Gmail vs Microsoft Outlook
Updated October 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
Gmail
Google's free webmail and mobile mail app, and the email service most people already have.
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft's email and calendar app, covering free Outlook.com accounts and Microsoft 365 work mail.
The short answer
Pick Gmail if you want fast search, strong spam filtering and tight links with Google Calendar, Drive and Meet, especially for personal use or a Google Workspace company. Pick Outlook if you work in an Exchange or Microsoft 365 organisation that relies on shared calendars, meeting rooms and delegation. The biggest difference is ecosystem: each is at its best inside its own company's suite.
Gmail or Microsoft Outlook: our take
Gmail and Outlook are each both a free email service and a business product. Gmail's web and mobile apps are known for quick search, strong spam filtering and automatic sorting into tabs such as Promotions and Updates, and it ties directly into Google Calendar, Drive, Meet and the Gemini assistant. Outlook is Microsoft's free webmail service, Outlook.com, and the mail and calendar app bundled with Microsoft 365. In companies running Exchange it is the default, because shared calendars, room booking, delegation and retention policies work best inside it.
Free accounts differ mainly in storage. Gmail offers 15 GB shared with Drive and Photos, so photos and files eat into mail space. Outlook.com gives a 15 GB mailbox kept separate from 5 GB of OneDrive cloud storage, and a Microsoft 365 subscription raises the mailbox to 100 GB and removes ads. Both free versions show ads. For businesses, Gmail on a custom domain comes through Google Workspace, with a 14-day trial, ad-free mail, a 99.9% uptime guarantee and 30 GB pooled per user on the Starter plan.
Platforms and interfaces separate them further. Gmail runs on the web, Android and iOS, and works with almost any third-party mail client over IMAP; its label-based model can feel odd to people used to folders. Outlook has apps for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android plus the web, and can connect Gmail and other IMAP accounts. Its interface is busy, and Windows users face two versions, the new web-based Outlook and classic desktop Outlook, which behave differently. Neither offers end-to-end encryption for ordinary messages.
For personal email and people who live in Google's apps, Gmail is the simpler choice. For workplaces on Microsoft 365 and heavy calendar or scheduling users, Outlook remains the stronger tool.
Which should you pick?
Choose Gmail if…
- Anyone who wants a free, dependable inbox that works with Google's other apps
- Free account with fast search and strong spam filtering
- Deep integration with Calendar, Drive, Meet and Gemini
Choose Microsoft Outlook if…
- People and companies already on Microsoft 365 or Exchange
- You need Windows and macOS, which Gmail doesn't list
- Strongest calendar, scheduling and delegation features for Exchange users
- Free Outlook.com mailbox kept separate from OneDrive storage
About each app
What is Gmail?
Gmail is Google's email service and the default inbox for a huge share of personal and work accounts. The web app and the Android and iOS apps handle search, spam filtering and automatic sorting into tabs such as Promotions and Updates well, and it ties directly into Google Calendar, Drive, Meet and the Gemini assistant. Personal accounts are free and supported by ads, with storage shared across Gmail, Drive and Google Photos; more space comes from a Google One plan. Businesses get Gmail on their own domain through Google Workspace, a per-user subscription that removes ads and adds admin controls, more storage and support. The trade-offs are privacy and lock-in: Google processes your mail on its servers, there is no end-to-end encryption for ordinary messages, and the interface is built around Google's own labels rather than folders. Gmail also works with other clients over IMAP, so many people keep the account but read it in a different app.
What is Microsoft Outlook?
Outlook is both Microsoft's free webmail service (Outlook.com, which absorbed Hotmail) and the mail and calendar app bundled with Microsoft 365. In most companies running Exchange it is the default client, because shared calendars, meeting rooms, delegation and retention policies all work best inside it. The new Outlook for Windows is a web-based app that replaces the old Mail and Calendar apps, while the classic desktop Outlook remains for heavier users who rely on add-ins and PST files. There are also Mac, iOS and Android apps, and Outlook can connect Gmail and other IMAP accounts. Free accounts get a mailbox separate from OneDrive storage and show ads; a Microsoft 365 subscription removes ads and raises the mailbox limit. Copilot features are tied to Microsoft 365 plans. The downsides are a crowded interface, two Windows versions that behave differently, and features that work best only with Exchange accounts.
