End of Legacy Free Google Apps Accounts
 

It looks like Google is doing away with those legacy Google Apps/GSuite/Google Workspace accounts:

https://support.google.com/a/answer/2855120

I suspect there will be a lot of confusion over this. Here's another article on it. https://9to5google.com/2022/01/19/g-...-free-edition/

google will cancel the free gsuite accounts
 

https://9to5google.com/2022/01/19/g-...-free-edition/

I have two domains with the free gsuite accounts though I never used them.
I have another workspace account with regular paying for storage.

I just saw this and super bummed.

Question to everyone.

What are the best options to migrate to?

I'm considering between fastmail and pobox, but trying to see where I'll get the most bang for my buck.

You can have pobox forwarded to your regular gmail account, with just 20 usd per year.
That's the best domain mail hosting alternative for gsuites.

I made the mistake many years ago, of linking my Android phone to a personal domain with a Legacy account, now I assume that I'm going to lose all the phone apps that I purchased from the Google Play Store.

I'll have to make a list . . .

Merge of threads suggested
 

There is another earlier thread on this same subject, in the Google Gmail Forum, I have suggested to the mods that they merge the threads.

Note to Mods: I noticed that CyberSmurf made a rare visit to the forum a short time ago, but, at time of writing, has not addressed the merging of the threads. Perhaps another mod will?

Aren't the apps just tied to that particular email address? So if you keep that address working somewhere else the apps would still be yours? Here's a quote from here: https://support.google.com/a/answer/60217

I can't see how that would work.

On my Android 'phone, I have 2 accounts - the one that's linked to the Legacy account, and the other to my personal Gmail account.

When that Legacy account no longer exists, I would then have to rely on my Gmail account - and the purchases I made through the Legacy account would not appear there.

Luckily, I realized my error a few years later, and began to purchase apps via my Gmail account instead.

Unfortunately, I purchased Aqua Mail Pro via the Legacy account, and currently it costs GBP £19.49 to buy again - and I don't intend doing that!

I would also have to re-purchase CalDAV-Sync and TweetCaster Pro - but those prices are currently more reasonable.

Edit: Google Play Store

Terms of Service: https://play.google.com/intl/en_uk/a...rms/index.html

I'm assuming here that, although this quote pertains to "disabled" accounts, it would also apply when Google trash the Legacy accounts.

I hope I'm proved wrong!

Lots of discussion on Reddit about this, and several people say they have contacted Workspace support who says they will lose subscriptions purchased through the Play Store. A bigger problem for some is that it appears that any SingleSignOns done using that Google account will become void also. Of course I have no inside knowledge of any of this. Just summarizing some Redditors.

I'm in the same boat. :(
Looks like I need to put together a plan to extract myself from the legacy account.
I wonder what other "gotchas" there are that I need to consider. :confused:

So far:

• List purchases made & replace where needed.
• Change sign-ups or logins made
• Update backup email addresses where I've used the Legacy account for the backup email address
• Shift Legacy Google Drive data

I would suggest waiting at least until Google comes out with more information. Have you received an actual notice from Google? Many are reporting they have not received anything directly from Google.

I haven't received anything from Google yet - as far as I know.

I would definitely wait before doing anything. They have to notify you and they have to provide more information on what is going to happen to existing users. Also, I wonder if things will be different in different countries due to different sets of laws. Some here in the USA are exploring a class-action lawsuit, according to this article: https://www.androidpolice.com/google...investigation/

Good advice.
I'll start thinking about an action plan just on case.
Hopefully I won't have to implement it.

I've forwarded all the "Google Play Order Receipt" e-mails from my Legacy to my Gmail account.

I notice in these e-mails, it says:

I'm guessing that Google will say contact the app developer for a refund - or transfer the licence to another Gmail account?

I don't think the app developer would welcome all that extra work!

Of note from the previously mentioned article:

Also, this is stated now on an official Google help page:
https://support.google.com/a/answer/...emium-features

There's also this:

This is confusing:

https://support.google.com/a/answer/...n-subscription

I wonder what this automatic upgrade to a 'recommended subscription" actually means?

If they're saying you still retain certain services, then the account must still exist, whatever name they call it.

I've removed the payment method from my Legacy account, just to make sure they don't upgrade the account.

I think this is new information, from here: https://support.google.com/a/answer/...e-subscription

Google Forms - Beware!
 

There's a few tweets going around today, saying that Google have put out this form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...BKGeA/viewform

I've passed the details on to Google Workspace, to ask if this form is legitimate, and currently waiting for a response.

Update: The form was put out by Google. You have to be already logged into your Legacy account (only, not also a Gmail account) to see the link in this page for the 'G Suite legacy free edition feedback form':

https://support.google.com/a/answer/...e-subscription

Here's a link to a screencap, showing the (highlighted) link:

https://i.postimg.cc/xTCP4Yfh/link-for-google-form.jpg

The form (IMHO) doesn't look all that professional, with no Google branding shown, plus the form says:

10 seats?

