First public edition · Philippines · Phased first edition
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Research dossier · Documentary research; not hands-on tested

Google Workspace / Drive

Browser-first business document collaboration with pooled storage and shared drives. Standard adds formal approvals, custom labels and embedded Gemini that Starter does not include.

Official website ↗
No final score yet

The lower bound counts documented points; the upper bound includes the maximum remaining points if unknown capabilities are confirmed. This is not a final ranking.

Best suited to

Teams editing shared Docs and Sheets SMBs wanting lightweight shared drives with an upgrade path

Check before choosing

Starter buyers requiring advanced per-drive sharing restrictions Teams assuming Vault legal holds are included in Starter or Standard

Documented strengths

Shared drives in both assessed editions

Clear Standard upgrades for approvals and document AI

Migration

Standard includes Workspace Migrate; test version and permission preservation

Product capabilities and plan entitlements are separate

General capabilities appear separately from assessed plans. Product-wide claims are not automatically carried over to a cheaper or different plan.

Product evidence

Product evidence Document Management

Product documentation does not prove that a capability is included in every plan.

24/30 criteria with evidence

Provisional score range50.5–68.5/ 100

Weighted evidence coverage: 82%

No final score yet

Not fully confirmed

Market eligibility: PH-locale sales and Other Asia billing route documented; no completed Philippine business checkout or deployment validation. workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29

Assessment criterionStatusResearch details
Team storage allocation and growth4%DocumentedBusiness Starter: 30 GB pooled storage per user across Workspace services. Business Standard: 2 TB pooled storage per user across Workspace services.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Team-owned repositories and leaver ownership4%DocumentedShared-drive files belong to the organisation rather than the individual user; domain/business verification applies.developers.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Folder and document access roles4%DocumentedShared-drive managers can change memberships and access levels. Domain verification and assigned licences are required.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Controlled external sharing4%ConditionalBusiness Starter: External sharing exists, but Starter cannot set the advanced shared-drive restrictions documented for Standard. Business Standard: Administrators can restrict shared-drive external sharing, non-member access and download/copy/print subject to role.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Concurrent document editing and comments3%DocumentedDrive and Docs editors support shared document work; review/approval is a separate plan capability.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Content search and scan/OCR limitations3%ConditionalDrive API supports file metadata and search queries. End-user scan OCR accuracy and supported scanned-file limits remain unverified.developers.google.com · 2026-10-29
Custom document metadata and classification3%ConditionalBusiness Starter: Custom Drive metadata labels/fields are not included in Starter. Business Standard: Custom document metadata labels and fields included.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Formal document approval workflow3%ConditionalBusiness Starter: Formal document approvals are not available in Starter. Business Standard: Formal approvals with review, rejection, lock and reapproval after edits.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Exportable document and administrator audit3%ConditionalDrive/user/admin events are included after account verification; log retention and complete export fidelity still need checking.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Retention schedules and legal holds2%Not supportedVault eDiscovery/governance is not included in either selected Business edition; Plus or separate applicable licensing is needed.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Read/write API scope and operational limits4%ConditionalOAuth Drive API provides files, sharing, download and search; quota and administrative app access limits remain applicable.developers.google.com · 2026-10-29
Bulk export with usable exit fidelity4%ConditionalBasic data export and Drive downloads/API are documented; preserving all versions, comments and ACLs requires an export proof.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 developers.google.com · 2026-10-29
