Google Workspace
7.6
Overall Score / 10
Box
Box, Inc.
6.3
Overall Score / 10
Our Verdict
Choose Google Workspace if:
- —Teams wanting integrated email, docs, and cloud storage
- —Businesses already using Google products
- —Companies wanting AI (Gemini) included in productivity tools at no extra cost
Choose Box if:
- —Enterprises in regulated industries needing compliance and governance
- —Companies needing unlimited storage with granular access controls
- —Organizations requiring Box Shield (DLP) and advanced security
The biggest difference: Google Workspace bundles email, docs, and storage with real-time collaboration and Gemini AI. Box is a dedicated enterprise content platform with deeper security controls, compliance certifications, and content workflows.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Google Workspace | Box |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Paid Plan | $8.4/mo (Business Starter)Source: Google pricing page → | $5/mo (Business Starter)Source: Box, Inc. pricing page → |
| Free Tier | No No free business plan. Personal Google accounts include 15GB free Drive storage. 14-day free trial for Workspace. | Yes 10GB storage, 250MB file upload limit, 5 e-signatures/month. |
| Value for Money | 8 | 6 |
| Ease of Use | 9 | 6 |
| Feature Power | 8 | 8 |
| Setup Ease | 8 | 6 |
| Migration Ease | 4 | 5 |
| Transparency | 7 | 6 |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| API Available | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, ChromeOS | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Compliance | SOC 2, SOC 3, ISO 27001, HIPAA, FedRAMP, GDPR | SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA, FedRAMP, GDPR, GxP, ITAR |
Feature Comparison
Feature Comparison Matrix
24 features compared · 22 differences
| Feature | Google Workspace | Box |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Admin console | Full | Full |
| Box Shield (DLP) | None | Full |
| Data Loss Prevention (DLP) | Full | None |
| E-signatures (Box Sign) | None | Full |
| Metadata & classification | None | Full |
| Retention policies | None | Full |
| Shared drives | Full | None |
| Unlimited cloud storage (Business+) | None | Full |
| Vault (archiving & eDiscovery) | Full | None |
| Watermarking | None | Full |
| Advanced | ||
| Content insights (AI) | None | Full |
| Custom branding | None | Full |
| Gemini AI (all business plans) | Full | None |
| Gmail (custom domain) | Full | None |
| Workflow automation | None | Full |
| Integrations | ||
| 1,500+ integrations | None | Full |
| API Access | Full | Full |
| Google Calendar | Full | None |
| Google Chat | Full | None |
| Google Docs, Sheets, Slides | Full | None |
| Google Drive (cloud storage) | Full | None |
| Google Meet (video conferencing) | Full | None |
| Security | ||
| Granular access controls | None | Full |
| Security center | Full | None |
Pricing Comparison
Google Workspace Pricing
$7/user/mo annual. 30GB storage/user, business email, 100-person video calls, Gemini AI
$14/user/mo annual. 2TB storage/user, 150-person video calls, Gemini in all apps, e-signatures
$22/user/mo annual. 5TB storage/user, 500-person video calls with recording, advanced security
Custom pricing. Unlimited storage, DLP, advanced compliance, premium support
Box Pricing
10GB storage, 250MB file upload limit, basic sharing
$5/user/mo. 100GB storage, 2GB upload limit, basic admin
$15/user/mo. Unlimited storage, 5GB upload limit, 1,500+ integrations, custom branding
$35/user/mo. Unlimited storage, advanced security, DLP, unlimited e-signatures, metadata
Custom pricing. AI-powered insights, advanced compliance, custom metadata
Who Should Choose Which?
Who should choose Google Workspace
Best for
- Teams wanting integrated email, docs, and cloud storage
- Businesses already using Google products
- Companies wanting AI (Gemini) included in productivity tools at no extra cost
Avoid if
- You're a Microsoft shop (Microsoft 365 integrates better with Windows/Office)
- You need advanced desktop apps (Google's web apps are good but not as powerful as Office desktop)
- You want self-hosted or on-premises solutions
Who should choose Box
Best for
- Enterprises in regulated industries needing compliance and governance
- Companies needing unlimited storage with granular access controls
- Organizations requiring Box Shield (DLP) and advanced security
Avoid if
- You're a small team or individual (Dropbox or Google Drive are simpler)
- You want integrated productivity tools (Box has basic editors but relies on Microsoft/Google)
- You want the cheapest cloud storage option
Switching Guidance
Switching from Google Workspace
Common triggers to leave:
- •2025 price increase (17-22% across plans)
- •Google Docs not as powerful as Microsoft Office for complex documents
- •Need on-premises deployment
Potential blockers:
- •Email migration complexity
- •Google Drive file sharing links everywhere
- •Google Docs collaboration workflows
- •Calendar and Meet integrations across org
Switching from Box
Common triggers to leave:
- •Interface less intuitive than Dropbox or Google Drive
- •Relies on third-party editors (not a full productivity suite)
- •Can be overkill for small teams
Potential blockers:
- •Enterprise compliance and governance setup
- •Workflow automation rules
- •Integration configurations across enterprise apps
- •Retention policy configurations
Try Google Workspace
Plans from $8.4/mo
Try Box
Start free — no credit card required