Koaich vs. Google Workspace
Productivity at planetary scale.
What Google Workspace optimizes for
Google Workspace offers customer-side encryption — but only on the Enterprise Plus tier, only on specific surfaces, and only after you run your own KMS.
- ·CSE available on Enterprise Plus only ($30+ per user/month)
- ·Customer must run their own KMS integration (Thales, Virtru, Fortanix, etc.)
- ·CSE coverage gaps: no full-text search across encrypted content, no Gemini grounding, no comments/annotations on encrypted docs
Where Koaich is different
CSE is limited to specific surfaces (parts of Drive, some Gmail flows, Meet); it requires Workspace Enterprise Plus licensing; it requires you to run a KMS integration. For a small business that wants the encryption property without enterprise procurement: Koaich gives the same key-custody guarantee out of the box, at every surface, at small-business scale.
Pick Google Workspace when
You're paying for Enterprise Plus, running a customer-side KMS, and accepting that CSE only covers a subset of surfaces — or you're on a default tier and the privacy trade-off doesn't matter to you.
Pick Koaich when
You want the encryption property without enterprise licensing or running your own KMS — at every surface, by default.
Questions people ask about Google Workspace and Koaich
What is Google Workspace Client-Side Encryption (CSE)?
CSE is Google's offering for customers who want to hold their own encryption keys. The customer integrates a third-party KMS (Thales, Virtru, Fortanix, etc.) and Google's servers operate on ciphertext for covered surfaces. It is available only on Workspace Enterprise Plus.
Does Google Workspace CSE cover everything?
No. CSE covers specific surfaces — parts of Drive, some Gmail flows, Meet recordings. Full-text search across encrypted content, Gemini AI grounding, comments, and several collaboration features do not work with CSE. The remaining surfaces stay vendor-readable.
How much does Google Workspace CSE cost?
CSE requires Workspace Enterprise Plus, which is typically $30+ per user per month at list price. It also requires the customer to run a KMS integration (additional vendor + engineering cost).
Is there a simpler alternative to Google Workspace CSE?
Koaich provides the same key-custody property — the vendor cannot decrypt user content — at every surface, by default, without an enterprise tier or a customer-managed KMS. Targeted at the small-business segment that wants the architectural property without enterprise procurement.
Switching from Google Workspace?
Get on the waitlist. Invites are going out in waves.