The Quick Answer
Microsoft 365 is generally better for cold email - but there are exceptions.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Factor | Google Workspace | Microsoft 365 |
|---|---|---|
| Sending limits | 500/day (strict) | 10,000/day (tenant) |
| Cold email tolerance | Decreasing | More permissive |
| Account suspensions | Frequent | Less common |
| Recovery options | Difficult | Easier |
| Cost | $6-12/user/month | $6-12/user/month |
Why Google Is Getting Harder
Google has been tightening restrictions on cold email:
- Stricter enforcement - Accounts suspended for "policy violations" with minimal warning
- Lower thresholds - What worked in 2023 may trigger suspensions in 2024
- Difficult appeals - Account recovery is often impossible
- No warnings - Accounts disabled without prior notification
This isn't about deliverability - it's about account survival.
Why We Use Microsoft
Microsoft 365 advantages for cold email:
- Higher tenant limits - 10,000 emails/day vs Google's 500/mailbox
- More forgiving - Issues result in throttling, not suspension
- Reputation recovery - Easier to restore from problems
- Professional perception - Outlook addresses often perceived as more professional
When Google Still Works
Google Workspace may work for:
- Very low volume (under 100 emails/day)
- Highly targeted, personalized outreach
- Warm email (existing relationships)
- Businesses already on Google ecosystem
Microsoft Tenant Throttling
The main Microsoft challenge is tenant-level throttling. When your tenant (all your Microsoft accounts together) sends too much too fast, Microsoft throttles the entire tenant.
How to avoid:
- Proper warmup (30 days)
- Spread sending across time
- Monitor for throttling errors
- Don't exceed safe per-domain limits
Our Setup
We include Microsoft 365 licenses with your setup because:
- Better survival rate for cold email accounts
- Higher sending capacity per tenant
- Easier management across multiple domains
- Cost-effective at scale
Key Takeaway
Google's increasing restrictions make it risky for cold email. Microsoft provides more headroom and better recovery options. For serious cold email, Microsoft is the safer choice.