Microsoft 365 is a powerful tool and one that is used in a wide range of companies around the world. Offering a suite of services, this popular solution can do everything from facilitate teamwork and collaboration to help ensure security and compliance. Microsoft 365 does come in multiple versions, however, and choosing the right one for your business involves several factors. Let’s walk through what you need to consider when vetting this Microsoft solution so that you can sift through the available Microsoft 365 plans and find the right one for your business.
Differentiators Between Microsoft 365 Plans
Your Number of Users
Microsoft 365 plans work on a monthly subscription. The cost of your monthly subscription depends on how many users you will have in Microsoft 365. Price per user varies widely from the Basic plan to Microsoft 365 Premium, with Microsoft 365 Basic coming in at just $5 per user each month and Premium coming in at $20 per user each month. Of course, at four times the cost, you get a lot more features. Speaking of which…
What Features You Need
Next, consider how many bells and whistles you need. The Basic plan has a strong mobile suite of offerings that includes Microsoft Teams for remote collaboration, secure cloud storage, and the online versions of the Office suite. Smaller businesses that collaborate remotely can get a lot out of this version. Companies that want email and desktop versions of the Office suite may want to consider upgrading to Business Standard.
Larger-scale companies can get the most out of Premium. It offers all the features included in Business Standard with advanced cyberthreat protection and device management. Finally, Microsoft 365 Apps offers a healthy middle ground, delivering mobile and desktop versions of Office but no business email or Teams.
Consider the following questions when deciding which features you’ll need:
- Where is your team working? Are they doing most of their work remotely and, if so, are they working with reliable internet connection? If your teammates don’t have constant access to the internet, you will need to make sure you have a version that includes desktop versions of Office across all devices.
- Do you need business email and calendaring, or have you already handled that internally? If you can go without either, you can see some cost savings by going with the middle of the road Microsoft 365 apps.
- How sensitive is the data that you handle? If it’s very sensitive, Business Premium might be your best bet. Premium protects you against a swath of cyberthreats and also allows you to wipe machines when team members leave your company to protect customer and business data.
The collaborative nature of Microsoft 365, along with its powerful business add-ons, including online meetings via Teams, makes it an excellent addition to any business. By asking yourself a few basic questions and factoring in your user base, you can easily select from the available Microsoft 365 plans to find a version that works within your budget while giving you want you need. Any feedback from your own experience with Microsoft 365? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. If you’re ready to learn more about Microsoft 365, visit this page.
