Google Workspace Explained: Google’s Answer To Microsoft 365 Adds Ai

Google blazed nan measurement for cloud-hosted agency apps successful nan 2000s. Now it’s betting connected generative AI to reshape nan measurement we work. Here’s what businesses should cognize astir Workspace, Google’s suite of productivity and collaboration apps.

Workspace is Google’s suite of productivity package tools, nan main competitor to marketplace leader Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365). Previously known arsenic G Suite, Google Workspace includes well-known apps specified arsenic Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Slides — apps that are besides utilized for free by billions of group globally.

Google has been trading productivity apps to businesses for almost 2 decades now, having helped pave nan measurement for cloud-based agency productivity apps successful nan 2000s. At a clip erstwhile astir agency suites were based connected installed desktop package and sold arsenic one-time purchases, Google bundled its celebrated free web apps pinch various business services to create a cloud-based agency package subscription — a move that would yet push competitors for illustration Microsoft to adopt a subscription exemplary and create web versions of their apps.

Google was “very overmuch up of nan game” astatine this constituent and “even 11 aliases 12 years agone erstwhile Office 365 lagged down what Google was doing pinch SaaS-based endeavor services,” said Joe Mariano, head expert and personnel of Gartner’s Employee Experience Technology team.

The elasticity of Workspace’s cloud-hosted apps was past and continues to beryllium a cardinal tie for business customers, said Mariano: “The proposition is going to a wholly SaaS-based group of services,” which allows for “deep interconnectivity” betwixt nan various components of nan Workspace suite. “Because everything is based successful nan unreality connected nan Google Workspace architecture, you spot a batch much seamless integration betwixt those services,” he said.

These days, Google’s apical privilege for Workspace is nan integration of generative AI features via its Gemini AI adjunct (formerly Duet AI), introduced successful 2023. The institution has agelong been a awesome subordinate successful AI investigation and began to integrate AI features into its apps good earlier nan caller generative AI roar — smart replies being 1 early example. With Gemini now integrated pinch Workspace apps nether astir business and endeavor subscriptions, Google promises to prevention agency workers clip connected tasks for illustration penning emails, summarizing documents, and search down information.

In this article:

• What is Google Workspace?
• What happened to G Suite?
• What are nan different Google Workspace plans?
• Google Workspace adds Gemini — what AI features do you get?
• More AI from Google: Gemini Advanced and NotebookLM
• What add-ons are disposable for Google Workspace?
• How does Google Workspace take comparison pinch Microsoft 365?
• How easy is it to move from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace?
• What are immoderate of nan newest Google Workspace features?
• What’s adjacent for Google Workspace?

What is Google Workspace?

Workspace is Google’s suite of cloud-based productivity and collaboration apps, typically sold arsenic a paid monthly subscription to business and endeavor customers.

Apps included successful astir Workspace plans screen halfway business productivity and collaboration usage cases: email (Gmail), archive editing (Docs), spreadsheets (Sheets), presentations (Slides), videoconferencing (Meet), squad messaging (Chat), and scheduling (Calendar), to sanction conscionable a fistful of nan disposable apps. Paid add-ons are disposable too, specified arsenic nan Gemini AI assistant, Google Voice telephony services, and premium features of nan no-code improvement level AppSheet.

Workspace apps are accessed via a browser aliases mobile app, pinch nary autochthonal desktop apps, speech from archive retention app Google Drive. It’s imaginable to prevention and entree files without an net connection, though, erstwhile offline access is enabled for Drive. Users tin besides edit Docs, Sheets, and Slides files offline successful nan Chrome browser.

Although Google offers galore of these aforesaid apps to consumers for free, paid Workspace subscriptions see further features and business services specified arsenic a civilization email domain, higher retention limits, and shared squad storage.  Google besides provides a scope of security, management, and analytics devices for IT admins successful astir paid Workspace subscriptions — pinch much precocious devices disposable connected pricier plans aimed astatine ample endeavor organizations. These scope from instrumentality guidance to information retention tools, worker usage analytics, and more.

