Purchasing tools for your business only to discover it doesn’t serve your needs can be frustrating. 
 

The same goes for choosing a Microsoft 365 Plan. Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) has become an important tool for businesses of all sizes, offering a suite of cloud-based services.  

With so many plans available, it can be challenging to select which one best suits your business’ needs, because let’s face it — choosing the wrong plan can lead to wasted resources and impeded productivity.  

In this blog post, we will explore the basics of M365, and which plan you should choose for your business. 

Getting Started with M365 

Understanding M365 licensing options is crucial for your company. Here are some of the key things to consider when choosing a plan:   

• Number of users. The first consideration when picking an Office 365 plan is the number of users your business has. Microsoft gives plans for businesses of all sizes, from small businesses with just a few employees to big enterprises with thousands of users.  

• Features. M365 plans vary by company needs. Some plans give advanced data analytics, while others offer advanced security.  

• Pricing. M365 plans also vary in price, with some plans giving more value for money than others. To pick the right business plan, evaluate your budget and needs.  

Choosing the Right Plans

Business Plans 

Microsoft 365 Business Basic 

If you’re operating a small business with only basic communication and collaboration needs, we suggest you could get the M365 Business Basic plan. This plan includes web and mobile versions of Office apps, email hosting with a 50GB mailbox, and 1TB of OneDrive storage per user. It also includes Microsoft Teams for online meetings, chat, and collaboration. 

Microsoft 365 Business Standard:  

M365 Business Standard is relatively similar to M365 Basic, except that this plan has desktop versions of Office apps and Microsoft Bookings, allowing customers to schedule appointments online.  

It also includes access to SharePoint and Yammer for collaboration and social networking. With its usability, this plan is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses with more advanced communication and collaboration needs. 

Microsoft 365 Business Premium 

The M365 Premium includes everything in Microsoft 365 Business Standard, plus advanced security features like device management, threat protection, and data loss prevention.  

If you’re a small or medium-sized business that focuses on advanced security for your business, you can opt for this plan as it also also includes Microsoft Intune for mobile device management and Microsoft Azure Information Protection for data classification and protection.  

Microsoft 365 Apps for Business 

This plan includes desktop versions of Office apps, web and mobile versions of Office apps, and 1TB of OneDrive storage per user. It does not include email hosting, but it can be used with an existing email service.  

If your business only needs access to Office apps without additional communication or collaboration tools, this plan is the right for you. 

Enterprise Plans 

Microsoft 365 E3 

This plan includes everything in Microsoft 365 Business Premium, plus advanced analytics, voice, and video capabilities. It also includes Microsoft Power Platform for custom app development and Power BI for business intelligence. This plan is ideal for larger businesses with advanced communication, collaboration, and data analysis needs. 

Microsoft 365 E5 

This plan includes everything in Microsoft 365 E3, plus advanced security features like advanced threat protection and information protection. It also includes Microsoft Defender for endpoint protection and Microsoft Cloud App Security for cloud access security. This plan is ideal for larger businesses with advanced security needs. 

To recap, Microsoft Business plans generally fit small to medium companies as these offer most of the applications that SMBs need.  

For bigger companies with larger business demands, the Enterprise plans are the best way to go.  

Choosing the right plans doesn’t have to be complex. Our team at Techno Group can help you choose the right Office 365 license plan for your business while understanding your needs and requirements.  

Contact us today to learn how we can maximize Office 365.