Compare Business, Office 365 and Microsoft 365 enterprise plans—from everyday email to E3, E5 and E7. Get help choosing, migrating and renewing with Invitty in India.
Microsoft 365 plan guide · Reviewed 29 October 2026
Find the right plan. Understand what you’re paying for.
Compare Microsoft 365 and Office 365 for business, enterprise and frontline teams. See what each licence includes, what needs an add-on, and which roles it suits.
This guide covers Microsoft 365 workplace plans and related services. Azure, Dynamics 365 and standalone server licences are separate product families.
First, check the full product name.
“E3” alone is not a complete specification. Office 365 focuses on productivity and collaboration. Microsoft 365 E3 / E5 combines that workplace with Windows Enterprise, device management and premium identity/security capabilities. The same edition number does not mean the same licence.
Enterprise plans support organisations of any size without the Business family’s 300-user ceiling. Choose by security, management and AI requirements—not only employee count.
Managed enterprise workplace
Microsoft 365 E3
Bring employee productivity, identity and device administration into one licence.
Installed Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, plus business email, OneDrive and SharePoint.
Windows Enterprise rights for qualifying devices, Intune device management and Entra ID P1 identity controls.
Conditional Access: set rules for who can sign in, from which devices and under what conditions.
Best fit: Organisations standardising secure laptops and everyday work across departments.
Know before buying: Windows is an upgrade entitlement, not a replacement for a qualifying underlying Windows licence. Full Microsoft 365 Copilot is a separate purchase.
Combine the E5 workplace with Microsoft’s enterprise AI and agent management bundle.
Microsoft 365 E5 plus Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Microsoft Entra Suite for broader identity and network access controls.
Agent 365 for visibility and governance of supported AI agents.
Best fit: Organisations ready to deploy Copilot and manage AI agents at scale.
Know before buying: Confirm India offer availability, Teams/audio-conferencing variant and any metered agent or advanced AI usage. A bundle does not make every AI workload unlimited.
Microsoft 365 enterprise: what changes between tiersSwipe or scroll to compare all columns →
Capability
Microsoft 365 E3
Microsoft 365 E5
Microsoft 365 E7
Installed Office + email
Included
Included
Included
Windows Enterprise
Included; qualifying OS required
Included; qualifying OS required
Included; qualifying OS required
Identity & access
Entra ID P1; Conditional Access
Entra ID P2; risk and privileged-access controls
E5 identity + Entra Suite
Device administration
Intune; see 2026 additions below
Expanded Intune capabilities
E5 capabilities
Threat protection
Core endpoint protection; Defender for Office 365 P1 in the 2026 update
Advanced Defender detection and response
E5 capabilities
Compliance
Core information protection and retention
Advanced Purview investigation and governance
E5 capabilities
Power BI Pro
Separate licence
Included
Included
Full Microsoft 365 Copilot
Separate eligible purchase
Separate eligible purchase
Included in the bundle
Agent 365 + Entra Suite
Separate eligible purchases
Separate eligible purchases
Included in the bundle
Teams meetings / Phone
Check Teams variant; Phone is separate
Check Teams and Phone entitlement
Check Teams and Phone entitlement
2026 changes matter when comparing quotations.
Microsoft’s packaging update adds Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 to Office 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 E3. Microsoft 365 E3 also gains Intune Remote Help, Advanced Analytics and Plan 2; E5 adds further Intune capabilities and Security Copilot. Verify tenant rollout and consumption allowances. Security Copilot is distinct from Microsoft 365 Copilot for everyday work.
Start with the controls you need to operate. E3 suits a managed workplace with access policies and device administration. Evaluate E5 when you need risk-based identity controls, deeper threat investigation, advanced compliance workflows or Power BI Pro.
Compare the total cost of E3 plus the specific add-ons you need against E5. Include deployment and operational ownership. A smaller E5 group does not automatically license advanced protection for every other employee.
E5 or E7: when does the AI bundle make sense?
Consider E7 when the same users need E5, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Entra Suite and Agent 365. If only a small group needs AI assistance, compare a targeted Copilot purchase first. Review data permissions, agent governance and usage billing before rollout.
02 / Enterprise productivity
Office 365 E1, E3 & E5
Choose this family when you want enterprise productivity services and already have a separate approach to devices, Windows and identity protection.
Browser-first enterprise
Office 365 E1
Business communication and collaboration for people who can work in a browser.
Web and mobile Office apps, business email, OneDrive and SharePoint.
Teams collaboration when the Teams-inclusive edition is selected.
Best fit: Browser-based staff whose devices and security are handled separately.
Know before buying: Does not license installed desktop Office apps or include the Windows Enterprise / Intune package of Microsoft 365 E3.
Extend the Office 365 suite for email protection, compliance investigation and business intelligence.
Office 365 E3 productivity plus advanced email security and compliance capabilities.
Power BI Pro; Teams Phone capabilities where the selected offer includes the appropriate entitlement.
Best fit: Businesses that need advanced collaboration controls while keeping another device/security stack.
