office 365 small business plans

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• Employee quick setup
• Download and install apps
• Setup and use Outlook
• Move your email, calendars, and contacts
• Setup OneDrive
• Collaborate and meet with Teams
• Create an email signature
• Security features and settings
• Create a hub for your team
• Collaborate on business documents
• Share files with my team members
• Create polls to survey employees
• Let customers book appointments
• Schedule meetings with anyone
• Save and share files with clients
• Add your clients as guests
• Manage your business finances
• Track product inventory
• Plan projects and track deadlines
• Scheduling staff shifts
• Suport resources

Welcome to Microsoft 365 for business

• Buy Microsoft 365
• Microsoft 365 Admin Center
• Add a custom domain
• Manage payment information
• Add more users
• All about passwords
• Remote work
• File sharing and storage
• Secure your business

What is Microsoft 365 for business?

Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based productivity platform that offers a set of tools and services for small businesses, including email, calendar, word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation tools, as well as cloud storage and collaboration tools. Depending on your subscription plan, the benefits of your Microsoft 365 for business subscription may include:

The latest Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Email and calendars using Outlook

Group chat, online meetings, and calling in Microsoft Teams

1 TB of cloud storage for your files per person

Here are some key steps to getting started with Microsoft 365 small business.

Step 1 - Sign up for a Microsoft 365 business plan

If you haven’t already purchased a subscription, the first step in getting started with Microsoft 365 is to sign up for a business plan. Visit the Microsoft 365 for business website  and choose a plan that meets the needs of your business.

Need help choosing a plan? Check out  Which Microsoft 365 plan is right for your business? to learn more.

Step 2 - Sign into your account

Go to microsoft365.com and sign in with your business username and password.

When you sign up for a subscription, you specify an alternate email address where you'll get emails from Microsoft that include links to sign into your Microsoft 365 business account.

Step 3 - See what’s included in your subscription

After you purchase a business plan, it's a good idea to review what's in it and to review your account information.

Go to microsoft365.com  and sign into your account.

Select  Subscriptions , and then under Product Name , select the subscription you purchased to view billing information.

Select  View the apps and services included with this subscription for a detailed list of what’s available in your subscription.

Step 4 - Set up Microsoft 365 for your business

After you sign up for Microsoft 365 for business, it’s important to set up your account. In general, the steps involve:

Adding a custom domain name

Setting up Outlook email

Downloading the apps

Determining where to store files

Setting up Microsoft Teams

Adding users

Securing your organization, including setting up multifactor authentication

You may also have existing files, email, or calendars that you'll want to move into Microsoft 365.

To get started with setup, go to Overview of the Microsoft 365 Admin Center - Simplified view .

Step 5 - Find Support and Learning Resources

After you set up your subscription, here are some training and support resources to help get your business up and running successfully.

Get support for Microsoft 365 for business

Links to open a support ticket from the admin center, find phone numbers for support, and learn about the Service Health dashboard.

Business Assist

This add-on license gives you access to personalized help from a small business specialist for: Setting up, moving your files, personalizing your experience, and making sure you have ongoing support for all your Microsoft 365 needs.

Help and learning resources

Small business help and learning resources

Short business tutorials to start, run, and grow your business

How-to, help, and training videos to get your business up and running on Microsoft 365.

Engaging videos to help you get going quickly

Get insights and ideas

Get resources to help you start, manage, and grow your business

Admin Center help

Help and training articles about managing Microsoft 365 in the admin center

Learn by product

Find product-specific help and support for Microsoft 365 apps

 Related topics

Small business help and learning

Microsoft 365 help for small businesses on YouTube

Need more help?

Want more options.

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Microsoft 365 subscription benefits

Microsoft 365 training

Microsoft security

Accessibility center

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Ask the Microsoft Community

Microsoft Tech Community

Windows Insiders

Microsoft 365 Insiders

Was this information helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

In honor of National Small Business Week, discover how businesses like yours succeed with Microsoft 365.

Grow your business with Microsoft 365

Bring your business ideas to life with the tools you need to create and connect—now supercharged with AI and Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365.

Bring your business ideas to life

Reach and exceed your company goals with Microsoft 365. Manage your content and tools—like productivity apps, email, appointment scheduling, video meetings, chat, and enterprise-grade security—all in one place.

Build customer relationships

Connect with new customers using the tools that help you communicate more effectively, manage appointments, and deliver greater value.

