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As of 2020, there are nearly 4 billion Google users worldwide. That’s roughly 90 percent of the total number of internet users currently.
Since its founding slightly more than two decades ago, Google has developed into a universe of its own. Individuals and businesses depend on the services of this technology giant for a wide variety of services.
Two of Google’s leading services are Gmail and G Suite. Most Google users are aware of Gmail and own a Gmail account. Some use G Suite as well.
But what’s the difference, and which is better?
The G Suite vs Gmail discussion has been around for a while. To make things clearer for you, we prepared this comprehensive guide about the two services. By the time you’re done reading, we hope you’ll be able to know what differentiates Gmail from G Suite and which of the two you should choose for your business.
Read on to learn more.
What Is Gmail?
Gmail refers to a specific product from Google that helps users to send, receive, and manage email. This service is free.
Most Google users have a Gmail account. It’s an email address ending in @gmail.com. Once you sign up for this email address and create an account, the account automatically doubles as your Google Account.
Currently, Gmail is the world’s most popular platform for email, accounting for over 1.8 billion users.
What Is G Suite?
G Suite refers to a collection of collaboration and productivity tools, applications, and services from Google that are designed specifically for organizational use. G Suite has a wide variety of service packages, from bare-bone, low-cost options such as the Basic edition to highly advanced packages such as the Enterprise edition. Users can also opt between unique products for different sectors, including Education, Government, and Nonprofit.
Signing up for Gmail automatically allows you to create one or more Gmail accounts.
G Suite vs Gmail: The Main Differences
While both Gmail and G Suite are from Google, the two have many significant differences. Let’s look at some of them.
Cost
One of the top benefits of Gmail is that it is free. You can sign up, create an account, and instantly gain access to numerous productivity apps without ever paying a penny. Of course, these services aren’t as robust as those of G Suite, but they should serve you well when using Google for personal purposes.
Users of G Suite pay for the services. There’s a wide range of plans from which to choose, from Basic to Business to Enterprise.
As you might expect, Basic plans cost the least, while Enterprise plans are at the other end of the spectrum. The good news is that Google offers a 14-day free trial for its G Suite packages.
Administrative Control
Once you set up a Gmail account, you maintain full control of the account at all times. The account provides a self-contained environment in which you can decide how everything is done, provided you keep your login details safe. You have full control of whether to auto-forward emails in your account, which you can learn more here.
G Suite affords you administrative control over the email addresses you set up. That means you can set up a different email address for each member of your team but still retain overall control of how they use the addresses. While members will be able to send or receive emails, you can choose to create, delete, or edit those accounts.
G Suite allows you to reset passwords or handle issues that pertain to the services from a higher level compared to users in your team.
Domain Name Customization
Gmail users cannot customize the domain name. You must stick to the @gmail.com extension. You only have some control over the starting part of the email address.
Among the benefits of G Suite is that users can create their own domain that they’ll use for their Gmail addresses. However, they’ll still need to use Gmail as their central platform for managing email.
Storage
Gmail allows users storage of up to 15 GB. Given that the account is free, that’s impressive. The space should suffice if you use the account for personal purposes or run a small business that doesn’t require too much creating, storing, and sharing countless files.
With G Suite, you get an impressive 30 GB cloud storage for every user for the Basic plan. The Enterprise plan grants unlimited storage per user for businesses with at least five users. For those with less than five users, this plan grants each user a whopping 1TB of cloud storage.
Shared Access
With Gmail, you can create and share files using different Google apps. However, the process involves manual steps in most cases.
G Suite allows users within the group to easily share files without needing to share each document manually. The administrator has access to any document that individual users create within their accounts.
Customer Support
Both Gmail and G Suite accounts can run into technical issues from time to time. With Gmail, you’ll need to fix these issues on your own. The alternative is to wait till the problems are resolved
G Suite offers users round-the-clock customer support through email and phone. If you experience any issue accessing a tool you need or need help moving information, there’s always someone available to assist you right away.
So Which Is Better for Business?
Should you use G Suite or Gmail for business? The many benefits that G Suite comes with make it ideal for business purposes. The service allows you to create a professional, customized domain for your address, besides providing you more space, administrative control, and ready customer support. It’s the reason G Suite is trusted by more than 6 million paying users.
Choose the Right Google Service for Your Business
As the G Suite vs Gmail debate continues, it’s clear which of the two is ideal for business. Sure, you’ll need to pay to use G Suite, but the more advanced features it offers can prove helpful in taking your business to the next level.
Would you like to read more great content on Gmail and G Suite? Please keep visiting our blog.
