Google Docs vs Microsoft Word (2024): Which Tool Is Better?

Ideal for on-line collaboration: Google Docs

Ideal for exact formatting: Word from Microsoft

Microsoft Word and Google Docs are the most well-liked phrase processors used immediately. Both are almost ubiquitous and dependable for information staff and enterprise organizations. Although they each have the identical fundamental performance, they can be utilized in barely totally different circumstances:

• Google Docs It is a more sensible choice for distant staff who reply steadily to feedback and admire the pliability of an internet phrase processor.
• Word from Microsoft It has extra sturdy offline performance and could also be simpler for organizations that steadily use the Microsoft 365 suite. Employees preferring to manually retailer recordsdata moderately than commit them to Google’s Cloud could also be extra snug with Word.

Google Docs vs Microsoft Word: Comparison Table

Google Docs vs Microsoft Word: costs

Pricing varies by model, however Microsoft Word is usually mostly used within the office as a part of a Microsoft 365 marketing strategy. In distinction, Google Docs is free to make use of with a Google account.

You can entry Microsoft Word in a number of methods:

• Word for the Web: A free, browser-based model of Microsoft OneDrive.
• A private copy of Word for PC or Mac: This utility can be offered as a part of Office Home & Student 2021, for a one-time fee of $159.99.
• Microsoft Word Application: This is a part of Microsoft 365 or Microsoft 365 for Mac. Microsoft 365 Personal prices $69.99 per yr. Microsoft 356 Family (for one to 6 folks) prices $99.99 per yr.
• Microsoft 365 Business Plans: It begins at $6 per consumer per thirty days, for as much as 300 customers, with a one-month free trial. This contains the net and cellular variations of Word solely.
• Microsoft 365 Business Standard: It incorporates the desktop model of Word and prices $12.50 per consumer per thirty days.
• Microsoft 365 Business Premium: It prices $22 per thirty days per consumer and provides some security measures.
• Microsoft 365 Apps for Business: It contains the desktop model of Word and cloud storage, however not Teams and different frequent enterprise functions. It prices $8.25 per consumer per thirty days.

Google Docs is free with a private electronic mail account. Google Workspace enterprise plans, which all embody Docs, are as follows:

• Start exercise: $6 per thirty days per consumer with a 1-year dedication.
• Company Standard: $12 per consumer per thirty days with a 1-year dedication. This provides malware and phishing safety, extra storage, and better capability conferences.
• Business Plus: $18 per consumer per thirty days with a 1-year dedication. This provides extra storage and assembly capability, Google Vault and superior endpoint administration, and eDiscovery, a device that lets directors search Google Workspace providers.

You’ll have to contact Google for pricing on Enterprise plans, which embody S/MIME encryption, noise cancellation, in-domain dwell streaming, knowledge areas, and extra.

Feature Comparison: Google Docs vs Microsoft Word

Text processing

Both Google Docs and Microsoft Word:

• It can be utilized for phrase processing.
• Take benefit of spell checking and phrase counting options.
• It provides quite a few font and formatting choices.

Google Docs provides pre-built templates, resembling assembly notes, emails (simply despatched through Gmail), or calendar occasions for integration with Google Calendar.

Like Google Docs, the net model of Microsoft Word saves your work within the cloud. With the desktop model of Microsoft Word, you need to handle the place to avoid wasting the file your self, however the utility mechanically saves your progress each few seconds. In Docs, you’ll be able to press @ to hyperlink to different recordsdata in your Google Workspace account, add photos, or add widgets. Both functions provide dictation or voice typing.

Both functions additionally let you add a desk of contents. Google Docs creates this desk of contents within the sidebar primarily based on the headings, whereas Microsoft Word requires you to create the desk of contents manually, which is usually a tedious job.

In each functions, you’ll be able to add and edit headers, footers, margins, and web page numbers. To do that in Google Docs, be sure your doc is in Pages format, moderately than Pageless. In Word, merely go to the Insert menu.

File sharing and collaboration

To share Google Docs or invite others to collaborate, merely change the privateness settings within the Share menu and ship the URL to the collaborator.

You can share Microsoft Word paperwork as particular person recordsdata. Send editable recordsdata or change them in Reading View in order that the file is viewable however not editable within the browser model. You can add new feedback, and different folks can reply to these feedback. The browser model helps real-time co-authoring, similar to Google Docs does.

