Cloud-based applications have been taking over offices in the last several years. They allow mobility, collaboration across computers and mobile devices, and office connectivity that static software doesn’t have.

Two of the big players in cloud office apps are Microsoft with Office 365, and Google with their Google apps for business, called G Suite.

But how do you know which platform is a better fit for your business? Which is going to give you robust tools and flexibility and also be affordable as you grow?

At SchrankLABS, we provide technology solutions and IT consulting for small and medium sized businesses in Burlington, WI and beyond. We help business owners fully understand the features and benefits of all types of office productivity tools so they can make an informed decision.

Both Office 365 and G Suite have their pluses and minuses, and both can support a number of every day office tasks and team collaboration. Which one is a better fit for you can depend upon things like ease of adoption by staff, cost, and ability to work both on and offline.

We’ve got a breakdown below of both Office 354 and G Suite and what they can (and can’t) offer your business.

First, let’s talk about why companies are moving to cloud-based office programs.

Why are Companies Using Cloud Office Tools?

Before the advent of fast internet and mobile devices, most of the office workload was done on a desktop sitting on a desk at the office.

But today, people can work from anywhere due to fast online speed and cloud-based tools that allow you to save a file on one device and instantly pick it up on another.

78% of small businesses will be taking advantage of cloud computing by 2020. (OnRamp)

SchrankLABS helps businesses move their workloads to the cloud and provides managed IT service plans that help them save money each month on IT expenses.

Reasons that businesses are moving to cloud computing include:

• Scalability
• Cost Savings
• Collaboration
• Easy access to applications
• Business continuity
• Security
• Flexibility
• Performance and support

Google’s G Suite vs Microsoft’s Office 365

Let’s take a look at these two popular cloud platforms to see what they offer. Both have all the basics for document and spreadsheet preparation, email and video conferencing, but a few other features differ.

G Suite Overview

G Suite promotes the ease of collaboration and access with their office tools as well as their excellent security.

G Suite includes:

• Gmail (email)
• Docs (word processing, spreadsheets, slides)
• Drive (online backup and storage)
• Calendar
• Hangouts (video conferencing and chat)
• Sites (team-based websites)
• App Maker (business apps creator)
• Administrative controls

Office 365 Overview

Office 365 takes the most popular office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and transforms them into a cloud environment, plus adds a lot of other collaborative features.

Office includes:

• Outlook (email)
• Word/Excel/PowerPoint (word processing, spreadsheets, slides)
• OneDrive (online backup and storage)
• OneNote (free-form notes, clippings)
• Skype for Business (video conferencing and chat)
• Microsoft Teams (team-based websites, messaging, collaboration tools)
• SharePoint (document management and storage)
• Exchange (mail and calendaring server)

Now let’s look at how each program matches up in key areas.

Pricing Plans

When it comes to pricing, Office 365 offers two plans that have their Office applications included, and G Suite offers three.  

G Suite:

• Basic Plan is $5/user/month, 30GB storage, doesn’t include app development
• Business Plan is $10/user/month, unlimited or 1TB storage, includes audit reports
• Enterprise Plan is $25/user/month, unlimited or 1TB storage, includes audit reports, data loss prevention, and other integrations

Office 365:

• Business Plan is $8.25/user/month, 1TB storage, doesn’t include online email hosting, Microsoft Teams or SharePoint
• Premium Plan is $12.50/user/month, 1TB storage, includes all features

Office 365 offers one more plan that doesn’t include any of their office programs, but does include their collaboration tools, like Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Exchange. That Business Essentials plan is $5/user/month.

Working Offline

Just because you’re using a cloud-based service, doesn’t mean you always need to be connected to the internet to work on a document. Both Office 365 and G Suite have offline capabilities. Office 365 is integrated better.

G Suite: The account administrator needs to enable the “work offline” capability for users. You need to access the document from the Chrome browser and keep it open before you go offline.

Office 365: You can use programs like Word and Excel as you usually do, from the application on your computer. You need to save the file to your computer or mobile device before going offline.

Video Conferencing

Both programs offer quality video conferencing, but there is a big difference in the number of participants you can have per meeting.

G Suite: Google Hangouts allows synching of conversations across all devices. It has a maximum participant limit of 25 in a meeting for Basic and Business plans, and a limit of 50 for the Enterprise plan.

Office 365: Skype for Business also syncs conversations across devices. It has a maximum participant limit of 250 in a meeting. You can also use the program for voice calls.

Matchup Considerations

When it comes to the actual programs for word processing, spreadsheets, etc… it’s hard to beat the power and flexibility of Office 365. Where G Suite excels is in its lean interface and lower price.

If you’re used to using Microsoft programs, you’ll have a much lower learning curve when switching to cloud-based Office 365. If you use Gmail and Google for just about everything, then G Suite won’t seem much different.

We’ve found that younger companies looking to spend as little as possible gravitate toward G Suite, while more established businesses tend to prefer Office 365.

Interested in Learning More about Office 365 or G Suite?

The SchrankLABS team knows both platforms inside and out and would be happy to give you a personal tour of either one or both.

Call us today to learn more about cloud computing at 262-347-3199 or set up an appointment online.