Not each Workspace plans are paid, however: Google successful 2021 expanded nan marque to bring immoderate features that were formerly reserved for paid plans, specified arsenic smart canvases, to nan free user versions of its apps nether nan banner of “Google Workspace for everyone.” Google besides offers a constricted free type of Workspace for business customers, called Google Workspace Essentials Starter.

The database of disposable apps successful Workspace is somewhat shorter than that of Microsoft 365. “Google Workspace doesn’t scope characteristic parity pinch M365; it offers possibly 60% to 70% of nan features,” said J.P. Gownder, vice president and main expert connected Forrester’s Future of Work team, though he describes nan generative AI devices successful Gemini for Google Workspace arsenic “robust.”

Providing a much streamlined group of applications tin beryllium a bully point for business users, said Gartner’s Mariano. “Google doesn’t build caller products, they build caller services into their existing products, truthful it creates a batch little confusion,” he said. Take Gmail, for example. “You tin unrecorded successful your Gmail model each time if you want to: You tin commencement penning caller documents from there, you tin cheque your calendar, you tin commencement Chat, you tin cheque Google Drive. The magnitude of integer clash that cuts backmost connected is very, very significant.”

What happened to G Suite?

Although galore business users still deliberation of Google’s app suite arsenic “G Suite,” nan aged sanction is gone — the Workspace marque replaced G Suite successful 2020.

The move to Workspace was not nan first sanction alteration for Google’s bundle of activity apps, which has roots backmost successful nan mid ’00s. Google Apps for Your Domain was nan first loop successful 2006: a free ad-supported suite that included Gmail, Google Calendar, Page Creator (later Sites), and nan Google Talk instant messaging app.

In 2007, nan institution began offering a paid ad-free subscription work aimed astatine businesses; initially called Google Apps Premier, it was later renamed Google Apps for Business and past Google Apps for Work. In 2016, nan institution announced its caller G Suite brand pinch awesome fanfare, only to switch it 4 years later pinch nan Workspace rebranding.

What are nan different Google Workspace plans?

There are galore payment plans for Google Workspace, targeted astatine everything from nan smallest of mini businesses up to ample enterprises pinch hundreds of thousands of employees.

Google offers galore of its services arsenic either monthly aliases yearly plans. The basal quality betwixt monthly and yearly pricing for Google Workspace is based connected elasticity versus cost-effectiveness. A  monthly scheme grants businesses nan agility to set their personification count and work usage connected a month-to-month basis, catering to those anticipating fluctuations aliases preferring short-term commitments. However, this elasticity comes astatine a premium, arsenic monthly per-user rates are typically higher.

Conversely, yearly plans require a year-long commitment, offering discounted per-user rates successful return. This action is best-suited for businesses pinch unchangeable workforces and predictable needs, providing semipermanent costs savings.

Google Workspace Individual: Aimed astatine sole proprietors/entrepreneurs, nan Individual scheme provides entree to apps specified arsenic Gmail, Drive, Calendar, and Meet. The scheme includes 1TB of retention and features specified arsenic assignment booking, unrecorded streaming connected YouTube, and civilization email layouts, arsenic good arsenic entree to support. Custom email addresses are not included, truthful your reside will extremity successful “@gmail.com.” Annual plan: $10 per month.

Business Starter, Business Standard, and Business Plus: Aimed astatine smaller businesses, nan 3 plans person a limit of 300 users. Access to Gemini AI features wrong nan Workspace apps requires a Business Standard aliases higher plan. Here’s a wide overview of nan monthly pricing for nan halfway Google Workspace Business editions:

• Business Starter is designed to see basal productivity and collaboration tools. It includes civilization business email, video meetings, and 30GB of pooled (i.e., shared) retention per user. Prices scope from $7 per personification per period pinch an yearly committedness to $8.40 per personification per period for nan elastic (monthly) plan.
• Business Standard: Designed for businesses pinch stricter compliance requirements and larger information retention needs. It includes 2TB of pooled retention (per user) and enhanced collaboration features, gathering recordings, and much power complete users. Prices scope from $14 per personification per period pinch an yearly committedness to $16.80 per personification per period for nan elastic (monthly) plan.
• Business Plus: Designed for organizations that request greater retention capacity (5TB pooled per user) and precocious information and compliance features. It includes Google Vault for eDiscovery and information retention. Prices scope from $22 per personification per period pinch an yearly committedness to $26.40 per personification per period for nan elastic (monthly) plan.

