Comparing All Office 365 Plans: Your Fast-Track Guide to Choosing the Right Office 365 Plan

Office 365, now marketed as Microsoft 365, offers a range of subscription plans designed to meet the needs of individuals, families, small businesses, and enterprises. Choosing the right plan can be challenging given the diverse range of features, pricing, and included services. Here’s a comprehensive comparison of all major Office 365 (Microsoft 365) plans to help you make an informed decision.

Office 365 Plans Overview

1. Personal & Family Plans:

- Microsoft 365 Personal: For one individual. Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, 1TB OneDrive storage, and access across multiple devices.

- Microsoft 365 Family: Covers up to 6 people. Each person gets 1TB of storage with the full suite of Office apps.

2. Business Plans:

- Microsoft 365 Business Basic: Web and mobile versions of Office apps, Teams, 1TB OneDrive, business email (Exchange Online).

- Microsoft 365 Business Standard: Desktop, web, and mobile apps; Teams, OneDrive, business email, SharePoint.

- Microsoft 365 Business Premium: All Standard features plus advanced security, Intune device management, and Defender.

- Microsoft 365 Apps for Business: Office applications + 1TB storage, no business email.

3. Enterprise Plans:

- Office 365 E1: Online versions of Office, email, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint.

- Office 365 E3: Desktop Office apps, email, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, advanced compliance.

- Office 365 E5: All E3 features + advanced security, analytics, and phone system capabilities.

Comparative Table: Key Features

Plan User Limit Desktop Apps Email Storage Teams Security/Compliance Personal 1 Yes No 1TB Yes Standard Family 6 Yes No 1TB/user Yes Standard Business Basic 300 No Yes 1TB/user Yes Basic Business Standard 300 Yes Yes 1TB/user Yes Standard Business Premium 300 Yes Yes 1TB/user Yes Advanced Apps for Business 300 Yes No 1TB/user No Standard E1 Unlimited No Yes 1TB/user Yes Enterprise E3 Unlimited Yes Yes 1TB/user Yes Enterprise E5 Unlimited Yes Yes 1TB/user Yes Advanced Choosing the Right Plan—A Designer’s Perspective

As a designer, I understand the importance of selecting practical tools that enhance workflow and support collaborative creativity. A professional home office layout is vital for maximizing productivity—especially as remote work and teamwork via tools like Teams and SharePoint become the norm. Consider how integrated cloud storage (OneDrive), device flexibility, and real-time co-authoring can align with your design and business processes.

Tips 1:

If your business requires strong email capabilities, collaboration, and security, business or enterprise plans offer the best balance. For individuals or families simply needing Office apps and storage, Personal and Family plans are most cost-effective. Always match features to core work requirements and anticipated growth.

FAQ

Q: What’s the difference between Office 365 and Microsoft 365?

A: Microsoft 365 is the updated name for Office 365 and includes everything from Office 365, plus additional features like advanced security and device management for business users.

Q: Can I mix and match Microsoft 365 business plans?

A: Yes, you can assign different users different subscriptions within your organization, as long as you adhere to the user limit per plan.

Q: Do all plans include desktop apps?

A: No. Some plans, like Business Basic and E1, offer web and mobile versions only, while others include full desktop apps.

Q: Is OneDrive storage shared or individual per user?

A: Storage is individual per user—usually 1TB each—but you can share files as needed through OneDrive or SharePoint.

Q: Can I cancel or change my plan later?

A: Yes, Microsoft 365 plans can be upgraded, downgraded, or canceled at any time, with billing adjusted accordingly.