If you’re planning a Google Workspace to Office 365 migration, I’d recommend looking at both the native/manual route and an automated approach before deciding. The manual method can work, especially for a smaller number of users, but there are a few things that need to be prepared properly.
The first step is to verify the domain and make sure the required accounts are ready in Microsoft 365. You’ll generally want the corresponding Microsoft 365 users created before moving their mailbox data. If you have several users, creating them in bulk can save some time.
After that, prepare a clear list of the source and destination mailboxes. Keeping the Google Workspace email addresses and their corresponding Microsoft 365 addresses in a CSV file makes it easier to keep track of the migration and avoid accidentally mapping data to the wrong account.
You’ll also need to configure the migration connection in Microsoft 365. Depending on the migration method you choose, this can involve setting up the appropriate migration endpoint and Google Workspace permissions. Once the connection is ready, you can create a migration batch and start transferring the mailboxes.
For a small organization, this can be a reasonable free/native solution. I’d still recommend starting with one or two test accounts instead of migrating every mailbox immediately. Check whether emails, folders, attachments, and other required data have arrived correctly before continuing with the remaining users.
There are a few common problems that are easy to overlook. Incorrect user mapping can put data in the wrong mailbox, authentication or permission issues can prevent a migration from starting, and large mailboxes may take considerably longer than expected. It’s also important to keep the original Google Workspace accounts and data available until you’ve verified the migration.
Another thing to remember is that email migration and a complete Google Workspace migration aren't necessarily the same thing. If you also need contacts, calendars, Drive files, or other Workspace data, you should plan those separately rather than assuming an email migration will transfer everything.
If you have only a few users, I’d definitely try the free/manual method first. But if you’re dealing with many mailboxes or a large amount of historical data, manually configuring and monitoring each migration can become tedious.
For that situation, I also came across
Kernel GSuite to Office 365 Migration. It provides bulk migration options and supports selective and incremental migration, which can be useful when you have multiple users to move. You can test the process first rather than immediately committing to a full migration.
My preferred approach would be: prepare the Microsoft 365 accounts, map the users, test a small mailbox, verify the results, and then migrate the remaining users in batches. Once everything has been checked, you can complete the final domain and mail-flow changes.
So, yes, there are free ways to migrate Google Workspace email to Office 365, but the best option depends on how much data you have and what else needs to be moved. For a simple Gmail-to-Microsoft 365 migration, the native approach may be enough. For a larger Google Workspace to Office 365 migration involving many users and more complex requirements, an automated tool can make the process considerably easier.
