Google Workspace Adoption Driven by Spite Rather Than ROI

Research from Senior Gartner principal analyst Domenico Scriva has revealed that companies are switching from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace without assessing the return on investment (ROI), resulting in no meaningful savings.

Scriva notes that while Google Workspace licenses tend to be cheaper than their Microsoft 365 counterparts, M365 E5 plans often include additional features such as telephony, security, and operating system licenses that customers wouldn't get with a Google Workspace subscription.

In fact, Scriva found that despite being more expensive, Google Workspace plans can actually be cost-effective for Macs and Chromebooks due to their longer service lives and lower acquisition costs.

The analyst warns that retraining costs can instantly wipe out any ROI achieved by switching to a new software platform, urging enterprises to consider specific business outcomes rather than acting on instinct.