Tezla Group · Team learning
Google Platforms
Know the other half of the world. Every benefit, every comparison, everything a Tezla tech needs to support Google environments.
The full stack
Why Google Enterprise
What Google’s enterprise stack actually buys a small business — and why it can make a client’s life better or easier than the Microsoft path. Prices are USD list, per user/month, annual commitment, verified October 2026.
Google Workspace tiers
Business Starter $7 · Standard $14 · Plus $22
Starter (30 GB, 100-person Meet), Standard (2 TB pooled, Meet recording, eSignature, appointment booking, Workspace Migrate), Plus (5 TB pooled, Vault retention/eDiscovery, secure LDAP, advanced endpoint management). Enterprise is quote-only — no user cap, adds S/MIME, DLP, context-aware access, data regions. 14-day trial on Business tiers; 50% off the first 3 months for new customers (first 20 users).
List pricing; Enterprise is contact-sales only.
Gemini included at $0 incremental
Included in every paid tier
Gemini in Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Meet, and Chat on every Business tier — summarize, draft, analyze, translate, take meeting notes. Microsoft’s Copilot is a $21 list ($18 promo through end of 2026) add-on per user/month. For a cost-sensitive 10-seat shop, that’s the single biggest line-item difference in the industry right now.
Standalone Gemini add-on bands (~$20/$30) are third-party reported, not Google-published.
Android Enterprise
No per-device license on Workspace
Work profiles put a cryptographically separate, pausable container on a personal phone — IT wipes only the work side, never personal photos, and admins can’t see personal apps or location. Managed Google Play is a private app store: approve once, silently push fleet-wide, no personal Google account needed. Zero-touch enrollment provisions reseller-bought devices on first boot — free, and simpler than Autopilot.
ChromeOS & Chrome Enterprise
Chrome Enterprise Upgrade $50/device/year
Verified boot (the OS self-checks and self-heals every boot), per-process sandboxing, read-only OS partition, automatic background updates for 10 years on current devices, Titan C chip. No antivirus to license, no patch-Tuesday firefighting. Sub-$400 hardware is genuinely capable, and ChromeOS Flex repurposes aging Windows PCs for free — a real way to dodge hardware refresh and Windows 11 requirements.
$50/device/yr via Google support community + Sept 2026 third-party check; Kiosk & Signage ~$25/yr.
Google identity
Cloud Identity Free included · Premium ~$6/user/mo
SSO/SAML catalog with thousands of pre-integrated apps, OIDC, 2-Step enforcement, security keys — all in the same Admin console as users and devices. Google Credential Provider for Windows lets users sign into Windows 10/11 with their Google credentials at the login screen. Premium adds automated provisioning, dynamic groups, secure LDAP, and context-aware access.
Premium ~$6 is corroborated across sources, not a live Google page.
Google Vault
Included in Business Plus ($22)
Retention, archiving, eDiscovery search, legal holds, audit, and export across Gmail, Drive, Chat, Meet recordings, Groups, Sites, and Voice — with a simpler search UX than Purview. Microsoft gates the equivalent behind Premium ($22) too, so the price point matches — Google just makes it easier to operate.
Vault is not a true backup — no point-in-time mailbox restore. Position third-party backup alongside it.
Endpoint management & one console
Basic free · Advanced in Plus/Enterprise
Basic mobile management is on by default and agentless (passcodes, account wipe, inventory, coexists with other EMMs). Advanced adds full wipe, device approval, work profiles, zero-touch, iOS app management. Everything — users, groups, devices, security, billing, Vault, Chrome — lives in one Admin console at admin.google.com. A junior tech is productive in a day.
Pooled storage
30 GB → 2 TB → 5 TB per user, pooled org-wide
Storage is pooled across the organization — a heavy user borrows from light users instead of everyone hitting a fixed 1 TB OneDrive ceiling. Shared drives are owned by the team, not the user, which elegantly solves “employee leaves, files vanish.” Fewer quota tickets, saner conversations.
