Which Microsoft 365 Plan is Right for My Business
What is Microsoft 365
The Microsoft Office Suite products are a powerful line of digital software tools that dates back nearly three decades. Microsoft 365, formerly Office 365, has been available since 2011. It differs from the original bundle of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in two ways. It is licensed as a monthly or annual subscription rather than as a recurring license. It also combines a suite of online services, including business-class email, cloud file storage, and secure communication tools along with the traditional desktop applications. Since it’s a licensed offering, the desktop applications are updated automatically when a new version is available.
Microsoft 365 is available in Family & Personal editions and Business & Enterprise editions.
Microsoft 365 Included Services and Apps
The Microsoft 365 subscription includes a mix of apps and services depending on the plan selected.
OneDrive
Similar to a traditional hard drive, OneDrive is a cloud storage service that allows a user to store important files all in one location. From there, these files can be accessed from virtually anywhere. With a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can use OneDrive to share content and collaborate with people in real-time. Additionally, it’s cross-device and cross-platform design allows people to start files on one device and pick up where they left off on another.
SharePoint
Every Microsoft 365 subscriber gets 1 TB of personal OneDrive storage, with sync clients available for every desktop platform. The Files on Demand feature allows users to view and manage cloud-based storage using File Explorer.
Teams
This collaborative platform replaces the older Skype for Business service, offering unified communications, HD video conferencing, and instant messaging for Microsoft 365 subscribers in an organization, along with a team-and-channel-based architecture that covers much of the same feature set as alternatives like Slack.
Which subscription is right for your business?
Microsoft 365 – Business Basic (starting at $6.00/user/month)
Formerly known as Office 365 Business Essentials, Microsoft 365 Business Basic is an affordable and efficient plan, ideal for businesses with remote teams. This plan offers access to essential Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint through web versions, which can be used directly from any browser. While it doesn’t include desktop versions of Office apps, it still provides robust cloud-based features that support productivity.
Business Basic also includes 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage, SharePoint for team collaboration, and a 50GB mailbox for business email. It’s a great choice for organizations that need essential office tools, secure cloud storage, and communication tools at a budget-friendly price. With a low monthly fee, users can efficiently collaborate, store files, and maintain productivity—all within the Microsoft ecosystem.
Exchange
Microsoft 365 – Business Standard (starting at $12.50/user/month)
Previously known as Office 365 Business Premium, the Microsoft 365 Business Standard plan is designed to meet the needs of small businesses for day-to-day operations, which is why it’s often referred to as the “Business Standard.” This plan provides access to desktop versions of Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook), which can be installed on up to five PCs or Macs and five mobile devices or tablets per user.
In addition to the core Office apps, this plan includes essential tools for collaboration and productivity such as Microsoft Teams, Outlook Customer Manager, Microsoft Bookings, Microsoft Invoicing, and MileQ. The plan also includes 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage per user, SharePoint, and Exchange for email hosting with a 50GB mailbox. This plan is an excellent choice for businesses that need robust productivity tools combined with cloud collaboration and communication services.
Exchange
Microsoft 365 – Business Premium (starting at $20/user/month)
Formerly known as Microsoft 365 Business, the Microsoft 365 Business Premium plan includes everything in the Business Standard package, with the addition of advanced security features tailored for today’s remote workforce. This plan offers enhanced protection against sophisticated threats, such as malicious email attachments, links, ransomware, and other advanced malware, through Microsoft Defender for Office 365.
In addition, Business Premium includes Intune, which allows businesses to manage and secure devices remotely, including the ability to wipe company data from lost or stolen devices. With these added layers of protection, Microsoft 365 Business Premium ensures that your organization’s data remains secure while supporting seamless collaboration across remote and hybrid work environments.
Exchange
Conditional Access
Microsoft 365 Apps for Business (starting at $8.25/user/month)
The Microsoft 365 Apps for Business plan is ideal for small businesses with heavy file storage and sharing needs, and those who prefer to keep their email services separate from Microsoft’s platform. This plan provides each user with 1 TB of cloud storage via OneDrive. Users gain access to the core Office Desktop apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more) with the option to install them on up to five devices per user.
However, this plan does not include features such as SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Business Email, or Microsoft Bookings. It’s a great choice for businesses primarily focused on document creation, collaboration, and cloud storage, without the need for full email or collaboration tools.
Outlook
Word
Excel
Powerpoint
Publisher
Access
Onedrive
Still don’t know which plan is right for you? We can help. Answer a few questions about what your business is looking for and a member of our Sales team will get in touch to start an estimate.