Bulk migration and ownership preservation3%ConditionalBusiness Starter: General migration options exist, but Workspace Migrate entitlement starts at Standard; fidelity requires testing. Business Standard: Workspace Migrate included with domain verification; migration mapping and permissions still need a source-to-target pilot.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Office-suite and business-app integration3%DocumentedDrive/Docs editors, Marketplace integrations and app controls are documented; third-party subscription fees are separate.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 developers.google.com · 2026-10-29
Change events and webhooks3%ConditionalDrive push notifications require authorised watches and HTTPS receivers; channels expire and must be renewed.developers.google.com · 2026-10-29
Central identity, SSO and provisioning3%ConditionalDirectory management and third-party application integration are included; deployment-specific SSO/provisioning configuration not tested.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Philippine customer purchase eligibility4%ConditionalPH-locale product page plus Asia billing guidance supports a purchase route. Philippine entity checkout was not completed.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Philippine billing, seats, currency and taxes4%ConditionalRegular USD annual-commitment prices used. Other Asia card billing lists USD/EUR; final Philippine VAT/invoice treatment remains unknown.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Support channels and Philippine-hours coverage3%ConditionalStandard Support is included; exact Philippine escalation/response and assisted migration service have not been tested.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
English/mobile/offline work for distributed PH teams3%DocumentedBoth selected editions document offline and computer/phone/tablet access; local weak-network performance remains untested.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
In-plan AI document summarisation4%ConditionalBusiness Starter: Embedded Gemini in Drive/Docs is not included in Starter; Gemini app/Gmail availability is not the same entitlement. Business Standard: Gemini in Docs/Drive included; summaries and writing remain reviewable assistant output.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 support.google.com · 2026-10-29
Grounded file questions and source checking4%ConditionalBusiness Starter: Native Drive/Docs Gemini file Q&A is not included in Starter. Business Standard: Gemini in document context is included; citation fidelity and permission boundaries need an account test.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 support.google.com · 2026-10-29
AI plan, regional, language and usage boundaries4%ConditionalBusiness Starter: Starter has no access to the assessed embedded Drive advanced AI allowances; external tools are outside this plan assessment. Business Standard: Current edition table lists 20 PDF audio overviews/day and 30 file-organising actions/month; language/PH activation and model limits need checking.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
AI administration, providers and data-use controls3%ConditionalVerified Workspace accounts have core-service Gemini protections and admin control; consumer accounts and external integrations have different terms.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
6 criteria still to verify
Assessment criterionStatusResearch details
Per-file upload and path limits4%Not verifiedNo complete file-type/upload-limit check for this edition performed.
Version comparison and restore4%Not verifiedExact binary-file version expiry versus native Docs history and restore permissions not established in this packet.
External upload-only file requests2%Not verifiedUpload-only intake that works for external people without Google sign-in is not established for the selected plans.
Deleted-file recovery and ransomware options2%Not verifiedDeleted-file recovery windows and full restore workflow have not been established for both selected editions.
Processing locations, processor terms and PH safeguards3%Not verifiedNo Philippine tenant processing geography or negotiated DPA was verified. Standard region-policy capability alone does not establish PH data residency.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 privacy.gov.ph · 2026-10-29
Cancellation, return and deletion commitments3%Not verifiedAnnual/flexible billing is documented, but complete post-cancellation export/deletion commitments are not verified.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Plan evidence