Real-time collaboration
Included everywhere
Docs, Sheets, Slides, Vids, Forms, Sites, Keep, AppSheet — browser-native, zero-install, zero version skew: everyone on the same build, always. Simultaneous editing that actually works, link-sharing instead of attachment ping-pong, automatic version history. Migration reality: 90% of SMB users adapt in days.
No fanboy takes
Windows vs Google, top to bottom
The honest scorecard across every dimension that matters to an SMB — including where Microsoft wins. Know both sides cold.
| Area | Microsoft (Entra ID) | Google (Cloud Identity) | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Entra ID Free with any M365 plan (SSO, MFA basics) | Cloud Identity Free with any Workspace plan | Tie |
| Paid tier | P1 bundled in Business Premium ($22); standalone P1 ~$6, P2 ~$10.50 | Premium bundled in Workspace Enterprise; standalone ~$6/user/mo | Tie |
| Strengths | Conditional Access policy engine, PIM, Access Reviews, hybrid AD join, massive ISV/SCIM ecosystem | Single-console SSO + device + app management, GCPW Windows sign-in, simplest SAML catalog setup | Microsoft for complex/regulated; Google for SMB speed |
| Area | Microsoft 365 apps | Google Workspace editors | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Full desktop Word/Excel/PowerPoint/Outlook (Standard $14+, Premium $22); web/mobile on Basic | Docs, Sheets, Slides, Vids, Forms, Sites, Keep, AppSheet — browser-native | Depends on the user |
| Where it wins | Offline depth, Excel power features (macros/VBA, Power Pivot), print-perfect formatting, template/add-in ecosystem | Zero-install, zero version skew, link-sharing over attachments, simultaneous editing that works, Gemini included | Microsoft for power users; Google for collaborators |
| Area | Exchange Online | Gmail | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mailbox | 100 GB primary + archive (50 GB Basic/Standard, 1.5 TB Premium) after the July 2026 update | Storage from pooled Drive quota (30 GB–5 TB/user); 2,000 msgs/day send limit | Microsoft on quota; Google on simplicity |
| Strengths | Shared-mailbox/delegation depth, Outlook desktop client, complex calendaring, transport rules, Defender P1 in Premium | Industry-leading spam/phishing filtering, search (it’s Google), simpler admin, confidential mode, mail delegation | Microsoft for power orgs; Google for everyone else |
| Area | Intune (Plan 1 in Premium) | Google endpoint management | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage | Full Windows MDM (Autopilot, Update rings, BitLocker, ADMX ingestion, Win32 apps), iOS/iPadOS, macOS, Android Enterprise, MAM without enrollment | Advanced mobile mgmt (Plus/Enterprise), zero-touch Android, ChromeOS ($50/device/yr), Chrome browser (Core free / Premium $6), basic–moderate Windows/Mac controls | Microsoft |
| Honest gap | More consoles, steeper learning curve | No GPO parity for Windows, no Autopilot equivalent, weaker macOS than Jamf/Intune, no Win32 packaging | Microsoft for Windows fleets — not close |
| Area | Microsoft | Edge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 11 runs everything incl. LOB apps — but needs higher-spec hardware, patching, AV/EDR, ransomware exposure | ChromeOS: verified boot, sandboxing, read-only OS, 10 yrs auto-updates, Titan C, sub-$400 hardware, Flex repurposes old PCs free | Microsoft on compatibility; Google on TCO & security |
| Browser | Edge for Business: free, Intune-managed, IE mode for legacy sites (a genuine moat), work/personal profiles | Chrome Enterprise: Core free (policies, extensions, custom Web Store); Premium $6/user/mo adds web DLP, context-aware SaaS access, Gemini side panel | Microsoft on legacy; Google on cross-platform uniformity |
