microsoft 365 basic business plan

Microsoft 365 Business Plans Compared

In April 2020 Microsoft changed the names of the Office 365 Business plans to Microsoft 365 Business. Before this name change, we had only Microsoft 365 Business, but now we have Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, and Apps for Business.

Only the names have changed, the price and the features of the plans have stayed the same. In this article, we are going to take a look at the differences between the Microsoft 365 Business plans . We are going to start with a comparison table so you can quickly compare the most important details between the different plans.

Microsoft 365 for Business Plans Compared

In the table below you will find all the details of the Microsoft 365 business plans compared. You can find the prices for your country here at Microsoft.com . Keep in mind that all Business plans are limited to 300 users.

Note Microsoft added new plans without Teams wich are only available in the European Union. These plans are less expensive. Read everything about it in this article

Tip You can mix Microsoft 365 Business plans with Enterprise plans, so if you have more than 300 users, you buy Office 365 E3 plans for the other users.

Microsoft 365 Business Basic

The Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan, formerly known as Office 365 Business Essentials, is the perfect plan if you don’t work a lot in Word, Excel, or Outlook.

In the Business Basic plan, you don’t get the desktop apps , so you can’t install Word, Excel, Outlook, etc on your desktop. But you can use those applications online in your browser.

The browser versions of these apps work perfectly for light usage. Outlook Online is great to work with, it has all the important features just like the Outlook app. Word and Excel Online also work fine if you need to write an occasional letter or spreadsheet.

What makes the Business Basic plan so great is that you get Exchange Online with 50Gb mailboxes OneDrive and SharePoint. So you can use all the benefits of Office 365 (safely storing your data in the cloud, easily working together and sharing documents, etc.), for only $5 per month.

Microsoft 365 Business Standard

This is basically the default Microsoft 365 plan for small businesses ( hence the name 😉 ). Microsoft 365 Business Standard , formerly known as Office 365 Business Premium, contains everything a small business needs.

It comes with desktop apps so that you can install Outlook, Word, Excel, etc. on your desktops, and it comes with a lot of online business apps.

The desktop apps have of course a lot of advantages over the online versions, but the most important ones are that you can use add-ins (for your business applications for example) and macros . Something that is not possible with the online versions.

Business Standard comes with a couple of Online Business Applications that are only available in Standard and Premium.

• Outlook Customer Manager – a Lite CRM system based on Outlook
• Microsoft Teams Shifts – Built-in Microsoft Teams to plan shifts and tasks
• Microsoft Bookings
• Microsoft Invoicing

Microsoft 365 Business Premium

Business Premium is an original Microsoft 36 plan, it was formerly known as Microsoft 365 Business. It comes with everything that Business Standard has with the addition of a couple of security features/services and a Windows 10 Pro license.

Windows 10 Pro License

The Windows 10 Pro license is a pretty strange one compared to the other plans, so let me explain it a bit. Some of the advanced security features that come with Business Premium don’t work on older versions of Windows or on Windows 10 Home.

So to make full use of the security features, you get a Windows 10 Pro license. Now to be clear, you can only upgrade Windows 7 or 8 Pro to Windows 10 Pro. You can’t upgrade Windows 10 Home to Pro.

Advanced Security Features

The advanced security features help you to stay protected against cybersecurity threats. It protects you from phishing emails and ransomware.

Another important feature is the Azure Information Protection. If you are working with a lot of sensitive data, then you absolutely don’t want the data to be accidentally shared with others. With Information Protection you can classify, label, and encrypt data so it can’t be shared accidentally.

Keep in mind that settings up these features require some knowledge about Office 365, so it might be a good idea to get an IT/Office 365 Consultant to help you set it up correctly.

Microsoft Intune

The last important addition to this Premium Microsoft 365 Business plan is Intune. With Microsoft Intune, you can manage and protect your mobile devices. Keep in mind data mobile devices are easily getting lost or stolen, so you want to make sure that those are fully protected and easily can be wiped clean when lost.

Microsoft 365 Apps for Business

This plan doesn’t really belong here in this comparison, but I have put it in because of the name and the confusion it might cause. You should actually really compare this plan with just buying Office 2019 in my opinion.

Basically, Apps for Business is only the Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.) with the advantage that you also get Online versions, continuous updates, and 1Tb OneDrive storage. But you don’t get SharePoint or Exchange Online.

So you will have to host your email somewhere else, store your files locally (or in OneDrive) and you won’t get any of the advantages of Office 365.

The Microsoft 365 Business Standard plan is for most businesses the best plan to choose. It comes with the Office apps, and all the cloud features and it’s reasonably priced. If you are still in doubt, you can always start with a trial of Business Standard .

Make sure you also check the following articles:

• Microsoft 365 Business Standard vs Office 365 E3
• Office 365 Branding
• Setup Multi-Factor Authentication in Office 365

You may also like the following articles

How to use High Volume Email in Microsoft 365

How to use Passkeys in Microsoft Authenticator for Microsoft Entra ID

New Outlook Feature – Follow a Meeting

5 thoughts on “microsoft 365 business plans compared”.

M365 Business Premium comes with Windows 10 Business, not Pro. Win 10 Pro is a requirement for Business.

Hi Can M365BP be combine with M365Standard or basic after BP has exceed the 300 limit ?

So 300MBP and 50MBS and so on.

Yes, that is possible.

your statement on Win 10 pro is wrong. Premium CANNOT upgrade a home to pro. I asked microsoft directly to confirm.

“Windows 10 Pro License The Windows 10 Pro license is a pretty strange one compared to the other plans, so let me explain it a bit. Some of the advanced security features that come with Business Premium don’t work on Windows 10 Home. In small companies, you see more Windows 10 Home devices, because people are using a (former) personal device or buy the more affordable computers with Windows 10 Home on it.

