Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the workforce of many businesses has significantly changed, enabling employees to work remotely. In terms of safety and convenience, it provides many people with enormous advantages, but it also has the drawback of making employees feel disconnected. As a result, businesses used cloud communication technologies to enhance communication, with Microsoft Teams being one of the more well-known applications.
Microsoft Teams
When it was first released in March 2017, Microsoft Teams could only be accessed through a Microsoft 365 Business membership. In 2018, they offered Teams Free, with specific MS Teams capabilities but without Microsoft 365. Both of the MS Team plans were utilized by many businesses and significantly more giant corporations.
Microsoft unveiled a new MS Teams plan in December 2021, intending to help smaller businesses that require the same communication and collaborative tools as others. It is called Microsoft Teams Essentials, and you can purchase this plan without registering for Microsoft 365.
Comparison of All Microsoft Team Plans
Here is a brief comparison of all MS team plans to better understand each plan's benefits and determine which is best for your needs.
Microsoft Teams Free Version
The free version of MS Teams was primarily developed to appeal to home users.
These are some of the capabilities of this plan:
● Group meetings for up to 60 minutes
● Up to 100 participants per meeting
● 5GB of cloud storage per user
● Unlimited chats
● File sharing, tasks, and polling
● Data encryption
Microsoft Teams Essentials
MS Teams Essentials cost $4 per user per month and was created especially for small enterprises that might not want to use Microsoft 365.
Here are some of the capabilities of MS Teams Essentials:
● Unlimited chats
● File sharing, tasks, and polling
● Data encryption
● Group meetings for up to 30 hours
● Up to 300 participants per meeting
● 10GB of cloud storage per user
● Phone and web support
Teams With Microsoft 365
Teams with Microsoft 365 are available in 2 different versions. Without Office Apps (Word, Excel, etc.), the regular pricing plan is $6.00 per user per month. M365 Business Standard, with all the MS Office programs, is $12.50 per user per month.
Here are some of the capabilities of this plan:
● Everything in the Essentials version, plus;
● 1TB of cloud storage per user
● Webinar hosting
● Customer appointment management
● Premium security features
Here at BetterWorld Technology, we provide expert guidance and technical expertise in setting up MS Teams for companies from multiple locations all over the United States and Canada. So if you're in Chicago, Toronto, or anywhere in between and you want to know how to get Teams help, you’ve come to the right place.