Key takeaways
- Google Workspace suits browser-first teams that collaborate in real time on shared documents.
- Microsoft 365 suits businesses that live in Outlook, Excel and Teams, and want strong admin and security controls.
- Hosted business email is the lowest-cost option for teams that mainly need professional mailboxes.
- You can mix them. Many companies give Microsoft 365 to managers and hosted mailboxes to everyone else.
Your business email is used by every employee, every day. Picking the wrong platform means wasted licences, frustrated staff and a painful migration later. Here is a practical comparison of the three options most Indian businesses choose between.
Quick comparison
| Google Workspace | Microsoft 365 | Hosted business email | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email app | Gmail on your domain | Outlook / Exchange Online | Webmail, Outlook or phone app |
| Office apps | Docs, Sheets, Slides (browser) | Word, Excel, PowerPoint (web; desktop on higher plans) | Not included |
| Video meetings | Google Meet | Microsoft Teams | Not included |
| Cloud storage | Google Drive (pooled) | OneDrive (1 TB per user on business plans) | Mailbox storage only |
| Admin & security | Good, simple console | Very detailed, strong compliance tools | Basic |
| Best for | Collaboration-heavy teams | Office-heavy and regulated businesses | Cost-conscious teams |
| Relative cost | Medium | Medium | Lowest |
Google Workspace
Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) gives you Gmail on your own domain, plus Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet and Calendar. Everything runs in the browser, so there is nothing to install, and several people can edit the same file at once.
Choose it if:
- your team works mostly in a browser and on Android phones;
- you share and co-edit documents constantly;
- you want the simplest possible admin experience.
Watch out for: teams that exchange complex Excel models or macro-based files with clients often still need Microsoft Office.
Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 provides Outlook email on Exchange Online, Teams for chat and meetings, OneDrive and SharePoint for files, and Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Business Standard and higher plans include the desktop Office apps. Business Premium adds advanced security such as Intune device management and Defender.
Choose it if:
- your staff already use Outlook and Excel every day;
- you need shared mailboxes, detailed permissions and compliance features;
- you want to manage laptops and phones centrally.
Watch out for: licence choice matters. Many businesses overpay for Business Standard when Business Basic plus a few desktop licences would do.
Hosted business email
Hosted email gives every user a professional mailbox such as name@yourcompany.com, with webmail, phone sync and Outlook support, without the office suite. It is the most affordable way to look professional and keep company email under company control.
Choose it if:
- your staff mainly send and receive email;
- you already have Office licences, or do not need them;
- you need many mailboxes on a tight budget, such as for factory supervisors or sales teams.
At altnhosting.com, hosted business mailboxes start from about ₹80 per mailbox per month, and Microsoft 365 Business Basic from ₹129 per user per month.
How to choose in five questions
- Which apps do your people open every morning? Gmail and Docs point to Google. Outlook and Excel point to Microsoft.
- Do you exchange Office files with clients? If yes, Microsoft 365 avoids formatting problems.
- How many users really need an office suite? Give full licences only to those people.
- Do you need device management or compliance? Microsoft 365 Business Premium is the strongest here.
- What is your budget per user? Hosted email is the lowest. Mixed setups balance cost and features.
Pro tip: A mixed setup is often the best value. For example, 10 managers on Microsoft 365 and 40 staff on hosted mailboxes, all on the same domain.
Security settings to switch on, whichever you choose
- Publish SPF, DKIM and DMARC records so your emails reach the inbox and cannot be spoofed.
- Turn on multi-factor authentication for every user, especially admins and accounts staff.
- Block automatic forwarding to outside addresses, a common trick in invoice fraud.
- Set a backup or retention policy. Deleted email cannot always be recovered from the platform alone.
- Train staff to spot phishing, and give them an easy way to report it.
Migrating without losing email
Switching platforms is routine when it is planned. A typical migration copies existing mailboxes in the background, then changes your domain’s MX records over a weekend so new mail flows to the new platform. Users keep their old email, contacts and calendars, and downtime is usually zero.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 better for a small business?
Neither is better for everyone. Choose Google Workspace for simple, browser-based collaboration and Microsoft 365 if your team relies on Outlook and Excel. Small teams that only need email can save money with hosted mailboxes.
Can I switch providers without losing emails?
Yes. Mailboxes, contacts and calendars can be migrated, and the switch happens by updating your domain’s DNS records.
Can some users have Microsoft 365 and others basic email on the same domain?
Yes, in most cases. It needs careful DNS and routing setup, which we design and manage for you.
Do I need a separate backup for Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?
It is strongly recommended. The platforms protect against hardware failure, but not against accidental deletion, ransomware in synced files or a departing employee deleting data.
Which option is cheapest?
Hosted business email has the lowest cost per mailbox. Microsoft 365 Business Basic is the lowest-cost plan that includes Teams and OneDrive.
Get expert help choosing and setting up
Altn Technology supplies, migrates and supports Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 and hosted email for businesses across India. See our corporate email services, Microsoft 365 and business email hosting pages, or request a free quote.
