Google Apps: which edition should I choose?
What editions are available to everyone?
Google apps offer services on two levels: standard edition and premier edition. The standard edition, as its name suggests, offers the very essential basics that are considered must have: messaging apps based on Google Mail and Google Calendar, and collaboration apps based on Google Docs and Google Sites. Not as what we normally expect, Google Apps standard edition does not offer only limited functions on the apps that are included: you have the absolute control in terms of using your business domain for your email accounts, what branding image the apps interface should convey, and the number of email accounts allowed (50) in your account. Obviously, 50 accounts is probably more than enough for most of the small businesses. The best thing is, the standard edition is offered for free - almost too good to be true.
To explain the differences between the standard edition and the premier edition, it is probably better off explaining what the premier stands for:
- Additional apps available: Google Videos and Google Groups. Of course, these additional apps may not be found useful by every business.
- Much larger space: 25GB email storage per user in contrast to 7GB space for standard edition users.
- Much advanced business feactures, such as blackberry and Microsoft Outlook interoperatability.
- Better business control, with customised password stregnth levels, forced SSL etc.
- Most importantly, the premier edition guarantees 99.9% uptime and 24/7 business support, removal of ads display.
What does this really mean to me?
Personally, I believe that free services coming from Google never means cheap or not good enough. As much as it may surprise everyone, many of us may find that the standard edition could be just what we needed. At least, it could be good enough for the time being. To select the more appropriate service for yourself, you only need to find out how important any of the premier features is to you and your business.
How much does it cost?
The standard edition is free, while the premier edition is offered by Google at $50 per user per year. For example, if you have 10 employees who need email accounts, the total cost would be $500 per year. At Sefari, we never believe that Google Apps set up requires too much expertise to do it all by yourself; however if you would like to have a pain free set up and migration process, we offer set up service for only £50 (limited to below 15 users). If you choose to have the premier edition, we are happy to set it up for you for only £30 (limited to up to 50 users).
Where to start?
If you are interested in Google Apps, or if you have any enquiries, please complete the enquiry form below, and one of the Sefari representatives will contact you within 24 hours.