So to make full use of the security features, you get a Windows 10 Pro license. Installing it is pretty simple, all you need to do is change the license key and your Windows 10 Home installation will be upgraded to Pro.”

You are correct. I have updated the article.

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Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now available for small and medium-sized businesses.

Find the best Microsoft 365 plan for your business

Customers can choose between plans with and without microsoft teams., microsoft 365 business basic (no teams).

Originally starting from $4.75 now starting from $4.75

$4.75 $4.75

(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 

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 (no Teams)

Originally starting from $10.25 now starting from $10.25

$10.25 $10.25

Everything in Business Basic, plus:

Desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook  

Collaborative workspaces to co-create using Microsoft Loop 

Video editing and design tools with Microsoft Clipchamp 

Microsoft 365 Business Premium (no Teams)

Originally starting from $19.75 now starting from $19.75

$19.75 $19.75

Advanced identity and access management 

Enhanced cyberthreat protection against viruses and phishing attacks 

Enterprise-grade device and endpoint protection 

Discover, classify, and protect sensitive information

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.

Get Microsoft Teams as a standalone solution

Microsoft teams essentials.

Originally starting from $4.00 now starting from $4.00

$4.00 $4.00

(Annual subscription—auto renews) 1

Microsoft Teams Essentials includes:

• Unlimited group meetings for up to 30 hours
• Up to 300 participants per meeting
• 10 GB of cloud storage per user 
• Anytime phone and web support
• Unlimited chat with coworkers and customers
• File sharing, tasks, and polling
• Data encryption for meetings, chat, calls, and files 
• [1] Once your paid subscription begins, 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. Credit card 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.​

Connect with Microsoft 365 :

• Chat with sales
• Contact sales

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Upgrade or change to a different Microsoft 365 for business plan

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When your business needs change, or you want more features, you can change to a different Microsoft 365 for business plan. Most of the time, you can change plans automatically. An automatic change walks you through the entire process from beginning to end. After you buy a new plan, all users are automatically assigned licenses in the new plan, and your old plan is canceled for you. In some cases, you can't automatically change to a new plan, and instead must change plans manually .

Before you begin

• Find out what type of billing account you have.
• If you have a Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA) billing account type, you must be a billing account owner or contributor, or a billing profile owner or contributor to do the tasks in this article. For information about billing account and billing profile roles, see Understand your Microsoft business billing account and Manage your Microsoft business billing profiles .
• If you have a Microsoft Online Services Agreement (MOSA) billing account type, you must be a Global or Billing admin to do the tasks in this article. For more information, see About admin roles in the Microsoft 365 admin center .

If you’re the person who signed up for the subscription, you’re automatically a billing account owner or global admin.

When should I change plans?

Changing plans is the right choice when you want to move all users assigned to a single plan. When you change plans, all users in the current plan are assigned licenses for the new plan at the same time. If you only want to move some users to a new plan, buy a new plan with the number of licenses you need, and assign those licenses to the users that you want to move. For more information, see Move users to a different subscription .

Automatically change your subscription to a new plan

If you have an mca billing account type.

If you're using Microsoft 365 operated by 21Vianet in China, use the following link to access the admin center: https://portal.partner.microsoftonline.cn/

• If you’re using the Simplified view , select Subscriptions .
• If you’re using the Dashboard view , go to the Billing > Your products page.
• Select the subscription that you want to manage.
• On the subscription details page, in the Other subscription options section, select Change to a different subscription option .
• On the Compare products and select another option page, select a different plan to compare with your current plan. When you find the one that you want to buy, select Next .
• Choose when to schedule the change, enter the number of licenses that you want, select a subscription length and a billing frequency, then select Next .
• Review your selections, then select Save changes .

If you have an MOSA billing account type

If the View upgrades recommended for your org link is grayed out, see Why can't I change plans?

• On the Available upgrades page, find a new product, then select Upgrade .
• On the Checkout page, select or add a payment method, then select Place order .

After you place the order, it might take a few minutes to finalize the change. You can start using your new subscription right away.

Why can't I change plans?

The information in this section only applies if you have an MOSA billing account type.

If you can't select the View upgrades recommended for your org link, it means that you can't automatically change your plan right now. In some cases, you can resolve the issue so that you can view available plans. In other cases, you can change plans manually , instead. The following table lists issues you might encounter when you try to change your plan, and tells how to resolve them.

What does automatically changing plans do to my service and billing?

When you change plans automatically, your services and billing are affected in the following ways.

Access to services

• Admins: Admins can't make changes to the subscription details page while the change is in process, but you can use the rest of the admin center. The change between plans can take up to an hour.
• Users: Users experience no interruption of service during the plan change. They continue to have the existing service until the change is finished.

Users and licenses

• Users: Users on the old subscription are automatically moved to the new subscription.
• Services: If your old subscription includes multiple services, and if you changed which of these services your users are assigned to, make note of these changes before you change plans. Your notes can help you can recreate these changes afterwards. All users are given access to all services in the new subscription. For example, if you previously bought Microsoft 365 Business Premium for all 10 of your users, but you unassigned the SharePoint Online service from five of them, this change isn't kept after you change plans.
• License assignments: If you have more than one subscription before you change plans, and users have licenses to more than one subscription, this assignment pattern is kept as much as possible in the new subscription.
• Data: All user data is retained during the change, including Exchange mailboxes and SharePoint Online documents, lists, and other information.

The day your plan change is complete, the billing on your old subscription is turned off and the billing on your new subscription is turned on. Depending on the new plan you selected, you might receive a prorated credit. You receive a new invoice that includes the credit for your old subscription within 30 days of changing to the new subscription.

The length of time it takes to receive your prorated credit depends on the payment method used for the old subscription.

Change plans manually

Most of the time, you can change plans automatically. However, sometimes this isn't possible. You can change plans manually if:

• You can't select the View upgrades recommended for your org link.
• When you select the View upgrades recommended for your org link, the plan you want isn't listed.
• You don't want to move all your users to the same plan. Some businesses need different users licensed for different plans.

