First launched on June 28th, 2011, Microsoft Office 365 has become a powerful tool to enhance the productivity of corporates. Office 365 has four plans or subscription packages for small to medium-sized businesses. These include Business Essential (Microsoft 365 Business Basic), Business (now called Microsoft 365 Apps for Businesses), Business Premium (now called Microsoft 365 Business Standard), and Business Premium (for high-end businesses).

The name for these subscriptions changed when Microsoft, on April 21st, 2020, announced to combine all Office features under one umbrella: Microsoft Office 365. All these subscriptions have certain features that allow teams to work in the cloud and keep everything fully secure.

However, comparing all the Office 365 plans and picking the right one can be challenging, especially if businesses aren’t aware of the tools and their benefits. To help your business end up with the right Office 365 subscription, we have discussed each plan in detail and what benefits your organization can secure from each of them.

Microsoft Office 365 Business Plans

We understand that selecting the right Office 365 subscription is complicated and time-consuming. It's because there are so many features available and multiple things to consider before making the final call. Here's the detail of each plan with pricing and standout features that enable businesses to pick the right plan:

1. Microsoft Office 365 Business Basic

Microsoft Office 365 Business Basic is one of the cheapest business plans focused on those corporates or enterprises that already have access to a few Microsoft tools and want to upgrade. This subscription is available at a price as low as €5.60 per user. The most prominent things of this plan are Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, One Drive, and Skype for businesses.

Subscribers of this plan also get a chance to share content and call around 300 end user, making this plan a most budget-friendly and useful option for remote businesses. With this plan, managing meeting calendars and multiple emails from anywhere is possible. Every user gets almost 1TB of storage space and can sync files anywhere on any connected device. It also offers to create password policies, meet international standards, and protect all your business emails.

What's the best part? Microsoft acts as a data processor for all the business' crucial data and information, which means there are no security risks. The user gets 24/7 Microsoft phone and online assistance. However, to get a proper email defender and meet from anywhere, corporate needs to contact Microsoft teams and request these add-ons after paying an additional cost.

• Premium Office Apps Included: Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote

• Secured Cloud Services: Teams, OneDrive, Exchange Online, SharePoint

Source: Skyline, https://skylinebt.com/business-value-comparison/

2. Microsoft 365 Apps for Business

The business is also known as the Microsoft 365 Apps for Business; this subscription is best for those who only want access to the unique Microsoft office products. The price for this subsection is €9.80/user per month, that's relatively high compared to the Business Essential plan. The most prominent apps included are Word, Excel, PowerPoint, One Note, Outlook, and Publisher.

All these apps are available for Mac and PC, as well as for mobile users, but Access and Publisher are only available for PC as this plan doesn't include their phone versions. You can always get a license for any app or feature from other Microsoft plans as add-ons.

In addition, every user has access to around 1TB of storage that allows file syncing on every connected device anywhere and business data storage. The Protect my email feature isn't available in this plan, but corporate Office 365 users get information access controls, password reset policies, and Microsoft as an information controller.

There are diagrams and flowchart creation option that help businesses create and present visually appealing data. Once this plan is activated, the user automatically gets access to the latest version of apps and doesn't need to subscribe to the program or pay for licenses again. The purpose of this Microsoft 365 business plan is to ensure that end users are constantly working with the newest version and have high data security. Last but not least, with this subscription, you can have a conference with around 250 teammates remotely.

• File Storage and Sharing: OneDrive only

• Web, Mobile, and Desktop Apps: Outlook, OneNote, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access

3. Microsoft Office 365 Business Standard

This Microsoft Office 365 Business Standard is one of the most advanced plans and has all the features of a Business and Business essential plan, along with many other tools. The subscriber can access the Enterprise Email, SharePoint Online, Skype, OneDrive for businesses, and all online office applications. Its monthly subscription is €11.70 per user and supports around 300 users. Businesses and small enterprises can host meetings utilizing the 50 GB inbox and custom email.

The Microsoft team feature enables them to establish a collaborative center where team members can share work progress-related updates and essential information. Moreover, it has all the international standard security features missing in the Microsoft Office 365 Apps for Businesses. These include protecting your email, creating reset password policies, Microsoft acting as a data processor and controller, etc.

If the business needs a more robust security system and deals with sensitive information, Microsoft email defender is a good add-on option. All the schedules and tasks are shared among the team using the business tools available in this plan. Additionally, the Microsoft end team is always available 24/7 to provide the necessary assistance through phone and online.

• Mobile & Web Version Apps: Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, Excel, Publisher (PC), Access (PC)

• Secured Cloud Services: SharePoint, Teams Exchange, OneDrive

4. Microsoft Office 365 Business Premium

If the business has a little more budget than average, there's nothing better than Microsoft Office Business Premium. This plan has all the features of a standard Microsoft Office 365 with multiple advanced tools. It's available at the cost of €20.60. The user gets access to the most recent version of Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, One Note, etc.

Moreover, features like teams and Exchange Online allow businesses to interact actively with clients and co-workers. There's one terabyte of space for data storage for every user. What makes this premium plan stand out among others is the enhanced security features such as ransomware and phishing attack protection. It also enables users to control access to all confidential information using advanced encryption tools.

• Premium Office Apps Included: Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, Excel, Publisher

• Secured Cloud Services: Teams Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, Intune, Azure, Information Protection

Things to Consider While Selecting Microsoft Office 365 Business Plan

Undoubtedly, businesses need to look at the features available in a specific Office plan, but there are certain factors that must be considered to make the right choice. Let's have a look at these factors:

Cost

Cost is one of the most crucial factors to consider while purchasing a Microsoft Office 365 Business plan. The basic plan costs around €5.60/user per month, while the Apps and standard subscriptions are priced at €9.80 and €20.60, respectively. If the corporate team only needs essential Microsoft apps and adequate security features, then the Basic plan is a suitable option. To add more features, the business can avail of specific add-ons at a nominal price.

Features

Not looking at the features available in the selected plan limits the team's ability to be mobile and productive.

If the business wants essential elements and all the typical Microsoft applications, then Business Basic and Microsoft Office 365 Apps for Business are best, but if an organization deals with sensitive data and is looking for advanced security features, then Microsoft Office 365 Business Premium is the right deal. It has protection against ransomware and phishing attacks.

Contract

Another factor that businesses shouldn't overlook is the commitment period of a particular plan. If one cannot continue with a long-term plan, they should go with either Business Basic or Business standard plans that ask for a monthly payment and offer monthly contracts. However, for established organizations, Business Premium is a good choice as it provides an annual subscription and payment option.

Number of Users

All Microsoft Office 365 Business Plans accommodate 300 users at a time. So, whether the business decides to go with basic or premium, the number of users that can benefit from it remains the same, and only the features available within the package differ.

Conclusion

Choosing the right Microsoft Office 365 business plan isn't an easy task because one wrong subscription can limit the overall working of the organization. That's why we discussed every plan in detail with pricing and features so you can choose the desired one.