Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?
The two platforms solve the same core job — mail, calendar, documents, storage and collaboration in the cloud — but they go about it differently. The right choice rarely comes down to a feature list; it depends on what you already use, how you work, and your requirements for security and data.
In short
- The choice is usually decided by your existing tools, file formats and workflows — not by a single feature.
- Microsoft 365 is strong on Office files and Teams; Google Workspace on lightweight, browser-based real-time collaboration.
- Both can be run in a GDPR-compliant way, but the data processing agreement, data location and access control must be in place regardless of platform.
- The switch costs most in mail, calendar and ingrained habits — plan the migration rather than force it.
What actually decides it?
Both platforms cover what most companies need, and the difference in feature lists matters less than many assume. What really decides it is your starting point: which applications your staff already know, which file formats circulate internally and with customers, and how well the platform fits your other systems.
Consider also where the work happens. If the day revolves around heavy documents, spreadsheets with macros and desktop programs, that pulls in one direction. If you are browser-based, mobile and used to several people editing at once, that pulls in another. Both are possible on either platform — but one will feel more natural than the other depending on your habits.
- Which applications and file formats do you already use day to day?
- Which systems must the platform integrate with (ERP, finance, CRM, industry software)?
- How mobile, browser-based or desktop-heavy is your workflow?
- What are your requirements for security, access control and data location?
Apps and the daily workflow
Microsoft 365 is built on the familiar Office suite — Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook — available both as fully featured desktop programs and as web versions. For companies with advanced spreadsheets, formatted reports or macros, the desktop versions are still hard to match, and many customers and authorities expect Office files.
Google Workspace was born in the browser. Docs, Sheets and Slides are lighter and quicker to open, work well across devices and make it simple to share a link. In return they are not as deep as desktop Office, and complex Office files can shift slightly in appearance when opened in Google’s tools.
In practice, many choose the platform their staff already know. Training costs time, and familiarity with the tools often matters more for productivity than a single feature that exists in one place and not the other.
Collaboration and file storage
Real-time collaboration — several people editing the same document at once — was originally Google’s strength, and Workspace still feels very frictionless here. Microsoft 365 has caught up on most of it and offers co-authoring in both the web and desktop versions, though the experience can vary a little between the two.
On the storage side, files live in Google Drive on Workspace and in OneDrive and SharePoint on Microsoft 365. OneDrive covers personal storage, while SharePoint handles shared libraries, version control and permissions at department or project level. Combined with Teams, Microsoft 365 becomes a single hub for chat, meetings and documents, which is often a decisive factor for Danish companies.
Google has an equivalent set with Meet, Chat and shared drives that is simpler to grasp but also less deep in permissions and administration. If you need fine-grained control over who can see what, that favours Microsoft’s model; if you want the light and fast option, that favours Google’s.
Security, GDPR and data location
Both platforms deliver strong baseline security: encryption, spam filtering, access via two-factor and central tools for managing devices and users. The difference rarely lies in whether the security exists, but in how it is set up and maintained. A platform is only as secure as the configuration it runs with.
For Danish companies, GDPR is the central question. Both Microsoft and Google are data processors and offer a data processing agreement, and both have data centres in the EU. You should make sure the agreement is signed, that data is stored in the EU where relevant, and that transfers to third countries are handled on a valid basis. This applies regardless of which platform you choose.
Be aware, too, that neither platform backs up your data in the way many assume. A deletion or a compromised login can mean loss unless you have an independent backup on top of the platform. That is a requirement whether you land on Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.
Licensing, price and migration
Both platforms are sold as a subscription per user per month with several tiers. Price alone is rarely decisive, because the tiers include different things — storage, security features, compliance tools and desktop programs. So compare the tier that actually meets your needs, rather than the lowest list price.
The switch itself is what takes the most planning. Mail and calendar must move without lost messages or appointments, file shares and permissions must be recreated, and staff must adjust to new tools. A migration is best handled in stages with a clear plan for mailboxes, files and training, so operations do not stall along the way.
Webits works closely with Microsoft 365 day to day, and for most Danish SMBs we most often recommend and run that platform — particularly where Office files, Teams and shared libraries are central. But the right choice depends on your starting point, and we are happy to assess the need soberly and handle the migration itself, wherever you are coming from.
Next steps
Use our guide to choosing the right process, or read about how Webits works with IT automation and system integrations. A concrete assessment starts with your current workflow, not with a particular tool.