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Microsoft Office 365 vs Google Workspace (best mac apps for students)

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Winner
Functionality
Interface
Accessibility
Cost Effectiveness
Customer Support
Storage Capacity
Integration
Security
Ease of Use
Collaboration
FREE / PAID
Basic version is free, Business Starter at $6 per user per month
Monthly subscription starting at $6.99, includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote
Conclusion

Versatile and free for basic needs, but lacks advanced features 🔍

Ideal for formal assignments and presentations 📈, but could be pricey 💰

Google Workspace Pros & Cons

Top Pros
  • Easy to use and intuitive design👌

  • Seamless integration with other Google apps⛓️

  • Good collaboration tools👥

  • Accessible anywhere with internet🌍

  • Free for basic needs💸

Microsoft Office 365 Pros & Cons

Top Pros
  • Complete all-in-one software👏

  • Reliable and stable☑️

  • Excellent collaboration features🤝

  • Plenty of storage space💾

  • Advanced tools and features🔧

  • Great data security🔒

Top Cons
  • Limited features in free version🚧

  • Relies on constant internet connection⚡

  • Privacy concerns due to data collection🔍

  • Ad-directed content🏷️

  • Lower storage than competitors💽

  • Limited customer support🙋

Top Cons
  • Can be expensive for premium plans💸

  • Slightly steeper learning curve📚

  • Needs internet for full functionality📡

  • Updates can cause minor issues🔄

  • Overwhelming options for beginners👶

Other best mac apps for students

3

A must-have for design students, however, comes with a high price tag 😅💸

4

Great for taking and organizing notes 📝 although free version has limitations 🛑

5

Perfect for group projects and communication 👥, but could be overwhelming ⚡

FAQ

Several high-quality Mac apps significantly enhance the students’ learning experience. Among them are Notion, a markdown-based note-taking and organization app, Microsoft Office 365 for its staple productivity tools, Evernote for versatile note-taking, MindNode for visually mapping ideas, Anki for flashcard-style studying, and Grammarly for real-time grammar and spell check. Moreover, the Google Workspace suite enhances collaborative tasks.

Microsoft Office 365 on Mac provides comprehensive set of tools that aids students in various academic tasks. This includes Word for document creation, Excel for data management and statistical analysis, PowerPoint for presentations, and OneNote for note-taking. Additionally, students can store their files securely on OneDrive and access them from anywhere.

Google Workspace offers many benefits to students. Its suite of tools like Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Calendar provide collaborative tools that are crucial for group projects and class communications. All these tools are also accessible from various devices, making it easier for students to work on the go.

Yes, students and teachers are eligible for the Microsoft Office 365 Education version which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Microsoft Teams for free. Users must have a valid school email address to get these applications at no cost.

Google Workspace strictly adheres to industry-standard security measures to protect student data. It uses advanced technology like 2-step verification and single sign-on and has the Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) for encrypted email. It is also compliant with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Absolutely, Microsoft Office 365 allows installation on up to five devices, including Mac computers, Windows computers, tablets, and smartphones. This allows students to access and edit their files or work on any device from anywhere.

Google Workspace facilitates study time through features like Google Calendar where students can schedule study sessions and deadlines. Google Drive is ideal for organizing and storing study materials while Google Docs and G Sheets are great for collaborative assignments. In addition, Google Slides allows students to create presentation visuals with ease.

Yes, the Microsoft Office 365 subscription includes automatic updates at no extra cost. This ensures that students always have access to the latest features and security enhancements.

Google Workspace is perfect for remote learning as it allows students and teachers to collaborate in real time. For instance, teachers can provide feedback directly on Google Docs, conduct meetings via Google Meet, and easily share files using Google Drive. With a stable internet connection, distance no longer obstructs learning.

Yes, Microsoft Office 365 is regularly updated to ensure compatibility with the latest Mac operating systems. It also integrates smoothly with other Mac functionalities, such as support for Yosemite’s full-screen mode and Retina Display.

Several add-ons enhance the functionality of Google Workspace for students. For instance, Google Translate can translate documents into different languages in Google Docs. MathType allows you to create and solve mathematical equations in Google Suite. And EasyBib can generate bibliographies automatically in Docs.

Yes, once downloaded and installed on a Mac, Microsoft Office 365 applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint can be used offline. However, for features that require syncing or collaboration, an internet connection is required.

Google Jamboard is a digital whiteboard tool within the Google Workspace. Students can use it to visualize ideas, brainstorm, solve problems, sketch diagrams, and collaborate with other students, all in real time.

Yes, Microsoft Office 365 offers several accessibility features to assist students with disabilities. Tools such as Immersive Reader in Word, and Accessibility Checker in PowerPoint, help create and consume content more easily. Additionally, Dictate allows for speech-to-text capabilities across all Office apps.

Yes, Google Workspace can be integrated with many other productivity tools. For example, it syncs well with Slack, Trello, Asana, and others. This helps students manage their tasks and projects more effectively.