If you're changing to a plan with fewer data-related services than your current plan, you must manually back up any data that you want to keep. For more information, see Back up data before changing Microsoft 365 for business plans .

Step 1: Buy a new subscription

Already bought a new subscription? If you already have the subscription that you want to move users to, skip this step and go to Step 2: Check your new subscription and licenses .

Need to buy a new subscription and licenses? Follow the steps in Buy a different subscription .

Make sure that you buy a subscription for the same organization that the users are in now. For example, check the email addresses for the users that you want to move. If their email addresses include @contoso.com , you must buy a new subscription for contoso.com. Buy a license for each user that you want to move.

Step 2: Check your new subscription and licenses

In the Microsoft 365 admin center , go to the Billing > Your products page, then do the following:

• Verify that both the old and new subscriptions are listed and active. The subscription that you're moving users from and the subscription that you're moving users to must be listed together. If the new subscription isn't there when you first check, try again later. Verify that both subscriptions are listed as Active .
• Check that you have enough licenses for each user. Each user needs a license that matches their subscription. If you want to move 10 users to Microsoft 365 Business Premium, make sure 10 unassigned licenses are available in that subscription.
• Need more licenses for the new subscription? Go to the Your products page, select the subscription, and buy more licenses .

The new subscription isn't listed, or isn't active

If you bought two subscriptions and they aren't both listed on the Your products page, you might have bought them for different organizations (for different domains). Subscriptions can't cross organization boundaries.

If you know you have another subscription, and it isn't listed here, or isn't active, contact support .

What about old licenses?

The licenses for the current subscription are removed in Step 4: Cancel subscriptions or remove licenses that you no longer need (Optional) . After that, you only pay for the new licenses.

Step 3: Move users to the new subscription

After you confirm the number of licenses in your new subscription, you can move users from the old subscription to the new one .

Step 4: Cancel subscriptions or remove licenses that you no longer need (Optional)

If you moved all users from one subscription to another, and you don't need the original subscription anymore, just cancel the subscription .

If you have an MCA billing account type, you can only cancel and receive a prorated credit or refund if you cancel within seven days after the start or renewal of your subscription. If you cancel during this limited time window, the prorated amount is either credited towards your next invoice or returned to you in the next billing cycle. For details, see Determine your cancellation option .

If you moved only some users to a different subscription, remove licenses that you no longer need .

If you upgraded to Microsoft 365 Business Premium, use the steps in the Business Premium library to set up your new security capabilities.

Visit the Microsoft 365 Business Premium library

Related content

Move users to a different subscription (article) Try or buy a Microsoft 365 for business subscription (article)

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Additional resources

Microsoft 365 Family vs Microsoft 365 Business: which is better for work?

Not sure whether to spend extra on corporate software? We weigh up Microsoft’s productivity possibilities

Most of us have been using apps like Word and Excel for decades, so it’s no surprise that productivity suites like Microsoft 365 are popular – they combine top tools and security features into easy, accessible packages.

If you’re not familiar with the range of Microsoft 365 options on the market, though, the range of options can be extremely confusing. It’s even trickier if you’re weighing up Microsoft’s various family and business plans.

And while it might seem odd to compare home and work products, the rise in freelancing and hybrid working means more people and companies are trying to figure out if they can use Microsoft 365 home products instead of a pricier business package.

Whether you’re a freelancer, an IT manager or a business owner, it’s worth weighing up Microsoft 365 Family and Microsoft 365 Business to find the best option for you – and that’s exactly what we’ve done.   

That’s not the end of our software support, either. We’ve delved into the best photo recovery apps and explored the best apps for managing your money .

Microsoft for Business can help identify your company's specific tech needs. Connect one-on-one with a business product expert by video chat or audio call. Book a consultation today.

Microsoft 365 Family: what do you get?

There’s no denying that Microsoft 365 Family offers great value. Pay $99.99 per year in the US or £79.99 in the UK and you get Word , Excel , PowerPoint , OneNote , Outlook and OneDrive . Users can run those apps on PCs, Macs, Android and iOS devices and on the web. Access and Publisher are available for PC users, too.

It’s huge versatility, and the impressive set of features doesn’t stop there. Each user gets 1TB of cloud storage so you can sync files across devices. Each user gets 50GB of space with their Outlook email address, and Family users can enjoy Microsoft Teams and Skype for easy communication.

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Elsewhere, conventional data protection comes from Microsoft Defender, and OneDrive incorporates ransomware detection and recovery services. There’s even a basic free video editing software and royalty-free templates, stock photos and stock videos.

If you need reliable, synchronized access to productivity tools, then the Home product makes loads of sense – especially if you want productivity software that your family can use. And with support for six users, the Family package is ideal for small businesses with relatively basic productivity needs.

There’s a great option if you’re self-employed, too: the Microsoft 365 Personal product only supports one user, but it only costs $69.99 or £59.99 per year.

Microsoft 365 Business: a better option?

There’s no doubt that Microsoft 365 Family is well-suited to anyone who needs relatively straightforward productivity and email tools, but if you run a business or handle corporate IT systems then you’ll find its limits very quickly.

If that’s the case, then you should consider Microsoft 365 Business instead. These products are more expensive, but they’re far more powerful.

Let’s start with Microsoft 365 Business Basic, which costs $6 or £4.50 per user per month. You get web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook. You get Exchange, too, so you can use your domain name rather than Outlook. Each user gets 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage space alongside 50GB of email capacity.

The Basic product has more collaboration options, in-depth calendaring capabilities and a solid range of admin settings, and its tools also work on Android and iOS – just like in Microsoft 365 Family.

