In today’s post, I’d like to talk about the differences between Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. The core differences are interesting, and we’ll get into that—but first, I want to tell you about my relationship with Microsoft.
It started a long time ago when, seemingly out of nowhere, we all seemed to get a free copy of Microsoft Word. I don’t know how that happened, but everybody had it, and everybody started using it because it was the best darn thing out there.
What was out there before this? Well, you’d have to look at things like WordStar, WordPerfect, and even MacWrite for the Apple folks. There were some others too, but I think I started with WordStar and didn’t like it very much. Later, I got a copy of WordPerfect from an attorney friend of mine. The reason he liked it was that the developers had kind of designed it with lawyers in mind.
So like I said—magically, Microsoft Word appeared out of nowhere.
Now, today we have two main contenders in the world of office software: Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. Microsoft 365, as you know, is centered around programs like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Those are the main ones most of us use. Outlook is in the mix too, with both desktop and web versions available.
Then there’s Google Workspace, which is built around web-based tools like Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
So let’s get into some of the differences, shall we?
Microsoft Word has been the standard for many years. Then Google decided to compete, so they came out with Google Docs—which works pretty much like Microsoft Word, except it’s a little different in feel.
Next up is Google Sheets—their version of Excel. If you have an Excel spreadsheet, you can open it in Google Sheets. If you have a Microsoft Word document, you can open it in Google Docs. Kinda cool, right?
Now let me tell you what has become the industry standard when it comes to presentations—and that’s PowerPoint. It’s a Microsoft 365 product, and I’ll be honest: I’m terrible at using it. Our club president, Doc, is really good at it. I am not. I wish I were. But here’s the interesting part: Google has Slides.
I gave the last presentation to the club last month. I had my PowerPoint ready, but I came to the club with my Google Chromebook. I simply opened the PowerPoint in Google Slides and presented it that way.
This seems to be the standard in the industry now. Everyone uses different presentation software—primarily PowerPoint—but when it’s time to actually give presentations, especially at large conferences, the default tends to be Google Workspace and Slides.
So when people present their PowerPoint files, they’re often actually being presented via Google Slides. This keeps everything uniform throughout the event.
I was at a conference a couple of years ago with many rooms and many speakers. Everyone had to upload their PowerPoint files in advance, and the organizers converted them into Google Slides for presentation. So my PowerPoint was actually presented through Google Slides—just like everyone else’s.
So there’s a difference: one of them costs money.
And by the way, I’ve spent a lot of money with Microsoft over the years. I eventually bought the original Microsoft Office, which included Word, Excel, PowerPoint—and Publisher. Remember Publisher? That was interesting.
Now, what made Google Workspace famous was real-time collaboration. It was incredibly easy to work with others, all in real time. Microsoft 365 wasn’t strong in that area at first, but it’s come a long way and is now solid with collaboration tools too.
As for offline vs. online focus: Google is primarily cloud-based. Offline access is available, but it takes a little setup. Personally, I’ve only ever used it online.
Microsoft 365, on the other hand, offers fully featured desktop apps—and I really like that.
File storage? Google Workspace uses Google Drive as its central hub. Microsoft 365 uses OneDrive and SharePoint.
When it comes to licensing and pricing, both are subscription models. You can’t actually own Microsoft 365 anymore—you have to rent it. There are different monthly payment plans; I think I’m paying around $8 a month.
Google Workspace has a similar pricing structure for its professional version, but I just use the free version—like almost everyone else I know.
So that, in a nutshell, is the difference.
What’s my recommendation? Well, that’s just my opinion. And my opinion is: I’m always going to be a Microsoft Word kind of guy. But I’m also using a lot of Google products—especially Google Slides.
What are your thoughts?