What Is Google Workspace (Formerly G Suite) and How Does It Work in 2020?
If you haven't heard that Google rebranded G Suite in October 2020, you might wonder: What is Google Workspace? Learn what's different — or not — about Workspace in this guide.
— Last Updated: 2020-11-22T18:04:09+00:00 Facts checked by: Andrea Babic
If you use any of Google’s services, odds are you’ve seen the name Google Workspace floating around. By now you’ve probably found yourself googling: “What is Google Workspace?” In short, Workspace is a rebranding of G Suite — Google’s main hub for its office productivity and collaboration tools — but there are a few changes to how the service works.
Google rebranded G Suite’s name to Google Workspace in October 2020 to reflect a change in the app suite, which added tighter integration between its apps. Other than its name, not much has changed, but there are a few differences in how Workspace functions. Read on to learn more about what G Suite was, why Google renamed it and what’s new in Google Workspace.
Google Workspace is not a free service, but all of Google’s productivity tools have free versions as well. You miss out on some features, such as longer video call times on Meet or custom email domains, but you still have access to all of your favorite Google applications including Docs, Calendar and Gmail.
Workspace is an evolved version of G Suite, bringing a much more unified office experience and a massive improvement to G Suite’s workflow.
You can access Workspace through the Google Workspace website, where you can choose to subscribe to one of four pricing plans or try it for free with a 14-day trial period.
What Is Google Workspace?
Workspace is Google’s suite of office tools and apps. Think of it as Google’s version of Microsoft Office. It lets you access all of Google’s productivity tools — including its office apps Docs, Sheets and Slides — all in one place. Plus, it adds some business-oriented features, such as custom domains for email addresses and the option for unlimited Google Drive storage.
However, as COVID-19 forced more people to work from home, it accelerated the trend for remote work. This prompted Google to add closer integration between its G Suite apps, creating a virtual office. G Suite was renamed to Google Workspace to better communicate that change.
What Was G Suite?
Originally launched in 2006 as “Google Apps for Your Domain,” G Suite was Workspace’s predecessor as the search giant’s productivity hub. Besides document editors like Docs, Sheets and Slides, it offered users email services through Gmail, plus other communication tools such as Google Chat, Meet and Hangouts. All of these relied on Google Drive’s cloud storage to store all of their data and share files.
Most of the Google apps included in G Suite have fully functional free versions, but G Suite offered some added perks for business customers. Besides the bonuses we mentioned previously as part of Workspace, these included access to Google’s expert customer support service and expanded functionality for some applications and advanced administrative controls.
What’s the Difference Between Google Workspace vs G Suite?
Despite some differences, Workspace and G Suite are fundamentally the same service. G Suite’s user experience evolved over time to meet its customers’ demand for better remote work features. Workspace was Google’s response, bringing more interoperability between its various tools, but other than its new name, the service remained largely the same.
However, Workspace offers some conveniences that G Suite didn’t. For example, you can now start a Google Chat conversation from within Gmail, then create a Google Docs document from the chat box and work simultaneously alongside your coworkers. This is meant to streamline the remote work experience and create a better environment for online collaboration.
Final Thoughts
Google Workspace is the new name of G Suite, and it brings plenty of added functionality and polish to the Big G’s productivity suite. We hope you found this explanation useful.
Did you find all the information you needed? Are you a fan of the rebranded service? Were you expecting more from Workspace? Let us know in the comments below. Thank you for reading.
After a brief stint in architecture and a tango with teaching, Aleksandar is now dancing to the beat of his own drum as a tech writer, merging his passions for technology and literature. When he’s not hidden behind his computer screen, you can find him photographing the streets of Skopje or cooking quesadillas for his friends at home.