Know before buying: This is not the full Microsoft 365 E5 device, identity and endpoint-security bundle. Check Teams and audio-conferencing exclusions on the exact India SKU.
Office 365 enterprise at a glanceSwipe or scroll to compare all columns →
Capability
Office 365 E1
Office 365 E3
Office 365 E5
Office apps
Web and mobile
Desktop, web and mobile
Desktop, web and mobile
Email & collaboration
Included
Included
Included
Information governance
Core services
Expanded retention and protection
Advanced compliance and investigation
Power BI Pro
Separate
Separate
Included
Windows Enterprise / Intune
Not bundled
Not bundled
Not bundled
Full Microsoft 365 Copilot
Separate eligible purchase
Separate eligible purchase
Separate eligible purchase
Teams-inclusive and no-Teams editions are different offers. India E5 listings can explicitly exclude Audio Conferencing. Never infer conferencing, PSTN calling or calling minutes from the “E5” name alone.
03 / Small & medium business
Microsoft 365 Business plans
Business plans are designed for up to 300 users. Microsoft reserves the right to enforce a combined 300 provisioned-licence limit across the Business family. Review growth and mixed-plan requirements before ordering.
Email & browser apps
Microsoft 365 Business Basic
Start with a company email address and online collaboration.
Web/mobile Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
Exchange business email, OneDrive and SharePoint; Teams in the with-Teams variant.
Best fit: Teams working mainly in browsers or on mobile.
Know before buying: No installed desktop Office licence. Review mailbox capacity on the current offer rather than an old comparison chart.
Microsoft lists Business Standard with Copilot and Business Premium with Copilot. These add the specified AI entitlement to the underlying plan; they are different from the base subscription and its Copilot Chat experience. Compare the precise bundle, commitment and usage terms with buying the eligible add-on separately.
04 / Frontline teams
Microsoft 365 F1, F3 & Office 365 F3
Frontline licences have eligibility and usage restrictions. A job title alone does not establish eligibility: review the employee’s primary device, work pattern and access requirements against Microsoft’s current Product Terms.
Frontline connection
Microsoft 365 F1
Connect eligible frontline employees to company information and collaboration.
Frontline collaboration and access to company content.
Identity and device-management capabilities for eligible users.
Best fit: Eligible staff mainly consuming information on shared or frontline devices.
Know before buying: No Exchange mailbox usage rights or desktop Office apps. Office web/mobile access has limited rights; do not treat F1 as a general document-editing licence.
Frontline F5 security/compliance add-ons extend qualifying licences; they are not standalone replacements for F1 or F3. Confirm the base licence and each user’s eligibility.
05 / Build around a specific need
Standalone plans & add-ons
A full suite is not always the right purchase. Use standalone subscriptions for a defined requirement, and check whether an existing suite already supplies it.
Common standalone and add-on optionsSwipe or scroll to compare all columns →
Plan / service
What it is for
What to check
Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise
Installed Office and OneDrive for enterprise users; useful when email is elsewhere.
No Exchange mailbox. Review shared-computer / virtual-desktop activation rights for your deployment.
Exchange Online Plan 1 / Plan 2
Business email without buying a full productivity suite. Plan 2 adds larger mailbox and advanced archiving/compliance capabilities.
Outlook desktop licensing is separate. Confirm mailbox, archive and hold requirements.
OneDrive / SharePoint standalone
Personal work-file storage or team document sites.
Storage pools, external sharing and standalone-plan availability.
Teams Essentials / Teams Enterprise
Meetings and collaboration where Teams is not already licensed.
Account model, meeting limits and integration needs; these are not complete Office suites.
Teams Phone / Teams Premium / Teams Rooms
Telephony, advanced meeting experiences, or shared meeting-room systems.
Different products for different needs. Phone connectivity, Rooms hardware and meeting-user licences are separate considerations.
Microsoft 365 Copilot / Copilot Business
Work-grounded AI assistance for eligible Microsoft 365 users.
Qualifying base licence, user limits, data permissions and consumption charges; see our Copilot guide.
Defender / Purview / Entra / Intune / EMS
Add threat protection, compliance, identity or device management to qualifying plans.
Exact feature tier and prerequisites. Do not double-buy entitlements already supplied by E5 or Premium.
Power BI / Planner / Project / Visio
Reporting, advanced project planning or diagramming beyond included capabilities.
Power BI Pro is included in E5; advanced capacity and other premium products may still be separate.
Windows 365 / Windows Enterprise
Cloud PC subscriptions or qualifying Windows Enterprise rights.
A Windows Enterprise entitlement is not a Windows 365 Cloud PC subscription.
Viva / Power Apps / Power Automate / Copilot Studio
Employee experience, custom applications, automation and agents.
Included Microsoft 365 rights are limited; premium connectors, advanced features and consumption can need extra licences.
06 / Other Microsoft 365 families
Education, nonprofit, home & government
Education A1 / A3 / A5
Office 365 and Microsoft 365 education editions serve eligible schools, colleges, staff and students. A1 offers entry-level educational access; A3 and A5 add richer capabilities. Microsoft 365 A1 for devices is a distinct offer.