Side by side
| Attribute | Gmail | Microsoft Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Best for | Anyone who wants a free, dependable inbox that works with Google's other apps | People and companies already on Microsoft 365 or Exchange |
| Status | Active | Active |
Gmail vs Microsoft Outlook pricing
Gmail: free plan + paid
Gmail pricing pagePlatforms
| Platform | Gmail | Microsoft Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android |
Gmail facts
4 of 4 verified- Workspace Starter storage
- 30 GB pooled per user
- Checked Oct 25, 2026workspace.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Starter includes: 30 GB pooled storage per person”
- Business version
- Custom domain, no ads, 99.9% uptime guarantee
- Checked Oct 25, 2026google.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “99.9% guaranteed uptime, twice the storage of personal Gmail, zero ads, 24/7 support, Google Workspace Sync for Microsoft Outlook, and more.”
- Workspace free trial
- 14 days
- Checked Oct 25, 2026workspace.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Try Google Workspace for 14 days”
- Free storage
- 15 GB shared with Drive and Photos
- Checked Oct 25, 2026support.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Personal account with up to 15 GB of storage which is shared among Drive, Gmail, and Photos.”
Microsoft Outlook facts
3 of 3 verified- Free mailbox storage
- 15 GB
- Checked Oct 25, 2026support.microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Storage limits in Outlook.com Applies To Outlook.com You get 15 GB of free Outlook.com email storage which is separate from your Microsoft cloud storage.”
- Free cloud storage
- 5 GB (OneDrive and attachments)
- Checked Oct 25, 2026support.microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “You have 5 GB of free cloud storage with your Microsoft account”
- Microsoft 365 mailbox
- 100 GB
- Checked Oct 25, 2026support.microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “All Microsoft 365 subscriptions include 100 GB of mailbox storage.”
Pros and cons of Gmail
- Free account with fast search and strong spam filtering
- Deep integration with Calendar, Drive, Meet and Gemini
- Works with almost every third-party mail client
- Free storage is shared with Drive and Photos and fills up
- Ads in the free inbox and no end-to-end encryption
- Label-based model feels odd to people used to folders
Pros and cons of Microsoft Outlook
- Strongest calendar, scheduling and delegation features for Exchange users
- Free Outlook.com mailbox kept separate from OneDrive storage
- Apps on every major platform plus a solid web version
- Classic and new Outlook for Windows differ, which confuses users
- Busy interface with many features most people never use
- Free accounts show ads and get less storage
Other apps to consider
Proton MailInstead of Gmail
End-to-end encrypted email based in Switzerland for people leaving Google over privacy.
FastmailInstead of Gmail
Paid, ad-free email with your own domain and a fast web app, without Google scanning your inbox.
Zoho MailInstead of Gmail
Ad-free business email with a free plan for small teams on their own domain.
eM ClientInstead of Microsoft Outlook
A desktop client for Windows and Mac with Exchange support and a cleaner interface.
ThunderbirdInstead of Microsoft Outlook
Free, open-source desktop mail and calendar app with no ads or Microsoft account needed.
SparkInstead of Microsoft Outlook
A cross-platform client that keeps Outlook accounts but adds a smarter inbox and team features.
Gmail vs Microsoft Outlook: common questions
Is Gmail better than Microsoft Outlook?
Pick Gmail if you want fast search, strong spam filtering and tight links with Google Calendar, Drive and Meet, especially for personal use or a Google Workspace company. Pick Outlook if you work in an Exchange or Microsoft 365 organisation that relies on shared calendars, meeting rooms and delegation. The biggest difference is ecosystem: each is at its best inside its own company's suite.
Is Gmail free?
Gmail has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is Microsoft Outlook free?
Microsoft Outlook has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is Gmail or Microsoft Outlook open source?
Neither is open source.
Which platforms do Gmail and Microsoft Outlook support?
Gmail: Web, iOS and Android. Microsoft Outlook: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.