Google Workspace

Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) is Google's productivity and collaboration suite for businesses. It includes Gmail with a custom domain, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar, Meet, Chat, and a range of admin tools — all under one subscription, all built to work together.

For small businesses, Google Workspace is often the very first business software purchase. A professional email address (@yourcompany.com instead of @gmail.com) signals legitimacy, and Google Workspace delivers that alongside the Google tools most people already know how to use.

Gmail for business is the anchor. You get 30GB to 5TB of storage depending on plan, spam filtering that's among the best in the industry, and the full Gmail interface without ads. For teams, shared inboxes and email delegation let multiple people manage a single customer service address.

Google Drive provides shared file storage with real-time collaboration baked in. Docs, Sheets, and Slides let entire teams edit the same document simultaneously — no emailing versions back and forth, no "which file is final?" confusion. Files are searchable within seconds of creation, and version history goes back indefinitely.

Google Meet provides video conferencing that works reliably with no client software required. For a team of 10 running weekly all-hands calls and daily standups, Meet handles it without needing a separate Zoom subscription. Business plans support up to 500 participants and include recording and transcription.

The admin console is where Google Workspace earns its keep for growing teams. IT administrators can provision users, reset passwords, set security policies, enforce 2FA, and remotely wipe devices — all from a web interface that doesn't require a dedicated IT team.

Google Workspace starts at $6/user/month for Business Starter. Most small businesses do fine on this tier; the jump to Business Standard ($12/user/month) is worth it for the larger Meet meeting size limit and Drive storage.