Comparison · Updated October 2026 · We are partners of both Google and Microsoft
Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365:which is right for your business?
A side-by-side look at price, AI, Arabic, data residency and switching effort for companies in Oman, the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Compare for your team
Three quick questions, then your details.
The short answer
Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 comes down to how your team works.
Google Workspace is cheaper per user and built for browser-first co-editing, with Gemini included. 
Microsoft 365 suits teams that depend on desktop Excel, Outlook and Windows management, and can store data in the UAE. Gulf Infotech deploys and supports both across the Middle East.
What we compared
Google Workspace
Plan compared: Business Standard
- Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365
Plan compared: Business Standard with Copilot
Disclosure
Gulf Infotech is a Google Cloud Premier Partner and a Microsoft Solutions Partner for Modern Work. We deploy and support both, so this comparison has no reason to favour one.
Verdict
The short verdict
Choose Google Workspace
If most work happens in the browser, people co-edit documents, you want AI at no extra cost, and you want the lowest price per user. Business Standard is $14 against $23.50 for Microsoft's equivalent.
Learn more: Google Workspace: plans, Gemini and servicesChoose Microsoft 365
If finance and engineering live in desktop Excel, you manage Windows laptops, your partners send complex Office files, or your requirements call for email stored in the UAE.
Learn more: Microsoft 365 licensing and supportConsider Zoho Workplace
If your sales and finance already run on Zoho CRM or Zoho Books, or cost per user matters most. See Zoho Workplace vs Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365.
Book a 30-minute fit assessment: Book a 30-minute fit assessmentMixed is fine
Some companies run one suite for most staff and the other for a specific team. We set that up and keep email on one domain.
Book a 30-minute fit assessment: Book a 30-minute fit assessment
In detail
How do Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 compare on price in the GCC?
At the entry level they cost the same. In the middle and top tiers Google Workspace costs less, partly because Microsoft now bundles Copilot and desktop apps into those plans.
| Tier | Plan | USD | AED | OMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | Google Workspace Business Starter | USD7.00 | AED25.76 | OMR2.716 |
| Entry | Microsoft 365 Business Basic | USD7.00 | AED25.76 | OMR2.716 |
| Mid | Google Workspace Business Standard | USD14.00 | AED51.52 | OMR5.432 |
| Mid | Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot | USD23.50 | AED86.48 | OMR9.118 |
| Top | Google Workspace Business Plus | USD22.00 | AED80.96 | OMR8.536 |
| Top | Microsoft 365 Business Premium with Copilot | USD32.00 | AED117.76 | OMR12.416 |
Prices as of October 2026 · per user per month, billed annually (annual upfront commitment) · exclude VAT (Oman and UAE 5%, Saudi Arabia 15%, Bahrain 10%; Qatar and Kuwait none). Qatar prices in QAR are on the Google Workspace pricing and Microsoft 365 pricing pages.
Example: a 20-person office in Dubai pays AED 12,364.80 a year for Google Workspace Business Standard and AED 20,755.20 for Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot, before VAT. The Microsoft price includes desktop Office apps and Copilot; the Google price includes Gemini. We recommend the plans with Copilot built in; standalone Business Standard and Business Premium plans without Copilot are also available, with pricing on request from Gulf Infotech (contact us). All these plans, including E3, E5, E7 and the Copilot add-ons, are supplied in every country we serve.
Side by side
How do features, AI, Arabic and data residency compare?
| Feature | Google WorkspaceBusiness Standard | Microsoft 365Business Standard with Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Google WorkspaceGmail, on your domain | Microsoft 365Outlook and Exchange, on your domain | |
| Storage | Google Workspace2 TB per user, pooled across the company | Microsoft 365100 GB mailbox plus 1 TB OneDrive per user |
| Office apps | Google WorkspaceDocs, Sheets, Slides in the browser and mobile; open and edit Office files | Microsoft 365Desktop Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook plus web and mobile |
| Meetings | Google WorkspaceGoogle Meet, 150 participants, recording | Microsoft 365Microsoft Teams, 300 participants, recording |
| AI included | Google WorkspaceGemini in Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Meet, Chat | Microsoft 365Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams |
| Arabic | Google WorkspaceArabic interface and right-to-left editing; Gemini side panel accepts Arabic, Help me write does not yet | Microsoft 365Arabic interface, mature Arabic proofing in desktop apps; Copilot accepts Arabic prompts |
| Data stored in the GCC | Google WorkspaceNo; data regions offer the US or Europe only | Microsoft 365Yes for tenants created in the UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai), with Microsoft's full commitment through Advanced Data Residency |
| Device management | Google WorkspaceFundamental endpoint management; advanced on Business Plus | Microsoft 365Intune and Defender for Business come with Business Premium, not Standard |
| Max users on Business plans | Google Workspace300 | Microsoft 365300 |
| Admin | Google WorkspaceOne Admin console | Microsoft 365Microsoft 365 admin center plus Entra, Intune, Purview |
Takeaway:Google wins on price, storage model and simplicity; Microsoft wins on desktop apps, meeting size and in-country data in the UAE.