If you’d like to switch your business to downloadable apps rather than online versions, you can pay $8.25 or £7.90 for Microsoft 365 Apps for Business.

Upgrade to Microsoft 365 Business Standard and you get everything in Business Basic alongside downloadable apps and the ability to host webinars . You’ll also get more detailed options about how Microsoft controls and processes your data, which is perfect if you want to retain your existing domain.

Microsoft’s top option, 365 Business Premium, costs $22 or £16.60 per user per month. That’s pricey, but you get class-leading security and management features that you simply won’t find on any other Microsoft 365 product. It’s the best product here if you have a wider network that you need to manage and sensitive data that you have to protect.

The various Microsoft 365 Business products offer more than the Family and Personal tools. Even at the Basic level you get Exchange, and as you upgrade through the tiers then Microsoft adds enterprise-grade management and security abilities.

And, no matter which Microsoft 365 Business tool you purchase, you’ll be able to add 300 users to your system and allow each user to use Microsoft’s products across five different devices.

We can’t deny the increase in cost, though. When all the Business products charge per user and per month, those products will quickly become pricier than Microsoft 365 Family or Personal.

Which should you use?

The relatively high costs means that there are plenty of situations where Microsoft 365 Family will be your best option – even if you’re buying software for business use.

If you’re a small company that only has relatively basic productivity needs, for instance, then you can easily buy Microsoft 365 Family, grant access to five other employees, and enjoy web, mobile and PC-based access to crucial apps.

It’s also ideal for freelancers, people who need a product for their family, and many people who work from home.

Pretty soon, though, you’re going to hit the limits of Microsoft 365 Family, especially if you’re part of a growing business or if you operate in a larger team. If that’s the case, then you or your business should stump up for a Microsoft 365 Business product.

Exchange compatibility means you can use corporate email addresses, those tools support a broader number of users, and as you progress through the tiers you get better security and management options. In terms of protection, deployment and administration, there’s really no competition.

Ultimately, freelancers, sole traders and people who need basic productivity tools can certainly save money with Microsoft 365 Family, and that’s a great option if you want one package to cover home and work use. But if you have a larger business then you’ll almost certainly need the more robust security and management tools available from Microsoft’s proper corporate software. 

L ooking for a new laptop to WFH? Check out our best laptop for working from home

Mike has worked as a technology journalist for more than a decade and has written for most of the UK’s big technology titles alongside numerous global outlets. He loves PCs, laptops and any new hardware, and covers everything from the latest business trends to high-end gaming gear.

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You have the option to switch between Microsoft subscriptions to the best one that meets your needs. For example, if you have Microsoft 365 Personal and want to share Microsoft 365 apps and other subscription benefits with your household, you can switch to Microsoft 365 Family. Or, you might have Microsoft 365 Basic  with 100 GB of cloud storage, but decide you want 1 TB and the additional benefits of a Microsoft 365 Family or Personal subscription.

Tip:  The steps below describe switching between Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, and Basic. To switch to a business subscription, see  Switch to a Microsoft 365 business subscription .

How to switch subscription plans

How you switch subscriptions depends on if you're switching to a plan with more or less features.

Select  Switch to a plan with more features  if:

​​​​​​You have ​ Microsoft 365 Personal or  Microsoft 365 Basic , and you're switching to  Microsoft 365 Family

You have  Microsoft 365 Basic  and you're switching to ​ Microsoft 365 Personal

Select Switch to a plan with less features  if:

You have  Microsoft 365 Family  or​ Microsoft 365 Personal , and you're switching to  Microsoft 365 Basic

You have  Microsoft 365 Family  and you're switching to ​ Microsoft 365 Personal

Switch to a plan with more features

Buy the subscription that you want to switch to. Make sure to use the same Microsoft account as your current subscription when you do this.

The remaining days on your current subscription will automatically convert and get added to your new subscription. The exact number of days will depend on what subscription you’re moving from and what you’re moving to.

Depending on which plan you're switching to, some benefits might get added or removed (such as cloud storage and sharing subscription benefits).

Note:  Depending on the subscription you’re moving to, the adjusted number of days added to your new subscription may result in less time being added than the amount of time remaining on your original subscription. The exact number of days added or removed is based on the adjusted rate of the Microsoft 365 subscription you're moving to.

The following table provides examples of how many days will be added to a new Microsoft 365 subscription if, for example, you had 15 or 90 days remaining on a current Microsoft 365 Basic  or Microsoft 365 Personal subscription.

Note:  Prorated adjustments may differ or may not be available depending on the subscriptions you're moving to and from.

See Common questions  below for more info.

Switch to a plan with less features

Go to Services & subscriptions and if prompted, sign in with the Microsoft account associated with your subscription.

Find your current subscription and select Manage , and then select Cancel subscription .

The Cancel page will show you the features of your current subscription plan. If you're switching to another plan with less features, select the plan that works for you.

Follow the instructions to complete the switch. Your existing subscription might not change immediately, but it will automatically change to the new plan when the plan renews. You won’t be charged for the new plan until it renews into that plan.

See Common questions  below for more info. 

Common questions

What changes can i expect when switching between subscriptions.

When moving from Microsoft 365 Basic , your cloud storage will go from 100 GB to 1 TB (1000 GB) of cloud storage.

You’ll also have access to the benefits below, depending on which subscription you move to.

This is what changes when you switch to...

How do i switch to microsoft 365 personal after my free microsoft 365 family trial ends.

We recommend that you sign in to  Services & subscriptions  with the Microsoft account associated with your subscription, select  Turn off recurring billing  before your trial ends, and then switch to Microsoft 365 Personal.

Can I use a new product key to switch plans?

Yes, if you bought a new Office product key from a retailer, go to  Office.com/setup  and sign in using the same account as your current subscription. After you enter your new product key, you'll see options for switching your plan.

Do I have to reinstall the desktop apps after switching plans?

