EMAIL HOSTING SERVICES
Which cloud based email services is right for your business?
Both Microsoft Office 365 and Google Workspace provide businesses with the sophisticated productivity applications we all need and use on a daily basis to get work done. But which one is the best cloud based email service for your business?
Office 365 vs. Google Workspace, what should I use?
At Mosaic Data Services we provide configuration and ongoing support for both Microsoft Office 365 and Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) cloud services, including initial setup for new and existing domains, as well as migration from other providers. Each platform has its pros and cons, and at the end of the day which one is right for your business depends on your team’s needs and experience.
Both Office 365 and Google Workspace offer business-class cloud based email services compatible with virtually any email application and all major mobile devices so you can always stay in sync. With plenty of storage and servers backed with the power of two of the tech world’s giants, you can be sure your email will be stable and secure for years to come.
Protection of email is essential, and whether you decide to use Office 365 or Gmail, Mosaic now offers Enhanced Email Encryption to make sure your messages stay secure, a must for many compliance regulations like HIPAA. We also offer Advanced Email Threat Protection to filter out spam and proactively stop malicious messages from ever reaching your users. All it takes is one infected attachment to wreak havoc in your network and Advanced Email Threat Protection from Zix protects you with constant updates to filters and scanners so that you’re always protected from the latest attacks.
Beyond cloud based email services, both Office 365 and Workspace offer a suite of productivity tools that let your team perform common business tasks on their computer or in the cloud. Microsoft 365 provides the most popular and most comprehensive range of desktop applications—the Microsoft Office suite—that many users are already accustomed to using, as well as web-based versions that can integrate seamlessly with desktop counterparts to keep you productive in the office or on the go. Google Workspace’s productivity applications are all web-based and very familiar to most users as well, and provide all the functionality most users need in a simple web interface.
Secure document access is essential to any productivity solution, and whether you’re using One Drive from Microsoft or Google Drive, you can store, share, edit, and collaborate on your documents from any device.
So which one is best for your business? Let’s review both cloud solutions a little more in depth.
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Office 365 Review
With over a billion users around the world it’s hard to find someone in the business world who isn’t familiar with Microsoft Office. The full-featured desktop applications and their web counterparts are now combined under Office 365.
What Products Are Included?
Depending on your license type, you can access the web versions, download and install the desktop apps, and get the mobile versions for your tablet or smartphone.
- Word – Word Processing
- Excel – Spreadsheets
- Powerpoint – Presentations
- Outlook – Email, Calendar, and Contacts
- OneNote – Note Taking
- Access – Database
- Microsoft Teams – Live Chat and Meetings
- OneDrive – Cloud Storage
- Sharepoint – Intranet Websites and Document Control
There are a lot of different options for Office 365, and which plan is best depends on your business needs. Plans start at just $5/month and there’s a perfect option for every organization.
The Bottom Line
Office 365 provides users with a familiar and comfortable cloud based office suite experience. For many businesses the Office software is essential, and when combined with the power of Exchange Online email you’ve got a single solution for all of your productivity needs.
Google Workspace Review
Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) is Google’s business productivity line and offers a lot of the same tools that businesses expect in a totally cloud based experience. No need for installation of software, users will edit documents, collaborate with peers, send email, and hold meetings all on the web. With easy to access mobile apps your team can stay connected at the office or on the road and never have to worry about being out of step with the rest of the team.
What Products Are Included?
All Workspace plans have access to the same productivity apps which many users are already familiar with:
- Docs – Word Processing
- Sheets – Spreadsheets
- Slides – Presentations
- Gmail – Email
- Calendar – Calendar
- Contacts – Contacts
- Chat (formerly Hangouts) – Instant Messaging
- Meet – Video Conference and Meetings
- Drive – Cloud Storage
There are different plans which vary on the level of storage and other application use levels, and for larger organizations there are some device access controls only available at the higher levels.
The Bottom Line
Google Workspace is great for organizations that need a web-based solution and don’t require the full features of desktop apps. Lightweight and easy to use, Workspace is perfect for organizations on the go.
Mosaic offers migration, maintenance and support for both Microsoft Office 365 and Google Workspace. If you are currently frustrated with or feel trapped in your current email system, let us know and we can talk you through your options. There are lots of options available.
