Create a Family Plan for low cost Google Workspace

[johanna]

I have a custom domain name for my family members as e-mail, and I have used the G Suite. Now that it is shutting down as legacy, I suggest that Google Workspace would create a family plan for up to ten members that is low cost, as it really makes zero sense for me to upgrade to Google Workspace that is meant for business. Other services offer low cost family domains. Why doesn't Google think of offering it like Apple does or Microsoft does?

Google should really consider adding a low cost annual plan for families only with custom domain. For example, I have no need to have a website now nor ever. I just like to have the custom domain e-mail addresses for the few family members.

Google, show us that you are here for helping us, who are not businesses, or not for profits, we are just families! This is a great development idea! Run with it, and create something cool, like Google is known to do!

P.S. Upgrading to Google Workspace, even with the temporary discount, is an expensive option. No one wants to move from free to an expensive. I can find cheap offers for taking my custom e-mails. I would be happy to stay with Google if they can create a cost effective plan for families!

[DRW]

I'm in the same situation as you.   I've had my own family domain for over 10 years.   It is used by myself, my wife and my daughter for email.  I use my own domain so our email addresses never have to change.   I'm certainly not happy about having to pay for something that has been free for so long.   However, like you I would be OK with paying a reasonable annual fee for a "Family Plan" with a limited number of users.   The advertised "business" plans are way too expensive for the average family with 3, 4 or more people in it.

The reality is that I can't see what the difference is to Google if we stay the way we are or if the only way to get it for free is to move to a @gmail.com email address (not going to happen for me!)   It's the same number of emails, the same amount of storage etc so why force everyone to @gmail.com just to keep it free???

[johanna]

This is a good illustration of what many of us are feeling. This is not a solution, we need Google to address the issue. Google, I hope you are hearing our plight!!

[darin]

I'm in the same boat. I've used G-Suite Legacy for 10+ years for myself and a few family members so I can use a custom domain for email and access to other Google Services like Drive, Photo's, etc, basically anything you'd access with a gmail account. The added bonus is that anyone with Android phone simply signs into that account and everything is "magically" synchronized across the ecosystem so there is no need for multiple accounts.

The "features" that come with Workspace provide me with no value as a home user, I've never once needed to contact support, I'm not managing endpoint's, nor do I need access to audit or activity logs. I simply want a custom domain.

I definitely feel that those of us who do not want to go through the hassle of exporting their data, migrating it to another provider, transferring the domain, etc, are having their hands forced by Google. Again, I simply want a custom domain.

I am not opposed to paying for the service as long as it provides a custom domain, and as it is at a reasonable rate for families or individual users, but forcing us into a business plan doesn't make sense.

[OscarParzon]

Apoyo.

Mañana edito un comentario. Hoy ya es tarde.

Pero no puedo dejar de anotar que: confiaste en Google, usas todos sus servicios, probaste hasta las betas de los programas que nunca fueron. Aportas opiniones y editas errores en el Maps. Defendiste hasta el ultimo momento la red social que estaba llena de fantasmas. Tenias una opción para usar todas la cuentas de correo que quisieras en un dominio y solo creaste 5, por respeto. Y Google te paga con "Google Workspace".

Y hay que aguantar a los idiotas que escriben respuestas tratando de justificar....

Oscar Parzon

[johanna]

Time is getting tight, and if Google doesn't respond with a low cost family plan for all of our needs, I am ready to pull the plug and make the move very quickly.

It is clear that there is demand for this kind of small scale, family plan. It is a mistake that Google doesn't recognize that not all us ready to swallow a big fee to move to Google Workspace that is designed for business users. As mentioned before, we legacy users, probably gave Google good data to see how they can monetize this. Now, Google is ok for us to move over as they have decided to go the big route and forget about us, the end users.

[FargoUT]

This is especially true since iCloud+ is comparable to Google One (2TB of storage for $9.99/month) and it does come with a custom email domain that you can use. I think Google is actually fine ceding ground to Apple here because they're focused on the enterprise sector. The irony of course that their enterprise products are usually pale imitations of actual enterprise products.

[jmelerine]

You can get a custom domain through Apple? That is a thing???