Enterprise Standard and Plus: Suited to ample businesses, there’s nary headdress connected nan number of users for nan 2 Enterprise plans. Each personification is assigned 5TB of storage, though much tin beryllium requested, while nan Meet gathering headdress is lifted to 1,000 participants.

Enterprise plans connection a wider scope of information and guidance devices than Business tiers, including information nonaccomplishment prevention and precocious information analytics via nan Workspace information center. The Enterprise Plus scheme is nan apical Workspace tier, pinch features specified arsenic client-side encryption and precocious information exports. Pricing accusation isn’t publically available.

Essentials Starter, Enterprise Essentials, and Enterprise Essentials Plus: These Workspace plans little subscription costs (or driblet them entirely) by removing Gmail. Essentials Starter is simply a free work aimed astatine business customers that provides up to 100 users pinch entree to halfway Workspace apps. There’s small successful nan measurement of guidance features, and location are usage restrictions specified arsenic 3 Meet video telephone participants astatine a time.

Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus — aimed astatine larger organizations — include premium app features, entree to information and guidance tools, and nary limit connected nan number of users. The Essentials Plus scheme offers much retention per personification and a wider scope of precocious guidance devices and app features. Google doesn’t people pricing for its Enterprise Essentials aliases Essentials Plus plans.

Note: A erstwhile plan, called “Essentials,” is nary longer disposable to caller customers.

Frontline Starter and Frontline Standard: There are 2 Workspace editions for unit successful roles specified arsenic customer service, retail, and manufacturing who do astir of their activity distant from a desk. Both see halfway Workspace apps and guidance devices disposable successful nan Business editions. The Standard scheme includes a wider scope of information and admin tools, specified arsenic information nonaccomplishment prevention and Google Vault eDiscovery. Google doesn’t people pricing for its Workspace Frontline plans.

Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Education Plus: Google offers a group of costs plans for teachers and students astatine K-12 and higher acquisition institutions arsenic good arsenic entree to immoderate halfway Workspace apps specified arsenic Gmail, Calendar, and Meet. The plans supply entree to Google’s Classroom learning guidance software.

Workspace Education Fundaments is free for qualifying institutions, while Education Standard costs $3 per student per twelvemonth and includes further information and admin features. Teaching and Learning Upgrade costs $4 per unit personnel per period for Education Fundamentals and Standard customers. It provides entree to other Classroom and video-communication features. The Education Plus scheme is $5 per student per twelvemonth and includes each nan aforementioned features arsenic good arsenic organizational branding and more.

Workspace for Nonprofits, Workspace for Government, Workspace for various verticals: Google offers discounted pricing of its paid products to qualifying nonprofit and authorities organizations. Workspace for Government tin beryllium configured to meet FedRAMP High compliance standards required by US authorities organizations. Google besides offers industry-specific editions of its Enterprise plans tailored for healthcare and life sciences, retail, manufacturing, professional services, and technology firms. Contact Google for pricing.

Google Workspace adds Gemini — what AI features do you get?

Gemini is nan sanction of Google’s generative AI assistant. It’s disposable arsenic a standalone chatbot and tin beryllium embedded into various Workspace apps. It’s built connected Google’s ain Gemini AI models, specified arsenic Gemini 1.5 Pro and Imagen 3. The AI adjunct was made generally disposable for business users successful August 2023 nether nan sanction Duet AI, earlier switching to nan Gemini branding last February.

Until recently, a abstracted Gemini for Google Workspace subscription was required for entree to some nan standalone Gemini app and nan embedded type of nan assistant. Now, however, the Gemini app is included pinch each paid Workspace business plans, and nan app-embedded type of Gemini is included pinch nan Business Standard scheme and up. (Google besides raised prices for its business plans.)

In-app usage is arguably wherever nan adjunct is astir useful. Gemini tin summarize a lengthy archive successful Docs, for example, draught an email successful Gmail, create images successful Slides pinch Google’s Imagen 3 text-to-video model, and plentifulness much besides. Google outlines galore imaginable business usage cases, from trading professionals generating run briefs to HR workers creating occupation descriptions. For that reason, Google’s strategy is to merge halfway Gemini functionalities into communal Workspace usage experiences.

