Google Drive vs. Microsoft Exchange

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Google Drive
Score 8.6 out of 10
N/A
Google Drive is a cloud file storage, synchronization, and collaboration platform and service, that features Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for document editing and presentation.
$6
per month
Microsoft Exchange
Score 8.6 out of 10
N/A
Microsoft Exchange is a secure email / messaging gateway with file archiving and encryption / data loss capability, available as a hosted service (Exchange Online) or installed (Exchange Server).N/A
Pricing
Google DriveMicrosoft Exchange
Editions & Modules
Basic
$6.00
per month
Business
$12.00
per month
Enterprise
Contact Vendor for Quote
per month
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Google DriveMicrosoft Exchange
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
YesNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsDiscounts are available for students, educators, and non profit organizations.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Google DriveMicrosoft Exchange
Considered Both Products
Google Drive
Chose Google Drive
The management is far easier to use, collaboration is significantly easier, and it is still cheaper too. Just adding emails to allow people to have access to files, then having the ability to edit after you have set their controls is brilliant. The cost to add more space in …
Microsoft Exchange
Chose Microsoft Exchange
I use Gmail and Google Drive/Calendar, and while the collaborative feature of Google Drive is extremely helpful for remote work, it is extremely helpful to copy/paste from any MS Office application directly into MS Exchange without having to reformat. Items typically need to be …
Chose Microsoft Exchange
The nice thing about Exchange server when compared with Google Drive is that it is a bit more customized to work with Outlook. So, if you have Outlook for your email, Microsoft Exchange might be a better fit than using Google Drive. Both are really solid storage options and …
Chose Microsoft Exchange
Microsoft is more sturdy and feature-packed than GSuite. Especially with the Office integrations, even though the UI doesn't stand up against them, it offers way better features and is just more convenient to use for what we require at our organization.
Features
Google DriveMicrosoft Exchange
File Sharing & Management
Comparison of File Sharing & Management features of Product A and Product B
Google Drive
8.0
219 Ratings
4% below category average
Microsoft Exchange
-
Ratings
Versioning8.3193 Ratings00 Ratings
Video files7.2188 Ratings00 Ratings
Audio files7.8182 Ratings00 Ratings
Document collaboration8.8216 Ratings00 Ratings
Access control7.6214 Ratings00 Ratings
File search7.5218 Ratings00 Ratings
Device sync8.9204 Ratings00 Ratings
Cloud Storage Security & Administration
Comparison of Cloud Storage Security & Administration features of Product A and Product B
Google Drive
8.3
213 Ratings
4% below category average
Microsoft Exchange
-
Ratings
User and role management8.6200 Ratings00 Ratings
File organization7.5211 Ratings00 Ratings
Device management8.799 Ratings00 Ratings
Cloud Storage Platform
Comparison of Cloud Storage Platform features of Product A and Product B
Google Drive
8.7
212 Ratings
1% above category average
Microsoft Exchange
-
Ratings
Performance8.9210 Ratings00 Ratings
Reliability8.8212 Ratings00 Ratings
Storage Reports8.587 Ratings00 Ratings
Secure Email Gateway
Comparison of Secure Email Gateway features of Product A and Product B
Google Drive
-
Ratings
Microsoft Exchange
7.3
84 Ratings
14% below category average
Anti-malware00 Ratings6.567 Ratings
Customizability00 Ratings8.079 Ratings
Data Loss Protection00 Ratings8.368 Ratings
Threat Detection00 Ratings6.566 Ratings
Sandboxing00 Ratings7.444 Ratings
End-to-End Encryption00 Ratings6.767 Ratings
Management Tools00 Ratings8.080 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Google DriveMicrosoft Exchange
Small Businesses
SugarSync
SugarSync
Score 4.1 out of 10
Zoho Mail
Zoho Mail
Score 9.2 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Druva Security Cloud
Druva Security Cloud
Score 9.4 out of 10
Avanan
Avanan
Score 9.8 out of 10
Enterprises
Druva Security Cloud
Druva Security Cloud
Score 9.4 out of 10
Avanan
Avanan
Score 9.8 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Google DriveMicrosoft Exchange
Likelihood to Recommend
8.4
(222 ratings)
9.0
(102 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(6 ratings)
10.0
(4 ratings)
Usability
8.5
(52 ratings)
8.5
(6 ratings)
Availability
10.0
(1 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Performance
9.0
(7 ratings)
9.0
