For a contractor, both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace work well, and the right choice depends on how your team likes to work. Microsoft 365 suits firms that lean on Office apps and Windows; Google Workspace suits those who prefer Gmail and Drive and work largely in a browser. Some firms even run a sensible mix. What matters most is picking one, setting it up properly and securing it, rather than which logo is on it.
Here’s how to weigh it up for your firm.
1. When Microsoft 365 fits
If your team relies on Word, Excel and Outlook, runs Windows, and uses Teams, Microsoft 365 is the natural fit. It also ties in neatly with hosted desktops and Windows-based finance software.
2. When Google Workspace fits
If your team likes Gmail, shared Drives and working in a browser from any device, Google Workspace can be simpler and lighter. It suits a mobile, site-based workforce that lives in email and shared files.
3. Running a mix
Plenty of contractors end up using parts of both, for example Google for email and files alongside Office apps on the desktop. We help you run whatever combination suits you, with security applied consistently across it.
4. Set up and secure it either way
Whichever you choose, it needs MFA, sensible sharing controls, backup and good configuration. The platform matters less than how well it’s managed and protected, and that’s where we add the value.
A real example: both, supported together
We support a security and M&E contractor that uses Google Workspace and Drive alongside Microsoft 365 and Office. We keep both working and secured together, so staff get the tools they prefer without gaps in protection or files getting lost between systems.
For most building-services and M&E contractors, this sits within fully managed IT at about £45 to £100 per user per month, billed per user, with the security and on-site remote access your teams need built in.
Why security and M&E contractors choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including security, fire and M&E contractors and building-services firms with office and site-based teams. We know how these businesses run: hosted desktops for staff on site and in the office, QuickBooks and payroll, secure remote access for field engineers, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, and the layered security that protects a firm handling client sites and payments, from MFA and application allowlisting to managed threat detection. We support contractors in Harlow, Bishop’s Stortford and across Essex, Hertfordshire and London. Our credentials include:
- Cyber Essentials Certified
- IASME Cyber Assurance (Gold)
- NCSC Assured Service Provider (Cyber Advisor for Cyber Essentials)
- Microsoft Partner
- Crown Commercial Service Supplier (G-Cloud)
- Quality Principles Certified
We look after more than 2,000 endpoints across 50 companies, we’ve been named a Top 50 UK MSP for three years running, and we support organisations with 10 to 100 employees across Essex, Hertfordshire and London, including Harlow and Bishop’s Stortford.
Book a free IT and cyber security review
Not sure which suits your firm? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT and we’ll help you decide.