Google Apps vs Office 365 vs Zoho, your office in the cloud
Cloud computing is an IT term for Internet-based applications. Online email, photo sharing and data storage are all examples of cloud computing. The latest cloud computing offering is online based application suites.
Three examples of these applications suites are Google Apps vs Office 365 and Zoho. Here is a head to head review of Google Apps vs Office 365, and Zoho to see how they stack up.
Google Apps has three main versions; Google Apps(Free), Google Apps for Business, and Google Apps for Education. Free and Business versions are geared to businesses; the free version just limits what you can do. Google Apps incorporates Gmail, Google Calendar (includes interoperability with MS Outlook ) and Google Docs, Google Sites are the core of the suite. Google Apps also offers many of the other web-based apps Google has developed.
The business version of Google Apps requires a monthly or yearly fee. For that fee, you are given 25GB of storage for mail, groups for business, sites and video apps.
IT administrators can also control what apps are available to staff and can also allocate applications on a group to group basis. Google also states a 99.9% uptime guarantee.
Mobile access is available with Google Apps on Android, iOS, & Blackberry
Features at a glance
- Free plan available
- Calendar
- Documents editing and creation
- Mobile access
- Uptime Guarantee
Probably the one application suite with the biggest name brand recognition. Microsoft Office 365 is the cloud based version of the Microsoft Office application suite. It offers email, document creation/editing, contacts, calendars, IM, online meetings, Video chat and simple website design.
The web-based apps are online versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Email uses a version of the Microsoft Exchange.
There is a free trial available with monthly/annual plans available for small, medium and enterprise class businesses. All plans come with a 99.9% uptime guarantee.
If you have a smart phone, there is a mobile version of 365. Non-smart phones could possible receive emails depending on your hardware.
Features at a glance
- Calendar
- Documents editing and creation
- Mobile access
- Uptime Guarantee
Zoho is a new contender in the cloud computing arena. Zoho offers apps for calendar, contacts, interoperability with MS Office, email, Google Integration, spreadsheets, word processing, project management, presentations, chat, wiki and many more. Unique to Zoho, apps are accessed from the email client in a sidebar. The interface seems a little more efficient and faster that way.
Zoho has a personal version that is free. The business version has a monthly fee with various options. Like the other suites that were discussed, Zoho has mobile access and a free trial.
Features at a glance
- Free plan available
- Calendar
- Documents editing and creation
- Mobile access
- Uptime Guarantee
Google Apps vs Office 365 vs Zoho Summary
Google Apps vs Office 365 vs Zoho offer you access to your data and documents anywhere you have an Internet connection. They can save money on software and support costs which could be very attractive to small and medium-sized businesses.
Google Apps vs Office 365 vs Zoho are not all the same. Office 365 is strictly for business with no free plan available. Google Apps and Zoho both have free versions and a wide range of web-based apps to get you started. If you feel you need more, the fee based options open up additional collaboration and other business related apps.
What do you think? Please share you Comments.
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