Google Workspace has been a go-to productivity suite for small businesses for years. However, over the past few years, more and more companies have been rethinking their relationship with Google and switching to Microsoft 365. Rising costs, rigid licensing, and limitations on flexibility are driving this shift, and at Zarpra, we’ve helped many businesses successfully make the transition.

In this post, we break down why small businesses are moving away from Google Workspace, what Microsoft 365 offers instead, and how Zarpra makes the entire migration and management process seamless.

Rising Costs and Lack of Licensing Flexibility

Google Workspace pricing has continued to rise, making it harder for small businesses to justify spending, especially when many users don’t need the full suite of tools.

• Google Licensing Limitations: Google does not allow businesses to mix license tiers. If one employee requires a $26/month Business Plus license, all users must be on the same plan, even if others only use email.
• Microsoft 365 Flexibility: Microsoft allows you to mix and match licenses. For instance, frontline workers can be on a low-cost Exchange Online plan while office staff use Business Premium. This modular approach saves money without compromising functionality.

Shared Mailboxes: A Cost-Saving Feature Google Doesn’t Offer

Google Workspace lacks a native shared mailbox setup. If you want a shared address like [email protected], you’ll need to pay for a full license.

• Microsoft 365 Advantage: Shared mailboxes are free and include:
  • 50GB storage
  • Send/receive capabilities.
  • User-level permissions (no shared passwords)
• Bonus: Offboarded users’ mailboxes can be converted to shared mailboxes at no cost, saving hundreds annually. Google requires an “archive” license ($6–$9/month) just to retain past users’ data.

More Storage for Your Business Needs

Both platforms offer cloud storage, but Microsoft 365 provides more value:

• 1TB of OneDrive storage per user
• Pooled SharePoint storage for team collaboration and shared files

With MS365, businesses can scale storage intelligently across users and departments.

Microsoft Teams: All-in-One Collaboration Tool

While Teams can be polarizing, they offer tremendous value when used effectively:

• Integrated calendar, chat, email, and meetings
• Centralized file management
• Robust channel organization for departments or projects

Teams application is included in many Microsoft 365 plans at no additional cost, delivering a powerful communication platform for growing businesses.

Superior Built-In Security and Compliance

Microsoft 365 offers advanced security even at entry-level plans:

• Defender for Office 365: Basic anti-phishing, malware detection, and URL scanning
• Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Information Rights Management
• Built-in Conditional Access and multi-factor authentication (MFA)

These tools help protect small businesses from modern cyber threats, with no add-ons required.

Scalable Domain Management

• Google Limitation: Maximum of 600 domains allowed per tenant. Most of these are limited to alias or secondary usage.
• Microsoft 365 Flexibility: It supports up to 900 domains per tenant. You can easily assign domains at the user, group, or alias level, ideal for multi-brand or subsidiary management.

Included Productivity Apps with Real Business Use

Microsoft 365 includes a wide range of bundled applications to streamline workflows. A couple of Zarpra favorites are:

• OneNote: Capture meeting notes and sync across devices
• Forms: Create surveys and collect data with ease
• Bookings: Let clients schedule appointments online
• Sway: Create visually engaging presentations or newsletters
• Planner: Manage tasks and small projects with drag-and-drop simplicity
• Lists: Organize data and workflows with customizable tracking
• Power Automate: Automate repetitive tasks and integrate with third-party services
• Viva Engage: Enhance employee communication and engagement

Most of these tools are unavailable or require third-party solutions in Google Workspace.

Azure and Free IT Infrastructure Benefits

Every Microsoft 365 account comes with free access to Microsofts’ Entra ID and several other Azure services:

• Microsoft Entra ID for identity management
• Free virtual machine and storage tiers
• Access to serverless functions with Azure Logic Apps

Simplified SSO and Identity Management

Google Workspace often requires third-party tools like Okta or OneLogin to enable single sign-on (SSO) across apps.

Microsoft 365? It’s already built-in:

• Use Microsoft Entra ID to manage user identities
• Set up SSO for your entire app ecosystem
• Centralize security policies under one roof

This reduces complexity, saves money, and streamlines IT operations.