Is it possible to use Google Workspace for Business services for free in Ukraine?
In July 2022, many Ukrainian media outlets made a big announcement: "Ukrainian entrepreneurs will be able to use corporate email, cloud storage, and other Google Workspace services free of charge. This was announced by Mykhailo Fedorov, the Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine."
According to Fedorov, the ministry managed to negotiate such terms with Google to support Ukrainian entrepreneurs during difficult times. Although Google introduced a paid subscription for Google Workspace starting in July 2022, small and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine would be able to use these services for free until the end of the full-scale war.
This intriguing announcement caught our attention. So, we decided to find out under what conditions small and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine can obtain Google Workspace licenses for free.
It turned out that Google Workspace services remain free only for those small and medium-sized businesses that had been using GWS before July 2022 and had not started paying for licenses at the time the agreement between the Ukrainian government and Google was reached.
Thus, if your company is a long-time GWS client that started paying for licenses in 2022, or if you are a new client planning to join GWS, the current pricing plans apply to you.
Are there free versions of Google Workspace?
Yes. For example, Google Workspace for Nonprofits (official website — www.google.com/intl/uk/nonprofits/).
Google Workspace for Nonprofits is a version of Google Workspace that includes a cloud-based office suite for participants in the Google for Nonprofits program.
The following types of registered organizations are allowed to participate in the program in Ukraine:
- charitable organizations;
- public associations;
- religious organizations;
- international non-profit organizations.
If your organization meets the requirements for participation in the Google for Nonprofits program, you can get the Google Workspace for Nonprofits version for free (as well as special discounts of 70%+ on Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, and Enterprise versions).
The following are not allowed to participate in the Google for Nonprofits program:
- government organizations and institutions;
- medical institutions and other organizations involved in the healthcare sector (however, charitable divisions or funds operating in this area are allowed to participate in the program);
- educational and academic institutions, including schools and universities (charitable divisions of these organizations are eligible to participate).
Can I pay for Google services in Ukraine from my company's bank accounts?
Actually, Google offers Google Workspace for Business subscribers to pay by bank card. This is a normal practice for the USA or EU countries. However, in Ukraine, companies may encounter certain difficulties with accounting when paying in this way.
When you work with us, you are given the opportunity to pay for Google Workspace licenses from the company's bank accounts, which makes further accounting easy and transparent. The invoice is issued in hryvnia at the current official exchange rate to the euro, including VAT.
Will this increase the cost of licenses? Yes, it will increase by the amount of VAT, which, of course, is not included in Google's unified tariffs. However, as an official Google partner, we have the opportunity to have a more flexible approach to pricing.