Stand out from the competition

Develop a strong marketplace presence with branded documents, meeting backgrounds, marketing videos, and a custom email for your business.

Create, connect, and collaborate

Simplify how you run your business with a single solution that helps you foster teamwork and creativity securely from anywhere.

Secure your business

Safeguard your business data and devices with integrated identity, security, compliance, device management, and privacy protection.

Find the Microsoft 365 plan that’s right for you

Microsoft 365 business basic.

Originally starting from $6.00 now starting from $6.00

$6.00 $6.00

(Annual subscription—auto renews) 1

Apps and services to kick-start your business, including:

Identity, access, and user management for up to 300 employees

Custom business email ( [email protected] )

Web and mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

Chat, call, and video conference with Microsoft Teams

1 TB of cloud storage per employee

10+ additional apps for your business needs (Microsoft Bookings, Planner, Forms, and others)

Automatic spam and malware filtering

Anytime phone and web support

Copilot for Microsoft 365, available as an add-on 3

Microsoft 365 Business Standard

Originally starting from $12.50 now starting from $12.50

$12.50 $12.50

Everything in Business Basic, plus:

Desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

Webinars with attendee registration and reportin

Collaborative workspaces to co-create using Microsoft Loop

Video editing and design tools with Microsoft Clipchamp

Microsoft 365 Business Premium

Originally starting from $22.00 now starting from $22.00

$22.00 $22.00

Everything in Business Standard, plus:

Advanced identity and access management

Enhanced cyberthreat protection against viruses and phishing attacks

Enterprise-grade device and endpoint protection

Microsoft 365 Apps for business

Originally starting from $8.25 now starting from $8.25

$8.25 $8.25

Desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook 

1 TB of cloud storage per user

Anytime phone and web support

Find out which plan is right for you

Take a short assessment to find your perfect match.

Add Copilot to your Microsoft plan 3

Sign in to add Copilot to your existing Microsoft 365 business plan.

If you’re not an existing customer, buy a Microsoft 365 plan to get started.

See more options for Microsoft 365

What small businesses are saying about microsoft 365.

Tilt Brand Solutions

“We went with Microsoft Business Premium because we also wanted to bring in device management and endpoint protection and security.”

ScottMadden

“This shift has allowed us to enhance our service offerings, improve our security framework, and invest in initiatives that drive value for the firm and our clients.”

“Our 90% first-call resolution probably wouldn’t be possible without Teams.”

EyeMail Inc.

"By adopting Microsoft 365, EyeMail established a more efficient and collaborative work environment. This helped us increase productivity, reduce errors, establish a robust security framework, and improve communication among employees."

Articles and resources

Explore copilot for microsoft 365.

Learn how Copilot helps you boost productivity and save time, transforming your everyday work life.

AI virtual assistants for small business

Learn about AI virtual assistants, how they work, and the benefits and challenges of using them.

Prepare your small business for AI success

Discover why AI is important for business growth and how to develop an AI-ready strategy.

Built-in apps

Use your favorite apps seamlessly within Microsoft 365.

Get started with Microsoft 365

Sized your way.

Microsoft 365 has solutions tailored to your business’s needs, whatever the size of your company.

• Small business

Additional resources

Find self-help and support options to help you make the best choice.

• Help me choose
• Schedule a demo
• Explore product training
• Contact Sales

Make it yours

Customize your plan for what you need with Microsoft 365 add-ons.

• Audio conferencing
• Microsoft Teams Phone
• Endpoint security

Frequently asked questions

What is microsoft 365.

Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based suite of software tools designed to help you do more—with best-in-class communication, design, and data management apps, intelligent cloud services, and advanced security. Access your data from anywhere, collaborate with team members in real time, meet with people virtually, and use thousands of predesigned templates to better communicate with customers and manage your business—all with built-in security technology that safeguards your data and devices from anywhere.

How do I choose the right Microsoft 365 plan for my business?

Use the Microsoft 365 plan chooser to find the right plan for your business.

Where can I learn more about the value I get with Microsoft 365?

Download the full plan comparison table .

What is Microsoft Defender for Business?

Microsoft Defender for Business is an endpoint security solution designed to help businesses with up to 300 employees. It helps protect against cybersecurity threats, including malware and ransomware, in an easy-to-use, cost-effective package. Microsoft Defender for Business is included with Microsoft 365 Business Premium and is available as a standalone product. Learn more .

Copilot for Microsoft 365 frequently asked questions

Find more answers to frequently asked questions. Learn more .

