Comparison · Updated October 2026 · We are partners of Zoho, Microsoft and Google
Zoho Workplace vs Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365:which is right for your business?
Price per user, storage, office apps, AI and where your email is stored, compared for companies in Oman, the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Compare for your team
Three quick questions, then your details.
The short answer
Zoho Workplace vs Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 is a choice between price, AI and data location.
Zoho Workplace is the cheapest, from $3 per user, and stores data in the UAE or Saudi Arabia. 
Google Workspace includes Gemini and the simplest co-editing. 
Microsoft 365 brings desktop Office, Copilot and in-country data in the UAE.
What we compared
Zoho Workplace
Plan compared: Standard / Professional
Google Workspace
Plan compared: Starter / Standard
- Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365
Plan compared: Basic / Standard with Copilot
Disclosure
Gulf Infotech is a Zoho Authorized Partner, a Google Cloud Premier Partner and a Microsoft Solutions Partner for Modern Work. We deploy all three, so this page has no reason to favour one.
Verdict
The short verdict
Choose Zoho Workplace
If budget per user is the main constraint, your staff mostly need email, documents and chat, you already run Zoho CRM or Zoho Books, or your email must be stored in Saudi Arabia.
Learn more: Zoho Workplace and Zoho MailChoose Google Workspace
If your team co-edits documents in the browser all day, you want AI included in the licence, and you want one simple admin console. Business Standard is $14 with 2 TB pooled storage per user.
Learn more: Google Workspace: plans, Gemini and servicesChoose Microsoft 365
If finance and engineering live in desktop Excel, Word and Outlook, you manage Windows laptops, or your requirements call for email stored in the UAE.
Learn more: Microsoft 365 licensing and supportMix them
If most staff need a full suite but drivers, warehouse or site staff only need a mailbox: Zoho Mail Lite at $1 per user can sit beside Google or Microsoft on the same domain.
Book a 30-minute fit assessment: Book a 30-minute fit assessment
In detail
How do Zoho Workplace, Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 compare on price?
Zoho is cheapest at every tier, by a wide margin. Google and Microsoft cost the same at entry level and diverge above it.
| Tier | Zoho | Google Workspace | Microsoft 365 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email only | Mail Lite: $1 (5 GB) or $1.25 (10 GB) · Mail Premium: $4 (50 GB); yearly onlyMail Lite: OMR 0.388 (5 GB) or OMR 0.485 (10 GB) · Mail Premium: OMR 1.552 (50 GB); yearly onlyMail Lite: AED 3.68 (5 GB) or AED 4.60 (10 GB) · Mail Premium: AED 14.72 (50 GB); yearly onlyMail Lite: QAR 3.64 (5 GB) or QAR 4.55 (10 GB) · Mail Premium: QAR 14.56 (50 GB); yearly onlyMail Lite: SAR 3.75 (5 GB) or SAR 4.69 (10 GB) · Mail Premium: SAR 15.00 (50 GB); yearly only | Google WorkspaceUse Business Starter | Microsoft 365Use Business Basic |
| Entry suite | Workplace Standard: $3 annual, $4 monthlyWorkplace Standard: OMR 1.164 annual, OMR 1.552 monthlyWorkplace Standard: AED 11.04 annual, AED 14.72 monthlyWorkplace Standard: QAR 10.92 annual, QAR 14.56 monthlyWorkplace Standard: SAR 11.25 annual, SAR 15.00 monthly | Google WorkspaceBusiness Starter: $7Business Starter: OMR 2.716Business Starter: AED 25.76Business Starter: QAR 25.48Business Starter: SAR 26.25 | Microsoft 365Business Basic: $7Business Basic: OMR 2.716Business Basic: AED 25.76Business Basic: QAR 25.48Business Basic: SAR 26.25 |
| Mid suite | Workplace Professional: $6 annual, $7 monthlyWorkplace Professional: OMR 2.328 annual, OMR 2.716 monthlyWorkplace Professional: AED 22.08 annual, AED 25.76 monthlyWorkplace Professional: QAR 21.84 annual, QAR 25.48 monthlyWorkplace Professional: SAR 22.50 annual, SAR 26.25 monthly | Google WorkspaceBusiness Standard: $14Business Standard: OMR 5.432Business Standard: AED 51.52Business Standard: QAR 50.96Business Standard: SAR 52.50 | Microsoft 365Business Standard: $14 · with Copilot: $23.50Business Standard: OMR 5.432 · with Copilot: OMR 9.118Business Standard: AED 51.52 · with Copilot: AED 86.48Business Standard: QAR 50.96 · with Copilot: QAR 85.54Business Standard: SAR 52.50 · with Copilot: SAR 88.13 |
| Top suite | Workplace Enterprise: custom pricing | Google WorkspaceBusiness Plus: $22Business Plus: OMR 8.536Business Plus: AED 80.96Business Plus: QAR 80.08Business Plus: SAR 82.50 | Microsoft 365Business Premium: $22 · with Copilot: $32Business Premium: OMR 8.536 · with Copilot: OMR 12.416Business Premium: AED 80.96 · with Copilot: AED 117.76Business Premium: QAR 80.08 · with Copilot: QAR 116.48Business Premium: SAR 82.50 · with Copilot: SAR 120.00 |
Converted from the USD list prices at 1 USD = 0.388 OMR · 3.68 AED · 3.64 QAR · 3.75 SAR, for reference. VAT is extra where it applies. Zoho sets its own prices in each country, so Zoho's official local prices can differ from a conversion: see Zoho in Oman.