Business Starter Document Management

$7.00

Regular USD 7/user/month with annual commitment, billed monthly; promotional pricing excluded

per monthTax: not established for Philippine billingBilling: annual commitment, monthly paymentPer seat per year: $84.00Minimum seats: 1workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29

24/30 criteria with evidence

Provisional score range41.5–59.5/ 100

Weighted evidence coverage: 82%

No final score yet

Not fully confirmed

Market eligibility: PH-locale sales and Other Asia billing route documented; no completed Philippine business checkout or deployment validation. workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29

Assessment criterionStatusResearch details
Team storage allocation and growth4%Documented30 GB pooled storage per user across Workspace services.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Team-owned repositories and leaver ownership4%DocumentedShared-drive files belong to the organisation rather than the individual user; domain/business verification applies.developers.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Folder and document access roles4%DocumentedShared-drive managers can change memberships and access levels. Domain verification and assigned licences are required.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Controlled external sharing4%ConditionalExternal sharing exists, but Starter cannot set the advanced shared-drive restrictions documented for Standard.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Concurrent document editing and comments3%DocumentedDrive and Docs editors support shared document work; review/approval is a separate plan capability.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Content search and scan/OCR limitations3%ConditionalDrive API supports file metadata and search queries. End-user scan OCR accuracy and supported scanned-file limits remain unverified.developers.google.com · 2026-10-29
Custom document metadata and classification3%Not supportedCustom Drive metadata labels/fields are not included in Starter.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Formal document approval workflow3%Not supportedFormal document approvals are not available in Starter.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Exportable document and administrator audit3%ConditionalDrive/user/admin events are included after account verification; log retention and complete export fidelity still need checking.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Retention schedules and legal holds2%Not supportedVault eDiscovery/governance is not included in either selected Business edition; Plus or separate applicable licensing is needed.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Read/write API scope and operational limits4%ConditionalOAuth Drive API provides files, sharing, download and search; quota and administrative app access limits remain applicable.developers.google.com · 2026-10-29
Bulk export with usable exit fidelity4%ConditionalBasic data export and Drive downloads/API are documented; preserving all versions, comments and ACLs requires an export proof.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 developers.google.com · 2026-10-29
Bulk migration and ownership preservation3%ConditionalGeneral migration options exist, but Workspace Migrate entitlement starts at Standard; fidelity requires testing.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Office-suite and business-app integration3%DocumentedDrive/Docs editors, Marketplace integrations and app controls are documented; third-party subscription fees are separate.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 developers.google.com · 2026-10-29
Change events and webhooks3%ConditionalDrive push notifications require authorised watches and HTTPS receivers; channels expire and must be renewed.developers.google.com · 2026-10-29
Central identity, SSO and provisioning3%ConditionalDirectory management and third-party application integration are included; deployment-specific SSO/provisioning configuration not tested.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Philippine customer purchase eligibility4%ConditionalPH-locale product page plus Asia billing guidance supports a purchase route. Philippine entity checkout was not completed.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Philippine billing, seats, currency and taxes4%ConditionalRegular USD annual-commitment prices used. Other Asia card billing lists USD/EUR; final Philippine VAT/invoice treatment remains unknown.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Support channels and Philippine-hours coverage3%ConditionalStandard Support is included; exact Philippine escalation/response and assisted migration service have not been tested.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
English/mobile/offline work for distributed PH teams3%DocumentedBoth selected editions document offline and computer/phone/tablet access; local weak-network performance remains untested.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
In-plan AI document summarisation4%Not supportedEmbedded Gemini in Drive/Docs is not included in Starter; Gemini app/Gmail availability is not the same entitlement.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Grounded file questions and source checking4%Not supportedNative Drive/Docs Gemini file Q&A is not included in Starter.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
AI plan, regional, language and usage boundaries4%Not supportedStarter has no access to the assessed embedded Drive advanced AI allowances; external tools are outside this plan assessment.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
AI administration, providers and data-use controls3%ConditionalVerified Workspace accounts have core-service Gemini protections and admin control; consumer accounts and external integrations have different terms.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
6 criteria still to verify
Assessment criterionStatusResearch details
Per-file upload and path limits4%Not verifiedNo complete file-type/upload-limit check for this edition performed.
Version comparison and restore4%Not verifiedExact binary-file version expiry versus native Docs history and restore permissions not established in this packet.
External upload-only file requests2%Not verifiedUpload-only intake that works for external people without Google sign-in is not established for the selected plans.
Deleted-file recovery and ransomware options2%Not verifiedDeleted-file recovery windows and full restore workflow have not been established for both selected editions.
Processing locations, processor terms and PH safeguards3%Not verifiedNo Philippine tenant processing geography or negotiated DPA was verified. Standard region-policy capability alone does not establish PH data residency.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 privacy.gov.ph · 2026-10-29
Cancellation, return and deletion commitments3%Not verifiedAnnual/flexible billing is documented, but complete post-cancellation export/deletion commitments are not verified.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Plan evidence

Business Standard Document Management

$14.00

Regular USD 14/user/month with annual commitment, billed monthly; promotional pricing excluded

per monthTax: not established for Philippine billingBilling: annual commitment, monthly paymentPer seat per year: $168.00Minimum seats: 1workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29

24/30 criteria with evidence

Provisional score range57.5–75.5/ 100

Weighted evidence coverage: 82%

No final score yet

Not fully confirmed

Market eligibility: PH-locale sales and Other Asia billing route documented; no completed Philippine business checkout or deployment validation. workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29

