Free version of Google Workspace is available for personal use; migration must be done by June 27, 2022
By now, everyone who has a free G Suite plan knows they’ll have to move to Google Workspace, which is paid. Fortunately, there was light at the end of the tunnel. Google has created a plan that costs nothing and allows you to keep your custom domain. But there is one point: this option is for personal (and non-commercial) use only.
Without the new option, users who meet the requirements would have to pay for Google Workspace. In Brazil, the service starts at R$27 per user (not including discounts or promotions). The alternative would be to migrate to another platform, such as Zoho, which has a free plan for accounts with up to five emails.
Switching platforms is not a pleasant task. It is necessary to change domain settings, export messages, and, of course, adapt to the new service. But for many users, the worst part is missing out on purchases made with G Suite accounts, such as YouTube or Google Play Store subscriptions.
Lo and behold, in February, Google announced the Workspace Essentials Starter. Free, this option was created to allow users of business accounts to continue using the services of the platform, but with some limitations. The biggest one is the impossibility of using Gmail.
Something more generous was needed, so to speak.
Free Google Workspace with Domain
Google’s original plan called for the end of the legacy G Suite on July 1, 2022, leaving the user to make a decision by May 1. But the company extended both deadlines by a month. Meanwhile, the company was putting together a waiting list that could give them access to Workspace for free and with the possibility of maintaining their own domain.
Quietly, Google made this plan official. That waiting list doesn’t even exist anymore. In the Google Admin console, G Suite users can now choose the free Workspace option.
The new plan gives access to services like Drive, Meet, Maps, and YouTube. Gmail is also offered and, as already mentioned, it is possible to keep your custom domain. In addition, content purchased on platforms such as the Google Play Store is preserved.
Upgrade until June 27
Yes, the new option is free, but it has restrictions. To get started, you must upgrade by June 27, 2022. In addition, you must confirm to Google that your account is for personal use.
Have more. Personal accounts are not supported. Google also explains that commercial features available in this mode may be removed at some point.
In the end, it’s as 9to5Google has well observed: all Google wants is for companies to pay for Workspace. If, from the beginning, the company had taken into account that G Suite has many accounts for personal use, everything would have been easier.
For those who use it personally and had already migrated to a paid account on Workspace, it is possible to join the free option by contacting the platform’s support.
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