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
1.1
(49 ratings)
9.9
(12 ratings)
In-Person Training
9.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
8.0
(3 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Configurability
6.0
(1 ratings)
7.0
(1 ratings)
Ease of integration
5.0
(1 ratings)
5.0
(1 ratings)
Product Scalability
10.0
(1 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
5.0
(1 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
Google DriveMicrosoft Exchange
Likelihood to Recommend
Google
It is possible to share files and folders with up to 200 email addresses, as well as with persons outside the company.Use the drop-down arrow to select who may see, comment on, or change the file or folder before sending out an invitation.I am very much impressed with this feature
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Microsoft
Creating and receiving emails is simple. Managing contacts is a nice feature, especially connecting to Active Directory. Calendar management is also helpful and sharing access to others' calendars for scheduling meetings is useful. And reserving resources such as rooms or equipment is also useful. Personal and shared mailboxes are good features, as well. Tasks are a little lacking, but other than that, the features are thorough.
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Pros
Google
  • Any user with access can store a file using different platforms like Android, IOS, Windows, or Ubuntu (Desktop version)
  • You can share files with any number of different users with different access rights or you can even keep it public by providing the access link and assign different rights for public access
  • You can open Excel/Word files using google software Sheets/Docs in the browser environment without having to install software like Microsoft Office etc on your Windows OS
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Microsoft
  • As we have a large user base of 11,000 users we use MailTips to avoid people getting confused with people with similar names in the organization.
  • The integration between Teams Meeting and Resource booking is generally very good. The Scheduling Assistance makes it easy to scan calendars and find free periods to provisionally scheduled events.
  • Marking yourself as Out of the Office and busy is easy, as is sharing your calendar within the team/organization or individuals.
  • Voicemail integration and the ability to receive missed chats in your inbox are highly used and useful.
Read full review
Cons
Google
  • Having a little bit more control and clarity over what is shared and how it is shared would be a useful improvement.
  • Could be more robust and flexible as far as assigning restrictions.
  • Google Sheets could be enhanced because Excel really is not there yet as a product with equal capabilities as there are still quite a few limitations to the functionality.
Read full review
Microsoft
  • The two main factors for the better reliability & Uptime of internally hosted Exchange Server depends on Exchange Server configuration and the level of investment the organization is willing to provide for hosting the Exchange Server On-Premise Environment. As the data is stored in the organization’s hardware, any disaster may lead to the loss of email and servers.
  • Losing data might affect business continuity and rebuilding it can be costly.
  • Security remains a major concern.
  • Security of data loss is main concern. To ensure that, organization needs to configure networks, systems and Exchange platform against possible threats.
  • Hardware and license costs are high.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Google
It's perfect for me. It keeps things saved and is easy to remove items if needed. Also, I very much enjoy the formatting options. Along with the integrations it has for SSO. Overall, this is the most user friendly system I have ever come across.
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Microsoft
Email and calendars in a business setting are requirements. And Microsoft continues to be the standard of business applications. Microsoft 365 makes Microsoft Exchange easy to use. Everything is in the cloud. Let Microsoft take care of the hardware, the software, and the security. You just enable your business users with the functionality they need.
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Usability
Google
It's easy enough to use for computer users of all ages and skill levels. I am an advanced user, and I think the hardest part might be showing someone how to download and set up the app on their device if they weren't too familiar with computers, but overall it is very easy to understand.
