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All industries · head to head

Google Workspace vs Namely

Google Workspace logo

Google Workspace

All industries

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

From
€3.4/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Namely logo

Namely

Payroll & Benefits

The HR platform that employees love

From
$18/employee/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Namely limited customization for complex HR processes: workflows and customization options are limited compared to enterprise solutions
  • They diverge on capability: Google Workspace covers Gmail business email, Namely covers HR Management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Workspace and Namely actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Workspace and Namely differ
AttributeGoogle WorkspaceNamely
Starting price€3.4/month$18/employee/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
CategoryAll industriesPayroll & Benefits
Founded20062012

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web), 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 Namely

  • HR Management
  • Payroll
  • Benefits Administration
  • Time Off Management
  • Performance Management
  • Onboarding
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft 365

Both cover

  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Google Workspace

  • Business email and calendar managementnot Namely
  • Collaborative document editingnot Namely
  • Video conferencing and meetingsnot Namely
  • Secure document storage and sharingnot Namely

Namely

No use cases recorded yet. See the Namely review.

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

Namely

  • Limited customization for complex HR processes: workflows and customization options are limited compared to enterprise solutions
  • Payroll limitations: better served for less complex organizations and struggles with complex time-and-attendance or multi-FEIN scenarios
  • Missing ATS and surveys: lacks built-in applicant tracking system and pulse survey capabilities
  • Slow support response times: pod-based support model has led to slow response times for customers
  • Designed for specific market segment: best fit is mid-sized companies with 50-350 employees

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Workspace

€3.4/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Workspace review.

Namely

$18/employee/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Namely review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Workspace if

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

Choose Namely if

  • You need hr management.
  • You also want payroll.
Namely review

Questions people ask

Is Google Workspace or Namely better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Workspace starts at €3.4/month and Namely at $18/employee/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Workspace or Namely?
Google Workspace starts at €3.4/month and Namely at $18/employee/month.
Does Google Workspace or Namely run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Google Workspace best used for?
Google Workspace is most often used for business email and calendar management, collaborative document editing, video conferencing and meetings, secure document storage and sharing. Of those, business email and calendar management and collaborative document editing are not what Namely is typically brought in for.
What can Google Workspace do that Namely cannot?
Google Workspace covers Gmail business email, Google Drive storage, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Google Calendar. Namely covers HR Management, Payroll, Benefits Administration, Time Off Management. Both handle Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Namely: Does Namely support global payroll?

Namely primarily focuses on mid-sized US-based companies with 50-350 employees. While it can handle complex payroll scenarios, it is better served for less complex organizations and does not have extensive global payroll capabilities compared to enterprise platforms.

Source
Namely: What is included in Namely's Premium pricing?

Premium plans cost $18-24 per employee per month plus implementation fees of 10-25% of annual software costs. Plans include payroll, HR, benefits administration, time management, and talent management features.

Source
Namely: Does Namely include performance management features?

Yes, Namely offers customizable performance review modules enabling dynamic, ongoing feedback rather than traditional annual-only reviews. This is one of Namely's standout features.

Source
Namely: How long does Namely implementation typically take?

Namely is designed for mid-sized companies and implementation timelines vary based on complexity. The platform includes implementation fees of 10-25% of annual software costs in addition to monthly per-employee pricing.

Source
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Related pages

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