[random_vlad_981]

Yes, you can add custom domains for you and your family with iCloud+. 

https://support.apple.com/en-nz/HT212514

I switched my domain over to Apple since Google tricked me into shutting down my domain, and then changing their mind last minute and coming out with a 'free legacy plan' for everyone that needed one. Unfortunately, people like me who migrated their domains when we first got Google's warnings got left holding the bag (you can't restore an account after a certain amount of time has passed).

Support and sales wouldn't help after numerous attempts to get them to restore my legacy Workspace accounts.

[jdoree]

I was planning to move my custom domain and email to iCloud+ but Apple only allows 3 email addresses per custom domain. 

That's not feasible for the majority of families. 

[random_vlad_981]

I think thats 3 email addresses per family member, not the entire family/domain 

[FargoUT]

It would be interesting to hear from someone who subscribes to iCloud+ about this. The information on Apple's site isn't very clear:

"You can use up to five custom domains, with up to three personalized email addresses per domain. "

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212514

EDITED: According this, they can have to up to 3 per family member per domain:

https://empty.coffee/custom-domains-in-apples-icloud-mail-two-years-later/

[PhilippK]

Last item from your link:
"You can share your domain with up to five other people. If you add someone who’s not part of your Family Sharing group, they need to accept the invitation before they’re added to the domain."
Apple confirmed in a Chat, would be ok to have several paid iCloud accounts, but domain should be for more users.

[PhilippK]

The Legacy accounts are limited to 10 users and 15GB Drive Limit per User. That would be ok for e-mails and some data; not for Fotos, here iCloud seems the better option

[esmiz]

Thanks for the tip! The migration can be a headache, but is worth it. Definitely iCloud is a serious alternative.  

[OscarParzon]

10 years, 12 years, 15 years? Does it really matter how many years have we been using the service without paying a dollar?
I remember using GMail thanks to the fact that I don't remember who sent me an invitation. Yes, I also helped polish the details of using GMail when it was in Beta. I also participated in the Google Maps betas since the beginning. (I remember using it with a Nokia N95). And so with the rest of the applications: tests, error notification, advice to new users, explaining why it is better than the rest.
And for what ?
To see later that Google removed them with no more sense than theirs, or gave me a free 1Gb of Driver for a year. Or it removes my use of GMail with my family domain.
I do not want to describe my particular case, it would be a lot to write, and a lot of injustice to claim.
I want to try to join the common group. I want to be with those of us who only need GMail to serve email addresses from our family domain.
A favor is not asked. A benefit is not requested.
What the User Group is asking for is fair treatment.

[johanna]

Anyone interested in this subject: Please note, that Google is letting Legacy customers continue as is for personal use! If you use the domain for commercial use, you can always move to the Google Workspace and pay the costs involved. For personal use, you can still continue using your personal domain as a legacy user. 

Yay! We have accomplished something! I am so proud of all of you who responded or liked this post! Thank You!

[OscarParzon]

Allow me a few hours to understand better (I have to translate your comment. I have to analyze after resting for an intense work day).
His enthusiasm gives me peace of mind. I am happy with your enthusiasm!

[johanna]

Oscar! Muy bien! No need to rush, you have till mid June to make this choice. You need to log into your administration panel, and just verify that your personal site is indeed for personal use. This way, you can continue using your domain as you have been used to as a legacy version of Google! If, one day, you decide to do a business site with your personal domain, you can still change to the Google Workspace that charges money.

Good Luck! And Thank You for always supporting any postings relating to this topic!

[johanna]

Google lets personal users stay on ‘no-cost Legacy G Suite’ with custom Gmail domain

https://9to5google.com/2022/05/16/no-cost-legacy-g-suite/

[johanna]

Google backtracks on legacy GSuite account shutdown, won’t take user emails

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/05/google-backtracks-on-legacy-gsuite-account-shutdown-wont-tak...

[Naito]

Thank you for keeping track.

my family and friends have been migrating off Google legacy, but it’s been slow.

[Jan-Carlos]

Hello!

Now there is a free solution guys:

https://support.google.com/a/answer/60217?hl=en

Just upgrade to workspace essentials starter.