| Area | Microsoft | Edge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings/chat | Teams: chat, meetings, webinars, Teams Phone ($10/user/mo add-on), breakout rooms, deep M365 integration, huge app ecosystem | Meet/Chat: 100–1,000 participants by tier, recording on Standard+, attendance tracking Plus+, Google Voice add-on for telephony | Microsoft on telephony & depth; Google on simplicity |
| Storage | OneDrive/SharePoint: 1 TB/user fixed, SharePoint team sites, sensitivity labels, Purview DLP | Drive/Shared drives: pooled 30 GB–5 TB/user, team-owned Shared drives, Drive for Desktop, AI classification (Enterprise) | Microsoft on granular control; Google on economics & UX |
| Area | Microsoft | Edge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security stack | Premium ($22): Entra P1, Intune P1, Defender for Business, Defender for O365 P1, Purview DLP + Information Protection P1 — the strongest $22/seat value in the industry | Plus ($22): Vault, eDiscovery, advanced endpoint mgmt, security center; Enterprise adds DLP, S/MIME, data regions, context-aware access | Microsoft on breadth; Google on default device posture |
| AI assistant | Copilot: $21 list, $18 promo through end of 2026; bundles $23.50 (Standard) / $32 (Premium). Strongest in Word/Excel/Outlook/Teams | Gemini: included in all tiers at $0 incremental. Excels at Drive-wide grounding, long-doc summarization, Meet notes | Google on cost, decisively; Microsoft in deep Office workflows |
| Admin consoles | M365 admin, Entra, Intune, Purview, Exchange, Teams, Partner Center + Lighthouse — powerful, many portals | One Admin console (admin.google.com) + reseller console + GAM scripting — a junior tech is productive in a day | Google on simplicity; Microsoft on depth & automation |
| Stack | Per user/mo | 10 users/yr | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Workspace Business Standard | $14 | $1,680 | Gmail, 2 TB pooled storage/user, Meet recording, Gemini included |
| M365 Business Standard (no Copilot) | $14 | $1,680 | Desktop Office apps, 100 GB mailbox, 1 TB OneDrive, Teams |
| Google Workspace Business Plus | $22 | $2,640 | 5 TB storage, Vault/eDiscovery, advanced endpoint mgmt, Gemini |
| M365 Business Premium (no Copilot) | $22 | $2,640 | Entra P1, Intune, Defender suite, Purview DLP |
| Google Standard + AI | $14 | $1,680 | AI included — nothing to add |
| M365 Standard + Copilot (promo) | $32 | $3,840 | Full Copilot ($14 + $18) |
| M365 Premium + Copilot bundle | $32 | $3,840 | Full Copilot |
Add-ons to budget: Chrome Enterprise Upgrade $50/device/yr; Chrome Enterprise Premium $6/user/mo; Teams Phone $10/user/mo; Defender for Business standalone $3/user/mo; Gemini Enterprise add-on ~$30/user/mo (third-party reported). M365 non-Copilot list prices ($14/$22) derived from the July 1, 2026 commercial price update reported by multiple MSP sources; the live microsoft.com page foregrounds the Copilot bundles.
The MSP verdict
Simpler to run. Harder to automate at scale.
- Google is operationally simpler: one console, no Group Policy/ADMX sprawl, ChromeOS devices that rarely break, Android zero-touch provisioning, pooled storage (no quota tickets), and a reseller console for multi-client management. Ticket volume per seat on a pure Google stack runs lower — fewer “Outlook is broken” and patch-related calls.
- Microsoft is more automatable at scale: Lighthouse + GDAP for delegated multi-tenant admin, Graph API + PowerShell for everything, mature RMM integrations, Autopilot + Intune baselines for repeatable deployments, and a vastly larger talent pool and peer community.
- Revenue note: Google’s channel is reseller-friendly (margin on Workspace + Chrome Enterprise Upgrade + Chromebook hardware plays). Microsoft’s stack creates more billable project work — migrations, Intune rollouts, Conditional Access design. That’s a feature, not a bug, for an MSP.
