Guide · As of July 2026
Google Workspace alternative for associations and federations.
Google Workspace for Nonprofits is free and generous, hard to beat on price. That is exactly why the honest question isn’t “What does it cost?” but “Where does our data sit, and who can access it?”. Here is the comparison, laid out openly, including the case where you should stay with Google.
Google for Nonprofits
0 €
per user per year
Free, 100 TB shared, but the operator is Google (USA).
The real point
US CLOUD Act
applies to US providers
US authorities can request data, even from data centres in the EU.
Connecteeva
46,80 €
per account per year
Hosted in Germany, German operator, no CLOUD Act.
Why not the price
Free is a strong argument. But not the only one.
Unlike Microsoft, which scrapped its free licences for non-profits, Google has stayed very generous on price: Google Workspace for Nonprofits is free, with your own domain, 100 TB of shared storage and up to 2,000 users; the paid editions come heavily discounted for non-profit organisations. If price is all you look at, there is little reason to want to beat Google.
But price is only half the calculation. Google is a US company and is subject to the US CLOUD Act: US authorities can demand that data be handed over, even when it sits in European data centres. For an organisation that manages member, counselling or health data, that is the real question, and the reason more and more organisations are thinking about digital sovereignty. More on this on our security page.
The comparison
Three options, side by side.
The free nonprofit edition, the paid Business Standard with a discount and a comparably equipped Connecteeva account, including where Google comes out ahead.
| Feature | Google Workspace for Nonprofitsfree edition | Google Business Standardwith non-profit discount | Connecteevahosted in Germany |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per user per year | 0 €free for recognised non-profits, up to 2,000 users | heavily discountedofficially around 75 % below the regular price | 46,80 €3,90 € per month: account, email, files and documents |
| Email, calendar, contacts | Yes | Yes | YesEncryption using the open standards PGP and S/MIME, provided the other side uses them |
| Office applications | Google Docs, Sheets, Slidesin the browser | Google Docs, Sheets, Slidesin the browser | OX Documents in the browserlocally with LibreOffice, OpenOffice or Apple Pages |
| Storage per user | 100 TB sharedpooled across all users, very generous | 2 TB per user | 20 GBshared between mailbox and files; expandable for 1,00 € per 10 GB per month |
| Operator and legal jurisdiction | US companysubject to the US CLOUD Act, even with data centres in the EU | US companysubject to the US CLOUD Act, even with data centres in the EU | German companyhosting in Germany, not subject to the US CLOUD Act |
| Open Source | No | No | Yesthe underlying services are built on open-source software; the portal that connects them we develop ourselves |
| Mapping a federation structure | Organisational units in the admin consoleto be created and maintained per level | Organisational units in the admin consoleto be created and maintained per level | Hierarchical user managementorganisation structure mapped, admin rights delegable |
| Support | 24/7 support from Googleincluded in the free edition | 24/7 support from Google | Personal email support from Berlinusually within 24 hours on working days, a dedicated contact from larger user counts upward |
As of July 2026. Google figures per google.com/nonprofits (Google Workspace for Nonprofits, Germany); Google changes terms and storage figures regularly, so check the current page if in doubt. All Connecteeva prices are on our pricing page.
Stay or switch
Where Google stays the better choice. And where we are.
On the left, the cases where Google suits you. On the right, the ones where switching is worth it.
Stay with Google if …
There are good reasons to.
- Price is what decides. The free nonprofit edition with 100 TB is hard to beat. If data sovereignty isn’t an issue for you, don’t switch just for the sake of switching.
- You’re deep in the Google world. Classroom, YouTube, Ad Grants, shared Drives with partners, where everything is interlocked, a switch creates friction.
- You need a great deal of storage or a round-the-clock phone hotline. Google offers that in this form, Connecteeva doesn’t.
If any of these applies to you, Google is the right choice for you.
Switch if …
Four reasons that speak for Connecteeva.
- You don’t want member data sitting with a US corporation. Connecteeva is hosted in Germany, operated by a German company, and is not subject to the US CLOUD Act.
