Google Workspace vs Microsoft Exchange Online comparison

Google and Microsoft are both solutions in the Email Applications category. Google is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.3, while Microsoft is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.8. Google holds a 21.5% mindshare in EA, compared to Microsoft’s 13.4% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Google users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

Google Workspace

Read 104 Google Workspace reviews

7,267 Views
5,741 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Microsoft Exchange Online

Read 90 Microsoft Exchange Online reviews

4,431 Views
4,254 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Google Workspace

Microsoft Exchange Online

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 13, 2025

Microsoft Exchange Online and Google Workspace compete in the cloud-based collaboration and productivity tools category. Google Workspace appears to have an advantage due to its renowned collaboration tools, especially in document editing and cross-device integration.

Features: Microsoft Exchange Online delivers robust collaboration functionalities that include email, calendar sharing, and task assignment, with strong integration into Microsoft applications like SharePoint. It also features a unified administration portal and built-in ticket system for support. Google Workspace is distinguished by real-time document editing and integration across devices through platforms like Google Docs, Sheets, and Meet, enhancing collaborative efficiency.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft Exchange Online could improve by addressing complex licensing and administrative tasks, refining integration processes, and escalating support response times while enhancing spam filtering and security defenses. Google Workspace, despite being user-friendly, needs to upgrade Google Meet, broaden integration possibilities with other platforms, and improve real-time collaboration aspects in Google Sheets.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Exchange Online supports various deployment models, including hybrid and on-premises setups, providing flexibility in cloud adoption. Google Workspace primarily operates as a public cloud service focusing on easy deployment. Customer service feedback is mixed for both; Microsoft is acknowledged for its support yet critiqued for slow responses, while Google is praised for user-friendliness but could improve support for integrations.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Exchange Online is often regarded as expensive due to its complex licensing models, yet it offers a considerable ROI by minimizing on-premises infrastructure costs. Google Workspace provides a simpler pricing model, seen as more cost-effective, especially for smaller businesses. Both platforms yield substantial ROI due to increased productivity and scalability, though budget-conscious users may favor Google Workspace for its affordability.

To learn more, read our detailed Google Workspace vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Google Workspace vs. Microsoft Exchange Online

July 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Google Workspace

Ranking in Email Applications

1st

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

104

Ranking in other categories

Wireless Email (2nd), Cloud Storage (5th), Content Collaboration Platforms (4th)

Microsoft Exchange Online

Ranking in Email Applications

2nd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Email Applications category, the mindshare of Google Workspace is 21.5%, down from 24.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Exchange Online is 13.4%, down from 16.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Email Applications

Featured Reviews

Sunil-Nair

IT Manager at Universal Carpets & Rugs

Email collaboration and accessibility have improved team productivity

The valuable features include the email service, email updates, and Google Drive. People are given email access to Google Drive. The team can share manual files and work accordingly. They can access different teams from anywhere, collectively putting files, sharing them, and managing them. Additionally, the manufacturing product does not require any downgrades. It works fine and continuously for the last three or four years. Users can access their emails from anywhere in their browser without a laptop or can directly access from Gmail. This is helpful for salespeople.

Read full review

NancyHartman

Business Process Manager/ Educational Technologist at a educational organization with 1,001-5,000 employees

Effective collaboration achieved with versatile features and good customer service

There are always improvements needed. My personal issue with using OfficeSuite and the Exchange Server is that one has to cobble together a whole bunch of different applications. Therefore, a lot of scripting and programming knowledge is necessary. I am not an IT person; I am an educator, a trainer, a user. I want to get the work done. However, I find that the Exchange Server and possibly the way our company has set up access permissions require extensive programming knowledge. It might take six to eight weeks to get a programmer's time to build something, whereas I can use something like Smartsheet that will do everything I want without needing a programmer. Smartsheet is more end-user friendly compared to a Microsoft product. Microsoft believes an expert IT person should manage everything, however, I want to manage things on my own in a simplified way. That is not easy using the Exchange Server or Microsoft Office. It is not end-user friendly for development, and a programmer is needed. Once set up, using them as an end-user is fine. I find that the automations are not robust, and the FedRAMP systems are not robust. I have a few issues with Exchange and Office, but there's nothing I can do about it.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"I like the capabilities for collaboration on any platform. For example, I might be on an iPad whereas the person next to me is on a laptop and the person next to them is on their phone. We can all collaborate together and update documentation in real-time."

