Office 365 vs. Google Apps on Android

Posted on Monday September 25, 2017

For business owners who want 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 deciding whether Microsoft Office or Google Apps is better for you.

Text-based documents

Google Docs sacrifices a few features in the name of speed. Simultaneous editing from multiple users, syncing with cloud storage and sharing documents with colleagues on an Android device is a breeze, but 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 which 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 Sheets lacks power features when compared with Excel, it does have some cross-platform integrations with considering. For example, Forms is much better at surveying users and organizing their responses into easy-to-use spreadsheets.

The main selling point for 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 isn’t any more difficult with finger gestures than it is 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: it’s 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 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 could revolutionize how your team works. For advice on all things mobile, call us today!