Email, developed in the early days of the internet, continues to be a crucial communication tool for many, whether for personal or professional purposes. Gmail, a popular email service provided by Google, stands out globally for its free access and advanced features.
Google Workspace was developed by the company to cater to individuals and businesses seeking to elevate their use of email and other Google tools in a professional setting.
What are the distinctions between platforms? Unsure about choosing between Google Workspace and Gmail as a work tool? Follow this article to clear up any confusion!
What does Google Workspace entail?
If you have a Google account and utilize its services like Gmail, Drive, Calendar, Docs, Sheets, etc., you’re familiar with Google Workspace. It’s a collection of services and tools similar to what the free Google account provides but tailored for businesses and professionals, offering more robust features compared to the free version.
Some of the popular features include Gmail with extra storage and no advertisements, document creation software, spreadsheets, presentations, Google Drive for cloud storage, shared calendars, and video conferencing and chat tools like Google Meet and Google Chat.
By utilizing Google Workspace, the administrator has the ability to utilize all the tools within the suite and set up users for the organization. Users from the organization can enjoy access to all the functionalities provided on the platform.
Google Workspace collection can be carried out monthly or yearly based on usage. The system calculates usage within a month to determine the corresponding fee. The service is priced per user, with the Starter plan currently priced at R$ 28 per user per month. Charges are adjusted proportionally if a user is added or removed mid-period.
To explore all the functions provided by the platform, check out our in-depth analysis of Google Workspace.
What does Gmail entail?
The term Gmail specifically denotes the email service developed and provided by Google. It is offered in both free and paid versions as part of Google Workspace. The free Gmail includes features like a structured inbox and a top-notch spam filter, similar to the paid version. Nevertheless, there are notable distinctions between the two versions, which we will explore further. This comparison aims to assist you in choosing between Google Workspace and Gmail.
In the free version of Gmail, you are required to use an @gmail address, whereas in the professional version available in Google Workspace, you can have an email address with a custom domain, such as joana@abcdesign.com.br, which adds a more professional touch.
Here are the top companies to register your domain for use with Google Workspace.
Google Workspace provides a starting storage space of 30 GB, which is double the 15 GB offered by free Gmail. This storage is shared with Drive for file storage, and only documents and files in formats different from those in the Google platform count towards the space limit.
In Google Workspace, no advertisements are displayed, unlike in the free version of Gmail where ads are shown.
Learn how to enable and utilize Google Workspace’s artificial intelligence feature, Duet AI.
Differences between Free Gmail and Paid Gmail (Google Workspace)
Gmail is one of the services provided in Google Workspace, making it difficult to compare the two. Here, we will focus on comparing the free and paid versions of Gmail.
| Appeal | Gmail Free |
Gmail Google Workspace |
| Email service | Yeah. | Yeah. |
|---|---|---|
| Spam Filter | Yeah. | Yeah. |
| Antivirus for attachments | Yeah. | Yeah. |
| Automatic e-mail organization (abas) | Yeah. | Yeah. |
| Writing suggestions | Yeah. | Yeah. |
| Webmail | Yeah. | Yeah. |
| Synchronization c/ email programs (e.g.: Outlook) | Yeah. | Yeah. |
| Mobile/tablet apps | Yeah. | Yeah. |
| Storage space | 15 GB | 30 GB |
| Custom domain | No | Yeah. |
| Free of ads | No | Yeah. |
| Direct mailing (e-mail marketing) | No | Yeah. |
| HTML e-mail layout (e-mail marketing) | No | Yeah. |
| Price (month, per user) | Free | R$ 28/month (Starter plan) |
| Visit | Visit |
Advantages of Google Workspace compared to Free Gmail
The distinctions outlined in the table pertain solely to the email service, but Google Workspace offers a broader range of features beyond just professional Gmail. Here are some features exclusive to the paid service package that are not available in free Gmail.
Check out: 10 Gmail features for professionals to boost efficiency
Control of company information
Google Workspace enables the service administrator to maintain complete control over company data transmitted through the platform. This means that in case of an employee departure, all emails, documents, appointments, and other information can be retained within the company and shared with authorized individuals for business continuity or auditing reasons.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to hear about workers who disconnect from their roles and leave with all the work they have done. When using a free Gmail account, the risk of this occurring is high. However, with Google Workspace, this is unlikely to happen.
