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BUSINESS EMAIL & OFFICE · MIGRATION GUIDE

Switching from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace

Google’s data import tool in the Admin console moves Exchange Online email, calendar, contacts and tasks, OneDrive files, and SharePoint sites into shared drives.

Jump to migration steps Read the full comparison
By Bill Belcamino · Last updated September 19, 2026 · Our methodologyResearched and fact-checked by the HelpCompare team
Switching from Microsoft 365 to Google WorkspaceVerified Sep 19, 2026

Quick verdict: Set up Workspace and verify your domain, then use the Admin console’s data import tool to copy Exchange Online mail, calendars, contacts and tasks, OneDrive files, and SharePoint Online sites into shared drives with their permissions. Switch MX records last. Note that Google lists “Migrate from Exchange” on Business Standard and Plus, not Starter.

Estimate · your inputs

Switching Cost & Friction Estimator

Most buyers only budget for the new subscription. This estimates the hidden labor, data-cleanup, and retraining cost of actually making the switch.

25,000
10

Estimate assumes: 1 hour of data-mapping/cleaning labor per 2,000 records, a blended $75/hr ops rate, tiered migration & cleaning tooling fees, and 4 hours of retraining per seat at a $45/hr fully-loaded rate.

Estimated Migration Time —
Data Friction Rating —
Total Hidden Switching Cost $0

    Why teams move from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace

    AI included

    Gemini in Gmail, and in Docs, Sheets, Slides and Meet from Business Standard.

    Pooled storage

    Up to 5 TB a user on Business Plus, shared across the organization.

    Browser-first

    Nothing to install; files open anywhere.

    How the migration actually works

    Choose Business Standard or Plus if you want Google’s Exchange migration features; Starter is limited.

    StepWhat you do
    1Prepare Google WorkspaceSign up, verify your domain and create users.
    2Import mail, calendar and contactsIn the Admin console, open the data import tool and connect Exchange Online; it copies email, calendar, contacts and tasks.
    3Import OneDrive and SharePointImport OneDrive files, and SharePoint Online sites into shared drives with files, folders and permissions.
    4Switch your domain’s mail recordsWhen the copy is complete, point your domain’s MX records at the new provider and add its SPF, DKIM and DMARC records. Run a final incremental sync afterwards to catch mail that arrived during the change.
    5Decide on Office filesDocs, Sheets and Slides can edit Office files directly; convert files people will co-edit.
    6Retire Microsoft 365Export anything left with Purview eDiscovery, then cancel at the end of your commitment.

    What this path doesn’t do for you:

    Teams chats, Power Automate flows and Access databases have no automatic path. Desktop Office users lose installed apps unless you keep some Microsoft licences.

    Pricing side by side

    PlanMicrosoft 365Google Workspace
    Entry planBusiness Basic $7/user/mo (annual)Business Starter $7/user/mo (annual)
    Mid planBusiness Standard $14Business Standard $14
    Top Business planBusiness Premium $22Business Plus $22
    Storage1 TB OneDrive + 100 GB mailbox30 GB / 2 TB / 5 TB pooled
    Free planNone (one-month trial)None (14-day trial)

    US list prices checked on each vendor’s pricing page on September 19, 2026, annual billing.

    Feature parity check

    CapabilityMicrosoft 365Google Workspace
    Import from the other toolGoogle migration in Exchange admin centerData import tool: Exchange Online, OneDrive, SharePoint
    Desktop appsStandard and PremiumNone
    AICopilot Chat; Copilot in apps $21 add-onGemini included
    RetentionPremium, or add-onVault on Business Plus
    Storage1 TB + 100 GB mailbox30 GB–5 TB pooled

    Going the other direction, or want the full comparison first?

    Read the Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 comparison Switching from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 instead?
    Verified data

    Security & access: what changes when you switch

    Security, offline and access rules that differ between Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. Rows where both tools are the same (7) are left out; the full side-by-side is on each tool’s page: Microsoft 365, Google Workspace.