"The features we use quite a lot are the mail and Google Drive. We can store documents and share documents between both employees here, locally in Sweden, and we have an office in the US as well. It's a very easy way to share information and documents, and have online meetings and stuff with Google Meet. We use it quite a lot."

"The corporate email feature on Google's Gmail is fantastic."

"Reduces IT spend, freeing up cash for other areas: sales, marketing, recruitment, etc."

"It's secure. It offers data security and user privacy. I use it for personal purposes. The interface is okay, and it's easy to use."

"All the Microsoft Office features are available in Google Workspace."

"They are launching more and more features for mobile, which I understand our customers appreciate."

"Google Meet is the most valuable function for me. It has enhanced collaboration in our team."

More Google Workspace pros

"The solution is scalable."

"The best part of this solution is the security it offers."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is its integration with Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Teams for shared calendars."

"It allows us to work from home, at any time or anywhere."

"The data prevention and protection feature is good."

"A valuable feature of the solution is its global usability."

"Microsoft has many consultants who can provide support."

"The most valuable feature is the cloud environment."

More Microsoft Exchange Online pros

Cons

"The feature set of Google Sheets is limited."

"In Google Meet, there is no feature for recording a meeting. It should have a feature for recording."

"The stability should be addressed."

"The problem with the presentation is that if you upload a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation and you convert it to Google presentation, the slides or pictures, their images are not editable. You can't edit the slides that you brought in. They're just images."

"Google Mail's spam filter needs improvement. If I'm sending mail to another email user, sometimes it goes to the spam folder, and they won't know unless they check because they aren't seeing it in the primary inbox. They may miss important emails. At the same time, I'm receiving spam that shouldn't go to my inbox."

"The solution needs to be more user-friendly and improve its tools and features."

"Google Workspace has limitations as a document or file management system. Without a workspace account, manual actions are required to perform tasks such as managing groups of people. Additionally, managing permissions individually is a time-consuming and inefficient process. It's difficult to articulate, but the process is not very streamlined."

"Google Workspace does a pretty good job, so it doesn't have that much room for improvement, but what would make it even better is if its apps, for example, Gmail, could integrate with more apps, such as Evernote and specific cloud-based platforms."

More Google Workspace cons

"I would prefer an anti-malware functionality in at least the basic version."

"The stability of the solution on Mac products has room for improvement."

"Cloud security is always a concern and the solution can always increase their security."

"We use different software for email spoofing filters and similar functions because Exchange is quite limited in this area."

"The deployment is complex and has room for improvement."

"From an IT perspective, we need clearer documentation to understand the product’s configuration process."

"The solution could improve by making the user interface better."

"I have found that Microsoft has vulnerabilities when it comes to Exchange Online. It has become the port of a lot of hacker attacks."

More Microsoft Exchange Online cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The main challenge regarding startups with identity services is you could be on a platform that works well but the services are expensive. For example, Microsoft Azure costs approximately $30 per user which is expensive. You end up choosing a different platform, such as G Suite Enterprise because it is priced reasonably and is less expensive than other solutions."

"The pricing is very high, although I cannot tell if this is the result of the Indian vendors artificially inflating it."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"There are benefits that can provide a competitive advantage, e.g., improved productivity (with appropriate training), increased collaboration (with correct use of tools), flexible working - work from home or remote locations, easy to scale - fast onboarding of new employees, and ability to add and remove licenses, as required."

"Traffic management tools may be required for larger setups and should be included in any pricing calculations."

"2,500 Rupees per month per user."

"We receive value for the price that we pay."

"Careful consideration should be given to the different licensing options and provisions should be made for additional applications that may be required for your particular business."

