Downgrading from Google Workspace to Google while maintaining your account purchases (2024)
Tl;dr:
I successfully severed my subscription ties with Google by:
- creating a new free Google account, and
- requesting that the Google Play Store support team transfer my play store purchases from my old Workspace Account to the new account (with success)
Introduction:
In early 2017 I began my paid subscription journey with Google as a G Suite Basic user. The going rate was $5 per month, and the subscription allotted me 30GB cloud storage for Google Drive and the ability to use a custom domain for my email address.
In 2019, Google increased the subscription price to $6 per month. Then, during the re-branding of G Suite to Google Workspace in 2022, I was automatically transitioned to a Business Standard plan with Google Workspace, and the price was raised to $7.20 per month. Another price increase took effect in in 2023 to a significantly higher $12 per month, and my final price increase was to $14.40 per month in 2024.
Without paying much attention to these price increases, I decided separately to upgrade my Google Drive storage to 100GB for $1.99 extra per month.
And so it continued. Over nearly eight years, I spent a little over $700 USD on cloud services with Google.
Now sure, over those years I did feel a[n] (arguably false) sense of data security, and I was able to use my custom domain name for my email address, which is something I find both personally and professionally valuable; but, I just can’t shake the feeling that the pricing of subscription cloud services are getting dramatically out of hand.
That’s why I have written this post: to share my experience and hopefully help others cut the cord of their bloated cloud service subscriptions.
Learing The Hard Way:
Step 1: Use the Google Takeout tool to export your Documents, Photos, Emails, and any other relevant data from your Google Workspace Account.
If you want to skip straight to the successful Google app transfer, go to Step 6. Otherwise, enjoy the funny back-and-forth!
Step 2: Reach out to the support team of Google Workspace to ask for their assistance in downgrading:
! Spoiler: Largely Ineffective
Subject: I can no longer afford my subscription. Can you help me downgrade to a normal google account without losing all of my data?
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: Hello , How are you doing today?
Tim White: Hi [GOOGLE REP NAME], it's nice to connect. I'm doing great and hope the same for you. As you probably have included in the original chat question, I was hoping you could help me understand my options for downgrading to non-workspace account
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: https://admin.google.com/ac/billing/catalog?journey=74&ac_jt=28&ac_jv=50731839&ac_st=AHQsIyxvlfc2i-UrU5pUCYLdNxUROICuDlIiyPb7nBEI8GiloH5xn2hKZkVONyFIxhVyHnSB_GXH8jLGqtxr2D7AMgdC6IkdKzHIBlqZ8j4IHN28QLzJtN-K1TGrPCwA9GU1eITOcqZNrDndFC4tmnUd5WI8RX6WQQJpIM2lzeKyVbj4WZX3LEHiCJJ46dAoOt3UAT0nMTP74rR70rTs9DbxOV2QXVbs2kw-EKkf7QcmNr_A45WhXY14ui-00OyZ1yYU3JnlMknTVdG5wkH2apoSksz-zFPDdV3COiV61SWtfIbwEZLm1jmbv4u0DiwFmMCihPRYRa62HM4P4G5Y8DgklzLH-Qbu--U3soB6599yvGjx7lGWV9lBElszJJFyqOUKC8-1RrPoHqYrUnMx2sCB83eoAI1T2n1WHB-NRQuhgPL7NOc18gHTohCpeSgg-5g&cid=014y9vl0
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: Please click on the above link to downgrade the plan.
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: But in the starter plan you can get 30 gb of storage and however either you need add users for additional storage.
Tim White: Thank you - I see in the link you sent that these are all paid options.
Tim White: Unfortunately due to some unforeseen circumstances I can't continue on a paid plan at all. Is there a way to move my data to a non-paid account?
Tim White: In other words I was wondering what my options are for moving my account data to a Free Google account
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: I understand however Google is no longer offering the non paid services and also if you still need non paid services then you need to switch to essentials.
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: However if you take that plan email services are not available.
Tim White: Thank you for that information.
Tim White: Can you further explain these two things:
"if you still need non paid services then you need to switch to essentials."
and
"However if you take that plan email services are not available."
