Gmail vs Outlook Email for Business: Which Should You Use & Why

When it comes to business email, everyone wants to know which of the world’s leading email providers is better: Gmail or Outlook? While the best one for your business depends on your unique needs, generally Outlook is best for those who want business email over a familiar and reliable platform, whereas Gmail is best for modern and collaborative teams.

Where Gmail and Outlook are alike:

• Connect your own domain
• Admin control over accounts
• Both part of productivity suites (G Suite and Microsoft 365 respectively)

Where Gmail and Outlook differ:

• Microsoft Outlook does not offer plans with unlimited storage
• Gmail has a modern interface, whereas Microsoft’s feels very corporate
• Microsoft email plans require an annual commitment, whereas all Gmail plans are on a month-to-month basis

Tip: If you’re just starting out, get all the information you need to know about business email.

Gmail vs Outlook Pricing

Takeaway: Cost-focused businesses will find Outlook has Gmail beat for its entry-level plan. It not only costs a little less than Gmail, but it also comes with 20GB more in storage. On the other hand, Gmail offers better overall value, as it offers commitment-free, month-to-month plans, 24/7 customer support, and apps for any device with all plans. Plus, it offers plans with unlimited storage, which is currently not available with any Microsoft 365 plan.

Money-saving Tip: While Gmail and Outlook at two of the top business email providers, they’re surely not the cheapest. Those who are looking to get business email addresses at the lowest price should check out our article on the best cheap email hosting providers.

Gmail vs Outlook: Email Features

While Gmail and Outlook seemingly offer the same email features, upon further inspection, you’ll find they offer a different set of features. For example, Gmail has unique features such as Smart Compose (which intuitively completes your sentences), the ability to automatically translate emails, and built-in follow-up reminders. Outlook, on the other hand, has a built-in appointment booking tool, more email interface customizations, and the ability to manage multiple calendars.

Top Gmail Features

• Unlimited cloud storage with some plans
• Modern interface
• Desktop and mobile apps available with all plans
• Ability to access Gmail offline
• Schedule emails
• Send and request money via email
• Follow-up reminders built in
• Smart Compose feature intuitively auto-populates the remainder of your sentence
• Missing attachment notification
• Confidential mode allows users to set an expiration date on emails
• Built-in language translators

Top Outlook Features

• Mobile app available with all plans
• Built-in appointment booking tool available with standard and premium plans
• Offline access to email accounts
• Customization capabilities to suit nearly any email user’s preferences
• Sorting options to easily find emails by size, date, or sender
• Missing attachment notification
• Ignore conversations feature automatically puts email threads in trash
• Ability to share and delegate multiple calendars

Takeaway: Gmail is the best option for businesses that value time-saving features and modern productivity tools, such as the ability to send and receive money via email, translate emails from foreign languages, and set expiration dates on emails. Outlook is best for traditional companies that have a large number of staff members who are responsible for managing others’ inboxes and calendars.

G Suite vs Microsoft 365: Additional Features

Takeaway: G Suite is the better option for modern and creative businesses, whereas Microsoft 365 is better for traditional companies. The reason is that G Suite offers more collaborative tools that better serve teams, whereas Microsoft 365 is geared more toward providing productivity solutions to hierarchical companies, where a large number of staff members are in administrative roles and thus need tools to help them manage others.

Tip: Interested in learning more about the productivity and collaboration tools each provider includes? Get the complete breakdown of G Suite vs Office 365.

When to Choose Gmail

Takeaway: Gmail is the better choice for most startups and small businesses given its modern, user-friendly interface, freedom of a month-to-month plan, and comprehensive collaboration features that serve modern businesses. It’s also the ideal email solution for international businesses given its translate feature that makes it easy to send and receive emails in foreign languages and its ability to send and receive money via email.

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When to Choose Outlook

Takeaway: Choose Microsoft 365 Outlook if you’re looking for the best value entry-level plan, as it costs less than Gmail and includes more storage. It’s also a great option for companies that need productivity tools, such as the ability to easily manage other users’ inboxes and calendars, book meeting rooms, and book appointments.

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Still not sure which is right for you? Take the quiz!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best email providers?

The best business email providers not only give businesses custom email addresses but are affordable, secure, and reliable. The overall best include G Suite, Microsoft 365, Zoho Email, and Bluehost. Which is right for you will depend on your budget and needs. Learn more about the best business email providers to find out which is right for you.

How do I get a free business email address?

What many people don’t realize is that there are a number of ways to get a business email address at no additional cost through providers you’re likely already using. For example, many web hosting plans, such as those from Bluehost and DreamHost, include free business email, and site builders such as Squarespace include a free G Suite account with some plans. Learn more about how to get a free business email address.

How do you create a business email address?

Creating a business email address might be easier than you think. To start, find and register a domain name through a domain name registrar such as GoDaddy or get one free with a web hosting plan with providers such as Bluehost and DreamHost. Then, choose which email provider you want to use (e.g., Gmail, Microsoft, or Zoho), create an account, set up your business email address, and connect your domain to your chosen email provider.

Tip: Follow the step-by-step instructions on how to create a custom email address.

Bottom Line

Gmail and Microsoft 365 (formerly Outlook) are leading business email providers for good reason. While they’re seemingly very similar, they’re actually very different. Which is best for you will depend on your preferences, budget, and needs. However, generally, Gmail is the best option for businesses with collaborative teams and Microsoft 365 is best for businesses looking for built-in productivity tools.