Google Docs vs Office 365: Features & Pricing Guide

Even if you’re not an avid computer user, you’ve probably at least heard of Google Docs and Office 365, two powerhouses in the realm of collaborative productivity software. The two have been around for a while, bringing forth easy-to-use document editing and simple ways for teams to work on documents together.

Which one is best for your needs? In this guide, we’ll compare Google Docs vs. Office 365 to help you decide.

What are Google Docs and Office 365?

Google Docs is a free document editor that you can use alone or collaborate with others to create documents from scratch or using templates. When you sign up for a free Google account, you’ll get access to Google Docs and the following Google apps:

• Sheets
• Slides
• Keep
• Gmail
• Google Drive

Office 365 has been rebranded to Microsoft 365, which is a suite of productivity apps. Microsoft 365 is free for a basic account, which includes:

• Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• OneDrive
• Outlook
• Teams
• OneNote

Both platforms have cloud-based apps that you can access via the web or mobile devices, but Microsoft 365 also offers desktop apps if you switch to a paid version.

Comparing Google Docs vs. Office 365

Learn how Google Docs and Office 365 compare in the following sections.

Interface and Templates

Google Docs has an incredibly simple interface. When you sign in, you’ll see your most recent documents, but you can sort them by other characteristics, like their titles or the date you last modified them. You’ll also have the option of creating a blank document or choosing a template from around 50 options.

Google Docs templates

The document interface is also relatively minimal with a small menu, a sidebar to keep track of your document’s sections, and a toolbar with the most common editing tools.

Google Docs document interface

Microsoft 365 has a much more robust interface, giving you access to templates at the top, resources to help you learn how to use its tools, and quick links to all available apps on the left sidebar.

Microsoft 365 templates

When you open the document dashboard, you’ll notice it also has more options than Google Docs but without feeling overwhelming. You can also choose from templates in the right sidebar.

Microsoft 365 document interface with templates sidebar

Storage

Microsoft 365’s free plan gives you 5 GB of space for storing your documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and other content. With Google Docs and the free Google suite, you’ll have 15 GB of space shared among your documents, emails, and everything else saved in Google Drive.

Collaboration

Google Docs and Office 365 are built for a modern workforce, making remote collaboration a priority for both. You can work on documents in real time in Docs and Word, track changes, and see who’s doing what to the document. They also include built-in chat functions to communicate with others as you work.

If video meetings are a key part of your workflow, Google Workspace allows up to 500 regular participants (plus 500 view-only), while Microsoft Teams supports up to 1,000 regular participants and an additional 9,000 view-only - for a total of 10,000.

Security

Both platforms prioritize data security. Google Workspace uses AI-driven technology to detect threats across Gmail and its other applications, along with two-step verification, data loss prevention, and a security dashboard with real-time alerts.

Microsoft 365 takes security a step further with multi-factor authentication to secure accounts. It also offers data loss prevention and built-in spam and malware detection.

Third-Party Integrations

Google has its own marketplace with over 5,000 third-party apps, plus over 200 SSO apps and other integration types like LDAP-based apps. Microsoft 365 is more limited in this area, though it supports connections to popular platforms like HubSpot, Zapier, and Okta, and users can build custom apps to connect to their account.

Supported File Types

Google Docs can open Microsoft Word documents and numerous other file types, like PDF, JPEG, zipped HTML, and Rich Text Format. However, the formatting on some files may not transfer cleanly to a Google Doc.

Microsoft Word supports numerous types of .doc formats, including the newest .docx and other Word files, like .dotm and .docm. PDFs are also editable through Microsoft Word. If you foresee needing to edit older documents, Microsoft Word is the better choice, as Google Docs is mostly compatible with newer formats.

Pricing

Google Docs and Microsoft 365 both have free versions with limited storage and apps. With either one, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan for additional storage and features.

For an upgraded Google Docs experience, you’ll need Google Workspace, which starts at $6 per user per month. This gives you at least 30 GB of storage in your Drive, a custom business email, and video meetings with at least 100 participants. All Google Workspace plans include the same apps, but higher-priced plans (up to $18/user/month for Business Plus) offer additional storage and more video meeting participants.

Microsoft 365 offers more plan variety. Personal use plans start at $6.99/month and business plans range from $6 to $26.40 per user per month. All paid plans include access to desktop app versions and at least 1 TB of cloud storage. The Family plan offers up to 6 TB of shared space.

The Lowdown: Google Docs vs. Office 365

If you’re looking strictly for document editing apps that you can use to collaborate with others, Google Docs and Microsoft 365 both fit the bill. Google Docs has more free storage and a simpler interface, while Microsoft 365 offers desktop apps with its paid version and supports older file types as well as new file types.

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Google Docs is available for free, but it’s also part of Google Workspace, Google’s full suite of cloud-based productivity tools, which you might be considering for the purpose of a shared inbox. While it’s possible to create a shared mailbox in Google Workspace or view multiple Gmail accounts in one inbox, SupportBee saves you the hassle with a shared inbox solution that’s designed for effortless email collaboration.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can Google Docs replace Microsoft Office?

Google Docs is just one app in the Google suite, while Microsoft Office (now called Microsoft 365) is a suite of apps. In that sense, Google Docs can’t replace the full Microsoft Office suite. However, it can be an alternative to Microsoft Word, Microsoft’s document editing and collaboration app. Both have very similar features, although Microsoft Word has a desktop version in addition to its cloud app. Google Docs is solely cloud-based.

Why do people still use Microsoft Word instead of Google Docs?

Some people prefer Microsoft Word because of its available desktop app. Its interface is also more robust, offering more advanced editing tools right on the homepage. Additionally, Microsoft Word supports old and new document types, while Google Docs generally only works with newer file types.

Can I use Google Docs and Office 365 offline?

Yes, Google Docs and Microsoft 365 are available offline, meaning that you don’t need an internet connection to edit documents with the apps. Then, once you have an internet connection, your changes made within the apps will sync.

Should I move from Google Workspace to Office 365?

Office 365 might be a better option if you prefer more robust security features, need to integrate with other Microsoft tools, or want desktop apps alongside cloud versions. On the other hand, Google Workspace is better known for its simplicity, broader third-party integrations, and its ability to work with files created through either platform.

Is Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 cheaper?

Both products have similar pricing, starting at $6 per user per month for a basic-tier plan. However, Microsoft 365 has more plan types - including Personal and Family tiers - giving you more pricing options to fit your budget.

What are the disadvantages of using Google Workspace?

Because Google Workspace is fully cloud-based, you could run into issues if your internet connection drops. Microsoft 365’s desktop apps work offline without this limitation. Google Workspace apps are also generally simpler than Microsoft 365’s versions, so they may not suit businesses that need advanced document editing or data analysis features.