Tim White: Are you saying that the essentials plan will be non-paid?
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: Yes essentials would be the plan where in email services would not be available.
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: https://support.google.com/a/answer/7681288?hl=en&sjid=386941476964139495-AP
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: Please check the article where in you can able to get the complete information.
Tim White: So I now understand thanks to your guidance that Google Workspace no longer offers a non-paid plan. That's OK. I'm going to use a regular Gmail account. Gmail accounts not in the Google Workspace ecosystem are free, correct?
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: We offer free services only with @gmail.com and if you need to use with custom domain then you need to have a Google Workspace account.
Tim White: Perfect, I'll accept a free service with @gmail.com - I don't mind not using my custom domain anymore. How can I proceed with this?
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: @gmail.com is a free service using which you can use emails, docs, sheets etc with 15 GB of storage. It is a personal account which is not related to the workspace.
Tim White: That works for me. My goal is to simply get my data from my current workspace into that. And by data I just mean photos, app purchases, etc.
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: Oh, I see but you have used around 57 GB of drive data (photos etc) on your workspace drive and with personal gmail account, you only get 15 GB drive data.
Tim White: I can fix that - I'll simply download all of my photos locally and delete them on the workspace account.
Tim White: Then, I'll have less than the required 15 GB drive data.
Tim White: After I do that, can you help me transfer the rest of the data?
Tim White: mainly, the app purchases
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: And if you want to move the photos from Workspace drive to personal drive data, we do not have any tools to transfer directly. You manually need to download the photos and move them to a personal drive.
Tim White: That's perfectly acceptable, thank you
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: You can do one thing, you can use Google Take Out tool to back up all the workspace drive data.
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: Once you backup all the workspace drive data using takeout, you will get an email with a link where all the data will be saved for 50 days.
Tim White: Great! Does that also include app purchases?
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: From that link, you can manually download the required data.
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: May I know the app purchases that you are referring to?
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: Are you referring to the app purchased from Google Play?
Tim White: Yes
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: Oh, for that, you need to contact the Google Play Support team. Using Google Take out tool, you can only back up the drive data saved on your workspace drive. For Google Play app purchases, you need to contact the Google Play Support team as it is a different platform which we do not have access to help you with.
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: And this is the link to back up all the workspace data that includes Google photos, emails and files (excluding Google Play app purchase) : https://takeout.google.com/
Tim White: Can you connect me with the google play support team?
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: Unfortunately, we do not have an option to connect from our end as it is a different platform. But I have checked with my resources and using this link, you can submit a ticket with the Google Play Support team : : https://support.google.com/googleplay/gethelp
Tim White: OK thank you
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: Aside from this issue, would there be anything else while you have me here?
Tim White: No thank you, thanks for your help!
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: It was great to get to know you, thank you for being an awesome one with me today. Please do take care and don't let that smile fade away from you. One last thing before I let you go.There’s a short survey coming up and we’d love to hear your valuable feedback about our interaction with the Google Workspace Support today. Thanks for chatting with us! Have a great day!
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: Bye:)
Google Workspace Support, [GOOGLE REP NAME]: Take care:)
Best Regards,
Google Workspace Support
Step 3: Reach out to the Play Store team (timestamped for detail)
! Spoiler: Largely Ineffective
Thanks for contacting support.
You can find a copy of the conversation you requested below.
Chat transcript for case: [CASE_ID]
[NOTE: INITIAL CONTACT WITH PLAY SUPPORT TEAM]
7:07:42 PM Tom: Thank you for contacting Google Play Support. My name is Tom, am I speaking with Tim?
7:07:46 PM Tim White: Yes!
7:07:51 PM Tim White: Nice to speak with you Tom
7:08:01 PM Tom: I see you contacted us about your Google Workspace account, Tim.
7:08:09 PM Tom: Nice to speak with you too, Tim.
7:08:28 PM Tim White: That's correct - I was forwarded here by the Workspace support team
7:08:42 PM Tom: It's a good thing that you contacted us about the issue. Rest assured that I will definitely help you on this.
7:08:53 PM Tim White: Fantastic thank you!
