Short answer: choose Google Workspace if your team lives in Gmail, Google Docs and Meet and wants simplicity; Microsoft 365 if you rely on Outlook, Word, Excel and Teams; and Zoho Mail / Zoho Workplace if you want an affordable, India-friendly option, especially if you already use Zoho Books or CRM. All three give you professional email on your own domain with strong security.
Why professional email matters
Emails from [email protected] build trust with customers, banks and enterprise buyers, reach inboxes more reliably than free Gmail addresses sent "on behalf of" a company, and keep company data under company control when employees leave.
Comparison at a glance
| Google Workspace | Microsoft 365 | Zoho Mail / Workplace | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail interface | Outlook / Exchange Online | Zoho Mail | |
| Office apps | Docs, Sheets, Slides (web-first) | Word, Excel, PowerPoint (desktop + web) | Writer, Sheet, Show |
| Meetings | Google Meet | Microsoft Teams | Zoho Meeting |
| Best fit | Collaboration-first teams | Excel-heavy and enterprise teams | Cost-conscious SMEs, Zoho users |
| Ecosystem | Google apps & marketplace | Microsoft & Azure ecosystem | Zoho Books, CRM, People |
Storage, pricing and plan names change periodically and vary by tier — compare current plans on each provider's India pricing page.
Security features to switch on
- Two-step verification for every user.
- SPF, DKIM and DMARC DNS records to prevent spoofing and improve deliverability — now expected by Gmail and Yahoo for bulk senders.
- Admin controls for password policy, device management and data retention.
- Offboarding process to transfer mailbox data when employees leave.
Migrating from free Gmail or old hosting email
All three providers offer migration tools for importing old mailboxes. The critical steps are: create users, verify the domain, copy old mail, then switch MX records during a low-traffic window, followed by a final sync. Done carefully, there's no lost email. Globalique handles email migration end to end.
When you need a dedicated mail server instead
Organisations with special compliance needs, very high sending volumes or custom routing may need a self-managed or dedicated mail exchange server. For most SMEs, a managed suite is simpler and more secure.
Our recommendation
- 1–10 users, collaboration-focused: Google Workspace or Zoho.
- Finance, Excel-heavy or enterprise clients: Microsoft 365.
- Already on Zoho Books/CRM: Zoho Workplace.
Globalique sets up and manages business email on all three platforms, including DNS, security and user management.