- Your structure is more than a list of users. Regional federation, district branch, local group, Connecteeva maps hierarchies with delegable admin rights.
- You want to be able to speak to a person. Support here means: an email to a team in Berlin that knows your structure.
- You don’t want to make yourself dependent. Open-source services and open standards mean: the programs you’re used to keep working, and your data can be exported at any time.
How Connecteeva is set up for associations and federations is shown on the page for federations and the one for volunteering. The comparison with Microsoft 365 and the guide on GDPR in the association also help you get your bearings.
How the switch works
No data loss, not a day offline.
Your Connecteeva environment is set up with your own domain while Google Workspace carries on as normal. Emails, calendars and contacts move across via standard protocols, files from Google Drive into the cloud file store. Nothing is switched off until the new setup is in place.
The full process in five steps → How long it takes depends on the number of mailboxes; after taking stock we give you a firm date.
Common questions
What associations ask most often about Google.
Seven answers on cost, legal situation and migration, short and free of sales prose.
Is Google Workspace free for associations?
For recognised non-profit organisations, yes: Google Workspace for Nonprofits is a free edition with your own domain, 100 TB of shared storage and up to 2,000 users. Recognition usually runs through a validation body such as TechSoup. More features come with Business Standard and Business Plus, heavily discounted for non-profits.
What does Google Workspace cost with the non-profit discount?
For non-profit organisations, Google officially states around 75 % off Business Standard and around 72 % off Business Plus (as of July 2026). Google changes the exact amounts and conditions regularly, so check the current Google for Non-Profits page if in doubt.
Is Google Workspace GDPR-compliant, and what about the CLOUD Act?
Google offers tools for GDPR-compliant use (data processing agreements, EU data regions). But Google is a US company and is subject to the US CLOUD Act: US authorities can demand that data be handed over, even when it sits in European data centres. Connecteeva is operated by czichos.net GmbH from Berlin and hosted in Germany, and is not subject to the CLOUD Act. More on this on the security page.
Why switch when Google Workspace for Nonprofits is free?
On price alone Google wins, and we say so openly. But free is not the same as without a trade-off: where you don’t pay with money, it’s worth asking what you pay with instead. Switching isn’t worth it for the price, but when data sovereignty matters to you: anyone who manages member, counselling or health data and doesn’t want it sitting with a US corporation is in better hands with a German provider.
What does Connecteeva cost by comparison?
There are no packages: an account costs 0,10 € a month, and on top you book the services each person needs. A setup close to Business Standard comes to 3,90 € a month, around 47 € a year. All prices net. The full list is on the pricing page.
Can we take our data out of Google Workspace?
Yes. Emails, calendars and contacts can be migrated via standard protocols, and files from Google Drive are taken over into the cloud file store. The switch runs in parallel, so your organisation stays reachable throughout. We guide the migration personally.
What do we miss with Connecteeva compared with Google?
Google’s vast storage (100 TB shared or 2 TB per user), the deep integration with other Google services and 24/7 phone support are not available in this form with Connecteeva. Connecteeva offers 20 GB per account (expandable), Office in the browser and personal email support. Anyone who genuinely needs very large storage or Google’s integration is better off with Google.
Who’s writing here
Yes, we’re biased. That’s why the comparison reads as it does.
This guide comes from czichos.net GmbH in Berlin, the team behind Connecteeva. For many years we have run the IT of Germany’s largest social welfare federation, and we know the structures of associations and federations from daily practice.
And yes: we sell one of the solutions compared here. That’s exactly why we say openly that Google leads on price; the comparison should hold up even if you end up staying with Google. More about us is on the About page.
Not sure what fits? Tell us about your organisation.
A short email is enough: how many accounts do you need, what do you use today, where does it pinch? You get a genuine assessment back, even if it says: stay with Google.
No contract and no payment details. You decide whether it stays an enquiry or you try Connecteeva right away.
Prefer to reach us directly? Send an email · call 030 994048000