Google Workspace: What is it?

 In 2016, Google abbreviated "Google Apps for Your Domain" to "Google Apps" and changed the name to "G Suite." Google refined its offering in response to the rising demand for online workspace and collaboration in 2019 and 2020, and the productivity suite underwent another name change to "Google Workspace" on October 6, 2020. Although Google Workspace initially appears to be exactly like G Suite, recent updates and additions have made it even better.

Google Workspace: What is it?

Users can access a virtual workplace with Google Workspace. It promotes teamwork, facilitates effective communication, and improves Google products that are used frequently in your workflow.

For startups, companies, corporations, people (more on that later), nonprofits, and education, Google Workspace provides a selection of communication and productivity apps. Calendar, Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Sites, Keep, Meet, Drive, and more tools are included in the productivity toolset. Google promises a better user experience, a new identity, and more with a rebranded Google Workspace.

Features of Google Workspace at a glance

Google didn't simply change the name of G Suite to Google Workspace and move on. New icons for a uniform identity, a simplified user experience, and new add-ons to get around restrictions on free personal Google accounts are all part of the makeover.

For instance, the most recent redesign of Gmail combines Chat, Meet, and Spaces. You don't need to open dozens of tabs to preview files, create emails, start video calls, or communicate with coworkers.

Another time-saving feature is the enhanced @mentions and the capability to preview files in Sheets, Slides, and Docs. You receive ad-free Gmail, a longer meeting duration, meeting recording, and noise cancellation in Google Meet when compared to a free Google account.

Group-based policy controls, data loss prevention (DLP), a vault to store, archive, and search data, endpoint management, and other security measures are among the features available. In order to manage your startup and business with efficient communication and teamwork, Google Workspace is crucial.

Cost of Google Workspace

Workspace plans are categorized by Google into three groups: Individual, Business, and Enterprise. Let's examine each plan carefully to determine which is the best choice for you.

Individual Workspace Google

The Google Workspace Business plan is not required for everyone. The Individual Google Workplace plan can be appropriate for you if you are a sole proprietor, owner of a small firm, or have a side business with a few projects and clients.

You receive first-rate customer service, easy appointment scheduling, configurable Gmail layouts, and all of the Google Meet features for captivating video calls. No more Google Drive storage is included. Additional storage must be purchased using one of the Google One plans. A personalized email address is also not included in the Individual plan.

The cost of Google Workspace Individual starts at $4.2 per month for the business pack with a 14-day free trial.

Workspace Business by Google

Three Google Workspace Business options are available. Depending on the number of participants, the amount of storage needed, and the security features, you can choose one.

• Ideal for startups and small businesses is Google Workspace Business Starter. You can get a personalized email account, up to 100 people in a video meeting, 30GB of Google Drive storage per user, and fundamental security and administration features for $4.2 per user each month.
• Google justifies the price of $9.8 for Google Workspace Business Standard by raising the participant cap to 150 users and the user-specific Google Drive storage to 2TB. In Google Meet, you can record conversations that you can later share with others.
• Google Workspace Business Plus: Unlocks extra goodies like 500 attendees in Google Meet, attendance tracking, 5TB of storage space on Drive for each user, improved security mechanisms like Vault, and comprehensive endpoint management. The monthly cost is $18 per user.

Workspace Enterprise by Google

Get in touch with the sales team for the Enterprise plan if 500 members are insufficient. It includes every feature and bell that Google has to offer to businesses. You get increased support, enterprise endpoint management, in-domain live streaming, unlimited Google Drive storage, and noise cancellation.

For accredited nonprofits and educational institutions, Google also provides different Workspace options.