Heads Up Comparison
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| IN SUMMARY | Google Workspace provides businesses with a cheaper alternative to Microsoft Office. It’s not as elegant or complex, but is sufficient for users who only need to do basic work with the software. | Microsoft Office is still the standard for productivity suites. It is more expensive and all the features may not be used by most small businesses, but for those that need the capabilities it’s the best option. |
| PROS | Fully web based and doesn’t require installation of software. Many people (especially younger users) are familiar with Google apps for personal use. | Microsoft Office has been the standard for a long time—almost everyone in the business world is familiar with it and knows how to use it. |
| CONS | The products that come with Google Workspace, like the Docs word processor and Sheets spreadsheet app, can do considerably less than their Microsoft Office counterparts and could be frustrating for users who are accustomed to Office. Because Workspace operates exclusively in the cloud, any downtime could affect productivity. | There are a lot of features that come with the Office software—to the point that it could be overwhelming and/or result in many unused features. |
| BEST FOR | Businesses that only need the basic applications and don’t want to pay more for unused features. Better for smaller companies that only need to do basic work with it. | Businesses that need the features and familiarity of Microsoft Office, generally larger enterprises or companies that need the advanced features of Office software. |
| PRIVACY | Google does not scan emails or documents for anything other than to protect against malware | Microsoft does not scan emails or documents for anything other than to protect against malware |
| SECURITY COMPLIANCE | FISMA (for use in government), HIPAA (for use in healthcare—not by default but available), ISO 27001 and SSAE 16 (both third-party audits) | FISMA, HIPAA (with outbound encryption options), ISO/IEC 27001, EU’s Data Protection Directive (regulates processing of personal data) |
| COMPATIBILITY WITH THE OTHER | Microsoft files can be uploaded to Google Drive, but since a lot of features found in Office aren’t available in Google Apps, formatting is often not preserved well. Gmail allows you to use Outlook for your Google mail, calendar, and contacts. | Google drive files can be downloaded as PDFs or in the format of whatever word processor you have on your machine, so if you want to edit them in Office it’s easy to do so. |
| MOBILE/TABLET APPS | Drive, Docs, and Sheets apps for iOS and Android | Microsoft Office Mobile for Android and iOS |
| HOW MUCH? | $6 – $18 per user/month | Small/midsize business plans range from $5 to $20 per user/month |
| PAYMENT PLANS | Monthly or annual plans available | Monthly or annual plans available |
| OFFLINE USAGE | Docs, Sheets, and Slides can be enabled for offline use in chrome and there is an add-on for chrome to enable offline Gmail usage | Offline editing is supported for all Office Web Apps, and desktop versions can always be accessed offline |
| FILE STORAGE | Google Drive—30 GB per user | OneDrive—1 TB per user |
| ADDING USERS | Users can be added at any time | Users can be added at any time |
| WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU CANCEL? | Data can be retrieved for up to 20 days after accounts are deleted. | Data can be retrieved for up to 30 days after termination. |
| SUPPORT | 24/7 phone and email | Web and 24/7 phone |
| OPTIONS | Workspace Business Starter: business email, video and voice calls, online calendars, 30GB of storage, 100 participant video meetings, online text documents, spreadsheets, and slides, project sites, security and admin controls Workspace Business Standard: All features of Starter plus 2 TB storage per user + 150 participant video meetings with recordings Workspace Business Plus: All features of Standard plus 5 TB storage per users, 250 participant video meetings with recording and attendance tracking, eDiscovery & retention, Enchanced security and management controls |
Office 365 Exchange Online: business email, custom email domain address, web and mobile version of Outlook, up to 50 GB of mail storage Office 365 Apps for Business: Full desktop versions of Office applications + Personal OneDrive up to 1 TB Office 365 Business Standard: Exchange Online + Apps for Business, plus Sharepoint Online and Teams for collaboration and instant messaging Enterprise level plans available with higher storage quotas and enhanced security and management features |
| TWO-STEP VERIFICATION? | Yes | Yes |
| DOES MAC VS PC MATTER? | Nope! Since the only thing you’re downloading to your computer is Google Drive to sync files, it doesn’t matter if you use a Mac or a PC. | Web versions work the same on either platform, some application difference may exist for desktop software. |
Ready to take the next step?
If you’re ready to learn more about how Office 365 or Google Workspace cloud based email services can increase productivity, efficiency and improve your business, we are ready to help!
Give us a call at (240) 399-3900, contact us online using the form on this page, or start a conversation with one of our representatives using the Live Chat button on the lower right corner of the screen and we can get started. The process is easy, we will take very good care of you along the way…and you will definitely be pleased and most likely surprised by the results!
