Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 for a 10-person business: same price, different decision
Tier-by-tier prices for ten seats, why there is no price winner, and the four questions that actually decide it.
Short answer: for a 10-person business, Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 Business cost exactly the same at every tier: $7, $14 and $22 per seat per month on yearly billing. The middle tier most teams pick is $140 a month, $1,680 a year, on either one.
People search this comparison expecting a price winner. There is not one. The two vendors have matched each other tier for tier, so the decision comes down to what your team already lives in. Here are the numbers, then the questions that actually decide it.
| Tier | Google Workspace | Microsoft 365 Business | Per month, 10 seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | Business Starter: $7 | Business Basic: $7 | $70 each |
| Standard | Business Standard: $14 | Business Standard: $14 | $140 each |
| Top | Business Plus: $22 | Business Premium: $22 | $220 each |
US list prices from each vendor's own pricing page, re-checked every 48 hours. Yearly billing. Both vendors charge about 20% more month to month.
Pick by habit, not by price
- Your files are spreadsheets with macros, or Word documents with tracked changes from clients. Microsoft. Google's versions open them, but the round trip to a client on Office loses formatting.
- Your team is under 35 and already uses Gmail and Google Docs personally. Google. Zero training, and the sharing model is simpler.
- You run Windows laptops managed by an IT person. Microsoft Business Premium includes device management and security tooling you would otherwise buy separately.
- You use Slack and Zoom. Either. If you would rather consolidate, Microsoft Business Standard includes Teams, which can replace both for a 10-person team.
The tier choice matters more than the vendor
Entry tier on both gives you 30 GB per user and web apps only on Microsoft's side. The Standard tier is the sensible default: 2 TB of storage per user, desktop Office apps on Microsoft, recording on Google Meet. At 10 seats the step from entry to Standard is $840 a year. Most teams make that upgrade within the first year anyway, so start there.
The AI add-on changes the picture
Microsoft 365 Copilot bundled with Business Standard is $23.50 per seat, which is $235 a month for ten people. Google includes Gemini in Workspace Business plans at no extra per-seat charge. If everyone on the team wants AI in their email and documents, that is a $1,140 a year difference in Google's favour.
Add your email suite to the calculator alongside the rest of your tools. On its own it looks small. Next to chat, video and your CRM, the per-person total is usually the surprise.
Questions people ask
Is Google Workspace cheaper than Microsoft 365?
No. At the Business tiers, both charge $14 per user per month for the Standard plan on yearly billing, and the entry and top tiers match too.
Which plan should a 10-person company pick?
The Standard tier on either vendor, $140 a month for ten people. It adds the storage and features most teams upgrade for within a year.
Is Teams included in Microsoft 365 Business Standard?
Yes in the US. Microsoft 365 Business Standard includes Teams for chat and video. Google Workspace includes Google Meet and Chat.