Users on Plus and Enterprise plans have access to Vault in addition to the control provided by the Starter plan. With Vault, users can set retention rules for files, emails, and conversations, enabling recovery even if items are manually deleted.
Learn how to obtain complimentary Google Workspace for NGOs if you are part of a non-profit organization.
Schedules that are shared and integrated with Google Meet.
Google Calendar is a free service that comes integrated with every Google account. Nevertheless, the version of the calendar available in Google Workspace offers specific benefits that are particularly useful for team and company organization.
Google Calendar enables you to check the availability of your team or company members when scheduling appointments. By default, only the busy time slots are visible, not the specific events. However, the schedule owner or administrator can adjust this setting to share the entire schedule with others if necessary.
New appointments on the schedule are provided with a link for a video call, enabling all meeting participants to join remotely without the hassle of being added to a call group. The video conferencing is conducted through Google Meet.
Any participant in the meeting can display their computer screen to allow others to follow along with the presentation.
Collaborating on documents in real-time
The Google App Suite (Documents, Sheets, and Presentations) is available in free accounts, like Agenda, and offers useful features for Google Workspace users.
Documents in Google Drive can be edited collaboratively by team members or invited individuals. Comments and suggestions can be added to facilitate task and project completion.
The administrator can establish regulations for sharing and editing documents to uphold data security. These regulations may specify that solely company members can be invited to edit documents generated or kept within the organization.
Guidelines for recovering passwords and using applications
Google Workspace’s default setting permits only service administrators to recover a forgotten password, enhancing information security by preventing employees from accessing account passwords. Administrators have the option to modify this setting for all users or specific individuals.
You can enhance security by implementing a password policy and limiting the usage of third-party applications associated with the user account, like an email application.
Employees’ mobile devices, such as cell phones and tablets, can be controlled by companies using Google Workspace, offering security features not available in Gmail. This includes the ability to remotely delete device information.
Video calls and group messaging
The chat system and video links available in Google Workspace were designed to enhance team collaboration.
In Google Chat, you can initiate text conversations in a group or one-on-one format while accessing various tools within the platform. This allows for seamless sharing of documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and scheduling invites from Google Calendar, ensuring project participants are well-informed.
Google Meet is a video conferencing platform that is linked to Google services such as Google Chat. It allows users to host meetings with groups or individuals and integrates with other platform services to streamline event organization.
Google Chat and Meet work on different devices such as computers, tablets, and smartphones.
When deciding between Google Workspace and Gmail, it’s important to consider that free Gmail users have access to Chat and Meet. However, the superior integration and compatibility features of Google Chat/Meet make Google Workspace a better choice for communication and collaborating with team members.
Exclusive features available solely in Google Workspace
When deciding between Gmail and Google Workspace, it is important to consider the exclusive features available in the paid version. As a service tailored for businesses of all scales, Google Workspace provides valuable solutions for professional purposes.
Some features, like Vault, have been previously discussed for safeguarding company data produced on the platform, along with numerous additional ones.
Explore the list that outlines specific features exclusive to Google Workspace, not available to free Gmail users.
- Google Workspace administrators can receive technical support via phone, chat, or email around the clock.
- Standard and Plus plan subscribers can use Google Cloud Search for efficient centralized searching of emails, documents, and different file formats.
- Google Workspace administrators have a central role in managing service users, including their permissions and tracking their platform usage.
Also check out: 10 benefits of utilizing Google Workspace for professionals and businesses
Choose between Google Workspace or Gmail.
If you are here, you probably have already decided between Google Workspace and Gmail. If you still have uncertainties, the following overview might assist you.
If you work independently and aim to minimize expenses without needing a custom email domain, Gmail is likely suitable. It offers essential features like email, cloud storage, and productivity software for free.
If you aim to enhance your professional presentations and collaboration, Google Workspace could be a valuable tool. Even the basic plan provides exceptional features to boost your daily productivity and efficiency.
You can test it out without any obligations for 14 days by using the provided link.
Take advantage of this Google Workspace promo code to receive a 10% discount on any plan during the first year of use. The provided link includes instructions on how to redeem the coupon.
You can still receive the discount and access the two-week free trial by registering through our website. Simply click on one of the links above and follow the provided instructions. 🙂
If you have any remaining questions that have not been answered, feel free to leave a comment, and I will be happy to assist you.
Published on 09/11/2019 and updated on 04/07/2023
Publication date: 04/07/2023 (revised on 12/03/2024)
Tags such as Compare and Google Workspace are associated.