7:09:30 PM Tom: Before we proceed, just to confirm that we are working on this email address [[email protected]]?
7:09:59 PM Tim White: Yes
7:10:09 PM Tom: Thank you for confirming your email address.
7:10:28 PM Tim White: 👍
7:11:36 PM Tom: We do have a dedicated team for this product, Tim. Let me go ahead and transfer the chat over them.
[NOTE: TRANSFERRED TO A DEDICATED TEAM]
7:12:14 PM Tim White: Great thank you!
7:12:21 PM Tom: Tom added participant(s): Kris
7:12:21 PM Kris: Kris joined the conversation
7:12:26 PM Tom: Tom left the conversation
7:12:33 PM Kris: Thanks for contacting Google One support! I'm Kris and I'll be chatting with you today! In case you need to refer to this chat interaction in the future, please take note of the following ID [ANOTHER_CASE_ID]
7:12:41 PM Kris: May I please confirm the email address we're working on? and am I chatting with Tim?
7:12:53 PM Tim White: Howdy Kris, great to connect. You sure are speaking with Tim and the email address is [email protected].
7:16:29 PM Kris: Thank you
7:17:48 PM Kris: I do understand that you need assistance with Workspace.I know how important it is for you. I'll do my best to help you. If we can’t find a solution, I’ll collect feedback from our developers and give you an external resource that might help.
7:18:29 PM Tim White: OK. Do you need any other information from me while you're looking into this?
7:21:07 PM Kris: That's alright
7:23:50 PM Tim White: 👍
7:26:32 PM Kris: Are the admin of this workspace account?
7:26:40 PM Tim White: I am the admin of the account, yes.
7:26:58 PM Kris: Thank you for confirming
7:27:03 PM Kris: I understand your concern, and I appreciate your desire for an accurate solution. While my area of expertise lies in Google One, the issue you're facing falls outside that scope. To ensure you receive the best possible support, I recommend you visit the following resource: Help Center: https://support.google.com/a Contact link: https://support.google.com/a/answer/1047213#contact=1 Phone: https://support.google.com/a/table/3247295
7:28:15 PM Tim White: Can you repeat back to me the issue at hand so I'm sure we're all on the same page?
7:30:47 PM Kris: I see that you need help in downgrading your plan to just a regular storage plan and let go of the Google Workspace account, am I correct?
7:31:42 PM Tim White: Not quite. My chat with Tom above was regarding transferring my purchased apps to a different account
7:32:52 PM Kris: I'm sorry for that
7:33:09 PM Kris: Can you tell me more about your concern?
7:34:44 PM Tim White: No worries! Sure thing: I am in the process of downgrading a workspace account, and in order to do so I was hoping you could help me transfer my Play Store purchases to my new account. I was sent to your attention by the Workspace team.
7:38:25 PM Kris: May I ask for the email address of the new account?
7:40:33 PM Tim White: Yes, just one moment please
7:44:49 PM Tim White: [[email protected]]
7:45:26 PM Kris: Thank you for confirming
7:47:53 PM Kris: To verify that I'm talking to an authorized person for this account, please go to this website: g.co/verify using Incognito from Google Chrome and login to it using this email. It should ask you if you contacted Google Support simply hit Yes to verify
7:48:23 PM Tim White: Done
7:49:03 PM Kris: Thank you for verifying
7:51:09 PM Kris: What is the name of the apps that you would like to transfer to this email?
7:51:30 PM Tim White: I would like to transfer them all please.
** 12 minute pause **
8:03:27 PM Tim White: Just wanted to check that we're still connected (I may have signed out while in the chat window here, sorry if I did!)
8:04:12 PM Kris: Yes, we are.
8:04:25 PM Tim White: thank you!
8:04:35 PM Kris: I tried to review your concern, sorry on that
8:06:16 PM Kris: Technically we have no tool to transfer application subscriptions from one account to another. What I do recommend is to just resubscribed to them manually
** 1-hour chat mark **
8:09:32 PM Tim White: Oh, I'm sorry Kris I thought you were already transferring the apps. Remember you had me confirm the transfer destination account, had me log into the new account to verify I was the owner of the account, then asked me which specific apps to transfer?
