Microsoft 365 Copilot vs Gemini in Google Workspace: UK prices for small businesses
How this guide works: it compares Microsoft’s and Google’s own UK pricing and help pages, checked 24 October 2026. We haven’t run a hands-on test of either for this article. Microsoft’s UK business prices are shown excluding VAT; the Google Workspace page we checked doesn’t say whether VAT is included. None of the links on this page are affiliate links.
The short version
For most small businesses, the right answer is the AI that comes with the email and documents you already use. Moving a whole team between Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace for the AI alone is rarely worth the disruption. Both now offer some AI in their standard business plans, and both charge more for the fuller features.
If you’re choosing from scratch, the price difference is clear: Google bundles Gemini into its Business plans, while Microsoft sells Copilot in bundles or as an add-on on top of a Microsoft 365 plan.
Microsoft 365 Copilot: UK prices
From Microsoft’s UK Copilot for business page, prices per user per month, paid yearly, excluding VAT (Microsoft UK, checked 24 Oct 2026):
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot: £18.10.
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium with Copilot: £24.60.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot Business add-on: normally £16.10, shown at £13.80 under an offer running from 1 July to 31 December 2026. The add-on is for customers who already have an eligible Microsoft 365 business plan, the offer price applies to the first year only, and an annual commitment is required.
Microsoft also includes Copilot Chat, a web-grounded AI assistant that it says also covers Copilot in Outlook, at no extra cost with eligible Microsoft 365 plans. Some advanced features, which Microsoft currently lists as Copilot Cowork, Code, Autopilot and the Work IQ APIs, are charged by usage through Copilot Credits on top of the licence, and admins can set spending controls. Microsoft says there’s a 7-day window to cancel for a prorated refund. For the price of Microsoft 365 Business Basic or Standard without Copilot, check current pricing on Microsoft’s UK compare page.
Gemini in Google Workspace: UK prices
From Google’s UK Workspace page, per user per month, flexible plan or with an annual commitment (Google Workspace UK, checked 24 Oct 2026):
- Business Starter: £7 flexible or £5.90 annual. Includes Gemini in Gmail and the Gemini app, 30 GB of pooled storage per user, and video meetings for up to 100 people. The fuller Gemini features in Docs, Sheets, Drive and Meet aren’t included.
- Business Standard: £14 flexible or £11.80 annual. Adds Gemini in Docs, Meet and other apps, NotebookLM, meeting recording and 2 TB of pooled storage per user.
- Business Plus: £22 flexible or £18.40 annual. Adds Vault for retention and eDiscovery, 5 TB per user, and meetings for up to 500 people.
Google says the annual plan saves 16% compared with the flexible plan, Business plans are for up to 300 users, and there’s a 14-day free trial.
| Plan | Price | AI included |
|---|---|---|
| Google Business Starter | £5.90 annual / £7 flexible | Gemini in Gmail, Gemini app |
| Google Business Standard | £11.80 annual / £14 flexible | Gemini in Gmail, Docs, Meet and more; NotebookLM |
| Google Business Plus | £18.40 annual / £22 flexible | As Standard, plus Vault |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot | £18.10, paid yearly | Microsoft 365 Copilot |
| Microsoft 365 Business Premium with Copilot | £24.60, paid yearly | Microsoft 365 Copilot, plus Premium security features |
| Copilot Business add-on | £16.10 (£13.80 first-year offer to 31 Dec 2026) | Added to an existing eligible plan |
What they do day to day
Both suites aim at the same jobs: drafting and summarising emails, writing and rewriting documents, summarising meetings and pulling information together from your files. The practical difference is where your work already lives.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot works across Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams, and can draw on your organisation’s files and emails that you have permission to see.
- Gemini in Workspace works across Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Drive and Meet on the plans that include it, and NotebookLM lets you ask questions of a set of documents you choose.
Because both tools can see what the user can see, tidy up sharing permissions first. If old folders are shared with everyone, the AI may surface them in answers.
Data protection terms
Both providers make clear commitments for business accounts. Microsoft says prompts and responses in Microsoft 365 Copilot stay within the Microsoft 365 service boundary under enterprise data protection, and aren’t used to train the underlying large language models (Microsoft UK). Google says that for Workspace business customers, your content isn’t used to train generative AI models outside your domain without permission (Google Workspace Privacy Hub).
Those protections apply to the business versions. Staff using free personal AI accounts for work don’t get them, which is one reason to give people an approved tool. Our guides to AI and UK GDPR and writing an AI usage policy cover the rest.
How to choose
- Already on Microsoft 365? Start with the free Copilot Chat. If people want AI inside Outlook, Word and Teams, add Copilot for those users only, rather than the whole team.
- Already on Google Workspace? Check which plan you’re on. Business Starter has Gemini in Gmail; if you want it in Docs and Meet, Business Standard is the step up.
- Starting from scratch? Google’s bundled pricing is simpler and lower at the entry level. Microsoft may suit you better if you rely on desktop Excel or Word, or need Business Premium’s device management and security.
- Try before you commit. Google offers a 14-day trial. Microsoft’s plans are annual, so use the 7-day cancellation window to check it’s right.
A note on VAT
Microsoft’s UK business prices are shown excluding VAT, so add 20% if you’re not VAT-registered. If you are registered, you can normally reclaim the VAT on business software. Google’s page doesn’t say, so check the total at checkout.
FAQ
Is Copilot Chat really free?
Microsoft says Copilot Chat is included at no extra cost with eligible Microsoft 365 business plans. The fuller Microsoft 365 Copilot that works inside your apps and files is the paid part.
Does Google Workspace Business Starter include Gemini?
Yes, in Gmail and the Gemini app, according to Google’s UK page. Gemini in Docs, Sheets, Drive and Meet needs Business Standard or above.
Will either use my business data to train AI?
Both say business customer content isn’t used to train their models without permission. Read the current terms for your plan.
Sources
All checked 24 October 2026 unless stated. Prices change, so check before you buy.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot for business, UK pricing: microsoft.com/en-gb
- Microsoft 365 business plans compared (UK): microsoft.com/en-gb
- Google Workspace business plans (UK): workspace.google.com
- Google Workspace pricing (UK): workspace.google.com
- Generative AI in Google Workspace Privacy Hub: knowledge.workspace.google.com
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