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Google Workspace vs Microsoft Exchange vs Microsoft Exchange Online comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
6.2
Google Workspace boosts ROI with cost-saving features, seamless integration, and productivity enhancements, despite perceived high costs.
Sentiment score
5.9
Microsoft Exchange boosts productivity and cost-effectiveness, especially with Microsoft 365, enhancing communication efficiency by 30% to 50%.
Sentiment score
7.0
Microsoft Exchange Online offers significant cost savings and efficiency, recouping investments quickly and outperforming on-premise solutions.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.0
Google Workspace support receives mixed reviews; ease of use lessens direct support needs, but non-Western regions face challenges.
Sentiment score
5.9
Microsoft Exchange support varies, with some users praising responsiveness, while others report delays, relying on documentation or third parties.
Sentiment score
6.2
Microsoft Exchange Online tech support is generally excellent but varies in response time and agent expertise.
In the past, we experienced a problem with automatic emails being blocked, and the support team resolved the issue quickly.
Technical Manager IT Development at Sostenia
Even as a technical person, I struggle to find appropriate contact numbers or email addresses.
Principal Consultant at Wipro Limited
I sent a complaint letter but it was hard to find customer service for that.
Assosiate Professor at Palazzo del Mediterraneo
The Microsoft support structure, while technically proficient, involves case transfers across different global locations.
Manager IT Support at Naubahar Bottling Company (Pvt.) Ltd. Gujranwala Pakistan
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
Google Workspace offers seamless scalability, with easy expansion for all organization sizes and minimal maintenance due to its cloud-based nature.
Sentiment score
7.4
Microsoft Exchange offers robust scalability for diverse organizations, supporting seamless expansion, though costs and migration may pose challenges.
Sentiment score
7.8
Microsoft Exchange Online is celebrated for scalable, reliable cloud-based expansion, accommodating diverse organizational sizes, despite some cost concerns.
It supports around 2,500 users in our company, and this scalability assists us in maintaining our infrastructure.
Technical Manager IT Development at Sostenia
I believe Google Workspace will have really high scalability because there are a lot of features available, and they have the potential to be used.
Brand Protection Analyst at Corsearch
Scalability involves another configuration with a new email configuration, involving some authentication issues with Microsoft Outlook.
IT Manager at Universal Carpets & Rugs
The licensing and associated costs make it challenging to scale, especially when user numbers increase.
Manager IT Support at Naubahar Bottling Company (Pvt.) Ltd. Gujranwala Pakistan
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.7
Google Workspace is praised for its stability and reliability, with minor glitches but no significant downtime, affecting user experience.
Sentiment score
7.5
Microsoft Exchange is praised for stability and reliability, though minor issues exist, often resolved by proper configuration.
Sentiment score
8.0
Microsoft Exchange Online is highly stable and reliable with minimal downtime, quick recovery, and significant stability improvements.
This stability is crucial to us because it ensures we do not lose communication or connection while using messaging and accessing files.
Technical Manager IT Development at Sostenia
The stability of Google Workspace is excellent and very solid.
Principal Consultant at Wipro Limited
With Microsoft now that we are using, we have a security system by which every now and then you have to change your password, and whenever you try to access multiple times to the same email from different devices or many times in the same day, they will ask you for a code that you have to insert.
Assosiate Professor at Palazzo del Mediterraneo
 

Room For Improvement

Google Workspace needs better security, Microsoft integration, usability improvements, and enhanced features compared to competitors like Zoom and Teams.
Microsoft Exchange needs improvements in connectivity, usability, security, and support for better compatibility and customer satisfaction.
Microsoft Exchange Online users face challenges with integration, security, scalability, optimization, support, documentation, and pricing, needing significant improvements.
The new integration was implemented last September, and we are facing some issues with OAuth 2.0 authentication.
IT Manager at Universal Carpets & Rugs
It would be great if Google Workspace had its own application built into the PC or a desktop application.
Brand Protection Analyst at Corsearch
The security functionalities are similar to those in competitors like Active Directory, but they could be optimized for stronger security features.
Technical Manager IT Development at Sostenia
The biggest issue with Microsoft Exchange is its high cost, especially in pricing for license upgrades and expansion to more users.
Manager IT Support at Naubahar Bottling Company (Pvt.) Ltd. Gujranwala Pakistan
The quarantining is not fantastic because it lets a lot of spam through, and when it is notified of spam, it does not particularly alter its behavior quickly.
Bookkeeper at FCA - Victoria Point
In third world countries, they need local support.
IT Officer at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees
 

Setup Cost

Google Workspace costs $6-$15 per user monthly; perceived as cost-effective yet sometimes costly, with potential discounts and additional fees.
Microsoft Exchange pricing offers flexible subscription options but can be costly and complex, especially for businesses needing basic features.
Microsoft Exchange Online's pricing is seen as reasonable but varies, appreciated for value and integration despite regional cost concerns.
The current cost is approximately seven to ten euros per user per month.
Technical Manager IT Development at Sostenia
The company is moving the data and the Microsoft subscription is no longer continued.
Brand Protection Analyst at Corsearch
Microsoft Exchange is costly, and its licensing model can be expensive over time as more users require licenses.
Manager IT Support at Naubahar Bottling Company (Pvt.) Ltd. Gujranwala Pakistan
I am aware of pricing aspects, and I would say it is affordable for what it is.
Bookkeeper at FCA - Victoria Point
 

