Introduction: O365 Licenses

Selecting  Office O365 Licenses is essential before migrating to the cloud. Microsoft offers multiple license options for small, medium and enterprise businesses. Understanding the differences and choosing the right fit for your business may seem like a challenging task. But we are here to make it simple for you.

The two major categories of the licenses are Microsoft 365 Business and Microsoft 365 Enterprise. There are various license options under these categories as well. The basic features in all of them remain the same, but specific differences can affect how you work. 

Why choose Enterprise O365 Licenses as compared to Business Standard O365 Licenses?

It is better to opt for Enterprise plans as they have superior features and business analytics as compared to the Business O365 Licenses. 

The categories of the Microsoft O365 Business Licenses include:

• Microsoft 365 Business Basic
• Microsoft 365 Apps for Business
• Microsoft 365 Business Standard
• Microsoft 365 Business Premium

The categories of Enterprise O365 Licenses include:

• Microsoft 365 E1
• Microsoft 365 E3
• Microsoft 365 E5
• Microsoft 365 F3

This article covers the differences between basic Microsoft O365 Business plans with Enterprise plans higher than E3.

1. Basic Features: O365 Licenses

Both have their own set of features applicable to different business types. 

a) Mail Storage

The O365 Enterprise plans have much more to offer as compared to the Standard O365 Business Plans. Enterprise plans provide mailboxes as large as 100 GB with unlimited storage while Business Plans merely offer 50 GB.

Big Corporations should undoubtedly choose the Enterprise Plans, but if you are a small organization with expansion plans in the not-so-distant future, you should also go for the same.

b) Business Intelligence and Analytics

O365 Enterprise Plans have a wide variety of business intelligence and analytics tools compared to the O365 Business Plans. Enterprise provides Delve Analytics, Advanced Excel, and Power BI Pro tools. 

These features help in performing analytical tasks by organizing the visual data on one platform, but are not available with Microsoft O365 Business Plan. If you are a company that performs high-level analytical operations, then Enterprise Plans will be a better option for you.

2. Added Features of Enterprise O365 Licenses

Enterprise O365 Licenses include many additional features like:

a) Litigation Hold

It allows the users to keep their archive mailbox on hold, which means that modified and deleted emails can be saved for a defined period. 

b) Skype for Business- Cloud PBX, PSTN Conferencing and Meeting Broadcast

Helps to communicate internally between departments and conduct meetings whenever needed.

c) Intune

A tool for mobile management that helps organizations access data and applications

d) On-Premise CAL Rights

Another significant difference between the two plans is the on-premise CAL (Client Access License) rights. Microsoft O365 Enterprise Plans allow users to run servers locally for applications like SharePoint, Windows, Skype, Exchange and more. 

It is better to choose any Enterprise Plan that is E3 or higher, as it allows you to run multiple applications and services, and carry out internal processes and communication smoothly in your company. 

3. Number of Users: O365 Licenses

The Microsoft Office 365 Business Plan can be used and shared by up to 300 users, but Microsoft 365 Enterprise Plan can be shared with unlimited users. 

If you are a growing firm, it makes sense to opt for the Enterprise Plans. Business Plans are suited for companies that are very small or just starting. 

4. Cost: O365 Licenses

Both the plans offer you the same basic features. However, the O365 Enterprise Plans give you many added features, making it slightly more expensive compared to the Business Plans.

The base price of the Business Plan ranges from $5 to $12 compared to $8 to $35 for the Enterprise Plan. For a small additional cost, the Enterprise Plans do give you an array of features and applications that can help you set up systems for your Business. So, it is a wise decision to spend on them as they will be more beneficial in the long run. 

5. Threat Protection and Security

Any organization, large or small, will want its data secure and protected. There are a lot of differences between the two plans when it comes to security.

Microsoft Office 365 Business comes with Advanced Threat Protection (ATP). On the other hand, O365 Enterprise Plans have many additional features like Device Guard, App Locker, Credential Guard, Enterprise Data Protection and Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics. 

When considering security, you should choose E3 O365 or higher license.

Conclusion

Microsoft O365 Enterprise Plans have so much to offer that they should be your natural choice. Business Plans are great for companies that are just starting out or those which require limited functionality. Enterprise Plans are more suitable for big corporations.

If you need expert advice about which Enterprise plan to choose for your business, get in touch with an authorized Microsoft Partner like Peritos Solutions. We have guided various companies and helped them opt for the right plan that enhances their efficiency and provides the right solutions.