access, Defender for Business endpoint protection and Purview information protection. That's a full SME security stack in one licence. You can require that only compliant, encrypted company laptops access email, wipe a lost phone remotely, and block sign-ins from risky locations.
Google Workspace offers comparable features on its higher tiers, with endpoint management and data protection controls, but many SMEs on Google end up adding third-party tools for device management and endpoint security.
List prices for comparable tiers from both vendors sit in a similar range, and both have raised prices recently as they've bundled in AI. Prices differ by reseller, currency and term, so get current quotes rather than relying on a blog post, including this one.
The more useful comparison is the total stack. If you'd otherwise buy a device management tool, endpoint protection and conditional access separately, Microsoft 365 Business Premium often works out cheaper overall. If your team is fully browser-based and doesn't need those controls, a Google Workspace plan may be the leaner choice. Our guide to Microsoft 365 Basic vs Standard vs Premium explains which Microsoft tier fits which business, and our published packages show managed pricing with the licence included.
Both vendors are racing to put an AI assistant into every app. Google bundles Gemini into most Workspace business plans. Microsoft includes Copilot Chat, with full Microsoft 365 Copilot that works across your emails, files and meetings available as an add-on. If AI is a major factor in your decision, trial both with real work, not demos. We cover what Copilot actually does for smaller teams in Microsoft Copilot explained.
Both platforms can support PDPA obligations, CSA Cyber Essentials and client security questionnaires when properly configured. Microsoft's bundled device compliance and conditional access make some Cyber Essentials controls easier to evidence, which matters when an assessor asks for proof rather than a promise. If you serve financial institutions, check which platform your clients' MAS TRM-driven vendor assessments assume.
Also note that neither platform's native retention is a true backup. Plan for independent backup either way; see is Microsoft 365 backed up?
It's a well-trodden path, and with planning, most staff barely notice the cutover.
For a 10 to 50 person business, expect two to four weeks from planning to completion. The reverse move is just as possible, which is why it's worth choosing on how your team actually works rather than on this year's price list.
Entry-level plans from both are priced in a similar range per user per month, and both vendors have raised prices in recent years. The bigger cost difference usually comes from what's bundled: Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes device management and advanced security that you might otherwise buy separately, while Google Workspace may need third-party tools for the same coverage. Compare total cost including security and management, not just the licence.
Both platforms are secure at the infrastructure level. The practical difference is in the security tools bundled for SMEs. Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes Intune device management, Entra ID P1 conditional access and Defender for Business, giving an SME a broad security stack in one licence. Google Workspace's higher tiers add endpoint management and data loss prevention. In both cases, security depends on how it's configured.
You can open and edit Office files in Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, and you can buy Microsoft Office separately. However, teams that rely heavily on complex Excel models, macros, Word templates or Outlook usually find Microsoft 365 smoother because the files never need converting.
For a typical SME of 10 to 50 users, a planned migration of email, calendars, contacts and Drive files takes two to four weeks including preparation, with the actual cutover usually done over a weekend so staff aren't disrupted.
Either platform can support Cyber Essentials certification if configured correctly with MFA, device management, patching and access controls. Microsoft 365 Business Premium makes several of these controls easier to evidence because device compliance and conditional access are built in.
Book a free consultation. We'll look at how your team works and tell you honestly whether a move makes sense, and what the migration would involve.