Valuable Features

Google Workspace enables seamless collaboration with real-time editing, robust integration, strong security, and affordability for businesses and organizations.
Microsoft Exchange provides seamless integration with Microsoft tools, excelling in email management, security, scalability, and collaboration capabilities.
Microsoft Exchange Online offers seamless integration, robust security, scalable solutions, and cloud-based features for efficient remote communication and administration.
The ability to share documents with students and assign them things and correct them in real time has been beneficial.
Assosiate Professor at Palazzo del Mediterraneo
The valuable features include the email service, email updates, and Google Drive.
IT Manager at Universal Carpets & Rugs
These tools enhance productivity by allowing us to edit the same file at the same time, making collaboration much smoother.
Technical Manager IT Development at Sostenia
Microsoft Exchange is a user-friendly and easy-to-deploy solution, which is beneficial for handling emails even without professional support.
Manager IT Support at Naubahar Bottling Company (Pvt.) Ltd. Gujranwala Pakistan
The most beneficial aspects of Microsoft Exchange are that it is solid, dependable, and reliable.
Bookkeeper at FCA - Victoria Point
Microsoft Exchange Online Protection helps by providing cloud-based security.
IT Officer at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2026, in the Email Applications category, the mindshare of Google Workspace is 14.7%, down from 23.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Exchange is 9.9%, down from 11.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Exchange Online is 10.6%, down from 14.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Email Applications Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Google Workspace14.7%
Microsoft Exchange Online10.6%
Microsoft Exchange9.9%
Other64.80000000000001%
Email Applications
 

Featured Reviews

AR
Assosiate Professor at Palazzo del Mediterraneo
Collaborative work with students has improved but storage limitations and support issues remain
We have Google Workspace, and we use it primarily for Drive to collect items. We categorize folders with topics and material either for students or for research. We use Google Doc to share documents, especially when we assign homework to be corrected for peer correction or classroom correction. With Teams and Microsoft, we use it for collective calls and exam supervision because we use video surveillance through camera with Teams. We use Teams for meetings and to share material with students. The ability to share documents with students and assign them things and correct them in real time has been beneficial. You can verify what they write, and they can contribute and cooperate to create a collective document, which is something that our society nowadays requires. The ability to cooperate, especially those who work with languages and those who work with writing, need to learn how to cooperate. There is co-editing and co-writing, all these sorts of things. I love the fact that I can easily have access to folders that I can categorize and where I can upload research material and teaching material.
SJ
Manager IT Support at Naubahar Bottling Company (Pvt.) Ltd. Gujranwala Pakistan
Efficient email management with seamless integration
We previously used Microsoft Exchange but have moved to an MDN email solution due to cost and user growth Microsoft Exchange is a user-friendly and easy-to-deploy solution, which is beneficial for handling emails even without professional support. It is effective in managing email integration…
AM
Assistant General Manager, IT Infrastructure at SAMI Pharmaceuticals (Pvt.) Limited.
Offers flexibility and cost-effectiveness with multiple service options but could improve support and mobile features
There are many things to consider about email management in Microsoft Exchange Online. The online management is good, the storage is sufficient, and we use most of the features such as the custom rules in Microsoft Exchange Online, which we cannot find in any other email solution. That is a very good option, as we have many options to create custom rules in Microsoft Exchange Online. Regarding security features in Microsoft Exchange Online, we also use Defender for Exchange which includes the basic Exchange Online protection that has spam and threat controls. The use of Defender is beneficial for our security. The flexibility of choosing plans in Microsoft Exchange Online is good. We have chosen the best plan for our use, including multiple licenses such as plan one and business basics, which leads us towards cost-effectiveness, and the pay-as-you-go option is more flexible. Microsoft Exchange Online is very scalable.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Computer Software Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
No data available
Financial Services Firm
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Comms Service Provider
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business64
Midsize Enterprise14
Large Enterprise28
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business41
Midsize Enterprise28
Large Enterprise35
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business40
Midsize Enterprise16
Large Enterprise40
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Google Workspace?
The company made the decision to migrate, so I'm not sure why specifically. The company is moving the data and the Mi...
What needs improvement with Google Workspace?
Before I was in a Microsoft environment, which had its own software that was not website-based. When I moved to Googl...
What is your primary use case for Google Workspace?
I have been using Google Workspace for file organizing, including Google Drive, Spreadsheet, Gmail, and Google Form, ...
How does Zimbra Collaboration compare with Microsoft Exchange?
Zimbra is a free, open source collaborative software suite. The features I like best are the ease of integration and ...
What do you like most about Microsoft Exchange?
The initial setup was straightforward and fast.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Exchange?
I am aware of pricing aspects, and I would say it is affordable for what it is.
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 o...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Exchange Online?
If I segment it into three points: low price, average, and high price, I would place Microsoft Exchange Online betwee...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Exchange Online?
There is room for improvement in Microsoft Exchange Online. Technical support for Microsoft is good, but in all fairn...
 

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

Overview

 

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.
Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport, Scitec Nutrition, British Airways, InnoGames, Osteology Foundation, Franz Haniel & Cie. GmbH, NTC Contracting
Bank Alfalah Ltd., Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport, Blue Star Infotech, Scitec Nutrition, Resolution Films, British Airways, Empire Cinemas, InnoGames
Find out what your peers are saying about Google, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and others in Email Applications. Updated: March 2026.
885,376 professionals have used our research since 2012.