GTM Tech Stack
Google / Microsoft direct logo

Google / Microsoft direct

Inbox infra

Buy seats direct from Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. You own Admin Console, DNS, and reputation.

The verdict

Direct Google and Microsoft is the best baseline reputation and the worst ops overhead once you are spinning hundreds of secondary domains. That tension is why resellers exist.

Keep crown-jewel domains native, and scale secondary domains through providers once the VA and DNS time exceeds sticker seat cost.

Best for

Fleets under about 20 mailboxes, brand-primary or compliance domains, and crown-jewel tenants you refuse to hand to a reseller.

Not for

Agencies spinning secondary domains weekly without automation, or anyone who will not own Admin Console and DNS themselves.

Pricing truth

Google Workspace Business Starter is $7 per user per month on annual (promo bands also show $4.90, offer-limited). Microsoft 365 Business Basic is $7 per user per month yearly on the July 2026 list, with regional variance. Checked 13 Sep 2026.

When we use it

  • Keep brand-primary domains where Admin ownership and compliance matter most.
  • Run small fleets under about 20 seats where reseller ops overhead is not worth it.
  • Hold a control A/B baseline against reseller and SMTP reply rates on the same offer.
  • Skip direct when you are spinning hundreds of secondary domains weekly without scripts.

How to wire it

  1. Create the Workspace or Microsoft 365 tenant, buy domains, and set SPF, DKIM, and DMARC correctly.
  2. Add users, then connect OAuth into your sequencer.
  3. Warm gradually and keep Postmaster or SNDS complaint rates under your thresholds.
  4. Reserve direct for winners. Provision secondary domains through resellers or API providers.

Margin notes

  • Direct is not free deliverability. List quality, copy, and complaint rate still decide replies.
  • Model year-two seat renewals. Google promo cliffs and the Microsoft July 2026 list rises both bite.
  • Never put all volume on one tenant. Diversify ESPs.
  • VA and DNS time often exceeds sticker dollars per seat once you scale secondary domains.
  • Keep winners direct. Test resellers in parallel instead of a blind cutover.