Converted from the USD list prices at 1 USD = 0.388 OMR · 3.68 AED · 3.64 QAR · 3.75 SAR, for reference. VAT is extra where it applies. Zoho sets its own prices in each country, so Zoho's official local prices can differ from a conversion: see Zoho in the UAE.
Converted from the USD list prices at 1 USD = 0.388 OMR · 3.68 AED · 3.64 QAR · 3.75 SAR, for reference. VAT is extra where it applies. Zoho sets its own prices in each country, so Zoho's official local prices can differ from a conversion: see Zoho in Qatar.
Converted from the USD list prices at 1 USD = 0.388 OMR · 3.68 AED · 3.64 QAR · 3.75 SAR, for reference. VAT is extra where it applies. Zoho sets its own prices in each country, so Zoho's official local prices can differ from a conversion: see Zoho in Saudi Arabia.
Prices as of October 2026 · USD per user per month · Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 billed annually (annual upfront commitment); Zoho annual unless shown as monthly · exclude VAT (Oman and UAE 5%, Saudi Arabia 15%, Bahrain 10%; Qatar and Kuwait none). Prices in OMR, AED and QAR are on the Google Workspace pricing and Microsoft 365 pricing pages. Microsoft 365 Business Standard and Business Premium are also sold without the Copilot add-on in every country we serve; we recommend the Copilot add-on, which works out more cost-effective than buying Copilot later.
Example: a 20-person office for one year. Zoho Workplace Standard costs $720 and Workplace Professional $1,440. Google Workspace Business Starter or Microsoft 365 Business Basic cost $1,680, Google Business Standard $3,360, and Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot $5,640. All before VAT.
Like for like at the top of each range: Zoho Workplace Professional costs $6 per user per month, while Google Workspace Business Plus and Microsoft 365 Business Premium (without Copilot) both cost $22, all with an annual commitment.
Deployment, migration, training and support are charged separately.
Side by side
How do storage, apps, AI and data location compare?
| Feature | Zoho WorkplaceStandard / Professional | Google WorkspaceStarter / Standard | Microsoft 365Basic / Standard with Copilot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email storage | Zoho Workplace30 GB / 100 GB per user | Google Workspace30 GB / 2 TB pooled per user, shared with Drive | Microsoft 365100 GB mailbox plus 1 TB OneDrive per user (Business Basic, Standard, Premium) |
| File storage | Zoho WorkplaceWorkDrive 10 GB / 100 GB per user, pooled for the team | Google WorkspaceIncluded in the pooled total above | Microsoft 365OneDrive 1 TB per user (Business Basic, Standard, Premium) |
| Office apps | Zoho WorkplaceZoho Writer, Sheet and Show in the browser | Google WorkspaceDocs, Sheets and Slides in the browser and mobile | Microsoft 365Web and mobile Office on Basic; desktop Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook on Standard |
| Chat and meetings | Zoho WorkplaceZoho Cliq and Zoho Meeting | Google WorkspaceGoogle Chat and Meet (100 / 150 participants) | Microsoft 365Microsoft Teams |
| AI included | Zoho WorkplaceAsk us | Google WorkspaceGemini app and Gemini in Gmail on Starter; Gemini in Gmail, Docs and Meet on Standard | Microsoft 365Copilot built into Standard with Copilot; not in Basic |
| eDiscovery and retention | Zoho WorkplaceProfessional and Mail Premium | Google WorkspaceVault on Business Plus | Microsoft 365Ask us |
| Data stored in the GCC | Zoho WorkplaceYes: UAE or Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Jeddah) | Google WorkspaceNo: data regions offer the US or EU only, from Business Standard | Microsoft 365Yes in the UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai), with Advanced Data Residency for Microsoft's full commitment |
| Fits best with | Zoho WorkplaceZoho CRM, Books, Desk, Zoho One | Google WorkspaceChromebooks, Google Cloud, browser-first teams | Microsoft 365Windows, Intune, desktop Office, SharePoint |
Takeaway:Zoho wins on cost and Saudi data residency, Google on AI included and simple collaboration, Microsoft on desktop Office and UAE data residency.
