Tips on choosing the right plan for your business
Navigating the multiple options and finding the right Microsoft 365 plan for your business can be tricky. In this blog post, we’ll help you cut through the confusion and make the best decision for your business needs.
Price isn’t everything, but as consumers we often consider price before any other factor. So let’s look at this handy table below to see how the Microsoft Office 365 for Business plans compare with one another:
Note: This article covers Microsoft 365 commercial pricing. If you are a nonprofit, click here to learn more about Microsoft 365 Nonprofit pricing.
^^Please note these costs are monthly, but based on an annual commitment, and do not include GST.
Now that you have an idea of the costs, let’s dive into the features that you get from each plan.
All business and enterprise plans of Microsoft 365 (previously Office 365) come with the Office applications that are vital for any business. However, the Business Plans cater for a maximum of 300 users. If your organization has more than 300 users, an Enterprise Plan is what you should be looking for.
Here’s a breakdown of the main features included in each plan, starting off with the Microsoft 365 Business Plans:
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Price: AUD $32.90 + GST per user/month
Ideal for: Businesses with less than 300 users that require up-to-date versions of Office applications as well as cloud services, email hosting, Microsoft collaboration tools plus more advanced cybersecurity defence and device management features.
Features include:
- Desktop and web versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and OneNote
- PC only version of Access and Publisher
- 50gb email storage
- Custom domain name
- Access to Microsoft Exchange
- Microsoft Teams – a chat-based collaboration hub that lets you host online meetings for up to 250 participants
- Sharepoint – Share and collaborate on files and content with your own organisational intranet
- 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage
- Exchange Email Protection – protect organisation emails from spam, malware and known threats
- Microsoft Bookings – allows customers to easily schedule appointments
- Advanced Threat Protection – Protect your organisation with Microsoft’s state of the art security defence against more sophisticated cyberattacks.
- Manage and control access to corporate files and data remotely
- Enforce malware protection policies to prevent future cyberbreach attacks
- PC and mobile device management
- Automatic Office 365 applications deployment to managed devices
If you’re a business that highly prioritises data security and cyberbreach prevention then a Microsoft 365 Business Premium Plan has everything you need. You can get your always up-to-date Office 365 essentials with cloud storage, integrated Microsoft business tools plus a highly advanced Microsoft defence system to give you peace of mind about the security of your data and resources. Have the ability to manage the devices that access your data and create policies to make sure that your business is protected against internal cyberattacks.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard
Price: AUD $18.70 + GST per user/month
Ideal for: Businesses with less than 300 users that require up-to-date versions of Office applications as well as cloud services, email hosting, and Microsoft collaboration tools.
Features include:
- Desktop and web versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and OneNote
- PC only version of Access and Publisher
- 50gb email storage
- Custom email domain name
- Access to Microsoft Exchange
- Microsoft Teams – a chat-based collaboration hub that lets you host online meetings for up to 250 participants
- Sharepoint – Share and collaborate on files and content with your own organizational intranet
- 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage
- Exchange Email Protection – protect organisation emails from spam, malware and known threats
- Microsoft Bookings – allows customers to easily schedule appointments
The Microsoft 365 Business Standard Plan is perfect for your business if you require all the up-to-date Office 365 applications, as well as cloud storage and customised domain for your company email. This plan does not have the advanced security features of the Premium plan.
Alternatives to Office 365 for business
If you’re just looking to utilise the core functions of Office 365, which includes web and mobile versions (no desktop versions) of the Office 365 apps with 50gb mailbox allocation and 1 TB cloud storage in OneDrive, an alternative option is the Microsoft 365 Business Basics plan. This is best suited for frontline workers who aren’t sitting at a desk and therefore don’t have need for desktop versions of the Office 365 apps. It includes the productivity apps (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) as well as the collaboration apps (Teams, Sharepoint, OneDrive, Exchange).
Last on the list of the Microsoft 365 Business plans is the Microsoft 365 Apps plan which can provide for your basic Office application needs (desktop, web and mobile versions of Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook) with OneDrive storage access to let you keep your files in the cloud. Basically, it’s a basic apps-only plan. On this plan, there is no shared email (via Exchange) or collaboration features (like Teams or Sharepoint).
Now that the Business Plans are covered, let’s move on to the Microsoft 365 Enterprise Plans. If what you need is a more robust solution for your growing organisation, these Enterprise plans offer a wider spectrum of functionalities and a higher user limit that you won’t find in the Microsoft 365 Business Plans.
Microsoft 365 E3
Price: Contact Us for Pricing
Ideal for: A digital-driven organisation with more than 300 users that requires the essential Office 365 business tools, more storage options plus more powerful functionalities and integration between apps to keep up with the growing needs of the business using the help of Microsoft 365 enterprise technologies.
Highlight Features included:
- All features included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium Plan
- Enterprise-class Microsoft 365 applications
- Microsoft Teams – a chat-based collaboration hub that lets you host online meetings for up to 250 participants using the desktop or web applications
- OneDrive for Business (Talk to us about storage options)
- Windows Enterprise
- Microsoft Intune
- Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager
- Windows Autopilot
- Azure Active Directory Premium Plan 1
- Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager
- Microsoft 365 data loss prevention
- Windows BitLocker
- Microsoft Security and Compliance Center
- Microsot 365 Admin Center
- Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics
- Advanced organisational productivity insights with MyAnalytics
- Azure Information Protection P1
Having a Microsoft 365 E3 Plan in your business means that your organisation has the right tools to move forward with a more collaborative approach. With fully integrated applications and administration tools in the bag, Microsoft 365 E3 enables you and your organisation to work more efficiently while maintaining the security of your corporate data.
How do I decide whether to buy a Business Plan or an Enterprise Plan?
Put simply, if you’re a business with 300 or less users and looking for solutions to start your move to the cloud and migrate data, utilise the Office 365 suite of business applications and are security conscious, then one of the Microsoft 365 Business Plans is your best option.
If you’re an organisation with more than 300 users, that has a strong digital focus, requires cybersecurity features, as well as solutions for compliance and governance, then the Microsoft 365 Enterprise Plans may prove a more effective solution for you.
Case example:
Acme Engineering is a growing business, currently with 57 staff, operating out of two office locations. Engineering staff are often required to travel and work from remote locations.
Team members need access to Office application, both on desktop and mobile versions, and cloud storage services.
They are also working towards promoting a more positive collaboration culture and are interested in using the features available in Teams, such as video calls, file sharing and project collaboration.
Some of the staff are bringing their own devices to do their job and cybersecurity is a priority for the business, therefore they require advanced cybersecurity defences and device management options.
Acme Engineering decides to move to Microsoft 365 Business Premium plan which can provide the business with the appropriate features to support the growth of the organisation.
One important thing to mention is that Microsoft plans are both flexible and scalable. With scalable pricing, you can scale up and down as your business grows or you take on projects. Flexible plans and service offerings mean you can use Microsoft 365 products and services that you need now and explore additional features later. You can even mix and match to suit different staff requirements.
Find the right Office 365 plan for your business
Before you make any decisions on a Microsoft 365 plan, the best thing to do is to start with assessing your organisation, its current and future goals. Seek the help of an expert to assist you with evaluating your readiness for the move to Microsoft 365 and which plan would best suit your organisation to ensure a smooth, easy and rewarding transition.
If you’d like more information, get in touch with the Grassroots IT team on 1300 554 138 or contact us online.
