What’s the best way to set up separate Google Workspace admin accounts?

For the dedicated administrative or break-glass account, enable strong two-step verification, preferably with security keys. Keep it separate from everyday work, avoid relying on it for email, and review its assigned roles periodically. Most organizations only need a very small number of Super Admin accounts; other administrators can use narrower custom roles.

You can use the same separation model as in Microsoft 365: keep a licensed account for normal work and create a dedicated account for privileged administration. Enable Cloud Identity Free in the Google tenant, disable automatic Workspace license assignment for the organizational unit where the admin account is created, and leave that account without a paid Workspace license. It can still be assigned the appropriate administrator role, including Super Admin if necessary, while lacking services such as Gmail and Drive.

If Cloud Identity Free isn’t available or suitable for the tenant, the fallback is to accept the cost of a separate Workspace license for the privileged account. Google’s model is different from Microsoft 365’s, but the security principle remains the same: don’t use a Super Admin identity for routine browsing, email, or daily productivity work.

The admin account may not need Super Admin access permanently. If its responsibilities are limited to user management, sharing settings, or another specific task, assign a custom role with only those permissions. Reserve Super Admin for tasks that truly require it, since reducing the number of standing Super Admin accounts limits the impact of a compromised account.