Are you trying to decide between the Microsoft 365 Business vs Enterprise plans for your organization? It can be tough to determine which plan is the right fit, especially with so many options to choose from. In this blog post, we'll compare the key features and capabilities of both plans to help you make an informed decision.
Introduction to Microsoft 365 Business vs Enterprise Licensing Options
Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based service that includes Office 365, Windows 10, and Enterprise Mobility + Security. It is designed to empower users to be creative and work together, securely. Microsoft 365 is available in a variety of plans to meet the needs of different businesses and organizations.
Microsoft 365 Business
(Formerly called Office 365 Business) is a plan specifically designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It includes access to the latest versions of Office applications, online storage with OneDrive, email with Exchange Online, and a range of security and compliance features.
Below are the new names of Microsoft Business Plans:
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic (formerly Office 365 Business Essentials)
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard (formerly Office 365 Business Premium)
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium (formerly Microsoft 365 Business)
- Microsoft 365 Apps for Business or Enterprise (formerly Office 365 Business and Office 365 ProPlus)
Microsoft 365 Enterprise
is a plan designed for large organizations. It includes all the features of Microsoft 365 Business, as well as additional security and compliance features, such as Advanced Threat Protection and Advanced Compliance. If you’re only interested in Microsoft Enterprise Plans you can instead read Office 365 vs Microsoft 365 Enterprise Plans.
High-Level Features Comparison of Microsoft Office 365 Business and Enterprise Features
Feature | Microsoft 365 Business | Microsoft 365 Enterprise |
|---|---|---|
Office applications | Yes | Yes |
Email with Exchange Online | Yes | Yes |
Online storage with OneDrive | Yes | Yes |
SharePoint Storage | Yes | Yes |
Windows 10 | Yes | Yes |
Enterprise Mobility + Security | No | Yes |
Advanced Threat Protection | No | Yes |
Advanced Compliance | No | Yes |
Customer Lockbox | No | Yes |
Azure Active Directory Premium P1 | No | Yes |
Azure Active Directory Premium P2 | No | Yes |
Advanced eDiscovery | No | Yes |
Advanced Security Management | No | Yes |
Microsoft Teams | Yes (Phone System) | Yes (Phone System) |
Microsoft Stream | No | Yes |
Microsoft Power BI | No | Yes |
Microsoft Forms | No | Yes |
Microsoft Planner | No | Yes |
Microsoft To Do | No | Yes |
Mail Storage Limit for different Microsoft Office Online Plans
With regards to email storage, Microsoft Office 365 / Microsoft 365 Enterprise plans have much more to offer than Microsoft Business. The Microsoft 365 / Office 365 Enterprise give their clients access to a bigger Exchange Online post box size of 100 GB and boundless stockpiling as an archive mailbox, when contrasted with the Business which offers a capacity of 50 GB.
OneDrive Storage Limit
OneDrive storage limit is another difference that differentiates the two families of Microsoft Plans. The Enterprise family offers unlimited while the Microsoft Business Premium maxes out at 1TB of cloud storage.
On-Premises CAL Rights Equivalency to Office 365
Another significant contrast between the Microsoft Office 365 / Microsoft 365 business vs Enterprise is the on-premises CAL (Client Access License) rights. Microsoft Enterprise gives its clients the ECAL Suite which gives them the right to use On-Premises Exchange, SharePoint, Skype, Windows, and so on.
Cap on Number of Organization’s Users for Microsoft Business vs Enterprise
The essential contrast between the Microsoft Office 365 / Microsoft 365 Enterprise and Microsoft Business is the number of users advertised. Microsoft Business can be utilized and imparted to up to three hundred users, though Microsoft Office 365 / Microsoft 365 Enterprise plans can be imparted to a boundless number of users.
Henceforth, the Business Subscription is an answer intended for little and developing businesses, though the Enterprise plan is fitting for bigger firms.
