BYO Google account: Google unveils a free version of Workspace for users at work

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Google on Thursday is rolling out Workspace Essentials Starter -- a free version of its productivity suite that individuals can bring to work. The new offering is designed for the billions of consumers who use Google productivity tools in their personal lives and want to bypass their workplace's legacy tech. 

Workspace Essentials Starter gives users access to popular Google tools like Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, and Meet, but it does not include access to a Gmail account. Instead, a user signs up with their existing work email address. Once their account is verified, they can immediately start using the Essentials suite and invite others to collaborate with them. 

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Users can work with existing tools without file conversions. They can store, share, and edit more than 100 file types, including Microsoft Office documents and PDFs. Essentials Starter also provides encrypted and secure access to files. 

The new offering is "coming at a time when employees are stepping back and making decisions around how they want to work and who they want to work for," Kelly Waldher, VP of marketing at Google Workspace, said to ZDNet. "By making this new offering available, we will continue to empower employees to make decisions that's best for them." 

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