Head to head: O365 vs. G Suite for Android

Posted on Thursday January 10, 2019

For business owners looking to increase employee productivity, one of the most heated debates is over which cloud productivity software is best. If your company uses Android devices, we have some tips on whether Microsoft Office or Google Apps is the better choice for you.

Text-based documents

Google Docs sacrifices a few features in the name of speed. It makes simultaneous editing from multiple users, syncing with cloud storage, and sharing documents with colleagues on an Android device a breeze, but it doesn't afford users the same level of customizability as Office 365.

Microsoft's productivity platform has been evolving for decades, which means there's very little it can't do. Depending on the Android device you have, this can translate to a slower, less responsive user experience.

Spreadsheets

Tables that store data and simplify calculations may seem pretty straightforward, but Google has found a way to set its offerings apart. Although its Sheets lacks powerful features compared to Microsoft's Excel, it does have some cross-platform integrations worth considering. For example, Google Forms is much better at surveying users and organizing their responses into easy-to-use spreadsheets.

The main selling point of Excel on Android is that it can do almost anything on a mobile device that it can do on a desktop. Using templates, creating charts, and formatting Office 365 spreadsheets aren't any more difficult to do with just finger gestures than to do them using a mouse.

Presentations

Similar to Sheets, G Suite's Slides shines when it comes to integrations. Adding images to a presentation from the web is intuitive with Google's built-in search function, and Q&A sessions are streamlined with customized URLs where participants can submit questions that are displayed on the presenter's screen.

PowerPoint was the original platform for creating presentations, and its core functionalities are unmatched, even on Android devices. There are no shortages of pre-made themes, transitions, and layouts, which means the time between tapping Create New and saving the final draft is much shorter.

Conclusion: Speed vs. functionality

The difference between these two platforms on Android is obvious. Both will be able to accommodate basic tasks, but G Suite prioritizes responsiveness and simplicity, while Office 365 favors having more features and a broader range of capabilities.

Creating eye-catching work on a six-inch screen isn't ideal, but depending on your business model, it can revolutionize how your team works. For advice on all things mobile, call us today!