Almost everyone knows that Google is the worlds number one search engine. However, few know that this internet superpower has a collection of solutions that can help small businesses save a lot of money. At only $50 per user, its Google Apps bundle is loaded with useful applications that offer proven cost savings for smaller companies that require an enterprise-class data sharing and collaboration software infrastructure.What is Up With Google Apps? Google Apps is a collection of web-based business productivity applications. The collective grouping of these individual tools essentially make it quite similar to the Microsoft Office software suite. However, unlike Office and traditional software suites that are installed and stored on a local drive, these applications are hosted exclusively in the cloud, a revolutionary computing model that enables data and software to be accessed online. Because of this structure, Google Apps is able to facilitate access and collaboration more efficiently than Microsoft Office and other traditional software suites. In fact, this dynamic set of apps allows your small business team to share and work on the same documents or projects from just about any location in the world with web-based access.Saving Money with Google AppsIf you are not familiar with Google Apps reputation as a cost cutting machine, let us explain how it can help your business save money and boost productivity. In simple terms, it allows small businesses to pay a minimal annual fee in exchange for the ability to upload, share and collaborate with a variety of documents, including forms, presentations, spreadsheets and even traditional word documents. These documents cannot only be shared, but also backed up online, providing professionals with instant access to their data even if their local hard drive is corrupted, infected or damaged in any other way. More small businesses are ditching Microsoft Office and similar solutions in favor of Google Apps because of its significant cost savings.No Expense Investment on InfrastructureRunning a Microsoft Exchange Server in-house can be a very costly venture, particularly for small businesses working on a tight budget. Not only must you purchase the software, but also have IT personnel capable of keeping the system up and running. With Google Apps, there is no expensive hardware or software to buy. Google maintains the server hardware, the software, and all the technical aspects. Taking this outsourced approach to your software infrastructure allows you to focus on the critical aspects of your business while saving money at the same time. Not only that, you are assured a 99.9% uptime guarantee and the backing of Google’s world-class infrastructure.Perfect for the Small FishGoogle Apps is the ultimate productivity tool for small companies, providing a way for the little guy to operate like the big brands with long corporate dollars. In fact, it is estimated that this software suite is up to 70% less expensive than running a Microsoft Exchange Server internally or through a hosted service. By making a small investment in Google Apps, you can dramatically reduce the time required to manage vital IT tasks and devote your attention to what is most important, running your business.