Same boat. I set up a Google domain for family many years ago. It's been somewhat convenient when it comes to sharing Google docs with each other and managing their email accounts for them, but that's about it. Everything else has been a continual pain in the ass. So many services are not supported by the custom Google domains or if we're lucky we get access years after they're introduced.
It's always been remarkable to me how badly Google shits on the people that are obviously its biggest boosters. I was personally responsible for multiple paid Google Workspace accounts. I can't imagine it makes financial since for them to axe the grandfathered plans. As a free service, it was bearable that my custom account was a little flaky, but there is no way I'm going to pay for a shittier version of their free product. On top of that, now I have to figure out if it's possible to transfer movie/app purchases. Thanks a fucking ton, Google.
I've dug into this through the documentation and in discussions with workspace support and its not as bad as we fear, at least in terms of purchases.
If you cancel your workspace account, then the individual user accounts will still have access to non-workspace services [0], which importantly includes Google Play and all access to your purchases will be retained. Any other google services which aren't core apps will also work as normal.
Any former GFYD account becomes a semi-account with access to a subset of google services but not all. Since the account exists, it cannot be used to sign up for a free personal account, and you can never use google docs or have google docs shared with any former GFYD account.
Overall, this is a better resolution than I'd feared, but it seems ridiculous that being a loyal google customer for over 15 years leaves you disadvantaged.
[0] Core workspace apps: Calendar, Currently, Drive & Docs, Gmail, Chat, Meet, Groups for business, Jamboard, Keep, Sites, Tasks
> Since the account exists, it cannot be used to sign up for a free personal account, and you can never use google docs or have google docs shared with any former GFYD account.
OK, that's actually terrible.
Is there any way to delete the account and start fresh clean slate, so you can use that email address for an ordinary free google account that's just like any other?
The whole reason I had a custom domain was to be able to keep it even if I switched my email provider, of course. I planned to use this email address for everything forever.
Yeah, I'm wondering if I can rename my workspace account so that I can add my primary email to my old account.
Of course now I'll have split-brain because my photos are locked into the old account (trying to share and save doesn't work because Google forgets that they are supposed to be zero-rated because they came from a pixel).
I'll see if this rename works, then I can slowly migrate off of the other Google services. For services that I still want I think you can transfer YouTube accounts between Google accounts. Same with Play accounts (you need to pay but apparently you can ask for a refund for a transfer).
It's always been remarkable to me how badly Google shits on the people that are obviously its biggest boosters. I was personally responsible for multiple paid Google Workspace accounts. I can't imagine it makes financial since for them to axe the grandfathered plans. As a free service, it was bearable that my custom account was a little flaky, but there is no way I'm going to pay for a shittier version of their free product. On top of that, now I have to figure out if it's possible to transfer movie/app purchases. Thanks a fucking ton, Google.