Switching between Microsoft 365 Personal and Microsoft 365 Family doesn't impact the desktop apps you previously installed, so you won't need to reinstall the apps after switching subscriptions.

However, if you’re switching from Microsoft 365 Basic  to Microsoft 365 Family or Personal, you’ll now be able to install the desktop apps for Microsoft 365 on your Mac or PC. For help with installing the apps see,  Download and install or reinstall Microsoft 365 on a PC or Mac .

Can I switch to a business subscription?

Yes, you can move from Microsoft 365 Personal or Microsoft 365 Family to a business subscription. To learn how, see  Switch from Microsoft 365 Personal or Family to a business subscription .

How can I switch to the discounted rate offered by my employer's Microsoft Workplace Discount Program?

If you already have Microsoft 365 Personal or Microsoft 365 Family, you can still take advantage of this discount. When you purchase through your employer's offer, additional time is added to your existing subscription, and the discounted rate will begin at your existing subscription’s annual renewal date. Be sure to specify the Microsoft account that’s associated with your current Microsoft 365 subscription during the purchase process.

I don't need a subscription anymore. How can I switch to a non-subscription (one-time purchase) of Office?

Sign in to  Services & subscriptions  with the Microsoft account associated with your subscription, and then select  Turn off recurring billing .

When your subscription expires, buy a one-time purchase of Office.  Check prices .

When you complete your purchase, open any app like Word, Excel, or PowerPoint and  switch your license  to begin using Office as a one-time purchase.

How can I change the email address that's associated with my new plan?

The best way to do this is start your new plan using a different email address. To change your email address for a current subscription, you'll need to contact  Account and billing support .

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Take a short Community User Survey | Help us make your experience better!

To ensure that we are providing the best possible experience for Community members, we want to hear from you!    We value your feedback! As part of our commitment to enhancing your experience, we invite you to participate in a brief 15-question survey. Your insights will help us improve our services and better serve the community.   👉 Community User Survey    Thank you for being an essential part of our community!    Power Platform Engagement Team  

Tuesday Tip | How to Get Community Support

It's time for another Tuesday Tip, your weekly connection with the most insightful tips and tricks that empower both newcomers and veterans in the Power Platform Community! Every Tuesday, we bring you a curated selection of the finest advice, distilled from the resources and tools in the Community. Whether you’re a seasoned member or just getting started, Tuesday Tips are the perfect compass guiding you across the dynamic landscape of the Power Platform Community.       This Week: All About Community Support Whether you're a seasoned community veteran or just getting started, you may need a bit of help from time to time! If you need to share feedback with the Community Engagement team about the community or are looking for ways we can assist you with user groups, events, or something else, Community Support is the place to start.   Community Support is part of every one of our communities, accessible to all our community members.   Within each community's Community Support page, you'll find three distinct areas, each with a different focus to help you when you need support from us most. Power Apps: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Community-Support/ct-p/pa_community_support Power Automate: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Community-Support/ct-p/mpa_community_support Power Pages: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Community-Support/ct-p/mpp_community_support Copilot Studio: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Community-Support/ct-p/pva_community-support   Community Support Form If you need more assistance, you can reach out to the Community Team via the Community support form. Choose the type of support you require and fill in the form accordingly. We will respond to you promptly.    Thank you for being an active part of our community. Your contributions make a difference!   Best Regards, The Community Management Team

Community Roundup: A Look Back at Our Last 10 Tuesday Tips

As we continue to grow and learn together, it's important to reflect on the valuable insights we've shared. For today's #TuesdayTip, we're excited to take a moment to look back at the last 10 tips we've shared in case you missed any or want to revisit them. Thanks for your incredible support for this series--we're so glad it was able to help so many of you navigate your community experience!   Getting Started in the Community An overview of everything you need to know about navigating the community on one page!  Community Links: ○ Power Apps ○ Power Automate  ○ Power Pages  ○ Copilot Studio    Community Ranks and YOU Have you ever wondered how your fellow community members ascend the ranks within our community? We explain everything about ranks and how to achieve points so you can climb up in the rankings! Community Links: ○ Power Apps ○ Power Automate  ○ Power Pages  ○ Copilot Studio    Powering Up Your Community Profile Your Community User Profile is how the Community knows you--so it's essential that it works the way you need it to! From changing your username to updating contact information, this Knowledge Base Article is your best resource for powering up your profile. Community Links: ○ Power Apps ○ Power Automate  ○ Power Pages  ○ Copilot Studio    Community Blogs--A Great Place to Start There's so much you'll discover in the Community Blogs, and we hope you'll check them out today!  Community Links: ○ Power Apps ○ Power Automate  ○ Power Pages  ○ Copilot Studio    Unlocking Community Achievements and Earning Badges Across the Communities, you'll see badges on users profile that recognize and reward their engagement and contributions. Check out some details on Community badges--and find out more in the detailed link at the end of the article! Community Links: ○ Power Apps  ○ Power Automate  ○ Power Pages  ○ Copilot Studio    Blogging in the Community Interested in blogging? Everything you need to know on writing blogs in our four communities! Get started blogging across the Power Platform communities today! Community Links: ○ Power Apps  ○ Power Automate  ○ Power Pages  ○ Copilot Studio   Subscriptions & Notifications We don't want you to miss a thing in the community! Read all about how to subscribe to sections of our forums and how to setup your notifications! Community Links: ○ Power Apps  ○ Power Automate  ○ Power Pages  ○ Copilot Studio   Getting Started with Private Messages & Macros Do you want to enhance your communication in the Community and streamline your interactions? One of the best ways to do this is to ensure you are using Private Messaging--and the ever-handy macros that are available to you as a Community member! Community Links: ○ Power Apps  ○ Power Automate  ○ Power Pages  ○ Copilot Studio   Community User Groups Learn everything about being part of, starting, or leading a User Group in the Power Platform Community. Community Links: ○ Power Apps  ○ Power Automate  ○ Power Pages  ○ Copilot Studio   Update Your Community Profile Today! Keep your community profile up to date which is essential for staying connected and engaged with the community. Community Links: ○ Power Apps  ○ Power Automate  ○ Power Pages  ○ Copilot Studio   Thank you for being an integral part of our journey.   Here's to many more Tuesday Tips as we pave the way for a brighter, more connected future! As always, watch the News & Announcements for the next set of tips, coming soon!