More Google Workspace pricing and cost advice

"The product is expensive and has an annual subscription."

"We have an enterprise agreement for licensing."

"They have raised their prices, and obviously, it hits our customers. Some of them are deciding to step back from Office 365. For customers who have bought the annual subscription, they are moving to the monthly subscription."

"Microsoft Exchange Online is an affordable solution."

"We have a three-year license for $25,000."

"Initially, we had issues with the licensing agreement, but we worked it out with Microsoft."

"The price is not competitive."

"I think that the price is a little high, especially considering that Google have a similar, free email solution."

More Microsoft Exchange Online pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

13%

Educational Organization

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Google Workspace?

Easy-to-build forms are allowing me to get feedback and information from my internal teams as well as from the customers very efficiently with the result data in structured manner.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Google Workspace?

The pricing for Google Workspace is moderate. I would rate it a five out of ten, indicating it is neither cheap nor expensive. The current cost is approximately seven to ten euros per user per mont...

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What needs improvement with Google Workspace?

I do not have any major suggestions for improvement. However, while the security functionalities are similar to those in competitors like Active Directory, they could be optimized for stronger secu...

See all answers

What do you like most about Microsoft Exchange Online?

The benefits are widespread and effective communication. We use Microsoft Teams for meetings within and outside our organization. Additionally, Teams can be used for chat, allowing us to track comm...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Exchange Online?

The cost of Microsoft Exchange Online varies between $4 and $25 per user per month, depending on the different plans we use for different users.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft Exchange Online?

The mobile version of Microsoft Outlook has limited features compared to the desktop version. We find fewer features in the mobile version of Microsoft Exchange Online, so that could be improved if...

See all answers

Comparisons

Amazon WorkMail vs Google Workspace

Compared 28% of the time

ProtonMail vs Google Workspace

Compared 10% of the time

Office 365 vs Google Workspace

Compared 7% of the time

Amazon WorkDocs vs Google Workspace

Compared 3% of the time

Zoho Mail vs Google Workspace

Compared 3% of the time

More Google Workspace Competitors

Amazon WorkMail vs Microsoft Exchange Online

Compared 10% of the time

Open-Xchange vs Microsoft Exchange Online

Compared 10% of the time

Zoho Mail vs Microsoft Exchange Online

Compared 6% of the time

ProtonMail vs Microsoft Exchange Online

Compared 5% of the time

Zimbra Collaboration vs Microsoft Exchange Online

Compared 5% of the time

More Microsoft Exchange Online Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Google Workspace

July 2025

Download Google Workspace product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Exchange Online

July 2025

Download Microsoft Exchange Online product report

Also Known As

G-Suite Enterprise, G-Suite, Google Apps for Business, G Suite Basic, G Suite Business, G-Suite Basic, G-Suite Business, Google Vault

Exchange Online, Exchange Online Plan 1, Exchange Online Plan 2, MS Exchange Online

Overview

Similar to G Suite, all Google Workspace plans provide a custom email for your business and include collaboration tools like Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Sites, and more.

As we’ve evolved G Suite into a more integrated experience across our communication and collaboration tools, we’ve rebranded to Google Workspace to more accurately represent the product vision.

Google

Exchange Online helps protect your information with advanced capabilities. Anti-malware and anti-spam filtering protect mailboxes. Data loss prevention capabilities prevent users from mistakenly sending sensitive information to unauthorized people. Globally redundant servers, premier disaster recovery capabilities, and a team of security experts monitoring Exchange Online around the clock safeguard your data.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

There are over five million businesses that use Google Apps for Business worldwide. Some key customers include The Roche Group, National Geographic, American Red Cross, City of Los Angeles, Flight Centre, and Konica Minolta.

Bank Alfalah Ltd., Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport, Blue Star Infotech, Scitec Nutrition, Resolution Films, British Airways, Empire Cinemas, InnoGames

Buyer's Guide

Google Workspace vs. Microsoft Exchange Online

July 2025

Free Report: Google Workspace vs. Microsoft Exchange Online

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