SharePoint vs Google Drive: Insightful Comparison for IT Admins

Microsoft 365’s SharePoint and Google Workspace’s Google Drive lead the cloud office storage and collaboration space. They both are the best options today for businesses looking forward to maximizing their cloud collaboration gains.
However, if your company needs to choose one between the two, which is the best choice?

Check out this SharePoint vs Google Drive detailed comparison to make informed decisions in choosing the best option for your organization. It is also helpful for companies planning to migrate Google Drive to SharePoint or vice versa.

1. SharePoint vs Google Drive: Pricing and Storage

Both Microsoft SharePoint and Google Drive offer business and enterprise plans. They both offer the best value in different segments. While Microsoft offers better storage in the basic business plan, Google Drive offers more storage in the mid and top-tier business plans with slightly affordable pricing.

On the enterprise plan side of things, Microsoft offers more options in SharePoint, while Google Drive has a single scalable plan.

2. Google Drive vs SharePoint: Work Apps Integration

A deep level of work apps integration is the area where both Google Drive and SharePoint excel at. Both drives are a part of a broad cloud suite ecosystem, Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, and integrate with all apps.

Google Drive integrates with Google’s works apps, including Google files (Docs, Sheets, and Slides), Gmail, Google Meet, and Google Calendar.

Similarly, SharePoint Online integrates deeply into all the leading Microsoft Office apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. SharePoint Online also seamlessly syncs with OneDrive for Business and Microsoft Teams.

Both Google Drive and SharePoint Online integrate well with third-party apps as well.

Google Drive allows users to browse and add third-party apps for seamless integration through the Google Workspace Marketplace.

Similarly, SharePoint Online offers users the option to choose from a wide range of third-party apps and integrate them.

Check out app integration similarities and differences between Google Drive and OneDrive in our Google Drive vs OneDrive comparison guide.

3. SharePoint vs Google Drive for Business: File Syncing and Sharing

Google Drive offers a higher limit for daily file sync of 750 GB, while SharePoint Online is capped at 250 GB.

In terms of file and folder sharing, Google Drive offers an easy way to share through direct sharing and shareable links. Users can also edit the permission level before sharing the content.

Similarly, SharePoint makes it easy for users to share files and folders through direct permission sharing and shareable links. An additional content-sharing convenience in SharePoint Online is sharing the files and folders directly through Outlook.

4. Google Drive vs SharePoint: Security

Both Google Drive and SharePoint Online protect data at rest and in transit with encryption. Also, Google and Microsoft have some of the most secure data centers in the world.

One significant difference between the two in the security domain is that Microsoft offers security at the license level while Google does it at the individual user level.

Conclusion

Google Drive and SharePoint Online come on par with each other in app integration and user collaboration. However, when it comes to differences, Google Drive is more attractive in the pricing department, while SharePoint Online offers better security.

All in all, Google Drive (under Google Workspace) comes as a solid package for SMBs looking forward to improving cloud collaboration without spending too much. On the other hand, SharePoint Online (under Microsoft 365) is best suited for SMBs and enterprises that need extensive collaboration and security.