Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace: A Plain-English Guide for Adelaide SMEs

"Should we be on Microsoft or Google?" is one of the most common questions we hear from Adelaide business owners. The honest answer: both are excellent, and the right choice depends on how your team actually works.

Choose Microsoft 365 if…

Your team lives in Word, Excel and Outlook. If you work with accountants, lawyers or government clients, the desktop versions of Office apps remain the industry default, and complex spreadsheets simply behave better in Excel. Microsoft 365 also bundles strong security controls and device management in its Business Premium tier.

Choose Google Workspace if…

Your team collaborates in real time and values simplicity. Google Docs and Sheets are built for multiple people editing at once, the admin console is genuinely easy to manage, and staff who grew up on Gmail need zero training.

The deciding factors

Your clients: if your customers send you complex Excel models or Word contracts with tracked changes, Microsoft compatibility matters.

Your workflows: businesses built around shared, live documents often find Google faster and calmer.

Your existing data: migrating email and files is very doable, but it's a project — switching platforms purely on price rarely pays off.

What about security?

Both platforms are secure if configured properly. Out of the box, neither turns on multi-factor authentication for everyone or configures safe sharing defaults. That's where most SME risk actually lives — not the platform choice, but the setup.

Our advice: pick the platform that matches how your team already works, then invest the difference in setting it up securely. UMI manages both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace environments for Adelaide businesses — talk to us before you commit.