Strengths
Google Workspace wins for companies that work in the browser and share a lot. Real-time co-editing in Docs and Sheets is native, storage is pooled so heavy users borrow from light ones, and there is one Admin console to learn. It fits trading companies, consultancies, schools, startups, travel and logistics firms with mobile staff, and multi-branch businesses across Oman and the UAE where IT teams are small. Gemini comes with the licence, which matters when Microsoft's AI is a priced bundle.
Google WorkspaceBusiness Standard
Gmail
Docs
Sheets
Meet
Drive
Microsoft 365 wins where desktop Office is part of the job. Finance teams with complex Excel models and macros, engineering firms exchanging heavy Word and PowerPoint files, and companies managing Windows laptops with Intune get more from Microsoft. It also offers in-country data in the UAE, with Advanced Data Residency (ADR) for Microsoft's full commitment; government-linked and regulated organisations there often ask for it. Teams supports larger meetings on the Business plans.
Microsoft 365Business Standard with Copilot
Outlook
Word
Excel
Teams
OneDrive
In detail
How hard is it to switch between them, and what does it cost?
Mail, calendars and contacts move cleanly in either direction. Files and habits take the effort.
| What moves | Microsoft 365 → Google Workspace | Google Workspace → Microsoft 365 |
|---|---|---|
| Mail, calendar, contacts | Microsoft 365 → Google WorkspaceGoogle data import tool; low effort | Google Workspace → Microsoft 365Microsoft migration tools; low effort |
| Files | Microsoft 365 → Google WorkspaceOneDrive and SharePoint Online to Drive and shared drives; medium | Google Workspace → Microsoft 365Drive to OneDrive and SharePoint; medium |
| Teams or Chat history | Microsoft 365 → Google WorkspaceTeams chats can be imported; medium | Google Workspace → Microsoft 365Limited; usually archived |
| Excel macros, Access databases | Microsoft 365 → Google WorkspaceOften need rework or stay on desktop Office | Google Workspace → Microsoft 365Usually work as before |
| User habits | Microsoft 365 → Google WorkspaceTraining needed for Gmail labels and Drive sharing | Google Workspace → Microsoft 365Training needed for Outlook folders and Teams |
Migration is quoted per project, based on mailbox size, file volume and sites rather than users alone. See Google Workspace migration and Microsoft 365 migration.
Our view
When does Gulf Infotech recommend each one?
We start with how people work, not with the brand.
Google Workspace
We recommend Google Workspace when most staff work in a browser, collaboration matters more than desktop features, and budget per user is tight.
Microsoft 365
We recommend Microsoft 365 when desktop Excel, Windows device management or in-country hosting in the UAE is a hard requirement.
Where one team needs Microsoft and the rest do not, we run both under one domain.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper in the UAE or Oman?
Google Workspace is cheaper above the entry tier. In the UAE, Business Standard costs AED 51.52 per user per month against AED 86.48 for Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot. In Oman it is OMR 5.432 against OMR 9.118. Entry plans cost the same: AED 25.76 or OMR 2.716. Prices are billed annually, exclude 5% VAT and are as of October 2026.
Which is better for a small business?
For most small businesses, Google Workspace is simpler and cheaper: one console, pooled storage and Gemini included from $14 per user. Microsoft 365 is the better small-business choice when staff need desktop Excel or Outlook every day, or you want Intune to manage Windows laptops. Both have entry plans at $7 per user for email-only staff.
Can we switch later, and how hard is it?
Yes, you can switch in either direction, and staff keep their email addresses because the domain stays yours. Email, calendars and contacts move with standard tools and little risk. Files, shared sites and chat history take more planning, and Excel macros may need rework when moving to Google. Switching is easiest at renewal, so you do not pay for both suites for long.
Which works better in Arabic?
Both work in Arabic for everyday use, with an Arabic interface and right-to-left text. Microsoft's desktop Office has the more mature Arabic proofing and layout tools, which helps teams producing formal Arabic documents. On AI, Copilot accepts Arabic prompts; Gemini's side panel in Gmail and Docs accepts Arabic, but its Help me write feature does not yet support Arabic.
Can we use both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365?
Yes. Some companies give most staff Google Workspace and keep Microsoft 365 for finance or engineering, or the reverse. Both can share one email domain, with mail routed to the right system per user, and calendars can show free and busy times across the two. It adds some admin work, so we only suggest it when one group has a clear need.
Not sure which suite fits?
In a 30-minute call we look at how your teams work, your country's rules and your budget, then recommend one suite or a mix with a quote.
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