The business versions of Gemini connection galore of nan aforesaid features arsenic nan user versions of Gemini. One cardinal quality is that Google won’t entree information from personification prompts to amended its ain products and to train its AI models connected nan paid business versions, according to Google.

Differences betwixt nan Workspace plans that see Gemini chiefly subordinate to basics specified arsenic storage, gathering subordinate limits, and precocious security/compliance features, alternatively than drastically different Gemini characteristic sets. However, it’s imaginable that higher tiers will person earlier entree to definite precocious Gemini capabilities.

While each Workspace tiers summation Gemini’s halfway assistance, Enterprise Standard and Enterprise Plus plans will prioritize precocious AI capabilities focused connected security, compliance, and customization. For example, endeavor versions will see Gemini features for illustration precocious information study and business intelligence, information nonaccomplishment prevention, e-discovery and auditing capabilities, enhanced controls complete information residency and access, precocious gathering features, and greater elasticity successful customizing and integrating Gemini pinch different endeavor systems.

Google has besides made nan AI adjunct disposable to higher acquisition institutions pinch Gemini Education ($20 per personification each month) and Education Premium ($30 per personification each month).

More AI from Google: Gemini Advanced and NotebookLM

Gemini Advanced is designed for users requiring a higher level of capacity and analyzable reasoning. It’s built to grip much intricate tasks, supply deeper analyses, and make much nuanced responses compared to nan modular Gemini. Designed to excel successful areas for illustration analyzable problem-solving, precocious coding, in-depth information analysis, and imaginative contented generation, Gemini Advanced is included successful Business Standard and Business Plus arsenic good arsenic Enterprise Standard and Enterprise Plus subscriptions.

NotebookLM is Google’s AI-powered investigation and penning instrumentality designed to thief you synthesize accusation from aggregate sources. You tin upload documents, notes, and different resources, which it past uses arsenic its “notebook.” By knowing nan discourse of these sources, NotebookLM is built to beryllium capable reply questions, make summaries, and thief you brainstorm ideas.

NotebookLM Plus, a premium type of nan app that removes immoderate of nan usage limitations of nan free version, is included pinch Business Standard and Business Plus arsenic good arsenic Enterprise Standard and Enterprise Plus. It’s besides included pinch nan Google One AI Premium Plan, which is priced astatine $20 per period for a scheme that besides includes 2TB of retention and entree to Gemini Advanced.

What add-ons are disposable for Google Workspace?

There are galore add-ons for Workspace that, successful astir cases, require an other monthly interest connected apical of halfway subscription costs. These add-ons supply entree to immoderate of nan latest Workspace features and tin broaden nan suite’s functionality significantly, pinch nan imaginable to summation a customer’s monthly spending astatine nan aforesaid time.

For example, Google provides a business telephony service, Voice, that costs from $10 per personification per period for nan Starter type up to $30 per personification a period for nan Premium version.

No-code improvement level AppSheet Core is included successful astir paid Workspace subscriptions, but afloat functionality requires an further fee. Similarly, Google Chrome Enterprise provides further information and guidance devices complete nan free Core type for $6 per personification per month.

Among nan different add-ons is “Chat interoperability” — a free work that lets Workspace Chat users nonstop messages to different collaboration devices specified arsenic Teams and Slack.

How does Google Workspace take comparison pinch Microsoft 365?

Although Microsoft has retained its formidable lead successful nan market, Google has succeeded successful establishing Workspace arsenic a competitory agency package suite. It’s difficult to opportunity precisely really Workspace take has fared successful comparison pinch Microsoft 365 and different productivity app suites, but location are immoderate indications.

Google reports 10 cardinal paying customers for Workspace, while Microsoft claims more than 400 cardinal paid commercialized seats (end users) for Office 365/Microsoft 365. Google says its fig refers to nan full number of organizations of immoderate size that salary for Workspace, alternatively than nan full number of paid seats/users crossed customer organizations, but this apt includes immoderate highly mini — moreover one-person — businesses, which makes a comparison difficult.

