Google announced they have dropped the free version of Google Apps For Business.

Previously, Google Apps for Business had two versions:

(1) A free version that mimicked the same feature set and size requirements of a free Gmail account.

(2) A paid version with larger storage, better support and more features.

Now, Google Apps for Business is only offering the paid version. I should note, those businesses using Google Apps for free can still use it for free. Google is not forcing existing users to the paid version but any new business trying to sign up today will not be able to go with the free version.

Why is Google making the change? To make more money? Google says, “the experience isn’t quite right for either group.” Businesses expect more, expect better support, expect larger space and much more.

Google Apps for Business pricing starts at $50 per user per year.

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Accounts & Profiles | Google: Business Issues

About The Author: Barry Schwartz is Search Engine Land's News Editor and owns RustyBrick, a NY based web consulting firm. He also runs Search Engine Roundtable, a popular search blog on very advanced SEM topics. Barry's personal blog is named Cartoon Barry and he can be followed on Twitter here. For more background information on Barry, see his full bio over here. See more articles by Barry Schwartz

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