Google Workspace is a suite. You needed an inbox.

If your team lives in Docs, Meet and Drive, keep Workspace — genuinely. If you're paying $7 a head for email plus apps nobody opens, here's the other math.

Side by side, honestly

CriterionGoogle WorkspaceMailometer
Email on your domainYesYes
Price$7/user/mo (Business Starter, annual — workspace.google.com, July 2026)$2/inbox/mo
Pricing modelPer user — every person is a licensePer inbox — aliases included, nobody is a 'seat'
Docs / Meet / DriveYes — the reason to buy itNo — email-first by design
AIGemini bundled into the price (no opt-out); Copilot-class add-ons run $18-21/user elsewhereAgents in build — included when they ship
InfrastructureGoogle's cloud — you're a tenantOur own mail servers — dig the MX records
Team tools in the email tierSuite apps, per-seatTasks, broadcasts, time tracking — in build, included
LeavingGoogle Takeout exportStandard IMAP + your MX — leave any day, take everything

Why people are looking now

  • Workspace prices rose ~40% cumulatively between 2023 and 2025
  • Microsoft 365 raised prices 12-33% by tier on July 1, 2026
  • Gemini is bundled into Workspace bills with no email-only opt-out
  • Fastmail — the classic alternative — raised prices 40% in December 2025

Sources: provider pricing pages + coverage, verified 2026-07-01. We keep this list dated because prices move.

Your team, both ways

SeatsGoogle WorkspaceMailometer
5$420/yr$120/yr
12$1,008/yr$288/yr
30$2,520/yr$720/yr

Keep the suite if you use it. Own the email either way.

Get early access

No credit card. Your domain stays yours.