Rule of thumb: support a Google stack when the client is cloud-first — browser apps, an Android fleet, or Chromebook-suitable roles — and you’ll spend less time per seat. Keep Microsoft for Windows-centric clients — the tooling depth pays for itself.
From the field
Tech tips
What a Microsoft-trained tech needs to know on day one of supporting a Google environment — the gotchas, the shortcuts, the mindset shifts.
Start at admin.google.com, not five portals
Users, groups, devices, security, billing, Vault, and Chrome all live in one Admin console. Your Entra/Intune/Exchange/Teams muscle memory will reach for portals that don’t exist — resist it.
Work profiles are not MAM
A work profile is a visible, pausable container the user sees — not silent app-level policy. Wiping removes only the work side, and you cannot see personal apps or location. Set that expectation with the client up front; it’s a privacy feature, not a limitation.
Zero-touch is your Autopilot moment
Reseller-bought Android devices provision themselves on first boot from a portal config — no imaging, no JSON profiles. If a client buys phones retail, you lose this; always route hardware through a zero-touch reseller.
Shared drives fix the leaver problem
Files in Shared drives belong to the team, not the user. When someone leaves, nothing vanishes and there’s no ownership-transfer scramble. Default new client setups to Shared drives, not My Drive.
Vault is retention, not backup
Vault preserves data per retention rules and handles legal holds — it does not do point-in-time mailbox restores. Quote third-party backup (Spanning, Afi) exactly like you would with M365.
Scope the Excel 10% before you migrate anyone
Ninety percent of users adapt to Workspace in days. The painful ten percent are macro/VBA-heavy Excel users and mail-merge power users — find them in discovery, not in week two of the migration.
GCPW bridges the Windows gap
Google Credential Provider for Windows lets users sign into Windows 10/11 with their Google Workspace credentials at the login screen. It’s the answer when a Google-identity client still runs Windows desktops.
Learn GAM early
GAM is the open-source command-line admin tool for Workspace — Google’s answer to PowerShell + Graph. Bulk user ops, group management, and reporting across clients get dramatically faster once it’s in your toolkit.
Chrome management is free to start
Chrome Enterprise Core costs $0 and manages Chrome on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and ChromeOS — policies, extensions, custom Web Store, GenAI policies. Enroll the browser fleet before spending a dollar on Premium.
Watch the Workspace Updates Blog
Google ships changes constantly and announces them on the Workspace Updates Blog. Skim it weekly — it’s the equivalent of watching the M365 message center, and clients will ask about features you haven’t seen yet.
Official sources
Learn it
The canonical documentation, training paths, and consoles — Google’s and Microsoft’s. Bookmark the whole shelf.
Google Workspace Admin Help
The canonical admin documentation — every setting, every console page, explained.
knowledge.workspace.google.com →Workspace Learning Center
End-user guides and switching guides — what to send a client migrating off Microsoft.
support.google.com/a/users →Android Enterprise Help
Work profiles, zero-touch, Managed Google Play — the device-management playbook.
support.google.com/work/android →Chrome Enterprise & Education Help
Browser and ChromeOS policy management, kiosk, forced re-enroll.
support.google.com/chrome/a →Google Cloud Skills Boost
Hands-on labs and the Workspace Administrator learning path — the training gym.
cloudskillsboost.google →Professional Workspace Administrator
Google’s certification for Workspace admins — the credential that proves you know it cold.
cloud.google.com →Workspace Updates Blog
The change log — skim weekly so new features never surprise you on a client call.
workspaceupdates.googleblog.com →Google Admin console
The single pane of glass — users, devices, security, billing, Vault, Chrome.
admin.google.com →Microsoft Learn
Keep the home-team certs sharp: MS-102 (M365 Admin), MD-102 (Intune), SC-300 (Entra ID), MS-700 (Teams), SC-400 (Purview).
learn.microsoft.com →Win the comparison
Sell the right stack, not your favorite one
The client who lives in a browser doesn’t need Windows licenses. The shop with LOB desktop apps doesn’t need Chromebooks. Know both — recommend honestly.