Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace: Which Is Better for Perth Small Businesses?

One of the most common questions we get from Perth small businesses is: should we use Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?

Both are solid platforms. Both work. The right choice depends on your team, your industry, and how you work. Here's an honest breakdown.

What Each Platform Includes

Microsoft 365 gives you:

• Outlook (email + calendar)
• Teams (chat, calls, video meetings)
• Word, Excel, PowerPoint (desktop and web)
• OneDrive (cloud storage)
• SharePoint (intranet and file sharing)
• Exchange (business email hosting)

Google Workspace gives you:

• Gmail (email + calendar)
• Google Meet (video meetings)
• Chat (messaging)
• Docs, Sheets, Slides (web-based)
• Drive (cloud storage)
• Sites (basic intranet)

Where Microsoft 365 Wins

Desktop applications matter to you. If your team needs full-featured Word, Excel, or PowerPoint — particularly for complex documents or spreadsheets — Microsoft is the clear winner. The web versions of Google's tools are good, but they don't match the depth of Microsoft's desktop apps.

You work with external clients on Microsoft files. If your clients, suppliers, or industry uses .docx and .xlsx formats, staying in the Microsoft ecosystem avoids constant conversion friction.

You need advanced security and compliance. Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes Defender for Business, Intune device management, and Azure AD — features that are hard to match in Google Workspace at a similar price point.

You use Teams for calls. Microsoft Teams Phone integration is mature and cost-effective, especially if you're replacing a traditional phone system.

Where Google Workspace Wins

Your team is primarily browser-based. If most work happens in a browser on basic documents, Google Workspace is simpler, faster to deploy, and often cheaper.

You value real-time collaboration. Google Docs' live multi-user editing is genuinely excellent and has always been its core strength.

Your team is comfortable with Google. Staff already using Gmail personally will adapt immediately — zero learning curve.

You run a startup or lean team. Google Workspace is easier to administer at small scale and has very competitive pricing for the basics.

The Honest Answer

For most Perth small businesses in professional services, trades, healthcare, or industries where document quality and security matter — Microsoft 365 is the better fit.

For startups, creative agencies, or businesses that live in the browser — Google Workspace is often simpler and more than enough.

The worst outcome is choosing based on price alone and ending up with a platform your team fights against every day.

Migrating Between Platforms

If you're on Google and want to move to Microsoft (or vice versa), it's more straightforward than most people expect. Email, calendar, and contacts migrate cleanly. Files need some work, but for most businesses it's a one-day project.

We've done plenty of both. Get in touch if you'd like advice on which direction makes sense for your team.