Microsoft Office and Google Workspace: Great Options For Small and Medium Enterprise

 

About Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office is a suite of productivity software developed by Microsoft Corporation. It is one of the most widely used office software suites in the world and has been available in various versions for over three decades.

Microsoft Office is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and mobile devices, and can be purchased through a variety of licensing models, including one-time purchases, subscriptions, and cloud-based versions such as Office 365. The software is designed to be highly customizable and supports a range of integrations with other software and services.

About Google Workspace

Google Workspace, formerly G Suite, or Google for Business, is a Google product which consist of a collection of tools and apps with advanced options available for a monthly fee. We have acknowledged that Google has been working hard for years developing a variety of tools to help people out. Some of them, like Gmail and Google docs are part of their collections that you may have already use nowadays.

In Google Workspace,  the free version of Google Docs and Gmail take several steps further. Both of them has been combining into one big package specifically designed for all scale of businesses, from a solo freelancer to a larger corporation. All can use Google Workspace to create, collaborate, communicate and generally be productive in a all of situations.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Between the Two Products

Both Microsoft Office and Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite) offer a suite of productivity tools that can benefit small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in different ways. Here are some key factors to consider when choosing between the two:

·         Cost: Google Workspace is generally cheaper than Microsoft Office, with plans starting at $6 per user per month compared to Office 365 plans that start at $8.25 per user per month.

·         Collaboration: Both tools are great for collaboration, but Google Workspace is more streamlined for team-based projects with real-time collaboration features for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.

·         Integration: If your SME is already using Microsoft tools like Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint, then Microsoft Office may be a better choice for you as these tools integrate seamlessly with the rest of the Office suite. On the other hand, Google Workspace offers native integration with a wide range of third-party apps.

·         Storage: Both Microsoft Office and Google Workspace provide cloud-based storage for documents and files. Google Workspace offers 30GB of storage for its basic plan, while Microsoft offers 1TB of storage for its Office 365 Business Premium plan.

·         Mobility: Google Workspace is more mobile-friendly, with apps available for both Android and iOS devices. Microsoft Office also has mobile apps but may not be as fully featured as the desktop version.

·         Security: Both tools offer robust security features, but Microsoft Office is typically preferred by SMEs that require strict compliance with regulations such as HIPAA or PCI.

Microsoft Office Sales Report Overview

Some information about Microsoft Office's reported performance during the period between 2019 and 2021 can be seen as follows:

·         In July 2019, Microsoft announced that its commercial cloud revenue had surpassed $38 billion, with Office 365 being a significant driver of that revenue growth. In October 2019, the company reported that there were over 200 million monthly active commercial users of Office 365.

·         In July 2020, Microsoft reported that its overall revenue for the previous fiscal year (ending June 30, 2020) was $143 billion, a 14% increase from the previous year. The company did not provide specific revenue figures for Office 365 or Microsoft Office, but it did report that commercial cloud revenue had increased by 36% year-over-year.

·         In April 2021, Microsoft reported that its commercial cloud revenue had increased to $16.7 billion, a 33% increase year-over-year. The company also reported that there were now over 1.3 billion devices running Windows 10, which includes installations of Microsoft Office.

Google Workspace Sales Report Overview

On the other hand, there are also some interesting facts and informations about Google Workspace's reported performance during the period between 2019 and 2021, which can be described as follows:

·         In October 2020, Google announced that the total number of paid Google Workspace users had surpassed 6 million. In a blog post, the company also stated that they had added more than 1 million new paying customers in the previous year. However, the specific sales figures for Google Workspace during this time are not publicly available.

·         During this period, Google Workspace continued to expand its offering, with new features and updates to existing tools. In 2020, Google introduced new features to Meet, its video conferencing tool, to support remote work and distance learning. Additionally, the company rebranded G Suite to Google Workspace, which was meant to signal a more integrated suite of tools.

Conclusions

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the demand for cloud-based productivity tools like Microsoft Office and Google Workspace. The sudden shift to remote work and virtual collaboration led to increased demand for tools like video conferencing, document collaboration, and cloud storage. Microsoft Office and Google Workspace were well-positioned to meet this demand, which likely contributed to their growth during this period.

The choice between Microsoft Office and Google Workspace depends on the specific needs of your SME. If collaboration and cost are a priority, Google Workspace may be the better choice. If you need strong integration with Microsoft's other tools or require strict security features, Microsoft Office may be the better option.