Google Workspace Base is the most affordable plan in the current Google Workspace lineup for India — priced at ₹99 per user per month on an annual commitment. It replaced the old Business Starter as part of Google's plan restructure in 2025, though Base sits at a lower price point and is more explicitly positioned at micro businesses and very small teams.
If your business is evaluating Google Workspace for the first time, or you are comparing plans to decide whether Base suits your team, this article explains exactly what is included, what is not, and when it makes sense versus upgrading to Starter.
Google Workspace Base Plan — Key Specs
| Feature | Base Plan |
|---|---|
| Price | ₹99/user/month (annual commitment) |
| Storage | 20 GB pooled per organisation |
| Maximum users | 20 users |
| Gmail | ✓ Custom domain email |
| Google Drive | ✓ Cloud storage |
| Google Meet | ✓ Up to 100 participants |
| Meet recording | ✗ Not included |
| Gemini AI | ✗ Not included |
| eSignature | ✗ Not included |
| NotebookLM | ✗ Not included |
| Google Vids | ✗ Not included |
| Admin console | ✓ Basic admin and security |
What You Get with Google Workspace Base
Professional Email on Your Domain
The core of every Google Workspace plan is Gmail with a custom domain. On Base, every user gets a @yourcompany.com email address — replacing generic Gmail addresses or cPanel-based hosting email — with 99.9% uptime SLA, spam filtering and professional deliverability.
If your current setup is cPanel webmail, Rediffmail, Yahoo Business, or free Gmail with your staff sharing a personal account, moving to Base gives your business a credible, reliable professional email foundation.
Google Drive (20 GB Pooled)
All users on the Base plan share a pooled 20 GB storage for Drive files, Gmail attachments and Google Photos. For a 5-user team, this is roughly 4 GB per person. For a 10-user team, it is 2 GB per person — tight but functional if your primary use is email and lightweight document collaboration.
If your business works with large files — high-resolution photos, videos, CAD designs, large PDFs — 20 GB pooled will fill quickly. That is the main signal to consider Starter or Standard instead.
Google Meet (100-Participant Meetings)
Base includes Google Meet for video meetings with up to 100 participants. Meetings are unlimited in frequency. The missing feature versus higher plans is recording — Base does not allow you to record meetings and save them to Drive. If your team needs to record client calls, internal training or interviews, Base is not the plan for this.
Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar, Chat
All standard Google Workspace collaboration tools are included in Base. Real-time document collaboration, shared team calendars, team messaging through Chat, and presentation tools are all available. These are fully functional — not limited versions of the apps on higher-tier plans.
Basic Admin Console and Security
The admin console in Base gives one or more designated administrators the ability to manage users, set security policies, reset passwords and control access to Google services. Two-factor authentication can be enforced for all users. Google's core security infrastructure — encryption at rest and in transit — applies to all plans including Base.
What Base Does Not Include
The plan omissions are significant for businesses beyond the startup or micro-business stage.
No Gemini AI. Gemini AI — Google's AI assistant integrated into Gmail, Docs, Meet and Sheets — is not available on Base. This includes AI email drafting, AI document writing, AI-powered meeting transcription and the NotebookLM research assistant. If your team wants AI tools, the minimum plan is Starter at ₹270/user/month.
No meeting recording. Meetings cannot be recorded and saved to Drive on Base. For teams that run client presentations, training sessions, interviews or product demos, this is a meaningful gap.
20-user ceiling. Base supports a maximum of 20 users across your organisation. If you add a 21st user, you must upgrade to at least Starter first. For growing businesses, this makes Base a short-term plan that will require upgrading.
No eSignature. Google's built-in eSignature feature (for signing and requesting signatures on Google Docs) is not included in Base. It is available from Standard onwards.
Who Should Buy Google Workspace Base
Base is the right plan for:
- Freelancers and solo operators who want a professional email address and basic Drive storage at minimum cost
- Micro businesses of 5 to 15 users whose team primarily needs email, documents and calendar — and do not yet need AI features
- New businesses setting up Google Workspace for the first time who want to start at the lowest cost and upgrade as the business grows
- Businesses where staff use personal devices and primarily need email rather than heavy collaboration or file storage
Base is not the right plan if your team is growing toward 20+ users, if anyone on your team needs AI assistance tools, or if you need to record meetings.
Base vs Starter — Is the Upgrade Worth It?
The price difference between Base and Starter is ₹171/user/month — ₹270 vs ₹99.
For a 10-user team, this is ₹20,520 per year additional. What Starter adds:
- Gemini AI across Gmail, Docs, Meet and Sheets for every user
- NotebookLM — AI research assistant on your own documents
- Google Vids — AI video creation tool
- Higher user ceiling (300 vs 20)
- More storage (30 GB pooled vs 20 GB)
If even two to three of your team members would actively use Gemini AI for email drafting, document writing or meeting summaries, the Starter plan pays for itself in productivity within weeks. Most businesses that have started on Base upgrade to Starter within 6 to 12 months as their team grows or as Gemini AI usage becomes a practical expectation.
Google Workspace Base Annual Cost in India
| Users | Annual cost (ex-GST) | GST 18% | Total annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | ₹5,940 | ₹1,069 | ₹7,009 |
| 10 | ₹11,880 | ₹2,138 | ₹14,018 |
| 15 | ₹17,820 | ₹3,208 | ₹21,028 |
| 20 | ₹23,760 | ₹4,277 | ₹28,037 |
All prices per user per month on annual commitment. GST at 18% is applicable and recoverable as input tax credit with a GST invoice from an authorised reseller.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Google Workspace Base the same as Business Starter?
No. Business Starter was the old plan name before Google restructured its lineup in 2025. Business Starter was priced at ₹125/user/month and included different feature sets. Base is the current entry-level plan at ₹99/user/month. The naming and pricing are different — if you are searching for Business Starter pricing, Base is its equivalent in the current plan structure.
Can I get an introductory offer on the Base plan?
Google periodically offers introductory pricing for new subscribers to the Base plan. Cloudfy Systems can confirm the current introductory rate at the time of purchase. Contact us for the latest available offer.
What happens when I reach 20 users on Base?
You cannot add a 21st user without upgrading to Starter. Cloudfy Systems flags this limit as you approach it and can process the upgrade at the same time as the additional user is added.
Can I start on Base and upgrade later?
Yes — and this is a common and sensible approach. Start on Base at ₹99/user/month to establish your Google Workspace environment, email and admin setup. Upgrade to Starter when your team needs Gemini AI or when you approach the 20-user ceiling.
Does Base include Google Workspace Migrate?
No — the Workspace Migrate tool for bulk email migration is only available on Standard and above. For Base plan customers, email migration is handled using IMAP migration through the Google Admin console, which Cloudfy Systems manages as part of every deployment.
Ready to start with Google Workspace Base? Contact Cloudfy Systems for pricing in INR with a GST invoice and free migration from your current email platform. Compare all plans at Google Workspace Services.