Google backtracks to allow free use of custom domain on G Suite legacy for personal use | ZDNet

At the start of the year, Google sent the willies up a section of its user base when it announced it was discontinuing the use of G Suite legacy free edition — a service that allowed users to have Gmail, Drive, and other G Apps on a custom domain free of charge.

Fast forward to mid-May and users that decided to try to wait Google out are aflutter that their lack of decisiveness has been rewarded, as Google has decided they can keep what they have so long as they are not a business.

“For businesses, the G Suite legacy free edition will no longer be available starting June 27, 2022,” Google now says.

“If you’re using the G Suite legacy free edition for non-commercial purposes, you can opt out of the transition to Google Workspace … You can continue using your custom domain with Gmail, retain access to no-cost Google services such as Google Drive and Google Meet, and keep your purchases and data.”

If users continue to do nothing, accounts will be suspended on August 1, after which users can reactivate by upgrading to Workspace or opting-out.

Google warns the legacy free product does not have support, and could have “certain business functionality” pulled in future.

For those proactive users that upgraded to Workspace after January 19, the Google support chatbot is reportedly able to downgrade users back onto G Suite legacy free edition if they wish.

Those that have already exited the Google ecosystem presumably would be able to continue on the free edition, but if you’ve gone to all that trouble already, reversing course is going to take more effort than submitting a form.

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