8:11:15 PM Tim White: And since we're almost an hour into the chat I thought for sure we'd be almost done
8:11:27 PM Kris: The reason behind it is, all application subscriptions has their own terms and conditions to agree on. For privacy and security we are not allowed to subscribed your account to it on your behalf
8:13:01 PM Kris: I'm really sorry for the delay and long wait
8:13:14 PM Tim White: Okay, thank you for that new information. So what steps do I need to take to resubscribe without having to re-purchase the apps?
8:13:26 PM Tim White: And no worries about the wait, I know you're working hard.
8:13:35 PM Tim White: I just want to make sure I do this right so I don't make mess it up!
8:14:42 PM Kris: Honestly when I say resubscribing to it, means you need to repurchase them one by one, its like restarting an account
8:15:13 PM Tim White: Wait, but we've been chatting for almost an hour. That can't be the solution here
8:15:19 PM Tim White: There must be another way
8:15:41 PM Tim White: Is it possible to provide a promotional coupon to re-subscribe?
8:16:44 PM Tim White: Please remember that the reason I need to downgrade from the paid workspace accounts is because the monthly subscription price of the account became too expensive. To add repurchasing all of my apps on top of that?
8:18:38 PM Kris: You may try to check it in playstore for any coupons or promotions. Just to set proper expectation, you will really need to repurchase them..
8:20:23 PM Tim White: Quite frankly Kris, I find the change of pace after almost a full hour to be unacceptably misleading here. At no point throughout this process until just now did you even hint that transferring the apps wouldn't be possible. I insist you request assistance in working with me here.
8:22:13 PM Tim White: Again just for total clarification here, I didn't want to create a new account today, but I had no other choice because I can no longer afford the subscription.
8:34:39 PM Kris: I really am sorry for the inconvenience. Upon checking, you may opt in your new email address to Google One by the following steps:
1.Go to one.google.com(login using the new email)
2.Click Settings Settings.
3.Click Manage email preferences.
4.Turn on Benefits and offers.
This will give you access to notification for any offers to Google One storage. To set proper expectations, I can only give this for the Google One storage alone.
8:35:58 PM Tim White: "I can only give this for the Google One storage alone." Can you explain what you're offering me in more detail?
8:38:40 PM Tim White: Also can you tell me that you understand where I'm coming from with my concerns?
8:42:18 PM Tim White: Do you have a method of escalating this chat? I would like to talk to your superior if you have one available.
8:44:53 PM Kris: The steps I gave you is for getting notifications for benefits and offers available for Google one storage
8:45:22 PM Tim White: Please escalate this chat to a supervisor if that is possible.
8:45:33 PM Kris: Let me check
8:45:44 PM Kris: One moment please
8:51:56 PM Kris: I was able to endorsed this case to a supervisor, please expect an email from our supervisor anytime within 24 hours.
8:54:05 PM Tim White: OK. And can you tell me that you understand where I'm coming from with my concerns?
8:56:16 PM Tim White: Also please help me understand:
Why did you have me provide the name of the new account, have me log into it to verify ownership, and ask me what apps I would like to transfer?
9:01:44 PM Tim White: Are you still with me?
9:05:35 PM Kris: Yes, I'm still here
9:06:10 PM Kris: I know how you feel and why you need help on this
9:07:12 PM Tim White: Do you feel like your assistance was misleading?
9:09:08 PM Kris: The reason why I ask for the name on the account and have you login to a website to authenticate the new email and for me to view that account. Please note that the visibility I have earlier is only for the workspace account. We will need visibility on both so that we can check everything
9:09:37 PM Tim White: If you knew from the beginning that transferring paid apps wasn't possible, what were you checking?
9:12:52 PM Kris: I'm checking for alternative options you can do, but upon exhausting everything. That is the last resort for the issue, to repurchased all of them to the new account
9:16:10 PM Kris: Is there anything else that I can help you with?
9:18:01 PM Tim White: No, Kris.
9:19:31 PM Kris: Please expect an email from our supervisor anytime within 24 hours. Thank you for contacting Google One and have a blessed day
9:19:37 PM Kris: Kris left the conversation
9:19:37 PM Kris: Thank you for contacting Google One chat support. Your chat session is now complete.
