Google has announced that they are terminating the free GSuite services (previously known as Google Apps) that are currently being provided as GSuite Legacy Free Edition. The ending of the services will take effect by July 1, 2022.
With Free GSuite, individuals and organizations would have been enjoying the range of Google Workspace services and 15 GB cloud space for each of the member accounts. Surprisingly, the free service to each organisations numbered to upto 300 accounts. Not many of them will be able to enjoy the free services.
What if I want to continue the Free Services?
Let us look this in the historical perspective. In 2012, Google had stopped allowing new registrations for the free Google Apps services. Now, the free services with the name GSuite Legacy Free Edition are being terminated for everyone.
However, certain kinds of educational institutions in the USA can still enjoy free service under the name ‘Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals‘. If some non-profits have been utilizing the Free GSuite services, they can continue to do so. However, they are suggested to act to avoid the automatic upgrades.
Transition to Google Workspace will be done automatically by May 1, 2022 if you do not choose the paid plan beforehand.
In this article, we are talking about Free Services. Hence, one might not update the payment details even after May 1, 2022. Google will wait till July 1, 2022. If the admin of the GSuite Legacy Free Services do not update the payment details, the service will be suspended automatically.
Some people could have been maintaining less than 10 accounts among family / friends or small business. They might still be afraid to leave the free GSuite services. In such case, they can use this form to request Google to look into the matter. However, a positive action is not always guaranteed.
What should we do next?
With the termination, the the affected entities might need to act promptly to backup the stored data in the respective accounts. If they can pay for the best package of the new Google Workspace plans, Google will make the transition smoother. Those, who are ineligible to continue the free GSuite services are free to look for other services.
Not any Internet company would beat such free service that is currently being provided by Google to non-profit organizations and schools. We will look for some alternatives and update in our website to let you know. Let us recommend that Zoho can be your free custom email address provider; it’s free forever. They even offer migration of emails and documents from Google Workspace.
Google’s Services rebranded as Google Workspace
It seems like Google has almost transitioned to rename its services under the new brand ‘Google Workspace’. We can now confidently say that Gmail, Google Docs, Meet, Google Classroom etc. are tools of Google Workspace.
In simpler terms, we can understand Google Workspace as the internet based complex ecosystem developed by Google for the businesses. While Microsoft’s Office 365 has occupied the business markets around the world, Google Workspace has surfaced as another viable alternative.
If everything’s Google Workspace, then what’s Alphabet?
Right question ! While Google Workspace can be a new terminology for you; Alphabet as Google’s business name also surfaced around the same years.
However, we must take Alphabet as mother companies of all companies of Google. They have done so to expand the investment opportunities, and innovation on other sectors than software and internet.