Calling all User Group Leaders and Super Users! Mark Your Calendars for the next Community Ambassador Call on May 9th!

This month's Community Ambassador call is on May 9th at 9a & 3p PDT. Please keep an eye out in your private messages and Teams channels for your invitation. There are lots of exciting updates coming to the Community, and we have some exclusive opportunities to share with you! As always, we'll also review regular updates for User Groups, Super Users, and share general information about what's going on in the Community.     Be sure to register & we hope to see all of you there!

April 2024 Community Newsletter

We're pleased to share the April Community Newsletter, where we highlight the latest news, product releases, upcoming events, and the amazing work of our outstanding Community members.   If you're new to the Community, please make sure to follow the latest News & Announcements and check out the Community on LinkedIn as well! It's the best way to stay up-to-date with all the news from across Microsoft Power Platform and beyond.    COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS   Check out the most active community members of the last month! These hardworking members are posting regularly, answering questions, kudos, and providing top solutions in their communities. We are so thankful for each of you--keep up the great work! If you hope to see your name here next month, follow these awesome community members to see what they do!   Power AppsPower AutomateCopilot StudioPower PagesWarrenBelzDeenujialexander2523ragavanrajanLaurensMManishSolankiMattJimisonLucas001AmikcapuanodanilostephenrobertOliverRodriguestimlAndrewJManikandanSFubarmmbr1606VishnuReddy1997theMacResolutionsVishalJhaveriVictorIvanidzejsrandhawahagrua33ikExpiscornovusFGuerrero1PowerAddictgulshankhuranaANBExpiscornovusprathyooSpongYeNived_Nambiardeeksha15795apangelesGochixgrantjenkinsvasu24Mfon   LATEST NEWS Business Applications Launch Event - On Demand In case you missed the Business Applications Launch Event, you can now catch up on all the announcements and watch the entire event on-demand inside Charles Lamanna's latest cloud blog.   This is your one stop shop for all the latest Copilot features across Power Platform and #Dynamics365, including first-hand looks at how companies such as Lenovo, Sonepar, Ford Motor Company, Omnicom and more are using these new capabilities in transformative ways. Click the image below to watch today!     Power Platform Community Conference 2024 is here! It's time to look forward to the next installment of the Power Platform Community Conference, which takes place this year on 18-20th September 2024 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas!   Come and be inspired by Microsoft senior thought leaders and the engineers behind the #PowerPlatform, with Charles Lamanna, Sangya Singh, Ryan Cunningham, Kim Manis, Nirav Shah, Omar Aftab and Leon Welicki already confirmed to speak. You'll also be able to learn from industry experts and Microsoft MVPs who are dedicated to bridging the gap between humanity and technology. These include the likes of Lisa Crosbie, Victor Dantas, Kristine Kolodziejski, David Yack, Daniel Christian, Miguel Félix, and Mats Necker, with many more to be announced over the coming weeks.   Click here to watch our brand-new sizzle reel for #PPCC24 or click the image below to find out more about registration. See you in Vegas!     Power Up Program Announces New Video-Based Learning Hear from Principal Program Manager, Dimpi Gandhi, to discover the latest enhancements to the Microsoft #PowerUpProgram. These include a new accelerated video-based curriculum crafted with the expertise of Microsoft MVPs, Rory Neary and Charlie Phipps-Bennett. If you’d like to hear what’s coming next, click the image below to find out more!     UPCOMING EVENTS Microsoft Build - Seattle and Online - 21-23rd May 2024 Taking place on 21-23rd May 2024 both online and in Seattle, this is the perfect event to learn more about low code development, creating copilots, cloud platforms, and so much more to help you unleash the power of AI.   There's a serious wealth of talent speaking across the three days, including the likes of Satya Nadella, Amanda K. Silver, Scott Guthrie, Sarah Bird, Charles Lamanna, Miti J., Kevin Scott, Asha Sharma, Rajesh Jha, Arun Ulag, Clay Wesener, and many more.   And don't worry if you can't make it to Seattle, the event will be online and totally free to join. Click the image below to register for #MSBuild today!     European Collab Summit - Germany - 14-16th May 2024 The clock is counting down to the amazing European Collaboration Summit, which takes place in Germany May 14-16, 2024. #CollabSummit2024 is designed to provide cutting-edge insights and best practices into Power Platform, Microsoft 365, Teams, Viva, and so much more. There's a whole host of experts speakers across the three-day event, including the likes of Vesa Juvonen, Laurie Pottmeyer, Dan Holme, Mark Kashman, Dona Sarkar, Gavin Barron, Emily Mancini, Martina Grom, Ahmad Najjar, Liz Sundet, Nikki Chapple, Sara Fennah, Seb Matthews, Tobias Martin, Zoe Wilson, Fabian Williams, and many more.   Click the image below to find out more about #ECS2024 and register today!   Microsoft 365 & Power Platform Conference - Seattle - 3-7th June If you're looking to turbo boost your Power Platform skills this year, why not take a look at everything TechCon365 has to offer at the Seattle Convention Center on June 3-7, 2024.   This amazing 3-day conference (with 2 optional days of workshops) offers over 130 sessions across multiple tracks, alongside 25 workshops presented by Power Platform, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Viva, Azure, Copilot and AI experts. There's a great array of speakers, including the likes of Nirav Shah, Naomi Moneypenny, Jason Himmelstein, Heather Cook, Karuana Gatimu, Mark Kashman, Michelle Gilbert, Taiki Y., Kristi K., Nate Chamberlain, Julie Koesmarno, Daniel Glenn, Sarah Haase, Marc Windle, Amit Vasu, Joanne C Klein, Agnes Molnar, and many more.   Click the image below for more #Techcon365 intel and register today!   For more events, click the image below to visit the Microsoft Community Days website.    

