A Microsoft 365 subscription is more than Office apps. Whether you need a Microsoft 365 subscription for a single user at home or a full suite for a growing team, knowing what each plan includes will help you choose the right one.
It begins with a look at what the Personal plan offers, followed by a comparison of the main business plans, highlighting practical differences, ideal users for each, and the features that matter most when choosing a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Quick snapshot: Personal vs Business
Personal plans are for one user and focus on core Office apps, cloud storage, and consumer-friendly extras such as creative tools and basic AI helpers. Business plans are for teams and add professional email, admin controls, SharePoint collaboration, and in higher tiers, stronger security and device management.
Key differences:
- Personal covers one user with 1 TB of OneDrive storage and consumer-level security.
- Business plans provide custom-domain email, centralized user management, and team features like SharePoint and shared OneDrive folders.
- Advanced security controls and device management appear in the higher-tier business plans.
What Microsoft 365 Personal gives you
Microsoft 365 Personal is designed for individuals who want the official Office apps without IT complexity.
- Full access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and other apps across devices.
- 1 TB OneDrive storage for documents and photos.
- Microsoft Teams for personal calls and small group meetings.
- Built-in writing and design helpers to speed up document and presentation work.
How business plans differ
Business plans are built for teams. They add three things personal plans do not offer: professional email through Exchange with a custom domain, admin and identity controls for managing users, and collaboration features like SharePoint and team file libraries.
Microsoft positions its small and medium business plans around users; these plans typically support up to 300 users before you should consider enterprise licensing.
Microsoft 365 Business Basic
Cloud-first and cost friendly, Business Basic focuses on online collaboration.
- Web and mobile Office apps for light editing.
- Exchange-hosted business email with your company domain.
- Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive for shared work and document control.
Best for small teams, remote-first startups, and groups that rely on browser-based tools.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard
Business Standard adds full desktop Office apps and extra business tools.
- Installable Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook for offline work.
- Webinar hosting, Bookings, Planner, and Clipchamp for light media tasks.
- The same collaboration and storage services found in Business Basic.
Best for small offices, professional services, and teams that need offline access and additional productivity tools
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Business Premium combines productivity features with added protection and device control.
- Microsoft Defender for Business for threat protection.
- Microsoft Intune for device and app management.
- Conditional access and identity protection to secure logins and data.
- Microsoft Entra for identity and access management.
- Includes Windows for Business features, with upgrade options to Windows 11 Pro or Business for eligible devices. Ideal for industries with strict regulations, sensitive data handling, or teams using remote and BYOD setups.
Other options to know about
- Microsoft 365 Apps for business focuses on desktop Office apps and OneDrive but does not include business email or some team services.
- Enterprise plans such as E3 and E5 are for organizations with more than 300 users or those that need advanced governance, analytics, or security features. Enterprise plans typically provide a higher OneDrive allocation: Microsoft provides an initial 5 TB of OneDrive storage per user for qualifying enterprise subscriptions, with options to increase storage further on request.
Note: Business plans normally include 1 TB of OneDrive per user. Enterprise plans offer larger default storage and additional enterprise-grade services.
How to choose the right Microsoft 365 subscription
Ask yourself these questions when deciding on a Microsoft 365 subscription:
- Do you need professional email at your own domain? If so, choose a business plan.
- Do users require desktop apps and offline access? If yes, choose Microsoft 365 Apps for business (desktop apps plus OneDrive) or a Business plan that includes desktop apps. If you also need web-based collaboration and business email, pick Business Standard or higher. Business Standard effectively combines the desktop apps with the cloud services from Business Basic.
- Is security and device control a priority? Then Business Premium is the better fit.
- How many users will you license? Business plans generally cover up to 300 users; beyond that, look at Enterprise options.
If budget matters, start with Business Basic and upgrade later. If you must protect sensitive data from day one, begin with Business Premium.
Ready to choose a Microsoft 365 subscription?
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Contact us today to learn what Microsoft 365 Subscription fits your business!