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Google Workspace vs Microsoft Exchange comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 6, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
8.8
Google Workspace boosts productivity and collaboration, offering streamlined tools and flexibility despite variable costs and returns per organization.
Sentiment score
7.2
Microsoft Exchange improves productivity and efficiency by 30%-50% with varied ROI, especially through cost-effective cloud deployment and essential functions.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.7
Google Workspace's support is efficient and user-friendly; however, users seek improved communication and direct contact options.
Sentiment score
6.2
Microsoft Exchange support is valued for expertise but often criticized for slow response, high costs, and mixed satisfaction.
In the past, we experienced a problem with automatic emails being blocked, and the support team resolved the issue quickly.
The Microsoft support structure, while technically proficient, involves case transfers across different global locations.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
Google Workspace offers scalable, cloud-based solutions enabling effortless growth, efficient management, and seamless integration for businesses of all sizes.
Sentiment score
7.6
Microsoft Exchange is scalable and flexible, supporting thousands of users with options for on-premise and cloud solutions.
It supports around 2,500 users in our company, and this scalability assists us in maintaining our infrastructure.
Scalability involves another configuration with a new email configuration, involving some authentication issues with Microsoft Outlook.
The licensing and associated costs make it challenging to scale, especially when user numbers increase.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.6
Google Workspace is highly stable and reliable, with users rating it nine or ten, despite minor Outlook integration issues.
Sentiment score
7.6
Microsoft Exchange is stable and reliable, with occasional glitches from updates, needing regular updates but rarely experiencing downtime.
This stability is crucial to us because it ensures we do not lose communication or connection while using messaging and accessing files.
The only issue is collaboration with Outlook, where I am having a bit of a problem.
 

Room For Improvement

Google Workspace needs improved integration, enhanced features, better security, automation, and offline capabilities to compete with Microsoft Office.
Microsoft Exchange faces criticism for storage limits, complex licensing, security, integration issues, high pricing, and usability challenges.
The new integration was implemented last September, and we are facing some issues with OAuth 2.0 authentication.
The security functionalities are similar to those in competitors like Active Directory, but they could be optimized for stronger security features.
The biggest issue with Microsoft Exchange is its high cost, especially in pricing for license upgrades and expansion to more users.
 

Setup Cost

Enterprise buyers find Google Workspace affordable, despite lacking some apps, with pricing rated five to eight out of ten.
Evaluating Microsoft Exchange reveals varied pricing experiences influenced by company size, licensing complexity, and feature needs.
The current cost is approximately seven to ten euros per user per month.
Microsoft Exchange is costly, and its licensing model can be expensive over time as more users require licenses.
 

Valuable Features

Google Workspace enhances productivity with affordable Gmail, collaboration tools, seamless integration, and secure multi-user access for efficient teamwork.
Microsoft Exchange excels in email integration, security, and compatibility, enhancing productivity and collaboration in enterprise environments.
These tools enhance productivity by allowing us to edit the same file at the same time, making collaboration much smoother.
The valuable features include the email service, email updates, and Google Drive.
Microsoft Exchange is a user-friendly and easy-to-deploy solution, which is beneficial for handling emails even without professional support.
 

Categories and Ranking

Google Workspace
Ranking in Email Applications
1st
Ranking in Wireless Email
2nd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
102
Ranking in other categories
Cloud Storage (6th), Content Collaboration Platforms (3rd)
Microsoft Exchange
Ranking in Email Applications
3rd
Ranking in Wireless Email
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
92
Ranking in other categories
File Archiving (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Email Applications category, the mindshare of Google Workspace is 22.2%, down from 24.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Exchange is 11.4%, down from 12.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Email Applications
 

Featured Reviews

Sunil-Nair - PeerSpot reviewer
Email collaboration and accessibility have improved team productivity
The valuable features include the email service, email updates, and Google Drive. People are given email access to Google Drive. The team can share manual files and work accordingly. They can access different teams from anywhere, collectively putting files, sharing them, and managing them. Additionally, the manufacturing product does not require any downgrades. It works fine and continuously for the last three or four years. Users can access their emails from anywhere in their browser without a laptop or can directly access from Gmail. This is helpful for salespeople.
Hesham Hussain - PeerSpot reviewer
A good solution for large enterprises, but is expensive when compared to other solutions
Regarding the decision of increasing the number of users, it depends on the organization's choice, whether to opt for CapEx or OpEx. Both options involve expenses over the years. Building an in-house Exchange solution requires investing in hardware, storage, connectivity, and administrative resources. Office 365 shifts the budget solely to OpEx as a subscription service. Scalability is another factor. Starting a new company favors Office 365 due to cost efficiency. As the organization grows, the choice depends on available resources and technical expertise. An internal Exchange setup is feasible with skilled engineers, while Office 365 suits those lacking in-house resources.
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Email Applications solutions are best for your needs.
851,604 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Educational Organization
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Computer Software Company
15%
Government
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Google Workspace?
Easy-to-build forms are allowing me to get feedback and information from my internal teams as well as from the customers very efficiently with the result data in structured manner.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Google Workspace?
The pricing for Google Workspace is moderate. I would rate it a five out of ten, indicating it is neither cheap nor expensive. The current cost is approximately seven to ten euros per user per mont...
What needs improvement with Google Workspace?
I do not have any major suggestions for improvement. However, while the security functionalities are similar to those in competitors like Active Directory, they could be optimized for stronger secu...
How does Zimbra Collaboration compare with Microsoft Exchange?
Zimbra is a free, open source collaborative software suite. The features I like best are the ease of integration and the email, calendar, and collaboration server with web interface. In addition, I...
What do you like most about Microsoft Exchange?
The initial setup was straightforward and fast.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Exchange?
The licensing and pricing are quite costly, which can demotivate customers from opting for features and upgrades. However, the solution provides value for money if one is well-acquainted with Excha...
 

Also Known As

G-Suite Enterprise, G-Suite, Google Apps for Business, G Suite Basic, G Suite Business, G-Suite Basic, G-Suite Business, Google Vault
Exchange, MS Exchange
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

There are over five million businesses that use Google Apps for Business worldwide. Some key customers include The Roche Group, National Geographic, American Red Cross, City of Los Angeles, Flight Centre, and Konica Minolta.
Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport, Scitec Nutrition, British Airways, InnoGames, Osteology Foundation, Franz Haniel & Cie. GmbH, NTC Contracting
Find out what your peers are saying about Google Workspace vs. Microsoft Exchange and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
851,604 professionals have used our research since 2012.