Tuesday Tip | Update Your Community Profile Today!

It's time for another TUESDAY TIPS, your weekly connection with the most insightful tips and tricks that empower both newcomers and veterans in the Power Platform Community! Every Tuesday, we bring you a curated selection of the finest advice, distilled from the resources and tools in the Community. Whether you’re a seasoned member or just getting started, Tuesday Tips are the perfect compass guiding you across the dynamic landscape of the Power Platform Community.   We're excited to announce that updating your community profile has never been easier! Keeping your profile up to date is essential for staying connected and engaged with the community.   Check out the following Support Articles with these topics: Accessing Your Community ProfileRetrieving Your Profile URLUpdating Your Community Profile Time ZoneChanging Your Community Profile Picture (Avatar)Setting Your Date Display Preferences Click on your community link for more information: Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, Copilot Studio   Thank you for being an active part of our community. Your contributions make a difference! Best Regards, The Community Management Team

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Microsoft 365 Basic vs Microsoft 365 Personal: Which is better?

Microsoft has introduced another tier to its expansive Microsoft 365 plans, Microsoft 365 Basic. This plan is designed to be used by one person and will be the cheapest plan available from the company, excluding the free option.

Microsoft 365 Basic will be available on 30th January 2023, with any existing OneDrive 100GB members being automatically transitioned over to the new plan once it goes live.

But with the release of a brand new subscription tier, how does it compare to one of the other popular single-person tier options, Microsoft 365 Personal? We’re going to be breaking down the key differences between these two plans so you can decide which is better suited to your needs. Read on to find out more.

The Basic plan is a lot cheaper

The latest tier from Microsoft is the cheapest plan available, coming in at just $1.99 a month, or $19.99 a year. As we’ve already mentioned, anyone who is currently a member of the OneDrive 100GB plan will be automatically shifted over to this new plan on 30th January, so you won’t need to worry about signing up for a second time.

Microsoft 365 Personal is a little more expensive, with a price of £5.99/$6.99/€7.00 a month, or £59.99/$69.99/€69.99 a year. The higher price of this plan is reflected in all its included features – which we will touch on in the next few sections – but it does make it less accessible than the Microsoft 365 Basic plan.

More storage with Microsoft 365 Personal

As the name suggests, Microsoft 365 Personal is developed for one person to use and comes with 1TB of cloud storage. 1TB of storage should be more than enough for most people who are not engaging in intensive and heavy workloads, making it an ideal choice for anyone looking to save media files or a couple of movies.

Microsoft 365 Basic will come with 100GB of cloud storage and it does not look like this will be upgradable in any capacity.

If you know that you need a high amount of storage for TV content or work files, Microsoft 365 Personal is likely the best way to go, as you may find that you run out of 100GB pretty quickly if used often.

No access to desktop versions of Word, Excel and Powerpoint apps with the Basic plan

Those who choose to join the Microsoft 365 Personal plan will have access to desktop versions of apps like Word, Excel and Powerpoint, among many others. Members will have access to offline mode as well as premium features, such as smart assistance to get advanced writing, speaking and design suggestions.

Meanwhile, the Microsoft 365 Basic plan does not come with access to the desktop versions of these apps, however, users will be able to access them through the web or mobile variations. Both the web and mobile options are not as powerful as the desktop variation since they lack some of the more premium features.

For example, the web and mobile platforms do not have alignments guides, there are no advanced proofing tools and users cannot create citations or a bibliography. This may make Microsoft 365 Personal the more alluring option for students or workers who regularly need to create long and cited documents. 

Microsoft 365 Personal works with more devices

Despite the fact that both of these plans have been developed to be used by just one person, Microsoft 365 Personal is the more accessible option overall. Personal members can use up to five devices simultaneously, meaning that you can switch between a laptop, mobile phone, PC and tablet with ease.

As far as we know, the Microsoft 365 Basic plan can be used on just one device at once, making it a little less seamless than the alternative option. The Basic plan should be compatible with the same devices as the Personal plan, which includes Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad as well as Android phones and tablets.

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If you mean the Office applications, you have no licenses to install the Office applications and you can only use Office for the web on Windows and Mac.

Microsoft 365 Business Basic | Microsoft 365

You can only edit the mobile version of the Office applications on the mobile devices whose screen size is up to 10.9 inches.

What you can do in the Microsoft 365 apps on mobile devices with a Microsoft 365 subscription - Microsoft Support

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Explore the latest in AI-powered cybersecurity capabilities announced at Microsoft Secure.    Watch on demand  >   Read the announcement  >

Azure Active Directory is now Microsoft Entra ID

New name, same powerful capabilities.

5 ways to secure identity and access in the age of AI.

Help your organization be better prepared for the opportunities and challenges ahead by adopting a comprehensive defense-in-depth strategy that spans identity, endpoint, and network.

Manage and protect with Microsoft Entra ID

Safeguard your organization with a cloud identity and access management solution that connects employees, customers, and partners to their apps, devices, and data.

Secure adaptive access

Protect access to resources and data using strong authentication and risk-based adaptive access policies without compromising user experience.

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Provide a fast, easy sign-in experience across your multicloud environment to keep your users productive, reduce time managing passwords, and increase productivity.

Unified identity management

Manage all your identities and access to all your applications in a central location, whether they’re in the cloud or on-premises, to improve visibility and control.

