Google Docs vs ONLYOFFICE

Google Docs

• People and teams who draft and review documents together in a browser
• Organizations that already pay for Google Workspace
• Collecting edits and comments from collaborators outside the company

ONLYOFFICE

• Organizations that want to host their own office suite
• Teams on Nextcloud, Box, Moodle or Odoo that need document editing there
• Sharing files with clients in separate rooms with their own permissions
• People who want free desktop editors that work offline

Google Docs

• There is no standalone paid Docs plan; the business version comes only as part of Google Workspace, with Gmail, Drive and Meet.
• Gemini in Docs and eSignature are not in Business Starter; both start at Business Standard, $14 per user / month on a 1-year commitment.
• Offline editing on a computer works only in Chrome or Microsoft Edge with the Google Docs Offline extension installed.
• Google lists Docs for web browsers, Android, iPhone and iPad; no Windows or Mac desktop app is listed.

ONLYOFFICE

• The free DocSpace Startup plan stops at 3 admins, 12 rooms and 2 GB, and lacks SAML SSO, LDAP, branding, a custom domain and the audit trail.
• DocSpace Business costs $20 per admin a month; the pricing page shows it as reduced from $30 and gives no end date for that price.
• Docs Enterprise is licensed by simultaneous connections, from $1,500 for a 1-year, 50-connection, on-premises license with Basic support.
• A 1-year Docs Enterprise license stops working when it ends; a lifetime license keeps running but loses free updates after its support period.

Google Docs

Co-editing, comments and version history

Several people can edit one document at the same time, leave comments and assign action items. Earlier versions can be opened and restored, and sharing settings control who can view, comment or edit.

Smart chips and building blocks

Typing @ inserts people, files, calendar events and dropdown menus, or building blocks such as meeting notes, email drafts and review trackers.

Document tabs and pageless mode

A document can be split into tabs for each part of a project or report, and pageless mode removes page breaks for continuous writing.

Gemini in Docs

Drafts and restyles documents from prompts, drawing on a user's Drive, Gmail and Chat. Among Business editions it starts at Business Standard; Starter does not include it.

Word and PDF files

Microsoft Word documents can be edited directly without making a copy, or converted to Docs format. PDF files can be imported and worked on as well.

Offline editing

Documents can be opened, created and edited without a connection. On a computer this requires Chrome or Microsoft Edge with the Google Docs Offline extension.

ONLYOFFICE

Document, sheet and slide editors

Online editors for text documents, spreadsheets and presentations, which the vendor describes as highly compatible with Microsoft Office and OpenDocument formats.

PDF editor and fillable forms

Build fillable PDF forms and have them filled in online, read and edit PDFs, and convert documents to Markdown, HTML or e-books.

Real-time co-editing

Co-edit in character-level or paragraph-level mode, track changes, compare documents, leave comments and mentions, and chat or call from inside the editor.

DocSpace rooms

DocSpace sorts files into rooms with their own access rights: collaboration, public, form-filling and custom rooms, and virtual data rooms.

AI assistants and agents

AI tools generate documents, sheets, slides and forms, rewrite and translate text, and extract text from scanned PDFs. Any AI model can be connected, including a fully local one.

Connectors and self-hosting

More than 40 ready-made connectors add the editors to platforms such as Nextcloud, Box, Moodle, Odoo and WordPress, and the server can run on your own infrastructure.

Google Docs

• Personal Google Account$0

  Create, edit and share documents in a browser or the mobile apps, with comments, version history and offline access.

• Business Starter$7

  per user / month, 1-year commitment ($8.40 flexible)

  Google Workspace with Docs and 30 GB of pooled storage per user. Gemini in Docs and eSignature are not included.

• Business Standard$14

  per user / month, 1-year commitment ($16.80 flexible)

  2 TB of pooled storage per user. The lowest Business edition with Gemini in Docs and eSignature with Docs and PDFs.

• Business Plus$22

  per user / month, 1-year commitment ($26.40 flexible)

  Everything in Standard with 5 TB of pooled storage per user, plus Vault, eDiscovery and advanced endpoint management.

• EnterpriseCustom

  No minimum or maximum user count, with data loss prevention, context-aware access and data regions; priced through Google sales.

ONLYOFFICE

• Community and free appsFree

  Docs Community and DocSpace Community builds for self-hosting, desktop editors for Windows, Linux and macOS, and iOS and Android apps.

• DocSpace Startup$0

  Cloud plan with up to 3 admins, 12 rooms and 2 GB of storage, and unlimited users and guests. The page labels it a limited-time offer.

• DocSpace Business$20

  per admin / month

  Cloud plan with unlimited rooms, 250 GB per admin, SSO, branding, automatic backups and audit trail. Shown reduced from a crossed-out $30.

• Docs EnterpriseFrom $1,500

  1-year license, 50 connections, on-premises, Basic support

  Self-hosted editors to connect to another platform, licensed by simultaneous connections for 1 year or for life, with three support levels.

• DocSpace EnterpriseCustom

  On-premises DocSpace paid per connection, with unlimited admins and rooms, multi-space management and support under an SLA.

Google Docs

• Annual discount

  Save 16% with a 1-year commitment

  Business Starter is $7 per user per month on the Annual/Fixed-Term Plan against $8.40 on the Flexible Plan. Standard drops from $16.80 to $14 and Plus from $26.40 to $22.

• Nonprofit

  Google Workspace for Nonprofits at $0

  Eligible nonprofits get Google Workspace for Nonprofits at $0, or Business Standard at $3.50 and Business Plus at $6.16 per user per month on a 1-year commitment.

• Education

  Education Fundamentals at no charge

  Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals, which includes Docs, is available at no charge to qualifying institutions.

ONLYOFFICE

• Nonprofit

  Free DocSpace cloud for nonprofits and schools

  Nonprofits and schools can request a free DocSpace cloud with 2 GB of storage and up to 20 admins. It requires an ONLYOFFICE banner on their website or a post about the partnership.

• Education

  Discounted rate for educational institutions

  The DocSpace pricing FAQ says educational institutions other than schools can get a discounted rate. No figure is published.

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime license for Docs Enterprise

  Docs Enterprise can be bought with a lifetime license instead of a 1-year one. The version bought keeps working, but free updates end with the support period chosen, 1 or 3 years.