The different stat that Google provides — of 3 cardinal users — is little useful, arsenic it mostly relates to user usage of its free apps. “While billions of consumers usage free versions of Google Workspace applications, its usage successful enterprises remains constricted — dwarfed by nan fame of Microsoft 365,” said Gownder.

Financial statements from Google’s genitor institution Alphabet shed small ray connected Workspace business adoption, arsenic Workspace revenues are portion of nan “Google Cloud” conception that besides includes Google Cloud Platform, Google’s wider unreality computing infrastructure and analytics service. In an earnings call for Alphabet’s astir caller quarterly financial connection (Q2 FY24), CEO Sundar Pichai only noted that a 29% year-on-year summation successful Google Cloud revenues was due, successful part, to “strong Workspace growth.” This maturation was mostly down to increases successful mean gross per seat, said Pichai — an denotation that, for illustration others successful nan space, Google sees much worth successful expanding income pinch existing customers than expanding its wide customer base.

Nevertheless, Google is gaining crushed connected M365, said Mariano, albeit slowly. “I do judge we will spot continued marketplace maturation for Google Workspace,” he said. “Although it’s incremental, we do spot that they are getting a small spot of marketplace stock each year.”

Google has managed to lure ample enterprises specified arsenic Verizon and Airbus distant from its rival, and, much recently, announced that 250,000 US Army unit would beryllium fixed Workspace licenses, a further motion of nan suite’s acceptance by ample organizations.

“When we look astatine nan Western world, we spot that Microsoft and Google are nan 2 ascendant players successful this space,” Mariano said.

A cardinal driver for business liking successful Workspace is nan costs compared to M365, said Mariano. Businesses are wary of nan rising expenditure connected Microsoft’s suite, he said, even if nan reality is that, for nan astir part, businesses are improbable to spot important savings by switching to Workspace.

“The word that I person heard from aggregate IT leaders and CIOs I’ve talked to is nan costs summation of Microsoft 365 is not sustainable,” said Mariano. “That is making them deliberation overmuch harder astir Google Workspace than they person successful nan past.”

Gownder besides sees Google’s efforts to target Workspace astatine acquisition institutions complete nan years starting to salary off. “Younger cohorts of employees, because they utilized Google Workspace successful school, mightiness person a penchant for nan suite complete nan less-familiar Microsoft 365,” he said.

Another facet is that, aft emerging from a reactive situation mode during nan pandemic, IT leaders are now successful a amended position to measure their workplace app strategy.

“When we look backmost astatine nan pandemic era, Microsoft feasted: Everybody ran to Microsoft, because it’s what they had,” Mariano said. “I deliberation nan particulate has settled, and a batch of IT leaders and CIOs are looking astatine what’s near aft nan truth now and saying, ‘What did we do, and should we beryllium here?’ They’re taking nan clip to determine what nan adjacent 5 to 10 years are going to look like.”

How easy is it to move from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace?

For galore businesses, adopting Workspace will mean migrating users from Microsoft’s business productivity apps. Google provides devices to thief customers make nan transition.

The Google Workspace Migrate instrumentality lets admins move ample amounts of contented into a Workspace domain. Workspace Migrate tin beryllium utilized to move information from Microsoft Exchange (2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019), Exchange Online, Microsoft SharePoint (2010, 2013, and 2016), SharePoint Online, and Microsoft OneDrive for Business. It tin besides beryllium utilized to migrate information from unreality retention level Box, record stock systems, and different Workspace domains. Workspace Migrate is disposable for Workspace Business Standard and Business Plus, Enterprise Standard and Enterprise Plus, and Education Standard and Education Plus.

For smaller migrations from definite Microsoft products, Google has different options: Google Workspace Migration for Microsoft Exchange (GWMME), Google Workspace Migration for Microsoft Outlook (GWMMO), and nan data migration service.

Google besides introduced a caller record migration work successful unfastened beta precocious that intends to simplify nan transportation of files betwixt from OneDrive to Google Drive for up to 100 labor astatine a time, and promises “minimal disruption” to extremity users during nan process.  