[sneko]

Any news on this from the Google team? Family plan would help in case I have no past use of G Suite with custom domain (I missed the train 😄 ).

[StephenHind]

@sneko I think you missed the post from @Jan-Carlos 

Hello!

Now there is a free solution guys:

https://support.google.com/a/answer/60217?hl=en

Just upgrade to workspace essentials starter.

And @johanna 

Google lets personal users stay on ‘no-cost Legacy G Suite’ with custom Gmail domain

https://9to5google.com/2022/05/16/no-cost-legacy-g-suite/

[sneko]

@StephenHind as specified on your links, it's to upgrade for people that were on G Suite legacy.

In my case, if I try to click on the documentation button I get:

So except if I missed something, I'm not eligible since in the past I was not using the specific G Suite to bind my own custom domain.

[StephenHind]

@sneko I'm fairly sure Google is never going to give a low cost version of Google Workspace when it already offers Business Starter. Google has just increased all of the prices for everyone and ended the free version, so there's not going to be any back pedaling.

[sneko]

@StephenHind this thread is not about having a free version back, it's about Google creating a family plan. Because when you have a family of X people, it's weird to pay for X business accounts with overkilled features you won't use (and still, you don't have the same expense capacity).

[StephenHind]

@sneko sure it would be nice, my point is I don't believe Google will ever do it (as it's literally just ended that offering).

[invadernoob]

Johanna,

I agree totally.  Microsoft (the name that shall never be spoken out loud) has their own family plan for up to 5 users each with 1TB of space per user and access to all of their software apps.  Why can't Google offer something like this?  This would be ideal for SO many families.  Google's gmail/calendar and drive are so much more user friendly than MS.  I can't stand Outlook.  Also, Onedrive is so slow and unreliable and getting worse over the years.  Please Google provide a family plan in the Google Workspace...I'd gladly pay $100-150 yearly for 5 people on Google Workspace for 2TB of Drive space and access to the Google Suite of apps.  Help out the families please!

[cryptochrome]

The product you are all looking for is called Google One. 

[OscarParzon]

No sir !. Don't lightly answer something we all should know. Google ONE cannot be used with a Google Workspace account. Here are many families that historically used a free Google account with their own domain that, due to a whim of Google, today ended up in Google Workspace.

[cryptochrome]

And its replacement for families and personal accounts is called Google One. It gives you access to most Google Workspace tools like Docs, Drive etc., with ample amounts of storage and family plan options. 

[bobthekelpie]

Does it give you the capacity to use your own domain name?

[cryptochrome]

Unfortunately, no. But you can still use your own domain if you purchase it from a provider that has a forwarding option. Cloudflare and Hover come time mind. 

[bobthekelpie]

I didn’t think so - that’s one of the core wishes for many (not all, granted) on this thread. 

[OscarParzon]

Dear "cryptochrome", I beg you to read and try to correctly understand the meaning of this claim, or request, or injustice, call it what you want. Incidentally, read carefully from the beginning, all the comments; Find out, search for data in the trunk of the remote times when Google invited some to try some new tools and something called "GMail (Beta) with 10G space !!" with the possibility of "Point a domain for FREE".
cryptochrome, You should read carefully to write ideas that do not distort the essence of these publications.

[cryptochrome]

You need to calm down, Oscar. I am giving you the only option you have. Like it or not. Google Workspace is no longer a product for personal accounts or families, and that has been the case for years. Your complaining and aggressiveness towards other users on this forum won't change any of it. Your choice is to buy Google Workspace with EVERYTHING that purchase entails, or use Google One. There are precisely and exactly zero other options available to you, if you want to stick with Google. Deal with it. 

[invadernoob]

Crypto,  thank you for that.   I honestly did not know about Google one.   Looks great at the 2tb with inviting 5 other users!  This is what i need and i love the fact i can use a custom domain (albeit not in Google) by pointing it to that account!  That's actually very helpful to me,  thanks again!

[jmelerine]

Your comment had me so excited...only to have my hopes dashed upon searching Google One to find it does not give you a custom email domain. I don't need any of the other bells nor whistles. I just want a custom email address that my family can use. I don't mind paying a small fee but $6 each every month seems a little steep (that is the least expensive "business" option Google offers rn)