Productivity suites compared
Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace: Which Is Right for Irish Businesses?
Pick the wrong productivity suite and you feel it every day: fighting file formats, retraining staff, paying for tools nobody opens. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace both promise email, documents, storage and video calls in one subscription, and on the surface they look interchangeable. They are not. The gap shows up in cost, in security, and in how your team actually works.
Best suited to
In short
So how do the two compare for an Irish business?
In short, Microsoft 365 suits teams that live in desktop Office, handle sensitive data, or already run on Windows. Google Workspace suits teams that work in the browser, want simple collaboration, and prefer less to manage. Most Irish SMEs land on Microsoft, but not all of them should, and the reasons are what this guide is about.
Below, Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace is compared on the things that actually decide it: Irish pricing in euro, apps, storage, security, GDPR, migration and backup. By the end you will know which one fits the way your business runs.
The verdict up front
Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace: the short answer for Irish businesses
For most Irish businesses, Microsoft 365 is the stronger all-round choice because of its desktop apps, deeper security tooling and fit with Windows. Google Workspace wins for browser-first teams that value simple, fast collaboration and want less IT to manage.
Price is close at the entry level, so the decision comes down to how your team works, not cost alone.
A quick way to place yourself:
Lean toward Microsoft 365if your team relies on full Excel, Word and Outlook, handles regulated or sensitive data, runs Windows laptops, or works with clients who send Office files all day.
Lean toward Google Workspaceif your team works mostly in the browser, prizes real-time co-editing, has little or no in-house IT, and does not need heavyweight desktop apps.
Neither is a wrong answer on its own. The rest of this guide shows where each one pulls ahead.
Head to head
Functional comparison at a glance
Here is the head-to-head on the points Irish businesses ask about most. Microsoft prices are Irish list prices per user per month on an annual plan, before VAT. Google prices are approximate euro list prices on the same basis.
| Feature | Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price (per user/month, ex-VAT) | €5.20 (Business Basic) | around €6.90 (Business Starter) |
| Desktop apps | Yes, from Business Standard up | No, browser-first |
| Email and calendar | Outlook and Exchange | Gmail |
| Meetings | Microsoft Teams | Google Meet |
| Cloud storage | 1 TB per user | Pooled, 30 GB to 5 TB per user |
| Built-in AI | Copilot, paid add-on | Gemini, included in plans |
| Security and compliance | Deep on Business Premium (Defender, Intune, Purview) | Strong, with simpler defaults |
| Best suited to | Desktop-heavy, regulated, Microsoft-centric teams | Browser-first, collaboration-led, lean-IT teams |
The table shows the shape of the decision. The sections below explain the trade-offs behind each row.
Euro pricing
Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace pricing in Ireland: which costs less?
At the entry level, Microsoft 365 is slightly cheaper in Ireland, and it includes more storage per user. Microsoft 365 Business Basic is €5.20 per user per month on an annual plan, before VAT, against roughly €6.90 for Google Workspace Business Starter. Both prices exclude Irish VAT at 23%, so add that before you compare invoices.
Here is how the main tiers line up per user per month, annual commitment, before VAT:
| Tier | Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | €5.20 Business Basic (web apps, 1 TB) | around €6.90 Business Starter (web apps, 30 GB pooled) |
| Mid | €10.83 Business Standard (desktop apps, 1 TB) | around €13.80 Business Standard (web apps, 2 TB pooled) |
| Higher | €19.06 Business Premium (desktop apps, full security stack) | Business Plus (web apps, 5 TB pooled) |
Two differences change the real cost:
1. Storage works differently: Microsoft gives each user their own 1 TB, while Google pools storage across the whole organisation, so how much you spend on extra space over time depends on your total headcount and file volume. If storage growth is a concern, it is worth checking what topping up cloud storage per user tends to cost before you commit, because the two models diverge as you scale.
2. AI is priced differently: Google now includes its Gemini assistant across Workspace plans. Microsoft charges for Copilot as an add-on at €18.20 per user per month, which can more than double a seat's cost if you want it. For AI on every desk at no extra charge, Google has the edge today.
Apps
Application Comparison: desktop Office or browser-first?
This is the difference that decides it for most teams. Microsoft 365 gives you full desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook that run offline and handle large, complex files.
Google Workspace is browser-first: Docs, Sheets, Slides and Gmail run in a tab, built from the ground up for real-time collaboration rather than heavy document work.
Where Microsoft 365 wins
Detailed spreadsheets, long formatted documents and client-ready presentations. Desktop Excel and Word still do things the web versions and Google's apps cannot match, especially offline or with large files. That depth is a big part of the wider Microsoft 365 toolset Irish small businesses lean on, and it is why sectors like accounting, construction and legal rarely move away from it.
Where Google Workspace wins
Live, shared work. Several people editing one document at once, with no version confusion and nothing to install, is where Workspace shines. For teams whose work is fast, shared and browser-based, Google feels lighter day to day.
Where it is close
Outlook versus Gmail usually comes down to habit. Teams versus Google Meet is near-even, though Teams doubles as a full chat and calling hub while Meet stays focused on video. If Teams becomes your main workspace, it is worth knowing how Microsoft 365 helps small businesses run.
Security and compliance
Security and compliance: where Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace differ
Both suites are secure, but Microsoft 365 offers deeper built-in security and compliance tooling, which matters most for regulated Irish businesses.
On Business Premium, Microsoft bundles Defender for Business, Intune device management, Entra ID identity protection and Purview compliance controls into the per-user price.
Google Workspace covers the security basics well, including two-step verification, strong spam and phishing filtering and admin controls, but its governance tooling is lighter and often needs more assembly.