• [1] Cancellation policies vary based on your status as a new customer and your product and domain selections on Microsoft.  Learn more . Cancel your Microsoft 365 subscription any time by going to the Microsoft 365 admin center. When a subscription is canceled, all associated data will be deleted.  Learn more about data retention, deletion, and destruction in Microsoft 365 .​
• [2] After your one-month free trial ends, your subscription will automatically convert into a 12-month paid subscription, and you will be charged the applicable subscription fee. Cancel anytime during your free trial to stop future charges. A credit card is required to sign up.  Learn more .
• [3] Copilot for Microsoft 365 may not be available for all markets and languages. To purchase, customers must have a qualifying plan for  enterprise  or  business .
• [4] Availability of mobile apps varies by country/region.

Follow Microsoft 365

• Chat with sales
• Contact sales

Available M-F 6 AM to 6 PM PT.

Microsoft Office 365 License Comparison: Business Plans Vs. E5, E3, and E1

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There are several different Microsoft 365 license types and choosing the correct Microsoft 365 licensing is an important step for every business, especially organizations in the cloud. Microsoft offers tiered solutions for small, medium, and enterprise sized businesses. While this allows companies to right-size licensing to their specific needs, it can also create confusion about which license is the right one. This blog will highlight the difference between Office 365 and Microsoft 365 products so you can make an informed decision.

Learn more about:

• Microsoft Licensing Changes in 2022 - The New Commerce Experience
• Microsoft Government Licensing
• Office 365 Educational Licensing
• Microsoft GCC and GCC High Licensing
• Microsoft Front Line Worker (F1 & F3) Licensing

When comparing Microsoft 365 license types, price is understandably one of the first considerations for decision-makers, with core capabilities as a close second. As of April 1st, 2024, Microsoft Teams is no longer included in Microsoft 365 and Office 365 licensing but is available as a standalone purchase. Below are the prices* for Microsoft 365 Business, Microsoft 365 Enterprise, and Office 365 Enterprise licenses.

• Prices assume a monthly payment with an annual agreement. Month-to-month licenses are available at a premium. Read more at Microsoft New Commerce Experience .

The base price per user for Microsoft 365 Business and Enterprise Plans ranges from $4.80 to $54.80, and that can quickly add up for larger organizations. However, companies that utilize capabilities such as Rights Management or cloud PBX may save money by bundling these services into their licensing. Cost savings can be significant for businesses that purchase third party tools for Anti-Virus, eDiscovery, MFA, or SIEM.

Many people use Microsoft 365 and Office 365 interchangeably; however, these are markedly different products. Office 365 is Microsoft’s productivity suite and includes the core applications most think of when they think of Microsoft: Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. It is also only one of three suites within a Microsoft 365 license.

Microsoft 365 licenses are available as Enterprise, Business, or Apps licenses. Microsoft 365 Enterprise licenses bundle three suites—Office 365, Enterprise Mobility and Security, and Windows Enterprise—at different levels (E5, E3, F3, F1). Some Microsoft 365 Business licenses include all three suites but are more limited in features. Additionally, Microsoft 365 Business licenses have a per license cap of 300 users per tenant.

Note: We strongly discourage purchasing Microsoft 365 or Office 365 from GoDaddy due to hidden costs, and lack of feature availability. To learn more, read our blog on Migrating from GoDaddy Office 365 to Microsoft Office 365 .

• Microsoft 365 Enterprise

Microsoft 365 Enterprise is a suite that includes Office 365, Enterprise Mobility and Security, and Windows Enterprise. Microsoft 365 Enterprise gives you the enterprise security and compliance features you need, while providing cost savings through vendor consolidation, reduced management, and training overhead.

Due to its cost, the Microsoft 365 E5 license is often positioned as a luxury license for companies that want advanced security and compliance capabilities, along with automated features. The reality is that most IT teams are overworked and understaffed, at a time when cyberattacks are increasing exponentially.

Even if employees aren’t working from home, internet connectivity makes every company a potential global target and enables intellectual property to flow freely out of any unsecured environment. IT personnel are tasked with supporting business critical operations and protecting the organization from external and internal threat actors, a responsibility that’s only getting more challenging with shrinking budgets and workforce reductions.

At a minimum, we recommend having Microsoft 365 E5 licenses in place for anyone with far-reaching environment access, but strongly encourage companies to consider the business impact a breach will impose when, not if, one occurs.

