What are the key differences between MS Outlook and Gmail?

Short Summary

Google and Microsoft are two of the biggest software companies in the world, and their email services are among their most popular offerings. Both Gmail and MS Outlook have millions of users, but they also have some key differences. That being said, both programs have a lot in common. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the differences between MS Outlook and Gmail. Let’s get started!

What is Gmail?

Google Gmail is a free email service offered by Google. Gmail is typically accessed through a web browser or the official mobile app. Email clients that use the POP and IMAP protocols are also supported by Google. Gmail servers automatically scan emails for various purposes, including spam and malware filtering and the placement of context-sensitive advertisements next to emails.

What is MS Outlook?

Microsoft Outlook is an email client included in the Microsoft Office suite. Outlook is primarily an email client but includes calendaring, task management, contact management, note-taking, journal logging, and web browsing. An individual user can use Outlook as a stand-alone application. In contrast, businesses can use it as multi-user software (via Microsoft Exchange Server or SharePoint) for shared functions such as mailboxes, calendars, folders, etc.

MS Outlook vs Gmail – Which Is Better?

Microsoft Outlook and Gmail have advantages and disadvantages that make one better (or worse) than the other, depending on user needs. Outlook and Gmail are great email services, and both have their benefits and drawbacks. What works for one person may not work for another, so there is no clear winner here. Gmail is a well-known service with lots of features. It’s easy to use, has lots of storage space, and has good spam filtering. However, some people may sometimes find its interface a bit overwhelming. At the same time, Outlook is a more basic email service that focuses on the essentials. It has powerful features such as task management and calendar syncing but lacks some of the inbox organization features offered by Gmail.

Check out some key differences between MS Outlook and Gmail

1. Email client vs. email provider

• Gmail is an email service provider, offering the ability to send and receive emails. MS Outlook, on the other hand, is an email client that uses the services of all email service providers.
• In other words, only accounts with the @gmail.com extension at the end of their account name can be configured in Gmail. However, in Outlook, you can configure any email service provider’s email account, such as Yahoo Mail, AOL Mail, Zoho Mail, Hot Mail, and so on.

2. Free vs paid

• Gmail is part of Google’s free, ad-supported software suite.

Google offers a number of services to both individuals and businesses at no cost. These include Search, YouTube, and, of course, Gmail.

• MS Outlook is a paid email client that comes bundled with other productivity tools.

Outlook is one of the most popular email services, and it’s widely used in the business world. The Outlook email service is bundled with other productivity tools like Calendar, Contacts, and Microsoft’s To-Do List app.

3. Storage Limit

• When it comes to storage limits, Outlook is at an advantage compared to Gmail. When you sign up for a free Outlook account, you’ll have a whopping 50 GB of storage space, which is about 3 times more than what Gmail offers.

4. Gmail has more advanced email management tools.

• Gmail has had features like the “Archive” button and auto-advance for years, and Outlook just started adding some of these functions. We’ve all been there: You want to move an old email to a different folder, but there’s no “Archive” button. You have to click on the email and then manually search for the “Move to Folder” function.

5. Outlook has better calendar functionality.

• Outlook has a robust calendar function that’s more powerful than Gmail’s calendar. If you work in an office with other people and your calendar is shared, you may want Outlook’s calendar functionality. With Outlook, you can create a calendar for yourself, invite coworkers to it, and add appointments from your PC, Mac, or smartphone. That’s not possible with Gmail.

6. Microsoft and Google have very different approaches to security and user privacy.

• Gmail has more secure defaults in general. Email scanning, for example, for malicious emails. It’s a self-evident control that every system should have at all times. Outlook does not have it enabled by default, whereas Gmail does.

Conclusion:

In this Guide, I shared some differences between Gmail and MS Outlook. Overall, these two email services are very similar in terms of features and functionality. However, there are a few key differences between Outlook and Gmail. If you’re deciding between using Gmail and Outlook, it mostly comes down to personal preference. Both of these email services are very robust and have plenty of useful features. Microsoft and Google have very different approaches to security and user privacy. If privacy is important to you, you may want to go with Outlook, but otherwise, they are both solid email services.