Why Gmail for Business Is not Enough: Switch to Google Workspace | Techsense Labs Guide

Oct 28

4 min read

Gmail

Gmail is a free email service enabling its users to send, receive, and manage their email.

Introduced in 2004, Gmail was an invite-only model but expanded publicly in 2007. And now, Gmail is the most popular email service withover 1.8 billion users.

Gmail provides 15 GB of free cloud storage, limiting users to a “@gmail.com” address and basic security and integration options.

Google Workspace

Google Workspace is a comprehensive suite of cloud-based productivity and collaboration tools, bringing together all of Google’s products in one platform.

Originally launched in 2006 as Google Apps, it was rebranded as G Suite after a decade, and in 2020, it became known as Google Workspace.

Designed primarily for businesses, Google Workspace offers access to a wide range of tools such as Google Meet, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Slides, and more, to enhance productivity and teamwork.

Google Workspace includes Gmail as part of its suite, but with enhanced features such as 30GB of storage (compared to the free Gmail account) and advanced security measures.

There are four pricing plans for Google Workspace, with Business Starter being the most basic and cost-effective, starting at ₹136.90 per user per month. The table below outlines all the available plans and their features.

Now , after learning about Gmail and Google Workspace, lets go down with the key differences between the both.

Key Differences between Gmail and Google Workspace

Usage: Gmail is designed for personal use, while Google Workspace is tailored for business purposes.

Pricing: Gmail is free, whereas Google Workspace is a paid service, with costs varying based on the plan you choose.

Domain Customization: Gmail uses the fixed "@gmail.com" domain, but Google Workspace allows you to create a custom domain name.

Storage Space: Personal Gmail accounts come with 15GB of storage, while Google Workspace offers a minimum of 30GB up to 5TB, with additional storage available upon request, depending on the plan.

Applications Supported: Gmail supports basic apps like Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides. Google Workspace provides a broader set of tools, including Google Meet, Google Chat, Google Keep, Google Sites, Google Forms, and Google Currents, which are not available with personal Gmail accounts.

Video Meetings: Gmail limits video meetings to 100 participants for a maximum of 60 minutes. In contrast, Google Workspace supports 150 to 500 participants (depending on the plan), with no time limit, along with features like video recording and background noise cancellation.

Chats: Gmail users have access to a limited version of Google Hangouts, while Google Workspace offers the full version of Google Chat, enabling users to create groups and spaces for collaboration.

Why to switch from Gmail to Google Workspace?

Professional Email Address: A professional email address is vital for establishing your online presence and building credibility. Google Workspace enables businesses to create custom domain email addresses that enhance professionalism and maintain brand consistency.

Advanced Collaboration Tools: Google Workspace offers businesses upgraded versions of Google’s tools, designed to boost team collaboration and productivity.

Expanded Storage: While Gmail limits storage to 15GB, which can fill up quickly, Google Workspace provides flexible, scalable storage options to meet your business’s growing needs.

Enterprise-Grade Security: Specifically built for businesses, Google Workspace offers advanced security features like two-step verification, data loss prevention (DLP), and more, which are not available with personal Gmail accounts.

How to Migrate Gmail Account to Google Workspace?

Sign Up for Google Workspace : Understand your business needs and choose one of the Google Workspace plans designed for different business needs and sizes.
Verify Domain Ownership : Its essential to verify your domain ownership. It is a necessary step to confirm that you can utilize your custom domain for your new Google Workspace email addresses.
‍Initiate Data Migration : You can either use Google’s native tools or third-party services to transfer your Gmail data to your new Google Workspace account.
‍Configure MX Records : Now you can configure your MX(mail exchange) records to route your email traffic through Google Workspace.

Conclusion

Finally, the decision depends on your needs , whether you are a business owner or any individual using Gmail for personal usage.

Gmail is more centric for personal use. While it's a well-known and feature-packed free email service, its limitations make it unsuitable for advanced business users.

Google Workspace, on the other hand, is developed for businesses and enterprises, with its custom domain and collaboration tools designed to meet their specific needs. It is a one tool umbrella for all your emailing, meeting, presentations, document preparation and many more to name.

It’s best to choose depending on your business size:

Gmail would be the best choice for individual user as it comes with enough storage space and tools one person might need.

For small business with up to 25 employees, the Google Workspace Business starter plan would best suit your needs at its low $6 price point.

For mid-sized businesses, the Business Standard plan is ideal, offering increased storage, greater flexibility, enhanced support, and superior performance across all apps.

For large enterprises, the Enterprise plan is the best option, providing custom solutions, dedicated support, and advanced security features in addition to the tools offered in other plans.

In nutshell, Gmail is built for individuals, while Google Workspace is designed for collaboration.

At Techsense Labs (Google Workspace partner in Noida), you will get Google Workspace plans at lower rates than google due to its authority from Google, alongwith it a personalized guide for right plan according to your business and its needs, will be provided so that your small business/startups will continue to operate without any time wastage about thinking of right plan.