Compared to the Microsoft 365 E5 license, the Microsoft 365 E3 maintains a similar level of productivity features and allocated storage; however, it lacks machine-learning and automated security capabilities.

Microsoft’s Frontline licensing is an alternative for users that need to have a digital presence in the tenant but are not but are not spending their days creating or consuming data within the environment. Frontline users may not work at a desk, but still have matching security and compliance requirements. For organizations with regulatory requirements, the Microsoft 365 F5 Security and Compliance Add-On brings the security and compliance allotments in line with a Microsoft 365 E5 license while maintaining reduced productivity capabilities and storage capacity.

The Microsoft 365 F3 comes close to matching the Enterprise Mobility and Security E3 suite (notable losses include Defender for Endpoint Plan 1 and DLP for emails and files) but has deprecated productivity applications and reduced storage allocations.

As noted above, the biggest difference between a Frontline and Enterprise license is the deprecated productivity applications and reduced storage allocations. The Microsoft 365 F1 takes that up a notch by dropping down from the Microsoft 365 F3’s web and mobile only applications to read-only versions of web and mobile. Note that neither Microsoft 365 F3 or F1 supports desktop applications.

Microsoft 365 Business plans were created for small businesses that might not need all of the features of an Enterprise level license. While Enterprise licenses have no seat limitations, Microsoft 365 Business has a per license cap of 300 users per tenant.

The most powerful Microsoft Business license without going full enterprise, the Microsoft 365 Business Premium license includes business specific versions of Microsoft Defender and Windows 11. It also includes Intune, for organizations looking to leverage that capability specifically. While it does not include the full Enterprise Mobility and Security E3 product suite, it comes close.

Formerly Office 365 Business Premium, Microsoft 365 Business Standard adds critical small business tools such as desktop applications and email. It does not stack up security wise to Business Premium.

Microsoft 365 Business Basic is one of the few lower-tier licenses that includes Exchange Online Plan 1, which can make this an ideal choice for frontline users that don’t work at a desk but send a lot of email.

The Microsoft 365 Apps licenses are stripped down to the Office 365 suite Microsoft is known for. Unlike perpetual versions of the Office 365 suite, these subscription offerings ensure all applications will always be up-to-date and supported.

Formerly known as Office 365 ProPlus, Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise is built for enterprise customers. In addition to automatically updated version of the core Microsoft 365 desktop apps (Outlook and Teams excluded), it includes greater security and compliance features, as well as increased deployment and management controls than its Microsoft 365 Apps for Business counterpart. Large organizations leveraging non-Microsoft vendors for communication and collaboration may choose this, along with small to medium organizations that want higher levels of IT control than the Microsoft 365 Apps for Business license supports.

Previously named Office 365 Business, Microsoft 365 Apps for Business provides a maximum of 300 users automatically updated editions of the commonly used Office desktop applications (sans Outlook or Teams), but without any of the additional security, communication, or administrative capabilities in Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise.

Office 365 Enterprise is Microsoft’s productivity suite and includes the core applications most think of when they think of Microsoft: Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. It is also only one of three suites included in a Microsoft 365 license. Unlike Microsoft 365 Enterprise licenses, which bundle three suites—Office 365, Enterprise Mobility and Security, and Windows Enterprise—Office 365 Enterprise licenses lack the security and operating system tiers.

The Office 365 E5 license includes the highest level of Microsoft’s productivity capabilities, without the security and operating systems components of the Microsoft 365 E5 license. Organizations that are leveraging other vendors or services to cover those bases may find this license appealing.

Office 365 E3 maintains a similar level of productivity features and allocated storage as the Office 365 E5, however with less automation features and none of the security features of the Microsoft 365 E3.

Office 365 E1 is the least expensive Enterprise license, with a focus on services and minimal productivity (e.g., web only apps). It can be combined with Microsoft 365 Apps for Business or Enterprise.

Only available via CSP, the Office 365 F3 is the lightest Enterprise license available. It does not have any of the security features of a Microsoft 365 F3 license and has very minimal productivity and collaboration capabilities.

Licensing isn’t always a one size fits all and if any of the licenses above don’t check all the boxes, reach out to discuss alternative strategies like add-on or standalone licenses. Agile IT’s cloud licensing services make it easy to purchase, transfer, and manage your licenses.

Have questions about which Microsoft 365 license is right for your organization? Request a quote to see how much you can save.

Published on: Jul 17, 2024 .

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