I'm volunteering as an admin for a few small nonprofits, and one of them is currently using their host's cPanel for email. They really need a better solution. Both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 offer great nonprofit options with zero-cost licenses, which is a big plus. Personally, I think Google Workspace is easier to manage, at least until you scale up. What do others think?
4 Answers
I also recommend M365. I've managed both systems, and while Google has its merits, M365 feels more robust and prepares you for future growth. I've set up everything from a one-user instance to managing over 25,000 users—all on M365, and it works like a charm.
To be honest, it really comes down to how your team works. Google Workspace is awesome for smaller teams because it’s straightforward and great for collaboration. But if you anticipate needing tighter controls or additional security, especially as things grow, Microsoft 365 might be the way to go. Just don’t underestimate the complexity of migrating data, regardless of the choice!
If your focus is primarily on email, Google Workspace might be the better choice. It’s simple to manage, and most users find it familiar and easy to use, which helps with adoption. Just keep in mind that if they're doing a lot of mass emailing, you might want to consider additional services like MailChimp for that.
I'd go with Microsoft 365 for sure. It's got better security features right out of the box, which can save you a lot of admin hassle. Plus, if they ever need to expand and use the desktop versions of Office, M365 scales pretty well.
Good point! We're just volunteers for less than 10 email accounts, mainly for the board and editor roles, so keeping it simple would be key.