Comprehensive capabilities

App integrations and single sign-on (SSO)

Connect your workforce to all your apps, from any location, using any device. Simplify app access from anywhere with single sign-on.

Passwordless and multifactor authentication (MFA)

Help safeguard access to data and apps and keep it simple for users. Provide ease of use without the inherent risk of passwords.

Conditional access

Apply the right access controls to strengthen your organization’s security.

Identity protection

Automate detection and remediation of identity-based risks.

Privileged identity management

Strengthen the security of your privileged accounts.

End-user self-service

Help your employees securely manage their own identity with self-service portals including My Apps, My Access, My Account, and My Groups.

Unified admin center

Confidently manage all Microsoft Entra multicloud identity and network access solutions in one place.

Multicloud identity and access management

Microsoft Entra ID is an integrated cloud identity and access solution, and a leader in the market for managing directories, enabling access to applications, and protecting identities.

Microsoft Entra ID empowers organizations to manage and secure identities so employees, partners, and customers can access the applications and services they need. Microsoft Entra ID provides an identity solution that integrates broadly, from on-premises legacy apps to thousands of top software-as-a-service (SaaS) application, delivering a seamless end-user experience and improved visibility and control.

Consistently recognized as a Leader by industry analysts

Microsoft recognized for seventh year

Microsoft is a seven-time Leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Access Management. 1 , 2

A leader in access management

Learn why KuppingerCole rates Microsoft a strong positive across all product and leadership dimensions in access management. 3

2022 Company of the Year for Global Identity and Access Management

Frost & Sullivan has named Microsoft the 2022 Company of the Year for the Global Identity and Access Management industry. 4

See why more than 300,000 organizations use Microsoft Entra ID

Get started with microsoft entra id, microsoft entra id p2.

Get comprehensive identity and access management capabilities including identity protection, privileged identity management, and self-service access management for end users. Azure AD Premium P2 is now Microsoft Entra ID P2.

Microsoft Entra ID P1

Get the fundamentals of identity and access management, including single sign-on, multifactor authentication, passwordless and conditional access, and other features. Azure AD Premium P1 is now Microsoft Entra ID P1.

The free edition of Microsoft Entra ID is included with a subscription of a commercial online service such as Azure, Dynamics 365, Intune, Power Platform, and others.

Discover the Total Economic Impact of Microsoft Entra

Microsoft Entra ID increases worker productivity and reduces IT friction. Fifty percent of teams increased identity and access management team efficiency. End–user productivity increased by 13 hours per year and password reset requests decreased by 75 percent.

Explore the Microsoft Entra product family

Safeguard connections between people, apps, resources, and devices with multicloud identity and network access products.

Identity and access management

Microsoft entra id (formerly azure active directory).

Manage and protect users, apps, workloads, and devices.

Microsoft Entra ID Governance

Protect, monitor, and audit access to critical assets.

Microsoft Entra External ID

Provide your customers and partners with secure access to any app.

Microsoft Entra Domain Services

Manage your domain controllers in the cloud.

New identity categories

Microsoft entra verified id.

Issue and verify identity credentials based on open standards.

Microsoft Entra Permissions Management

Manage identity permissions across your multicloud infrastructure.

Microsoft Entra Workload ID

Help apps and services to securely access cloud resources.

Network access

Microsoft entra internet access.

Secure access to internet, software as a service, and Microsoft 365 apps.

Microsoft Entra Private Access

Help users to securely connect to private apps from anywhere.

Additional resources for Microsoft Entra ID

Azure ad is now microsoft entra id.

Microsoft Entra ID is the new name for Azure AD. All licensing and functionality remain the same. No action is required from you.

Microsoft Entra blog

Stay up to date with the latest news about identity and network access product.

The Total Economic Impact™ of Microsoft Entra

Learn how an organization achieved a three-year 240% ROI with Microsoft Entra in this 2023 commissioned Forrester Consulting study. 5

Technical documentation

Explore all the features in Microsoft Entra ID, and view how-to guides, tutorials, and quick-start guides.

Frequently asked questions

What is azure ad what is microsoft entra id.

Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), now known as Microsoft Entra ID, is an identity and access management solution from Microsoft that helps organizations secure and manage identities for hybrid and multicloud environments.

Is Azure AD free? How about Microsoft Entra ID?

Azure AD, now known as Microsoft Entra ID, has a free edition that provides user and group management, on-premises directory synchronization, basic reports, self-service password change for cloud users, and single sign-on across Azure, Microsoft 365, and many popular SaaS apps. The free edition is included with a subscription of a commercial online service such as Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Intune, or Power Platform.

What are the Azure AD licenses?

Azure AD is now known as Microsoft Entra ID, but the licenses and service plans remain the same—Free, P1, and P2.

What’s the new name for Azure AD?

The new name for Azure AD is Microsoft Entra ID. The name is changing, but the capabilities, licensing, and pricing remain the same. No action is required for existing customers.

What happened to Azure AD?

The name changed. Microsoft offers and supports the capabilities and service level agreements of Azure AD under the new name of Microsoft Entra ID, which was announced on June 20, 2023.

Get started

Safeguard your organization with a seamless identity and access management solution.

• [1] Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Gartner is a registered trademark and service mark and Magic Quadrant is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.
• [2] Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Access Management, Henrique Teixeira, Abhyuday Data, Nathan Harris, Robertson Pimentel. 16 November 2023.
• [3] KuppingerCole, Leadership Compass: Access Management 2022, Richard Hill, April 26, 2022.
• [4] Frost and Sullivan, Microsoft 2022 Company of the Year, Global Identity and Access Management Industry, 2022.
• [5] Forrester Consulting, The Total Economic Impact™ Of Microsoft Entra: Cost Savings And Business Benefits Enabled By Microsoft Entra, commissioned by Microsoft, March 2023. Results are for a composite organization based on eight organizations as stated in the linked study.

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