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Microsoft
Microsoft Exchange has come a long way over the years and has nowhere near the technical overhead required for support as it did back in 2003/2007 and prior. The integrations with Teams, Defender, Sharepoint, Copilot and many other products make it a solid and well-rounded tool used for many day-to-day tasks.
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Reliability and Availability
Google
Always available
Read full review
Microsoft
Exchange is setup with multiple servers behind load balancers to provide high availability.
Read full review
Performance
Google
The documents load fairly quickly and also update in real time, especially given the fact that multiple people can be using it at once. The "Offline" feature works great to allow the user to make edits and access the document without access to the internet, and then sync changes later once they're back.
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Microsoft
I would say it's the best email product I've experienced.
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Support Rating
Google
It takes a few days for customer support to get back to you. Although, I have not had to use support too often. Once you get an email back, they are very thorough and work hard to fix the problem quickly. It is a really great resource and a great way to get the help you need if you're stuck. A phone call also works quickly but you have to call during specific times.
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Microsoft
We have a good enterprise agreement with Microsoft which affords us quick phone support. I have found the support staff knowledgeable and prompt with a solution when required. At times it may be difficult to schedule a call back, this is mainly due to our need for calls early in the morning which happens to be during a shift change at Microsoft support.
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In-Person Training
Google
The effective google workspace using training that my organization received and was conducted by me (as a team lead of the ICT team) was mind-blowing and as a result, our staff is performing well in terms of using the application for their daily jobs than before. Now, in my institution, all teachers and all the administrative personnel are very much interested in cloud storage facilities, in previous my institution was afraid of losing all important documents in the cloud storage. But, after having received the training they are now realized that if anyone has only one google account then he or she can use 15GB of cloud storage freely and they are now happy because now it is not necessary for anyone to carry the traditional pen drive.
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Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
Google
It's an extremely easy software to implement, once you sign up for a google account you automatically have access to google drive with a set amount of storage space. The business or Google Suite accounts have more storage space than a regular free account, but setting up and accessing google drive is very easy in both cases
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Microsoft
Implementation/conversion can be quite complex and, unless you have certified Exchange administrators in-house, you should strongly consider a 3rd party consultant for this implementation.
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Alternatives Considered
Google
In short, Google Drive is better for independent users who store a normal amount of stuff. OneDrive makes more sense for businesses and teams that are doing heavy-duty storage or large-scale syncing. Realistically, though, most users will fall somewhere in between the two, where either platform would meet their needs.
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Microsoft
Microsoft Exchange Product The best cloud-based enterprise-grade archiving platform with a host of features that enable files to be securely archived and retrieved with advanced search options. This tool is very easy to use and has a User-friendly interface. It is a highly reliable platform that allows all employees to automatically store their data without any limitations. It offers a cost-effective solution with customized policy management. We are happy that the customer support team is always fast and concerned, and the product's uninterrupted service experience. It is very good that it stores data in real-time without losing it, even in the event of a disaster. The cost-effective solution and integration with other tools are seamless.
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Scalability
Google
I have always been able to access
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Microsoft
The only time Exchange has failed us is when we did something to cause the failure.
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Return on Investment
Google
  • It has given our operation remote capabilities
  • Easier to access and understand client's need through collaborative enviroment
  • availability to digital resources fast and easy
  • saved our operation hundreds of dollars in physical storage (both investment and maintenance)
  • our operation became easier for new staff to get onboard: small learning curve to use it
Read full review
Microsoft
  • It has been an important factor in allowing seamless communication with clients and scheduling business meetings, which in turn works in the company's favor.
  • Haven't noticed any negative impact Exchange has had on our ROI. The support team is also responsive and helpful.
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ScreenShots

Google Drive Screenshots

Screenshot of Google Drive PriorityScreenshot of Comment on Microsoft Files in Google DriveScreenshot of Shared drives