Strengths
Zoho Workplace wins on price and on the Zoho connection. At $3 per user, a 50-person company pays less for Zoho Workplace Standard than for 25 users of Google Business Starter. Mail Lite at $1 is the cheapest way we know to give every driver, technician or cashier a proper company mailbox. If your sales and finance already run on Zoho CRM and Zoho Books, emails and meetings sit in the same Zoho account.
It also stores data in Saudi Arabia: for a Saudi company whose compliance team wants email in the Kingdom, Zoho's Riyadh and Jeddah data centres settle the question.
Zoho WorkplaceStandard / Professional
Zoho Mail- Zoho Workplace
In detail
Where do Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 win?
Google Workspace wins when collaboration and AI matter more than cost. Real-time co-editing in Docs and Sheets is the most mature of the three, storage is pooled at 2 TB per user on Business Standard, and Gemini is included in every Business plan. For a full comparison of the two big suites, see Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365.
Microsoft 365 wins where desktop Office is part of the job: complex Excel models, heavy Word and PowerPoint files exchanged with partners, and Windows laptops managed with Intune. It also offers in-country data in the UAE (Abu Dhabi and Dubai), with Advanced Data Residency (ADR) for Microsoft's full commitment.
In detail
How hard is it to move between them?
Email moves cleanly in every direction; documents and habits take the effort.
| Move | Email, calendar, contacts | Files | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho Workplace → Google Workspace | Email, calendar, contactsIMAP for mail; calendars and contacts exported and imported | FilesWorkDrive files exported and uploaded to Drive | What to watchZoho Writer and Sheet files convert to Office or Google formats |
| Zoho Workplace → Microsoft 365 | Email, calendar, contactsIMAP for mail; calendars and contacts exported and imported | FilesUploaded to OneDrive and SharePoint | What to watchSame as above |
| Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 → Zoho Workplace | Email, calendar, contactsMail migrated into Zoho Mail | FilesDrive or OneDrive files moved to WorkDrive | What to watchExcel macros and desktop-only features stay on Office |
See Google Workspace migration, Microsoft 365 migration and migrating to Zoho.
Our view
When does Gulf Infotech recommend each one?
We look at what people actually do all day, your country's data rules and your budget.
Zoho Workplace
We recommend Zoho Workplace for cost-sensitive teams, Zoho-first businesses and Saudi companies that want email stored in the Kingdom.
We recommend Google Workspace for browser-first teams that want AI included, and Microsoft 365 for desktop-Office users and for UAE organisations that need in-country email. Where one group needs a full suite and another only a mailbox, we run two systems on one domain.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zoho Mail cheaper than Gmail or Outlook?
Yes. Zoho Mail Lite costs $1 per user per month on yearly billing for a 5 GB mailbox, and Zoho Workplace Standard, with documents and chat, costs $3. Gmail comes with Google Workspace Business Starter at $7, and Outlook with Microsoft 365 Business Basic at $7, both per user per month billed annually. Prices exclude VAT and are as of October 2026.
Which suite can store email in Saudi Arabia?
Zoho does, as of October 2026. Zoho runs data centres in Riyadh and Jeddah and assigns them to accounts registered in Saudi Arabia. Each organisation's compliance team still sets its own requirements before choosing.
Is Zoho Workplace good enough to replace Google Workspace or Microsoft 365?
For many small and mid-sized teams, yes. Zoho Workplace covers business email, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, file storage, chat and meetings. Teams that depend on desktop Excel macros, heavy Office file exchange or Windows device management are better on Microsoft 365, and teams that want AI included and the most fluid co-editing usually prefer Google Workspace.
Can we use Zoho Mail for some staff and Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 for others?
Yes. Both systems can share one email domain, with mail routed to the right mailbox per user, so drivers or site staff can sit on Zoho Mail Lite at $1 while office staff use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. It adds some admin work for calendars and shared contacts, so we suggest it when the saving is meaningful, typically with dozens of frontline users.
Does Zoho Workplace include AI like Gemini or Copilot?
Google includes Gemini in every Workspace Business plan, and Microsoft builds Copilot into Business Standard and Premium with Copilot. Zoho's AI assistant is called Zia; check which Zia features your Workplace plan includes before relying on them If AI in email and documents is a priority today, Google Workspace is the safer pick.
How hard is it to move from Zoho Mail to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365?
Mail moves over IMAP with little risk, and staff keep their addresses because the domain stays yours. Calendars and contacts are exported and imported separately, and WorkDrive files are downloaded and uploaded to Drive or OneDrive. Most of the effort is in converting Zoho documents and retraining users; we plan the switch so mail keeps flowing during the move.
Not sure which suite fits?
In a 30-minute call we look at how your teams work, your country's data rules and your budget, then recommend one suite or a mix with a quote.
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