Students can optimize their use of PowerPoint by taking advantage of various templates available, using the master slide function for consistent formatting, and integrating multimedia like videos and graphics. Also, tools like Presenter View allow students to see their notes while presenting, and transitions add engaging visual effects.

Google Sites is a tool within Google Workspace that allows users to create simple websites. This can be beneficial for students as they can set up digital portfolios showcasing their projects, host a site for a group assignment, or create a web page for a student organization.

Microsoft Office 365 offers Microsoft Researcher in Word and PowerPoint, an utility that helps students research and incorporate reliable sources and citations directly into their documents. Microsoft Math Solver, included in OneNote, can help solve mathematical problems by providing step-by-step solutions.

Google Drive works well with MacOS, offering seamless integration for file storage and sharing. Once Google Drive is installed on a Mac, users can easily drag and drop files into the Drive folder. These files can then be accessed and shared from anywhere using websites or mobile apps of Google Drive.

There are various apps that significantly augments a Mac-using student’s experience. Some of them are Microsoft Office 365 for essential productivity tools, Google Workspace for collaborative assignments, Evernote for note taking, Focus for minimizing distractions, and Grammarly for enhancing writing skills.

Microsoft Office 365 is beneficial for students mainly due to its comprehensive suite of productivity tools like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. It also provides OneDrive storage which allows online saving and easy sharing of assignments. The cloud-based nature ensures that students can access their files from anywhere at any time.

Google Workspace provides a host of features like Docs, Sheets, Slides that enable collaboration, making group assignments easier. Having everything saved in the cloud allows for immediate changes, easy sharing, and access from any device. Additionally, Gmail and Calendar supports better time management and communication.

Many educational institutions provide Microsoft Office 365 for free to their students which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Microsoft Teams. However, if this option is not available, students can subscribe to the Office 365 Education plan for a small fee. Details can be further accessed on the Microsoft Education website.

Yes, Google Workspace for Education is freely available for non-profit educational institutions for classroom use. It includes Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail, Drive, and more. For additional features, educational institutions can opt for Education Plus or Teaching and Learning Upgrade at a cost as indicated on their website.

Microsoft Teams, included in Microsoft Office 365, serves as a hub for teamwork. It supports file sharing, video conferencing, and group chats. Instructors may use it to hold lectures or discussions, and students can use it for group projects or study groups.

In addition to Office 365 and Google Workspace, Evernote is a multiplatform note-taking app which keeps notes organized and easily accessible, while Focus is a digital productivity app which minimizes digital distractions to help students concentrate on their work.

With Google Drive, students can store, share, and collaborate on files. They can work on group assignments with Docs, Sheets, and Slides, and everyone’s changes will be saved and synced automatically. Documents can be shared by sending a link, eliminating the need for email attachments.

OneNote from Office 365 serves as a digital notebook where students can organize notes, drawings, and other content. Students can also share notebooks with classmates for collaborative project work. OneNote supports text, images, audio, video, and more, making it a versatile tool for learning.

Yes, a subscription to Microsoft Office 365 allows installation of the applications on multiple devices. This means the apps can be used on a Mac, PC, or mobile device, providing flexibility and convenience for students.

Yes, Google Workspace includes Gmail for email communication and Google Meet for video conferencing. These tools allow students to communicate with peers and professors, participate in virtual classes, and engage in study groups virtually.

Apart from the writing tools in Office 365 and Google Workspace, Grammarly is a great resource for Mac users. It corrects grammar and punctuation mistakes, and provides suggestions for improving writing clarity, engagement, and delivery, all in real time.

Google Calendar, part of Google Workspace, allows students to schedule lectures, assignments, study sessions, and other important dates. It also sends reminders for upcoming events, ensuring that students stay on top of their commitments.

While most functionalities of Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365 require an internet connection, they do offer some offline capabilities. Documents can be made available for offline editing in both Google Docs and Office 365. However, an internet connection will be required to sync the changes.

Yes, Google Workspace supports real-time collaboration. Multiple users can work on a single document, spreadsheet, or presentation simultaneously in Docs, Sheets, or Slides. Edits are saved instantly, and each user’s changes are visibly distinct, facilitating effective collaborative efforts.

Yes, OneDrive, a feature of Microsoft Office 365, can perform automatic backups of files on a Mac. It also allows easy sharing and access from multiple devices, making it a good option for storing academic files.

For research and referencing needs, Mendeley is a recommended tool. It’s a free reference manager and academic social network that helps students organize their research, collaborate with others, and discover the latest research. Moreover, the Wikipedia app designed for Mac is another useful research tool.

Yes, students can share their screen during a call on Google Meet, a feature of Google Workspace. This screen sharing capability is particularly useful for presentations, group discussions, and collaborative work sessions.

Yes, files deleted from OneDrive, a component of Office 365, are initially placed in the Recycle Bin, where they can be recovered. If a file has been purged from the Recycle Bin, it may still be recoverable by a OneDrive administrator within a certain period.