Customer Service

Customer assist for Google Docs on enterprise plans is paid, relying on the marketing strategy. Workspace directors have entry to administrative assist. On any model of Google Docs, you’ll be able to ship suggestions to Google. Explore the totally different ranges of assist choices Here.

Microsoft provides buyer assist for all of its merchandise, out there for each enterprise and private account points. Microsoft 365 for enterprise directors have an extra possibility by the Microsoft 365 admin heart. Small companies, these with fewer than 25 Microsoft 365 consumer licenses, should buy Business Assist for extra personalised assist for $5 per consumer per thirty days. From there, enterprise account assist choices price increase.

Create charts or embody photos

Google Docs allows you to embed tables or photos, or blocks of code. Word contains a number of desk kinds. In each, you’ll be able to insert photos out of your pc or from the net: Microsoft makes use of Bing, whereas Docs naturally makes use of Google Images.

Online options

Google Docs is totally on-line, aside from offline mode, which nonetheless works in a browser window.

In the net model of Microsoft Word, paperwork may be downloaded as PDF, .odt, or .ppt, or despatched to Kindle. But they can’t be downloaded as .docx recordsdata like these created within the full desktop utility.

WATCH: Moving your work? Here’s export a Google Doc out of your iPhone to a different machine.

Artificial Intelligence Assistants

Both phrase processors have non-compulsory generative AI assistants, at an extra value.

Microsoft 365 Copilot (work) or Copilot Pro (dwelling) subscribers can use Microsoft Copilot in Word. Copilot can summarize, write, edit, and brainstorm data inside your doc. Microsoft 365 Copilot prices $30 per consumer per thirty days, whereas Copilot Pro prices $20.00 per consumer per thirty days.

Google’s model of AI, Gemini, is accessible in Docs with a Google Workspace subscription, in addition to with the Gemini Business or Enterprise add-on, the Gemini Education and Education Premium add-on, or the Google One AI Premium plan. Gemini Business prices $20 per consumer per thirty days with a one-year dedication; Gemini Enterprise prices $30 per consumer per thirty days with a one-year dedication; and Google One AI Premium prices $19.99 per thirty days.

Pros and Cons of Google Docs

Pros:

• Intuitive and user-friendly net and cellular utility.
• Chrome integrations.
• Easy to retailer and set up folders in Google Drive.

Against:

• Depending in your plan, massive recordsdata might exceed your Google Docs space for storing.
• Comments accumulate moderately than being in a single place, so navigating them may be tough if there are a variety of feedback.
• To allow the phrase depend show and set it each time you create a brand new doc, it is advisable entry a menu.

Pros and Cons of Microsoft Word

Pros:

• Easy to make use of, particularly when you perceive how the font and elegance menus are arrange.
• By default, the phrase depend is displayed.
• Margins and reformatting tables are simply adjustable.

Against:

• Relatively costly and sometimes requires a month-to-month subscription.
• Collaboration might require an extra step (sending a file).
• Menus may be cluttered or overwhelming as a result of massive variety of choices out there.

Should Your Business Use Google Docs or Microsoft Word?

Use Google Docs if …

• Most of your workforce works remotely.
• Multiple folks may work on the content material concurrently.
• You need to have the ability to embed hyperlinks to Google Calendar, different Google Docs, or tag folks inside your group in an energetic doc.

Use Microsoft Word if …

• Your enterprise wants the safety of a regionally saved utility or one that permits you to save and handle paperwork on native units.
• Your crew advantages from having a standalone, moderately than browser-based, phrase processing utility to assist them keep centered.
• You already use the Microsoft ecosystem extensively.

Google Docs vs Word for Writers

As impartial contractors, your organization’s writers may have their very own preferences for phrase processors. Apple customers, for instance, could also be accustomed to Pages, a free app that ships with Apple units and provides a variety of handy options together with an intuitive interface. If your crew is extra snug working with recordsdata offline, Microsoft Word is a more sensible choice. Of course, Google Docs and Microsoft Word aren’t the one phrase processors; free apps like LibreOffice could also be an excellent match for you.

Review methodology

I take advantage of Google Docs for work, so I used to be already conversant in lots of its options. I consulted Google’s documentation to refresh myself on a few of its superior options. I additionally watched demo movies and consumer evaluations. I examined the browser model of Microsoft Word, and I additionally regarded on the official documentation and consumer suggestions for additional insights.