You can find all kinds of comparisons if you search the internet for Microsoft Office vs Google Apps† And these side-by-side comparisons come in handy when choosing between the two productivity suites. When it comes to cost, many find Google’s free apps like Docs, Sheets, and Slides to be the obvious choice.
But if, like me, you use these types of applications many, many times a day, or even for running a small business, you need to look at more than just the price tag.
Here are the top three reasons I choose to use and: pay for Microsoft’s Office suite instead of using Google’s free apps.
Functions
When it comes to the reasons why we use these productivity applications, their functions must play an integral role. While Google does a good job at introduce new features regularly the apps still lack some of the useful features that Microsoft provides.
While there are too many features to compare and list, let’s take a look at a few that stand out in Microsoft’s applications that are either limited or unavailable in Google’s.
Microsoft Word vs Google Docs
Video Insertion Function: If you create more than simple essays or articles, you will appreciate the ability to easily insert videos into your Word documents. You can add a video from your computer, the stock collection, or an online source such as YouTube. Docs lacks the ability to insert a video.
Multiple display options: When you have a long document, Word provides convenient ways to view that document. You can use vertical or side-by-side views and view multiple pages at once. You can also type, add, rearrange, cut, copy, and paste while using the multi-page view.
Mail Merge, Labels and Envelopes: As a full-featured word processor, Microsoft Word also provides you with a message merging feature (and a handy wizard) that you can use for both physical documents and emails. In addition, you can set and print labels and envelopes, and connect postage software if necessary.
Microsoft Excel vs Google Sheets
Data visualization options: To display data graphically, Excel offers many chart types that Spreadsheets don’t like sunburst, funnel, surface, stock and combo. In addition, Excel allows you to create a chart template that you can save and reuse.
Tables, tables, tables: Excel makes it easy to convert data into a table that allows you to filter, sort, format, name for formula references, and manage it as its own element within a sheet. Spreadsheets does not provide a table function, only a table chart which is limited in functions.
What-If Analysis Tools: If you have a result you want to achieve, but are not sure how best to achieve it, you can use Excel’s What-If Analysis tools. Goal Seek, Scenario Manager, and Data Table features make it easy to see what you need to achieve your financial goal.
Microsoft PowerPoint vs Google Slides
Audio and screen recording: You may want tell your presentation or capture your screen on a slide. In PowerPoint, you have both audio and screen recording options. In addition, Microsoft is implementing a live camera feed function in the near future. Slides does not offer withdrawal options.
A summary slide: Such as a table of contents in word, a PowerPoint summary slide contains images of slides you select that are directly linked. It’s more appealing than a text table of contents in a visual presentation and makes navigating to other slides a breeze. Note: The feature is called Summary Zoom in PowerPoint.
Export options: Not every place where you want to present your slideshow is suitable. You may want to export your presentation as a video or even a GIF for a website or social media post. PowerPoint makes it easy to do this while Slides only provides images or document file types†
General features
Here are just a few additional features that Microsoft Office offers through Google’s suite.
- Detailed formatting control for fonts, images, charts, and layouts.
- A robust accessibility checker with recommendations and suggestions.
- A large and versatile template collection for any application.
Offline access
Wherever you live or work, there is always a power or internet outage. Since the Microsoft Office applications have desktop versions, that is the obvious choice. Google’s applications are only available over the Internet.
Knowing that you can work anywhere, without an internet connection, is also more attractive than ever these days. Whether you’re paying for internet at the beach, at the park, or at a hotel, you can keep working with Microsoft Office desktop applications.
fame
One final reason to stick with Microsoft Office over Google’s apps is fame. It’s hard to get around the fact that fame ultimately plays a big part in my continued loyalty to Office. Microsoft Word debuted on Windows in 1989, and I am someone who has been using it since the 90s. The interface has changed over time, but never too much to make me look at other options.
It is important that you are familiar with the applications you are using. You want tools you don’t have to think about. You can just click here, click there and continue working. Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications is a real plus.
Having said all that, I do use Google’s free apps in certain situations. After all, the sharing is super easythe integration with other Google services is a perk, and places I work use these tools because of the ease of access and price tag.
But even after all these years, no matter what computer platform I use, I remain a loyal Microsoft Office user. Yes, Word, Excel and PowerPoint remain my favorite productivity tools with Google’s apps as a solid second choice.
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