9:19:37 PM Kris: Kris ended the conversation
Step 4: Ironically, subscribe to Google’s GoogleOne Basic plan to initiate a chat with the Google One customer support team to get an update on the case.
Step 5: Wait another 24-hours for the following comical email response from a supervisor (note: sent from “[email protected]”):
! Spoiler: Largely Ineffective; Wrong team, wrong team, wrong team.
Hi Tim,
I hope you're doing well today!
This is Norbert, one of the supervisors here at Google One.
I've carefully reviewed your case and upon checking here, you could be best assisted by our Google Play team regarding this matter. Since you're trying to transfer your play purchases to your personal account. The team who can answer that question accurately is our Google Play team.
We highly appreciate you taking the time to contact us for your concern. I apologize for the inconvenience caused to you. However, since we are specialized in providing support for Google One, I will now transfer your case to my colleague who is more experienced with Google Play and rest assured that they will return to you within 24 hours.
Thank you for contacting Google One.Have a wonderful day, Tim!
Thanks,
Norbert
The Google One team
Step 6: Follow-up with the Google Play support team? Or actually just wait another 24-hours for a different email from a different supervisor, this time of the Google Play team (note: also sent from “[email protected]”)
! Spoiler: BINGO!
Hi Tim,
Thank you for contacting Google Support.
I am [SUPERVISOR NAME], a supervisor for Google Play.
Based on the information from your chat interaction and the notes added by previous representatives and the supervisor that handled your case, I gather that you are requesting for the transfer of your apps and subscriptions from your Workspace account, which you are unable to continue using, to a new Google account.
I apologize for the multiple transfers you had to go through for your request. I'll do my best to provide you with additional help.
I would like to set proper expectations for our content transfer process.
You can only transfer all of your content. There are no partial transfers. In other words, everything in Account A will be transferred and merged with Account B.
You won’t lose any content in Account B.
You won’t be able to see the purchase history for transferred content on the new account.
Your Play Balance can’t be transferred from Account A to Account B. Use your remaining Play Balance on Account A before you request the transfer to Account B.
Content can only be transferred once.
You can’t transfer your content back to Account A or to another account in future.
Currently, these are the items/content that we are able to transfer from one account to another:
Directly purchased books (audiobooks included)
Directly purchased apps
Directly purchased games
Directly purchased movies (eCopy included)
If you have movies from your Movies Anywhere account, they won’t be transferred to your new account.
To find your movies on your new account, connect your new account to your Movies Anywhere account.
What can't be transferred?
Apps, games, books, and movies that are permanently available at no charge
In-app purchases (including licenses or access purchased from within the app and not in the Play Store)
Books in a Google Workspace account that were purchased by the company or school
Play Books samples
Google Play subscriptions
Play Book subscriptions
Paid books can still be transferred. However, auto-purchase subscriptions won't transfer. If a user doesn't cancel a book subscription on their original account, the original account continues to auto-purchase new book releases. The target account won't have any subscription.
YouTube purchases
Movies Anywhere entitlements
Users must disconnect or change the Google Account connected to their Movies Anywhere account. Users can only connect one Google Account at a time and switch accounts once every 6 months. They can also disconnect the Google Account entirely.
You can disconnect your Digital Retailer accounts anytime. However, you can't connect your Movies Anywhere account to a different account with that same Digital Retailer for 180 days.
Currently, all entitlements from Movie Anywhere remain on the Google Account even after a user switches or disconnects the Google Account. No new entitlements can enter, but existing entitlements remain.
Movie rentals
With this information at hand, would you like to proceed so we can review what can be transferred from your account?
Awaiting your response.
Thank you for your patience and cooperation.
Stay safe and healthy.
Within 48 hours of our last interaction, you may receive a short survey through email. We’d love to hear your feedback about our interaction today and your overall experience with Google support.
Thanks!
[SUPERVISOR NAME]
The Google Support Team
Conclusion
At the end of the day(s), Google successfully transfered my account purchases between the accounts. I hope that someone can benefit from this story in a similar fashion.