    What changesMicrosoft 365 (today)Google Workspace (after)
    Other certificationsISO/IEC 27017, ISO/IEC 27018, ISO/IEC 27701sourceNot published
    Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)YesBusiness BasicsourceYesBusiness Startersource
    Two-factor authenticationYesEnforcement: All Business plans via security defaults; Conditional Access MFA policies need Entra ID P1 (Business Premium)sourceYesEnforcement: Business Startersource
    Admin audit logYesBusiness BasicsourceYesBusiness Startersource
    Data residency choicesNot publishedUS, EUBusiness Standardsource
    EncryptionBitLocker and per-file encryption at rest; TLS and IPsec in transitsourceAES-256 at rest and in transit for Drive/Docs filessource
    Offline limitsDesktop Office apps only on Business Standard and Premium; Business Basic has web and mobile apps only. Extended offline activation (up to 180 days) is a Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise feature.Business StandardsourceOffline editing needs Chrome or Edge (not private browsing) and the Google Docs Offline extension, set up while online.source
    IP allowlistingYesBusiness PremiumsourceYesEnterprisesource
    Device & session controlsYesBusiness PremiumBusiness Premium adds Intune Plan 1 endpoint management, Defender for Business device protection and Windows 11 Pro upgrade; Basic and Standard do not include Intune.sourceYesBusiness StarterFundamental endpoint management on all Business editions (remote account sign-out and mobile account wipe, block devices, endpoint verification); Business Plus adds advanced mobile management and remote device wipe; Enterprise adds context-aware access and enterprise endpoint management.source
    Office & room hardware—Google sells Google Meet Hardware for meeting rooms as a separate add-on; room booking ('Browse and reserve conference rooms') is on all plans.source
    Editorial assessment

    Before you cut over

    • Set up single sign-on in Google Workspace on Business Starter before you invite the team, so accounts are created through your identity provider rather than by hand.

    Checked September 19, 2026 against each vendor’s own trust center, help docs and app pages. Hover or tap “source” to see the exact wording we relied on. “Not published” means we could not find the vendor saying it on its own site — it doesn’t mean the feature is missing. Plan names are the lowest plan the vendor says includes the feature. Security · Offline · Remote vs office · Download the data

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can Google import from Microsoft 365?

    Yes. The Admin console data import tool covers Exchange Online email, calendar, contacts and tasks, OneDrive files and SharePoint sites.

    Will my SharePoint sites move?

    Google’s tool copies files, folders and permissions from SharePoint Online sites into shared drives.

    Can I keep using desktop Excel?

    Only with a Microsoft licence. Google Sheets can open and edit Excel files in the browser.

    How long does an email migration take?

    It depends on mailbox sizes and the number of users; run a pilot with a few mailboxes first and schedule the MX switch for a quiet period.

    Canonical data for the tools on this page

    Every pricing fact, rating, AI billing model and switching guide we hold on each tool, on one page — with the date each figure was last verified.

    Microsoft 365Pricing, free plan, AI cost & every comparison›Google WorkspacePricing, free plan, AI cost & every comparison›
    Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365Head-to-head comparisonGoogle Workspace vs Zoho WorkplaceHead-to-head comparisonMicrosoft 365 vs Zoho WorkplaceHead-to-head comparison

    Sources

    Prices on this page were recorded from each vendor’s own pricing page on the date shown at the top of the page. Vendors change pricing often — check the live source before you buy.

    Every figure is also in our open dataset (JSON and CSV, CC BY 4.0), with its source page and verification date. See how we research pricing.

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    01 · CompareWhich tool fits your team, side by side.75 comparisons 02 · Price & approveSourced, dated pricing and a one-page brief for sign-off.Decision brief 03 · SwitchWhat moves, what you rebuild, what it costs.150 guides 04 · ShareDownload and cite the data. CC BY 4.0.Open data
    Bill Belcamino, founder of HelpCompare
    About the author

    Bill Belcamino

    Founder and author, HelpCompare

    Bill has worked in software and digital marketing for more than 20 years. He spent nine years as an engineer at HP, served as COO scaling a platform past 200,000 users, and ran Google’s $70M/year search syndication partnership at Alot.com. He has bought, trialled, integrated and cancelled more SaaS tools than he can count, and started HelpCompare because the real cost of switching tools is the part nobody covers.

    “I’ve sat on both sides of the table: the agency recommending the tool and the client paying for it.”

    Researched and fact-checked by the HelpCompare team. Pricing on this page was last verified on September 19, 2026. No paid sponsorships, no affiliate commissions.

    Read Bill’s story How we verify pricingSpot an error? Tell Bill