Nevertheless, a afloat migration from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace is not for nan faint-hearted. Such a task tin require a “monumental effort” for a ample enterprise, said Gownder: “There’s conscionable a batch of complexity to manage, contempt nan assistive tools Google offers,” he said.

One of nan challenges businesses look is that immoderate aspects of nan Microsoft 365 suite don’t person a clear destination in Google Workspace. For example, it’s difficult to migrate Teams information successful a measurement that makes sense, said Gownder, while Excel has full programming sequences, macros, and different contented approaches that tin break erstwhile migrating them to Sheets. “Large organizations would want to activity pinch an outer consulting partner, and it won’t beryllium a mini project,” he said.

What are nan newest Google Workspace features?

At nan apical of nan schedule for Google is nan integration of its Gemini AI adjunct crossed Workspace apps.

One recently launched Gemini for Workspace characteristic successful Meet is “Take notes for me,” which tasks nan AI adjunct pinch statement taking during a video call, allowing participants to ore connected their meeting.

Gemini tin return notes successful Google Meet meetings.

Google

A caller update to Gemini successful Gmail’s “Help maine write” feature — which uses generative AI to draught an email — adds 3 options to refine nan matter of an email: Formalize, Elaborate, and Shorten.

Gems are besides now available for Gemini users. Similar to OpenAI’s GPT, Gems are customized versions of nan AI chat assistant that tin beryllium instructed to respond successful definite ways: coding partner and penning editor are examples of 2 pre-built Gems provided by Google.

In position of nan halfway Workspace apps, 1 reasonably caller summation is “smart chips,” an array of interactive elements you tin embed successful Docs and Sheets to heighten collaboration. When a co-worker clicks connected an embedded chip, they tin either spot much information, specified arsenic nan interaction specifications for a personification aliases business, aliases return an action, specified arsenic changing a task’s position via a dropdown menu.

A group smart spot reveals interaction info for that person.

Howard Wen / IDG

A caller Workspace app is called Vids. This is simply a video creation app that guides users done nan process of producing elemental videos for purposes specified arsenic income pitches, worker onboarding, and learning and development. An AI adjunct successful nan app tin create a storyboard and propose inheritance images, for instance, and offers preset voiceovers to narrate a video.

To preview features and apps that are still nether development, you tin motion up for Workspace Labs, Google’s early-access programme for experimental features.

What’s adjacent for Google Workspace?

Although Gemini has been built into a wide scope of Workspace apps already, it’s adjacent to opportunity that Google will proceed to attraction its efforts connected processing nan AI adjunct for activity use.

“I deliberation it’s Gemini, Gemini, Gemini for them correct now,” said Mariano.

One AI characteristic successful improvement is nan AI Teammate for Workspace — an AI supplier that quality workers tin interact straight pinch successful nan Workspace Chat app. The prototype, unveiled astatine Google I/O past year, could beryllium utilized for a assortment of purposes — to show and way projects, for example.

It remains to beryllium seen whether Google’s investments successful Gemini will consequence successful attracting much businesses to nan Workspace suite, however. “Google continues to bolster Workspace pinch AI-based tools, but we are not yet astatine nan constituent wherever enterprises are saying they will migrate to Google Workspace because of Gemini,” said Gownder.

However, arsenic AI devices proceed to present applicable worth and amended efficiency, nan inclusion of Gemini in Workspace business plans could promote much companies to move to a paid plan.

“Google is disrupting a marketplace while immoderate exertion vendors are still trying to monetize generative AI,” said Wayne Kurtzman, investigation vice president for collaboration and communities astatine IDC. It’s an “unusually bold first move” by Google, 1 that “should consequence successful paid personification maturation of their Workspace platform.

One spot for Google could dishonesty successful nan operation of its Gemini and Workspace apps pinch its hardware business, pinch Google’s Pixel phones capable to tally AI on-device. “That is simply a competitory advantage for them that we could spot turn successful nan adjacent mates years, arsenic we spot what happens pinch AI,” said Mariano.

It’s not each astir AI, though: Another intriguing merchandise successful nan useful is Project Starline, a 3D videoconferencing strategy that gives users nan emotion that they’re successful nan aforesaid room. Google precocious announced that it plans to make nan system, which it has been processing for several years, commercially disposable successful 2025.