For most UK SMEs: Microsoft 365 Business Premium wins — better security (Intune, Defender, Entra ID), stronger compliance tools, and Office apps remain the UK business standard. Google Workspace suits collaborative, remote-first, document-light teams.
MICROSOFT 365
VS GOOGLE
WORKSPACE UK 2026
A detailed, honest comparison for UK businesses — covering pricing, applications, security, compliance, and which platform is right for your specific situation.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace |
|---|---|---|
| Outlook — full-featured, offline capable, rules, shared mailboxes | Gmail — clean UI, excellent search, strong mobile | |
| Word processing | Word — industry standard, advanced features, universal compatibility | Google Docs — real-time collaboration, simpler feature set |
| Spreadsheets | Excel — unmatched for complex data, macros, Power BI integration | Google Sheets — great for collaboration, limited for complex models |
| Video calls | Microsoft Teams — meetings, chat, phone system, file sharing | Google Meet — simpler, very reliable, integrated with Calendar |
| File storage | 1TB OneDrive per user + SharePoint for team sites | 15GB free (shared) or pooled storage depending on plan |
| Device management | Intune MDM — comprehensive, Windows-native, deeply integrated | Google Endpoint Management — good for Chromebooks and Android |
| Security | Defender for Business, Entra ID, Conditional Access, DLP | Google Workspace Security, Vault, DLP — strong but less granular |
| Compliance | Purview — eDiscovery, retention, DLP — strong for regulated industries | Vault for eDiscovery — less comprehensive than Purview |
| Offline use | Full desktop apps — fully functional offline | Primarily web-based — offline mode limited |
| Price (SME) | Business Premium: ~£20/user/month | Business Plus: ~£15/user/month |
Which should your business choose?
Choose Microsoft 365 if you...
Choose Google Workspace if you...
Q.Which is better for business — Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?
For most UK SMEs, Microsoft 365 is the stronger choice — particularly Microsoft 365 Business Premium. The reasons: Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) remain the standard in UK business, Outlook is deeply embedded in corporate workflows, SharePoint provides enterprise-grade document management, and Intune MDM + Defender provide security that Google Workspace cannot match at the same price point. Google Workspace suits businesses that are heavily collaborative, remote-first, and less dependent on complex documents or regulated data.
Q.Is Microsoft 365 more expensive than Google Workspace?
At the equivalent tier, Microsoft 365 Business Premium (£20/user/month) is slightly more expensive than Google Workspace Business Plus (£15/user/month). However, Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes Intune MDM, Defender for Business, and Entra ID P1 — security tools that would cost significantly more to replicate with Google Workspace add-ons. On a like-for-like security comparison, Microsoft 365 Business Premium is often better value.
Q.Can you migrate from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365?
Yes. Coreitech regularly migrates businesses from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 — emails, contacts, calendars, and Drive files to OneDrive/SharePoint. The migration is typically completed over a weekend with zero data loss. We handle the entire process including DNS changes, Gmail to Outlook configuration, Google Drive to OneDrive migration, and user training on Microsoft 365 applications.
Q.Which is better for regulated industries — Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?
Microsoft 365, without question, for FCA-regulated businesses, law firms, healthcare, and other compliance-heavy sectors. Microsoft Purview provides comprehensive eDiscovery, legal hold, data retention policies, and DLP that Google Vault cannot match. Microsoft's compliance certifications are also more extensive — ISO 27001, SOC 2, FedRAMP, and specific UK data residency options. For financial services under SYSC rules, Microsoft 365 is the clear choice.
Need help choosing or
migrating platforms?
Coreitech manages Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace migrations for London and UK businesses. Free consultation — we'll recommend the right platform for your specific needs.