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Productivity · head to head

Google Workspace vs Kakao Work

Google Workspace logo

Google Workspace

Productivity

Everything you need to get work done, all in one place

From
€6.8/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kakao Work logo

Kakao Work

Communication

Korean business messaging built on the KakaoTalk interface for domestic enterprise teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Kakao Work has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Google Workspace starter tier storage limited to 30 GB per user, requiring upgrade to Standard or higher for adequate document storage; Kakao Work the product, documentation, support and commercial materials are Korea-first, so a company with overseas offices ends up running a second messaging tool for non-Korean staff and splitting its conversation history across two systems.
  • They diverge on capability: Google Workspace covers Gmail business email, Kakao Work covers KakaoTalk-style messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Workspace and Kakao Work actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Workspace and Kakao Work differ
AttributeGoogle WorkspaceKakao Work
Starting price€6.8/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer user per month
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
CategoryProductivityCommunication
Founded2006Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Google Workspace

  • Gmail business email
  • Google Drive storage
  • Google Docs, Sheets, Slides
  • Google Calendar
  • Google Meet video conferencing
  • Google Chat
  • Google Forms
  • Google Sites

Only in Kakao Work

  • KakaoTalk-style messaging
  • Organisation chart
  • Video meetings
  • Kakao Work Drive
  • Approvals and workflow
  • Bots and open API
  • Admin retention controls
  • Casper AI assistant

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Google Workspace

  • Business email and communicationnot Kakao Work
  • Cloud document collaborationnot Kakao Work
  • Team productivity and file sharingnot Kakao Work
  • Enterprise application suitenot Kakao Work

Kakao Work

  • A Korean manufacturer moving work conversations off staff personal KakaoTalk accounts and into a tenant with retention and audit controlsnot Google Workspace
  • A Korean public agency that must keep official communications on a domestically operated service with records exportnot Google Workspace
  • A mid-sized Korean firm whose warehouse and field staff will not adopt Slack but already use KakaoTalk dailynot Google Workspace
  • A Korean company that wants approvals, chat and the organisation chart in one tool rather than paying separately for groupware and messagingnot Google Workspace

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Google Workspace

  • Starter tier storage limited to 30 GB per user, requiring upgrade to Standard or higher for adequate document storage
  • Starter and Standard tiers both capped at maximum 300 users per organisation
  • Video meetings limited to 100 participants on Starter tier, 150 on Standard tier
  • Recording capabilities only available on Standard tier and above
  • eDiscovery, Vault, and advanced security features only available on Plus and Enterprise tiers

Kakao Work

  • The product, documentation, support and commercial materials are Korea-first, so a company with overseas offices ends up running a second messaging tool for non-Korean staff and splitting its conversation history across two systems.
  • The third-party integration catalogue is small next to Slack or Microsoft Teams, so connecting a Western SaaS stack usually means writing against the open API yourself rather than installing an app.
  • Prices are set and billed in Korean won with 10 percent VAT added on top, which makes cost forecasting awkward for any buyer whose budget is held in another currency.
  • Kakao Enterprise has restructured repeatedly since 2023 and refocused around AI, which puts long-term roadmap certainty for the collaboration suite below that of a vendor whose only product this is.
  • The deliberate resemblance to consumer KakaoTalk is a training advantage but a governance risk: staff move between the two apps by habit and a share of work conversation keeps leaking back to personal accounts, which is precisely what the tool was bought to stop.

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Workspace

€6.8/month
  • Starter$6.8/month
    • 30 GB storage
    • Custom business email
    • Basic Gemini AI features
  • Standard$13.6/month
    • 2 TB storage
    • Enhanced email features
    • Gemini AI across multiple apps
  • Plus$21.1/month
    • 5 TB storage
    • Advanced security features
    • Expanded Gemini AI access
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • 5 TB storage upgradeable
    • Up to 1,000 meeting participants
    • Enterprise-grade security

Kakao Work

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core messaging
    • Basic video meetings
    • Limited shared storage
  • Mini$2400/month
    • Messaging-focused plan
    • Message encryption and security controls
    • Annual billing rate; monthly billing is 2,900 KRW
  • Standard$6500/month
    • Mail and collaboration tools
    • Larger drive capacity
    • Approvals and workflow
  • Premium$9900/month
    • Large storage allocation
    • All user and administrator features
    • AI assistant features

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Workspace if

  • You need gmail business email.
  • You also want google drive storage.
Google Workspace review

Choose Kakao Work if

  • You need kakaotalk-style messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want organisation chart.
Kakao Work review

Questions people ask

Is Google Workspace or Kakao Work better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Workspace starts at €6.8/month and Kakao Work at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Workspace or Kakao Work?
Kakao Work has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at €6.8/month for Google Workspace and Free for Kakao Work.
Does Google Workspace or Kakao Work run on more platforms?
Google Workspace runs on Web. Kakao Work runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
Can I use Kakao Work for free?
Yes. Kakao Work has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Google Workspace starts at €6.8/month.
What is Google Workspace best used for?
Google Workspace is most often used for business email and communication, cloud document collaboration, team productivity and file sharing, enterprise application suite. Of those, business email and communication and cloud document collaboration are not what Kakao Work is typically brought in for.
What can Google Workspace do that Kakao Work cannot?
Google Workspace covers Gmail business email, Google Drive storage, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Google Calendar. Kakao Work covers KakaoTalk-style messaging, Organisation chart, Video meetings, Kakao Work Drive.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Workspace: What are the Google Workspace pricing tiers?

Google Workspace offers Starter at 6.80 EUR/month (normally, currently 30% off), Standard at 13.60 EUR/month, Plus at 21.10 EUR/month, and Enterprise with custom pricing.

Source
Kakao Work: Can a non-Korean company use Kakao Work?

Technically yes, and the app supports several interface languages, but support, billing and the integration catalogue assume a Korean entity. Most non-Korean buyers should not.

Google Workspace: How many users does each tier support?

Starter, Standard, and Plus plans support up to 300 users. Enterprise plans support unlimited users.

Source
Kakao Work: Is there a genuinely free plan?

Yes. The Free tier gives core messaging and basic meetings with limited storage, no trial expiry.

Google Workspace: What storage is included in each plan?

Starter includes 30 GB, Standard and Plus include 2 TB and 5 TB respectively. Enterprise includes 5 TB upgradeable.

Source
Kakao Work: How does it differ from KakaoTalk?

KakaoTalk is a consumer messenger on personal accounts. Kakao Work is an administered tenant with an organisation chart, retention controls and approvals, in a near-identical interface.

Google Workspace: What meeting features are included?

Standard and Plus plans include Meet video conferencing, though participant limits increase by tier. Enterprise supports up to 1,000 meeting participants.

Source
Kakao Work: What does it actually cost?

From 2,400 KRW per user per month on annual billing for Mini, up to 9,900 KRW for Premium, all excluding 10 percent VAT, under the plan structure effective July 2026.

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