Assessment criterionStatusResearch details
Team storage allocation and growth4%Documented2 TB pooled storage per user across Workspace services.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Team-owned repositories and leaver ownership4%DocumentedShared-drive files belong to the organisation rather than the individual user; domain/business verification applies.developers.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Folder and document access roles4%DocumentedShared-drive managers can change memberships and access levels. Domain verification and assigned licences are required.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Controlled external sharing4%DocumentedAdministrators can restrict shared-drive external sharing, non-member access and download/copy/print subject to role.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Concurrent document editing and comments3%DocumentedDrive and Docs editors support shared document work; review/approval is a separate plan capability.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Content search and scan/OCR limitations3%ConditionalDrive API supports file metadata and search queries. End-user scan OCR accuracy and supported scanned-file limits remain unverified.developers.google.com · 2026-10-29
Custom document metadata and classification3%DocumentedCustom document metadata labels and fields included.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Formal document approval workflow3%DocumentedFormal approvals with review, rejection, lock and reapproval after edits.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Exportable document and administrator audit3%ConditionalDrive/user/admin events are included after account verification; log retention and complete export fidelity still need checking.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Retention schedules and legal holds2%Not supportedVault eDiscovery/governance is not included in either selected Business edition; Plus or separate applicable licensing is needed.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Read/write API scope and operational limits4%ConditionalOAuth Drive API provides files, sharing, download and search; quota and administrative app access limits remain applicable.developers.google.com · 2026-10-29
Bulk export with usable exit fidelity4%ConditionalBasic data export and Drive downloads/API are documented; preserving all versions, comments and ACLs requires an export proof.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 developers.google.com · 2026-10-29
Bulk migration and ownership preservation3%ConditionalWorkspace Migrate included with domain verification; migration mapping and permissions still need a source-to-target pilot.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Office-suite and business-app integration3%DocumentedDrive/Docs editors, Marketplace integrations and app controls are documented; third-party subscription fees are separate.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 developers.google.com · 2026-10-29
Change events and webhooks3%ConditionalDrive push notifications require authorised watches and HTTPS receivers; channels expire and must be renewed.developers.google.com · 2026-10-29
Central identity, SSO and provisioning3%ConditionalDirectory management and third-party application integration are included; deployment-specific SSO/provisioning configuration not tested.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Philippine customer purchase eligibility4%ConditionalPH-locale product page plus Asia billing guidance supports a purchase route. Philippine entity checkout was not completed.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Philippine billing, seats, currency and taxes4%ConditionalRegular USD annual-commitment prices used. Other Asia card billing lists USD/EUR; final Philippine VAT/invoice treatment remains unknown.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
Support channels and Philippine-hours coverage3%ConditionalStandard Support is included; exact Philippine escalation/response and assisted migration service have not been tested.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
English/mobile/offline work for distributed PH teams3%DocumentedBoth selected editions document offline and computer/phone/tablet access; local weak-network performance remains untested.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
In-plan AI document summarisation4%DocumentedGemini in Docs/Drive included; summaries and writing remain reviewable assistant output.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 support.google.com · 2026-10-29
Grounded file questions and source checking4%ConditionalGemini in document context is included; citation fidelity and permission boundaries need an account test.support.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
AI plan, regional, language and usage boundaries4%ConditionalCurrent edition table lists 20 PDF audio overviews/day and 30 file-organising actions/month; language/PH activation and model limits need checking.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
AI administration, providers and data-use controls3%ConditionalVerified Workspace accounts have core-service Gemini protections and admin control; consumer accounts and external integrations have different terms.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29
6 criteria still to verify
Assessment criterionStatusResearch details
Per-file upload and path limits4%Not verifiedNo complete file-type/upload-limit check for this edition performed.
Version comparison and restore4%Not verifiedExact binary-file version expiry versus native Docs history and restore permissions not established in this packet.
External upload-only file requests2%Not verifiedUpload-only intake that works for external people without Google sign-in is not established for the selected plans.
Deleted-file recovery and ransomware options2%Not verifiedDeleted-file recovery windows and full restore workflow have not been established for both selected editions.
Processing locations, processor terms and PH safeguards3%Not verifiedNo Philippine tenant processing geography or negotiated DPA was verified. Standard region-policy capability alone does not establish PH data residency.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29 privacy.gov.ph · 2026-10-29
Cancellation, return and deletion commitments3%Not verifiedAnnual/flexible billing is documented, but complete post-cancellation export/deletion commitments are not verified.knowledge.workspace.google.com · 2026-10-29

Identified plans

Sources used