I presume that means users, but not a term I'm familiar with - that's why I questioned it's legitimacy.

From the Google support page to which Fred linked -- under the question, What if I use my G Suite legacy free edition for personal use?

"...we understand some customers may not use their G Suite legacy free edition for business and may be interested in other options. If you have 10 or fewer users in your group and do not use your G Suite legacy free edition for business, please sign in to your administrator account to provide more information."

I wonder what the "other options" are.

Lots of people upset about this over at ArsTechnica, and it is interesting to see how little that somewhat technical crowd knows about how email at your own domain works. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022...free-accounts/

Yeah, I had a read through some of the comments earlier on. Sometimes, comments can be more entertaining than the actual article!

If Google could come up with a way to migrate legacy free G Suite accounts to a low-cost domain-based email system and then also sell that product to the public I bet they would gain millions of subscribers, especially if they kept the price low and made setup idiot proof. They would have to include domain support via Google domains and include automatic DNS setup or else they would have millions of customer service headaches. But, I still think there is a huge opportunity for Google to sell super simple domain email at a reasonable subscription price.

I've noticed, on Twitter, that Fastmail have really gone to town advertising their product - not only the official channel, but also some personal employees channels too! It looks like they'll be scoring big on this.

Runbox? Not a peep from them on Twitter, they're really missing out.

I may be mistaken, but I believe Google has continued to update that support page with new information. For example, I don't recall seeing this before that explains the process for saving your Google Play Store purchases etc. Seems problematic to use a non-functioning email address to login to an account that may want to send things to that address, so be sure to change it as soon as possible! Doesn't impact me directly, but I have a few logins that will not change my email address no matter what, and since I have accumulated some value at those sites I am stuck keeping that old address working. https://support.google.com/a/answer/...ent-after-july
There's also a statement that allows you to cancel the paid version of Workspace after awhile if you don't want to keep it. Just be sure to first remove any payment information from your account BEFORE you deactivate your Workspace account. For some reason if you just delete your Workspace without first turning off or removing payments you end up paying for a nonexistent account, and then since you cancelled the account you can't login or obtain help to cancel the payments.

I was thinking I would shift my primary domain away from legacy G Suite as well as shift any data I want.
I will point my primary domain from my G Suite to an alternative email provider (ie Fastmail or other) so that I can maintain that email address that was my G Suite email address.

But I do have some purchases in G Suite that would be nice to retain access to.

If I shift my primary domain away from G Suite, how would I log in? Is it possible to remove a primary domain and still operate the G Suite?
Is there a default fall-back domain that I can use to access the Google Suite after removing the primary domain.

Anyone else worked this out yet?

I would assume the email address you use to login to GSuite will just be seen as a login name.

Makes sense.
I guess if you need to reset your login password they can send a link to your backup email account.

Microsoft is now offering a 60% discount for legacy G Suite people switching to Microsoft 365 business plans, according to this article in the Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/10/2...gacy-customers

Zoho is offering 30% of their plans, you just have to get the free trial first.

We are loving Zoho as a Gmail replacement.

There's discussion over on Reddit, some useful information once you've separated the wheat from the chaff:

https://www.reddit.com/r/gsuitelegacymigration/

Sometimes it's hard to separate the two on Reddit! One thing this situation has pointed out to me is how even somewhat more sophisticated email users (they were using G Suite) are pretty uninformed about email in general, and many of them don't want to do their own research--they want someone to tell them what is the best thing to do. The problem is that each person's situation is slightly different. With email services there is no one-size fits all solution available or required. I've participated in some of these threads but they are quite frustrating because one person needs a one-person solution while another person has dozens of people using a domain for a club or something, and having been using a free service nobody wants to pay anything!

The date when legacy G Suite accounts will be moved automatically to paying accounts has been pushed back a month to June 1. https://www.androidpolice.com/google...rkspace-month/

I've also shifted to Zoho for my backup email.
This move by Google to remove the Legacy accounts was the nudge I needed to exit from Google.

Has anyone received feedback on this? Does the form and/or the option still show up? I think it may have disappeared.

I've not received any feedback, that form has disappeared, the link has gone, but I've seen this closed form link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...GeA/closedform

Without comparing word for word it seems to me that Google keeps editing things on their pages explaining the upcoming changes.

A link in an email from Google says:
"If you want the no cost option, you need to join this waiting list in the Google Admin console before June 1,..." and a link is provided in that sentence.

However when I click the link and it takes me to my Admin Console, I can't see any reference to joining such a waiting list.
Has anyone else managed to join this waiting list for the no cost option?