Validate institution eligibility, student-use benefits and device vs user licensing.
Eligible nonprofits can access specific grants or discounted business and enterprise offers. These are eligibility-based purchasing programmes, not automatically available to every registered organisation.
Microsoft 365 Basic, Personal, Family and Premium are consumer options. They do not supply the managed business tenant, Exchange company email and enterprise controls described in this guide.
Government editions and cloud environments have specific eligibility, procurement and service availability. US government offers are not a default option for an Indian business.
Choose by role, then validate the whole organisation
Illustrative buying scenariosSwipe or scroll to compare all columns →
Your requirement
Start by comparing
Reason
A small team needs browser email and shared documents
Business Basic
Desktop Office and advanced device controls may be unnecessary.
Finance staff need installed Excel and Outlook
Business Standard vs Premium
Premium becomes relevant when identity and device protection also need managing.
An enterprise already has a separate security platform
Office 365 E3 vs Microsoft 365 E3
Check which Windows, identity and management services would otherwise be duplicated.
IT needs one managed endpoint and identity platform
Microsoft 365 E3 vs E5
Choose the detection, identity-risk and compliance depth you can operate.
Teams need advanced reporting and investigations
Office 365 E5 vs Microsoft 365 E5
Determine whether productivity-level controls or the wider security suite is needed.
The same people need Copilot and agent governance
Microsoft 365 E5 + add-ons vs E7
Compare the complete bundle against the actual users and workloads.
A mixed office and frontline workforce
E-series / Business plus eligible F-series plans
Match each role’s app rights and security requirements; validate frontline eligibility.
What your quotation should spell out
Exact licence: Microsoft 365 or Office 365, edition, Teams variant, add-ons and number of users.
Total cost: INR licence price, GST, commitment length, payment schedule and renewal terms. Annual commitment paid monthly is not a monthly cancellation option.
Storage and continuity: primary mailbox, archive, OneDrive, shared storage, backup and retention requirements. These are different entitlements.
Delivery: migration, domain setup, security configuration, staff onboarding and ongoing support priced separately.
Ownership: your company retains tenant ownership with an agreed administrator and partner-access process.
Request a current India quotation instead of using a historic list price. We can compare a mixed licence proposal against one edition for everyone and explain the trade-offs.
Does Business Basic include desktop Word and Excel?
No. Business Basic provides web and mobile applications. Choose a suitable plan with desktop applications if staff need installed Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook.
Are Teams and Copilot included in every Microsoft 365 plan?
No. Confirm the exact Teams variant and Copilot entitlement on the quotation. An AI chat experience is not the same entitlement as every Microsoft 365 Copilot feature.
Can different employees use different plans?
A role-based licence mix may be appropriate within the applicable licensing rules. Identify the features and security policies required for each user; do not assume an unlicensed user receives another user’s protection.
Is an annual subscription paid monthly cancellable every month?
A monthly payment schedule does not necessarily mean a monthly commitment. Confirm cancellation, seat reduction and renewal rules before ordering.
Do we need a new tenant to renew through Invitty?
A renewal or change of purchasing partner usually calls for a review of the existing tenant and subscription. Migration is a separate project; do not create a replacement tenant or cancel licences before the transfer route is confirmed.
What should I send for a Microsoft 365 quote?
Send user count by role, current edition, renewal date, Teams and desktop-app needs, and any migration or device-management requirements. Do not send passwords. Ask for licence, implementation and support charges separately.
Is Microsoft 365 E3 the same as Office 365 E3?
No. Office 365 E3 focuses on productivity services. Microsoft 365 E3 adds Windows Enterprise rights for qualifying devices, Intune and premium identity capabilities. Request the full product name on your quotation.
When should we consider Microsoft 365 E7?
Consider E7 when the same users need Microsoft 365 E5, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Microsoft Entra Suite and Agent 365. Compare the bundle with targeted add-ons and confirm usage-based charges.
Can we buy 300 seats of each Business plan?
Microsoft’s current plan guidance reserves the right to enforce a combined 300 provisioned-licence limit across the Business family. Review enterprise options and your tenant’s eligibility before ordering.
Does E5 include unlimited telephone calls or a Windows 365 Cloud PC?
No. Confirm Teams Phone entitlement, local PSTN connectivity, calling charges and any audio-conferencing exclusions. Windows Enterprise rights do not include a Windows 365 Cloud PC subscription.
Send the current Microsoft tenant name, renewal date, user count by role, and the features people actually use. We can put subscription renewal, security add-ons, migration and ongoing support on separate quote lines. If you are moving from Google Workspace or another provider, the migration proposal should name the mailboxes, calendars, contacts, files and permissions in scope, plus a pilot group and a cutover plan. A reseller change within the same Microsoft tenant is a different project from a platform migration.
For a mixed team, compare a role-based licence list with a single-plan quote. Check desktop apps, mailbox and storage needs, device management, security controls, Teams availability and any Copilot requirements against the exact current offer. Keep account administration and recovery ownership with your organisation. See our email migration guide and platform comparison before committing to a switch.
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