Microsoft 365 Business vs Enterprise Plans: Detailed Comparison
The following table presents a detailed comparison of Microsoft 365 business vs Enterprise. In addition, you can also find the comparison between individual Business and Enterprise plans to include:
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic vs Business Standard
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic License vs Microsoft 365 premium
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium vs E3 (Microsoft 365 E3)
- Microsoft Business Premium vs E5 (Microsoft 365 E5)
Microsoft 365 F3 | Microsoft 365 E3 | Microsoft 365 E5 | Microsoft 365 Business Basic | Microsoft 365 Business Standard | Microsoft Business Premium | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Price | |||||||
Base price per user per month $USD (with annual commitment) | $8.00 | $36.00 | $57.00 | $6.00 | $12.50 | $22.00 | |
Features - M365 Business Premium vs Enterprise | Cell | Cell | |||||
Install Office on up to 5 PCs/Macs + 5 tablets + 5 smartphones per user | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Multilingual user interface for Office applications | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Office Mobile Apps – Create/edit rights for commercial use of Office Mobile apps | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Office Online – Create/edit rights for online versions of core Office apps | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Office 365 for Mac | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Office 365 Groups | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Access to equivalent on-premise servers (Exchange, SharePoint etc.) | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
Legal compliance & archiving needs for email – archiving, eDiscovery, mailbox hold | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Shared computer activation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Windows Virtual Desktop | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Phone System, Audio Conferencing | ✓ | ||||||
Microsoft 365 Apps | |||||||
SharePoint Online | SPO K | Plan 2 | Plan 2 | Plan 1 | Plan 1 | Plan 1 | |
Exchange Online | EXO K (2 GB) | Plan 2 (100 GB) | Plan 2 (100 GB) | Plan 1 (50 GB) | Plan 1 (50 GB) | Plan 1 (50 GB) | |
Microsoft Teams | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
OneDrive for Business | 2GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1TB | 1TB | 1TB | |
Social Networking Apps - M365 Business Premium vs Enterprise | |||||||
Yammer Enterprise | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Productivity Apps | |||||||
Power Automate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Microsoft OneNote | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Microsoft Forms | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Microsoft Graph API | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Microsoft Planner | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Microsoft PowerApps | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Microsoft Stream | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Microsoft Sway | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Office Delve | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
To-Do | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Microsoft Bookings | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Analytics | Cell | Cell | |||||
Data analytics and visualization (Power BI Pro) | ✓ | ||||||
Microsoft Threat Protection | Cell | Cell | |||||
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 formerly known as Office 365 ATP | Plan 2 | Plan 1 | |||||
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint formerly known as Windows Defender ATP | ✓ | ||||||
Microsoft Defender for Identity formerly known as Azure ATP | ✓ | ||||||
Microsoft Advance Threat Analytics (ATA) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Office 365 Threat Intelligence | ✓ | ||||||
Windows Defender Antivirus and its Configuration | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Device Guard | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Security Management | |||||||
Secure Score | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Device Management | Cell | Cell | |||||
Microsoft Intune | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Windows AutoPilot | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Information Protection - M365 Business Premium vs Enterprise | |||||||
Office 365 Cloud App Security | ✓ | ||||||
Azure Information Protection | Plan 1 | Plan 1 | Plan 2 | Plan 1 | |||
Windows Information Protection | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Data Loss Prevention | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
BitLocker and BitLocker To Go | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Identity and Access Management | |||||||
Windows Hello for Business | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Credential Guard | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Azure Active Directory Premium | Plan 1 | Plan 1 | Plan 2 | Plan 1 | |||
Compliance | |||||||
Office 365 Advanced Compliance | ✓ |
Factors to Consider When Choosing Between Microsoft 365 Business vs Enterprise
When it comes to choosing between the Microsoft 365 business vs Enterprise, there are several factors to consider. Here are a few key things to keep in mind:
- Your business size and needs: The Microsoft Office Business plan is designed for small and medium-sized businesses, while the Enterprise plans are geared towards larger organizations. Consider the size of your business and the specific needs of your employees when determining which plan is the best fit.
- Your budget and available resources: The Microsoft Office 365 Business license plan is more affordable than the Enterprise plans. However, it's important to weigh the cost against the features and capabilities you need. If your business requires advanced security and compliance features, for example, it may be worth investing in an Enterprise plan.
- Your current and future technology needs: Think about the technology your business is currently using and the tools you'll need in the future. The Microsoft 365 Business plan includes the core Office applications, but the Enterprise plan offers additional features and capabilities that may be more suitable for your needs.
- Any specific industry or compliance requirements: If your business operates in a regulated industry or is required to meet specific compliance standards, you'll need to consider the features and capabilities of each plan to ensure you're meeting those requirements. The Enterprise plans offer advanced security and compliance features that may be necessary for your business.
It's important to carefully consider these factors when deciding between the Microsoft 365 business vs Enterprise plans. Seek guidance from a Microsoft Partner or licensing specialist to ensure you're making the best decision for your business.
Cost Comparison between Microsoft 365 Business vs Enterprise
A significant contrast that each business will consider before buying Microsoft is the expense of the two. While the fundamental highlights in both Microsoft 365 business vs Enterprise continue as before, the previous one comes at a lower cost.
The base cost for the Business Subscription ranges from $6 to $22, while Enterprise comes at a more significant expense, going from $8 to $57.
Along these lines, for any individual who wishes to utilize only the fundamental features of Microsoft, the Business plan would be the correct alternative.
Microsoft 365 Business | Office/Microsoft 365 Enterprise |
|---|---|
Max Exchange Online Mailbox: 50 GB | Max Exchange Online Mailbox: 100 GB |
On-Premises CAL Rights: None | On-Premises CAL Rights: Permitted |
Business Intelligence and Analytics: None | Business Intelligence and Analytics: Permitted |
Max Users Count: 300 | Max Users Count: Unlimited |
Security Level: Basic – Mediocre | Security Level: Basic – Premium |
PSTN Calling: Only with Add on | PSTN Calling: Available |
Cost Range: $6-$22 | Cost Range: $8-$57 |
Plans: Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Microsoft 365 Business Standard and Microsoft 365 Business Premium | Plans: Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, F3, E3 and E5 & Office E1, E3 and E5 |
We’re here to help
If you're still unsure which plan is the best fit for your business, consider seeking guidance and advice from a Microsoft Partner or licensing specialist. Communication Square is a Microsoft Preferred Partner and Direct Cloud Solutions Provider and can help you navigate the different options and choose the right plan for your business. Click to schedule a FREE consultation.
