Google Workspace will not be from June 27; Find the top 5 options

Google Workspace (formerly Google G Suite) will not be free from June 27th, and if you have been enjoying its privileges without paying so far, you might want to check out these top 5 alternatives. (Google Blog)

Google announced earlier this week, that it would be discontinuing its legacy G Suite app service that it offered free to millions of users who signed up before December 2012. As the new Google Workspace avatar formally takes its place, all users need to pay a monthly subscription fee starting at $6 (approximately Rs. 469). Legacy G Suite users, which include small businesses, have been enjoying the services for free until now. Google has given a deadline for this, which is June 27, 2022. After this, free user accounts will be migrated to paid Google Workspace and users will have to pay to access their account. If this move has left you shocked and thinking of alternatives, then don't worry. Here are the top 5 options that may turn out to be a service worth migrating to.

But before you jump into them, know that the new Google Workspace plan comes with some benefits if you choose to stick with the service or even use it as a stopgap while you explore other options. For $6, Google offers a custom domain, 30 GB of cloud storage, and video conferences with up to 100 participants. An added benefit is that you can use all other facilities like Google Docs, Sheets and others for free. And on top of that, you don't have to go through the hassle of migrating your data.

Top 5 Alternatives for Google Workspace

1. Microsoft 365 for business

It's not a cheap option, Microsoft is a direct competitor to what Google offers and has been doing so for a longer period of time. At $6, you can get your email domain, but to use the Office apps, you'll need to pay another $6. It gives you 50GB of inbox space and 1TB of One Drive storage, but the price makes almost double the cost of what you would pay on Google. However, if you want a competitor that offers similar or perhaps better features, then this is an easy trade-off.

2. Zoho Workplace

Zoho, the Indian SaaS company, provides a domain for email along with 5 GB of storage for free and without any ads. It lets up to 5 participants on a domain and has an upper limit of 25 MB on attachments, but that wouldn't cost you any money. Even if you want to opt for a paid subscription, it's cheaper than Google, starting at just $1. A 50GB Inbox plan will set you back $4, which is essentially more storage for less price.

3.iCloud+

For individual users, iCloud email service will also work fine. Beginning at $1 per month, you get your own custom domain and 50 GB of storage. You'll also get your office apps like Pages, Keynote, Numbers, and others. However, please note that it is not intended for businesses and an account can only be used by one.

4. Proton Mail

If privacy and data security make you worry, ProtonMail is an apparent choice. It gives you end-to-end encryption, its paid plan starts at $4 that offers your own email domain, 10 email addresses, and 15 GB of storage. Note that you don't have an office suite, and end-to-end encryption won't apply when sending email to a different service provider like Gmail.

5.CryptPad

Another one on the list that offers end-to-end encryption and has a free plan with 1 GB of storage. And what is more? It also has office applications on its platform. This is good for those who don't plan on storing large files. If that's your need, it may seem inadequate as their paid plans start at $5 and only offer 5GB of storage.