Microsoft 365: Which subscription should you choose?

Looking for collaboration and communication tools, but not sure where to start? Microsoft 365 subscriptions are perfectly suited for businesses—we'll explain everything.

You've chosen to work with Microsoft for your office applications. Microsoft 365 is a great tool for businesses—whether small and growing or established with many employees—but how do you choose the subscription that's right for you? There are many different subscriptions, divided into two categories: the Business and Enterprise lines. With plans to suit every budget, we'll break down the differences to help you make the best choice.

Why choose Microsoft 365?

Microsoft 365 is a very comprehensive office tool. It includes its office applications: Outlook for emails, Word for word processing, Excel for spreadsheets, PowerPoint for presentations, and OneNote for taking notes. But that's not all (except for the Microsoft Apps for Business subscription), in addition to these applications, you benefit from Microsoft productivity tools such as:

• Exchange , the email service that offers an inbox, calendar, address book, tasks, and security features
• Microsoft Teams , the communication tool with instant messaging, online meetings, as well as file sharing and collaboration
• OneDrive for sharing and backing up files to the cloud
• SharePoint for creating intranets where it is possible to collaborate on document libraries as a team.

Microsoft 365 is a comprehensive tool that allows you to be productive anytime, anywhere, maintain online security for your business and data, while remaining affordable. Microsoft supports you in the installation and adoption of its tools, you will find many resources ( training and virtual workshops, demonstrations , etc.) at your disposal to learn how to use these tools properly and optimize your productivity!

Microsoft 365 Business: Subscriptions for SMEs

These subscriptions are designed for businesses with fewer than 300 employees (or users) that don't require all of Microsoft's advanced features. They're affordable and offer a wide range of features for collaboration and remote work. Microsoft has also developed tools to help SMEs use Microsoft to its full potential.

Microsoft 365 Business Basic

With this subscription, you get the web and mobile versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as all the productivity apps mentioned above.
It offers 1 TB of secure OneDrive cloud storage per user, as well as 50 GB of email with the ability to customize your email addresses. Finally, online meetings and video conferencing are available for up to 300 users.

This version is most beneficial for businesses that do not rely heavily on Office 365 applications, online storage, and do not need desktop applications (which can work with both web and app versions only).

Microsoft 365 Business Standard

With this subscription, you have access to all the tools in the Basic version, with the same storage capacity. The big difference is that you also have access to the desktop versions of the office tools, not just the web versions. You'll also have access to all the communication and collaboration services that aren't available with the Basic version: Microsoft Booking, which lets you book appointments directly with your clients, the ability to automate certain tasks, the ability to create professional-quality digital stories, and more.

This version is the best value if you need the latest desktop versions of Office apps, cloud and email, and small business apps. It's a complete suite that makes remote work and collaboration easier.

Microsoft 365 Business Premium

This subscription offers all the benefits of the Standard version, plus advanced cybersecurity tools and the ability to configure and manage devices and updates remotely. An InTune license is included, enabling this centralized management.

This version is ideal for businesses with fewer than 300 users who need more powerful security and compliance tools, but not the full Enterprise Mobility and Security (EMS) suite. This subscription is a very good advanced secure collaboration solution for remote work.

Microsoft 365 Apps for Business

This subscription gives you access only to applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and not to collaboration tools (messaging, Teams). It's primarily a document creation tool. Note that you also have access to the OneDrive application, Microsoft's cloud for managing and storing your files.

If you only need web and mobile applications, file storage and sharing, and you already have a communication and collaboration tool that suits you, this subscription will be more than enough for you.

Microsoft 365 Business: Subscriptions for Large Businesses

Microsoft 365 Business subscriptions are ideal for businesses that are growing or only require certain features. For organizations looking for a more robust solution, Microsoft 365 Enterprise subscriptions are more cost-effective.
With Enterprise plans, you can choose between Office 365 and Microsoft 365 plans. Office 365 includes only Office, while Microsoft 365 is a complete suite that includes Office 365, Enterprise Mobility and Security, and Windows 11 Enterprise. There are 5 different subscriptions available; contact us to learn more. We will consider your needs to determine which solution is best for you.

In summary

Microsoft offers a wide range of subscriptions for its 365 suite, adapting to the needs of small businesses with limited budgets, as well as larger companies with complex needs. Nexxo guides you in choosing your solution, ensuring that you benefit from the best advantages for your business while offering you the best price. Contact us at 514-548-3466 or by email at info@nexxo.tech , we will be happy to help you find the perfect solution for you.

About Nexxo

Nexxo Computer Solutions specializes in providing IT and technology services to Quebec businesses. Its mission is to offer Quebec companies IT services tailored to their needs. Acting as an external IT department, it handles all of a company's IT tasks, allowing it to focus on its business activities. It achieves this by collaborating closely with its clients and putting their interests at the center of its concerns.