For a small team with standard needs, either suite is safe when set up correctly. The difference shows in regulated work, where Microsoft includes more out of the box:
| Security need | Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace |
|---|---|---|
| Classify and protect sensitive data | Built in (Purview) | Add-ons or higher tiers |
| Company device management | Built in (Intune) on Premium | Basic, deeper on higher tiers |
| Identity and access controls | Built in (Entra ID) on Premium | Strong baseline |
| Prove compliance to an auditor | More complete, easier to evidence | Achievable, more assembly |
However, one gap sits on both platforms: email is still the main way attacks get in, so many Irish businesses layer a dedicated email security solution over whichever suite they run rather than relying on the built-in filtering alone.
GDPR duties
Which suite suits Irish businesses and their GDPR duties?
For Irish businesses, both suites can be run in a GDPR-compliant way, but Microsoft 365 gives you more built-in help to prove it. Two points decide it:
- Data residency: a tie. Both let you keep core data in the EU, Microsoft through its EU Data Boundary and Google through Data Regions on its higher plans. That covers the residency question the Data Protection Commission cares about, on either platform.
- Compliance tooling: Microsoft ahead. Its built-in controls for GDPR obligations, from data classification to retention and eDiscovery, are more complete and easier to evidence in an audit. That is a real advantage for regulated sectors like financial services and healthcare, where Google can get there but with more moving parts.
If your business already leans on Microsoft for this, it is worth understanding how Microsoft 365 supports GDPR before you weigh a move to Google, because switching can mean rebuilding compliance workflows you already trust.
Migration cost
Switching between Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace: what migration really costs
Moving between the two is doable, but the real cost is rarely the licence. Email, calendars and contacts migrate with standard tools. The expensive parts are the ones businesses forget, and they are worth pricing before you commit:
- Retraining. A team fluent in Sheets will not be instantly fluent in Excel, and the reverse is just as true. Budget real time for the learning curve.
- Automations. Google Apps Script and Excel macros do not transfer cleanly, so they usually need rebuilding rather than converting.
- File libraries. Large SharePoint or Drive libraries need a mapped, tested migration so nothing is lost or left behind.
None of this makes migration a bad idea. It just means the smart move is to price the whole change, not only the subscription.
Backup gap
Do Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace back up your data?
No, and this catches a lot of Irish businesses out. Neither Microsoft 365 nor Google Workspace keeps a true backup of your data. Both run a shared responsibility model: they keep the service available, but protecting and recovering your own content is your job. Deleted files and mailboxes are only recoverable for a limited window, after which they are usually gone for good.
That gap is the same whichever suite you choose, so it should not sway the decision, but it should be on your list. Common events that put data beyond the built-in recovery windows:
- Accidental deletion found weeks or months later
- A departing employee's mailbox and files removed with their account
- A ransomware attack that encrypts data before you notice
This is the gap an independent, managed backup is built to close, by keeping a separate copy you control and can restore. Whichever suite you land on, treat backup as a separate decision rather than an afterthought.
Making the call
How to choose the right Suite for your business
Choose on how your team works, not on the headline price, because the two are close on cost.
The decision usually comes down to three questions:
- What do your staff use all day? Desktop Excel, Word and Outlook point to Microsoft 365. Browser-based, real-time work points to Google Workspace.
- How regulated is your data? Sensitive or audited data leans Microsoft, for the built-in compliance tooling. Standard data runs safely on either.
- How much IT do you want to manage? A lean team with no in-house IT often finds Google simpler. A Windows-and-Office setup usually stays on Microsoft.
Most Irish SMEs settle on Microsoft 365 for the desktop apps, the security tooling and the fit with how they already work, but the right answer is the one that suits your team, not the crowd. If you would rather not weigh it up alone, Radium helps Irish businesses choose between Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.
Frequently asked questions
Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace questions from Irish businesses.
Is Microsoft 365 better than Google Workspace for business?
It depends on how your team works. Microsoft 365 is stronger for desktop apps, security tooling and regulated work, which is why most Irish SMEs choose it. Google Workspace is better for browser-first teams that value simple, real-time collaboration and minimal IT. Neither is universally better; the right pick matches your workflow.
Is Microsoft 365 cheaper than Google Workspace in Ireland?
At the entry level, slightly. Microsoft 365 Business Basic is €5.20 per user per month on an annual plan before VAT, against roughly €6.90 for Google Workspace Business Starter. Microsoft also gives each user 1 TB of storage, while Google pools storage across the organisation. Both exclude Irish VAT at 23%.
Can you migrate from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365?
Yes. Email, calendars and contacts move with standard migration tools, and documents can be moved too. The bigger costs are retraining staff, rebuilding automations like macros and Apps Script, and moving large file libraries. A planned, tested migration avoids data loss and downtime, so price the whole change rather than just the new subscription.
Which is better for a small business in Ireland, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?
For a small Irish business that uses desktop Office, handles sensitive data, or runs Windows, Microsoft 365 usually fits best. For a lean, browser-based team that wants simple collaboration and little IT overhead, Google Workspace can be the better and simpler choice. Start from how your team actually works day to day.
Are Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace GDPR compliant?
Both can be run in a GDPR-compliant way, and both let you keep core data in the EU for data residency. Microsoft 365 offers more built-in compliance tooling, such as data classification and retention, which makes obligations easier to evidence in an audit. Google can meet the same requirements, usually with more add-ons.
Do Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace back up your data?
No. Neither keeps a true backup. Both run a shared responsibility model, where they keep the service available but you are responsible for protecting and recovering your data. Deleted files and mailboxes are only recoverable for a limited window. An independent backup is needed on either platform to keep a copy you control.