Combining professional email, productivity tools, collaboration and cloud storage, Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) provides businesses of all sizes with a flexible and modern way of working.
With multiple plans available, it’s important to understand the differences between them to ensure your organisation selects the right option for its needs and budget.
Available plans
Google Workspace offers several plans designed for different business sizes and requirements.
Business Starter
Business Starter is the entry-level plan designed for smaller organisations and startups; the plan is ideal for organisations with basic collaboration and storage requirements.
It includes:
- Professional Gmail email accounts using your domain
- AI features in Gmail
- Google Meet video conferencing
- Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides
- 30GB of cloud storage per user
- Basic security and management controls
Business Standard
Business Standard builds on the Starter plan and is often the most popular option for growing businesses. This plan is well suited to businesses that rely heavily on cloud collaboration and shared file storage.
Additional features include:
- 2TB of cloud storage per user
- Enhanced video conferencing features
- Shared drives for teams
- More advanced collaboration tools
- Gemini AI tools
Business Plus
Business Plus introduces more advanced security and compliance features alongside additional storage and is often chosen by organisations with greater security or regulatory requirements.
Features include:
- 5TB of cloud storage per user
- Enhanced endpoint management
- Advanced security and archiving tools
- Improved data protection and compliance features
Enterprise Standard
Enterprise Standard is designed for larger organisations requiring advanced administration, security, and scalability. This plan supports organisations with more complex IT environments and governance requirements.
Key features include:
- Flexible storage options
- Advanced security and threat protection
- Enhanced compliance capabilities
- Enterprise-grade administration tools
- Larger meeting capacities
- Gemini AI with enterprise-grade data protection
Enterprise Plus
Enterprise Plus is the most comprehensive Google Workspace offering, designed for organisations with demanding security, compliance, or operational requirements.
It includes:
- Advanced security, compliance, and data loss prevention tools
- Premium endpoint and device management
- Advanced analytics and reporting
- The highest level of administration and control
Annual vs monthly pricing
Google Workspace plans are typically available on either annual or flexible terms.
Flexible pricing allows organisations to add or remove licences monthly, providing greater flexibility for changing staffing levels or temporary users. However, this option usually comes at a higher monthly cost.
Annual pricing offers lower monthly pricing per user but requires a longer commitment. This option is often more cost-effective for organisations with stable staffing requirements and predictable licence usage.
Choosing between the two depends on your organisation’s priorities – whether flexibility or long-term cost savings are more important.
Which plan is best suited to a small to medium size business
For many small to medium-sized businesses, Business Standard is often the best balance between functionality and affordability.
It provides:
- Generous cloud storage
- Strong collaboration features
- Shared drives and team functionality
- Professional communication tools
For organisations with more advanced security requirements or compliance needs, Business Plus may be the better choice due to its additional protection and management capabilities.
Smaller organisations with basic requirements and limited storage needs may find Business Starter sufficient, particularly if budget is a key consideration.
Tools and features
Google Workspace includes a wide range of cloud-based tools designed to improve productivity, communication, and collaboration.
Core tools include:
- Use your own custom domain
- Gmail for business email
- Google Drive for cloud storage
- Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for document collaboration
- Google Meet for video conferencing
- Google Calendar for scheduling
- Google Chat for team messaging
- Gemini AI assistant for AI enhanced productivity integrated into Google Workspace apps
One of the biggest advantages of Google Workspace is its real-time collaboration capabilities. Multiple users can work on the same document simultaneously from any location, making it ideal for hybrid and remote working environments.
Google Workspace uses pooled storage, which means that storage space is shared between users, which can provide great cost savings.
The platform also includes built-in security features such as multi-factor authentication, endpoint management, and data protection controls.
Why purchase through a reseller
Purchasing Google Workspace through a reseller can provide several benefits compared to buying directly.
A reseller can:
- Identify the most suitable plan for your organisation
- Benefit from partner pricing instead of retail pricing
- Manage licensing and renewals
- Provide migration and setup assistance
- Offer technical support and advice
- Manage DNS, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records
- Help optimise costs and usage
Working with a reseller also gives organisations access to expertise and ongoing support, ensuring they get the maximum value from their Google Workspace investment.
Final thoughts
Google Workspace provides a flexible and scalable productivity platform suitable for organisations of all sizes. With a range of plans available, businesses can choose the right balance of storage, collaboration tools, security, and administration features to meet their needs.
Whether you’re adopting cloud productivity tools for the first time or reviewing your current setup, selecting the right plan is essential to ensuring long-term value and productivity. Request a callback with us to find out more or discuss purchasing licenses through us.