Why Outlook is Better Than Gmail? [Answered]

Two names in the email provider list shine brighter than the others: Microsoft Outlook and Gmail (or Google Mail). These two platforms provide extensive features, efficient collaboration applications, and a simple interface. Yet, many email users tilt towards Outlook rather than Gmail for many reasons. In this blog, we will explore the major reasons why Outlook is better than Gmail for email communication.

Outlook and Gmail: An Introduction

Let’s have a quick introduction to both email service providers before we talk about the main topic of this blog:

Outlook: Microsoft developed it in 1997 as a personal information manager, although users know it mainly for email conversation and collaboration. Outlook lets people send and receive emails, make journal entries, and create tasks, besides contact management and calendar event sharing.

Gmail: Gmail, also known as Google Mail, is a webmail service with the largest global user base. It provides robust email security and efficient email management, making it a reliable email service for its users.

Why Outlook is Better Than Gmail?

Now that we have understood the basics of the two email service providers, let’s understand the factors making Outlook more noteworthy than Gmail:

Email Management

The first factor in Outlook being a cut above Gmail relates to email management. Many Outlook users praise the efficient email arrangement features they get while using it. The first feature is Rules, which lets Outlook users forward, delete, prioritise, and mark emails as read automatically. Moreover, they can even move emails from a specific sender to a folder with this feature.

Another feature Outlook provides for email management is the Category system. Users can assign numerous categories to arrange emails in the inbox for a clutter-free experience. Outlook users can concentrate on important emails using the Focused Inbox by listing them under the Focused tab and others in the Other tab. Meanwhile, Gmail provides only the Labels feature, where users can arrange their emails in Labels and sub-labels, besides the Tab arrangement. The downside of Gmail here is it doesn’t boast of other email management features like Outlook.

Offline Email Access

The next reason why Outlook is better than Gmail is offline email accessibility. Outlook users can access their emails on the Outlook desktop and mobile app and create new emails without continuous internet connectivity. The new emails get sent once the internet connection is active. This feature isn’t available for Gmail, which depends on an uninterrupted internet connection. Moreover, you can’t access your labels without the internet and can only see limited emails.

Data Storage Capacity

This factor makes Outlook more preferable in comparison Gmail to when it comes to email source selection. Gmail’s biggest drawback is that it shares the free 15 GB or premium 100 GB/ 2TB of storage with Google Drive and Photos. Many Gmail users complain of not being able to receive new emails since their free or upgraded account storage gets filled up quickly.

On the other hand, Outlook separates email and cloud storage for seamless data management. The free account has 15 GB of mailbox storage and 5 GB of OneDrive storage, which helps Outlook users work efficiently without any storage issues. Moreover, the Microsoft 365 (upgrade to the free account) plans also maintain this storage division, with 50 GB mailbox storage and 100 GB/1 TB cloud storage (depending on the subscription plan). Ultimately, Outlook becomes the perfect email service provider in this aspect.

App Integration

Another point where Outlook outscores Gmail is app integration. While both email services integrate with their respective premium productivity suites (Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace), Outlook provides a simplified and united app blending. Outlook users can use calendars, tasks, contacts, and other services under a single interface, which isn’t possible with Gmail. Even though the third-party app integration (or add-ons) is less in Outlook compared to Gmail, it still beats Gmail with its ease of managing multiple data windows in a single interface.

Account Security

Outlook has many security features that make it more secure than Gmail. It’s not that Gmail isn’t secure regarding email communication, but Outlook’s plethora of account safety benefits outweigh Gmail’s. Features like Identity and Access Management (IAM), Advanced Threat Protection, anti-spam and anti-malware filters, and eDiscovery make Outlook secure and more reliable for email communication than Gmail.

Conclusion

Microsoft Outlook is one of the best email clients in the world, and this blog discussed the factors why Outlook is better than Gmail. Email management, offline email accessibility, data storage, and account security are the major reasons for Outlook’s popularity. It’s not that Gmail isn’t globally renowned, but the factors mentioned here make Outlook more special.