A brief guide to choosing the right Microsoft 365 plan for your business

Posted on Friday December 08, 2023

It’s no surprise that many businesses subscribe to Microsoft 365, as the service provides multiple ways to organize and secure your emails. However, choosing the right Microsoft 365 plan can be a daunting task because of the range of features available. In addition, you also have to balance the features you want against the limits of your budget. This article aims to guide business owners in identifying the ideal plan for their specific business setup.

Why do businesses use Microsoft 365?

Microsoft 365 provides businesses with a centralized and streamlined way to conveniently access and manage their files and emails from any device, anywhere in the world, thanks to its cloud-hosting features. And it’s this cloud-based nature of the service that enables Microsoft 365 users to secure business continuity should anything happen to their devices.

How to choose the plan best suited for your business

Selecting the right Microsoft 365 plan for your business can be broken down into four steps:

Assess compatibility Before subscribing to a Microsoft 365 plan, ensure that your employees' computers meet the necessary system requirements for Microsoft 365 to function. Incompatibility issues may arise if the hardware fails to match minimum system requirements, leading to reduced functionality of Microsoft 365 features. Additionally, you need to evaluate the compatibility of existing software and third-party applications, as some may not work seamlessly with Microsoft 365, necessitating the adoption of compatible software. Consider also consulting the providers of the third-party applications about potential compatibility issues with Microsoft 365.

Identify your needs It is essential that you choose a plan with features that align with your company's needs. Otherwise, you risk overspending on a plan like Business Premium when Business Standard easily meets your needs. Answer the following key questions to identify your needs:

Do you aim to enhance collaboration and communication within your organization?

Will transitioning to the cloud benefit your business operations?

Are you seeking advanced protection against various security threats?

By addressing these questions, you can focus on the features that fit with your answers and identify an appropriate plan. For example, if you are especially concerned about cybersecurity due to the confidential nature of the data you handle, then you may need the Microsoft 365 Business Premium plan, which offers Microsoft Defender in addition to standard online security.

Plan your budget Planning a budget for your chosen Microsoft 365 plan means accounting for the user count and the migration costs.

User count refers to the number of employees within your organization who will access and utilize Microsoft 365. When budgeting for users, it’s better to slightly overshoot to accommodate for potential growth or the addition of new employees.

Migration costs occur whether you are transferring your systems and data from physical servers or another cloud environment, costing you time, money, and productivity. If you have an in-house IT team, leverage their expertise to handle the migration process and avoid additional expenses.

By factoring in these considerations, you can select a Microsoft 365 subscription plan that not only meets your business needs but also aligns with your budget constraints.

Choose a Microsoft 365 business plan

After you’ve addressed the above considerations, you can go over your options. Microsoft 365 offers four different plans to businesses: Business Basic, Apps for Business, Business Standard, and Business Premium. These plans represent different tiers of pricing and offered features.

Plan	Microsoft 365 Business Basic	Microsoft 365 Apps	Microsoft 365 Business Standard	Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Price	$6.00 per user, per month	$8.25 user, per month	$12.50 per user, per month	$22.00 per user, per month
Web-based and mobile versions of Microsoft apps	Yes	Yes, excluding Outlook	Yes	Yes
50 GB email storage	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Microsoft Teams	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
1TB cloud storage	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Standard online security	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
24/7 online and phone support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Microsoft Bookings	No	No	Yes	Yes
MileIQ	No	No	Yes	Yes
Microsoft Defender for Office 365	No	No	No	Yes
Information Rights Management	No	No	No	Yes
Manage and wipe company devices remotely with Intune	No	No	No	Yes

Contact us today to learn more about integrating Microsoft 365 into your business.