Microsoft Teams and Google Workspace Comparison

Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are productivity tools that let users perform tasks such as email, calendars, creating documents, spreadsheets and presentations, video conferencing, file management, and collaboration. The critical difference between them is that Microsoft 365 has desktop versions and is more feature-rich, whereas Google is only cloud-based. Review the comparison charts below which highlight the high points for each application’s main capabilities.

Article Contents

Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace

Microsoft Teams versus Google Workspace

• Capabilities within MS Teams and Google Workspace

OIT Knowledge Base Articles: Microsoft Teams and Google Workspace

References

Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace

Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace (formerly Google Suite) are powerful sets of productivity applications and services that help users create, share, connect, and collaborate. Microsoft 365 has desktop versions and is more feature-rich, whereas Google Workspace is only cloud-based. Review the comparison table below which highlight each application’s main features.

Feature	Microsoft 365	Google Workspace (GW)
File Sharing	Users can manage, organize, and edit shared files from cloud storage Microsoft 365 file-sharing guide	Enables file sharing via Google drive folders Google Workspace file-sharing guide
Permissions	Roles: Owner, Members, Visitors Permission Types: Anyone with the link People within the Organization People with existing access Specific people File Editing Levels: Edit, Review (suggest changes), View Only	Roles: Owner, Manager, Content Manager, Contributor, Commenter, Viewer Permission Types: Restricted (Only people with access can open link) People within the Organization Anyone with the link File Editing Levels: Edit, Comment, View & Comment, View Only
Collaboration	Between all MS apps. 365 applications are industry standards for document creation. However, uploading a 365 document to Google Docs may cause formatting issues. Simultaneous edits should be limited to 15 people at one time. If more than 15 people try to edit simultaneously, they will receive an error message until a space opens. Microsoft Teams: a collaboration hub. Please find additional information below.	Between all Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) apps. Google Workspace apps can open Microsoft Office documents and collaborate on them. It does not format Microsoft 365 documents well unless the document is downloaded and converted to Microsoft 365 format first. Sharing options vary by group size: 100 people with View, Edit, or Comment permissions work simultaneously on Google Docs and Sheets. No stand-alone application like MS Teams. Collaboration hub functions are available via the GMail interface.
Video/Audio Conferencing & Chat	Higher number of participants at meetings Built-in to Microsoft Teams Chat Searchable Video Calling, Meeting, and Conferencing Allows 1,000 active participants and 20,000 view-only attendees 1-to-1 chat with attendees within conferencing call	Google Meet-video conferencing: 500 participants in a call No chat within a conference Google Chat instant messaging
Cloud Storage	Microsoft OneDrive Personal: 5 TB Departments: 25 TB KB Article: Microsoft OneDrive: Check Your Quota Cloud Storage Options at UTK	Google Drive Faculty, Staff, and Grad Students: 1 TB Undergrad Students: 100 GB Departments: 100 GB KB Article: Google Drive: Check Your Quota Cloud Storage Options at UTK
Cost	Included with University of Tennessee subscription to Microsoft 365	Most features are included May cost for extra storage space or departmental domain site (OIT provides virtual server space for faculty, staff, and students — at no additional charge)
Applications	Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc. Over 80 different applications Desktop and Cloud versions; with slight differences Better for editing complex Excel and Word documents. The default tools for businesses worldwide. More feature rich and more powerful. Most faculty and staff can download 365 desktop applications on five personal computers and devices.	Gmail, Google Drive, Meet, Chat, Jamboard, Calendar, Keep, Forms, Sites, Docs, and Sheets Google applications are limited in their ability to produce and edit complex documents. Because Google is cloud-based, there is nothing to install on the local computer; it can be simpler to use. Workspace apps look and function the same on PC or Mac because they are cloud-based.
Platforms	Desktop, Mobile, Online - connects to all Microsoft 365 applications desktop and cloud	Online - cloud/browser based. No desktop versions
Calendar Sync / Sharing	Yes – Outlook desktop and online	Yes – Google Calendar
Note-Taking	OneNote is an expanded version of Keep that includes web clipper, text, sketch, pictures, note-taking, password protection, collaboration tools, and more.	Google Keep is a note-taking app that includes texts, voice, images, checklists, drawing (can be used as a collaboration whiteboard tool), and reminders
Security	Encryption protection of all files on OneDrive Email security filtering out malicious domains, attachments, and URLs	Spam filtering, malicious URL, and attachment scanning Email encryption
HIPPA Approved	Yes	Yes
FERPA Approved	Yes	Yes

 

Microsoft Teams versus Google Workspace

Microsoft Teams is a collaborative interface with direct access to almost all Microsoft applications while staying within the Teams application. Google's answer to Teams is Google Workspace. Unlike Teams, Workspace is a collection of applications connectable through Google Mail. There are many distinct aspects between Teams and Workspace as detailed in the comparison table below.

 

 

Knowledge Base Articles: Microsoft Teams and Google Workspace

The Knowledge Base articles linked below are based on the topics noted in the tables above. Additional articles for both Microsoft and Google applications are in development as usage increases and updates are released.

 

References

Comparisons

• Microsoft 365 vs. Google Workspace: Which productivity suite is best for your business?
• Microsoft 365 vs. Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) — Which is Best?
• Google Workspace vs. Microsoft Teams Comparison

Microsoft 365

• OIT | Microsoft 365
• Microsoft Applications available within Microsoft 365
  • File collaboration
  • Manage sharing settings
• Manage settings and permissions when SharePoint and Teams are integrated
• Collaborate in Word
  • Collaborate with real-time coauthoring
  • Coauthoring Word Limits
• OIT | Collaboration Tools
• Best practices for organizing teams in Microsoft Teams

Google Workspace

• For Education - General Info, Features, & Pricing
• For Business - General Info, Features, & Pricing
• Learning Center
• What's New
• Share and collaborate on files
• Migrate Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 with Migration Manager