Breaking Down Microsoft 365 Add-ons and Why You Might Purchase Them
We previously discussed all the base Microsoft 365 Business licenses and why you might purchase each one.
In addition to several base licenses, there are Microsoft 365 add-ons to complement your Microsoft ecosystem. While there are many options available, we’re highlighting a few add-ons that we commonly see small businesses purchase.
We’ll tell you more about these add-ons, what they do, what they cost and why you might purchase them.
Add-on | Cost/user/month | Purpose | Who would use it? |
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps | $3.50 | Monitor/block cloud apps and secure data | Businesses using non-Microsoft apps that need security. |
Entra ID Plan 1 | $6 | Restrict access and protect sensitive info | Businesses that need to limit access to sensitive data. |
Power BI Pro | $10 | Visualize data with charts and graphs | Businesses that analyze and visualize large datasets. |
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 | $2 | Protect email from phishing and malware | Businesses that seek enhanced email protection. |
Planner Plan 1 (formerly Microsoft Project Plan 1) | $10 | Manage and track projects efficiently | Businesses that manage multiple projects or teams that need to clear timelines and goals. |
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
What is it?
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps allows you to see what cloud applications — outside of and including Microsoft 365 — your employees are using and block apps that you don’t want them to use. It also monitors cloud applications for security problems and allows you to set up automated responses.
How much does it cost?
$3.50 per user, per month.
Who would use it?
Small businesses that use other cloud apps besides Microsoft 365 and want to ensure any sensitive information is protected. For example, maybe you want to monitor DropBox because your employees send large files with sensitive information through it. Alternatively, you can block DropBox altogether if you prefer they don’t send sensitive information through it.
Entra ID Plan 1
What is it?
Entra ID Plan 1 is a cloud-based identity and access management solution that protects your data. It allows you to set restrictions for who is allowed to access data and what their rights are.
How much does it cost?
$6 per user, per month.
Who would use it?
Small businesses that need to restrict access internally. Entra ID Plan 1 essentially limits the amount of master keys to your sensitive data. Conditional access is a big part of Entra, which is included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium. It’s one of the top reasons we recommend Business Premium to all our clients.
Power BI Pro
What is it?
Power BI Pro is a data visualization tool that turns raw data into charts, graphs, maps and other types of illustrative diagrams.
How much does it cost?
$10 per user, per month
Who would use it?
Any small business that needs to analyze its expansive Excel data. Power BI was not designed to replace Excel — you could use Excel to input data and Power BI to visualize the same data — but its capabilities are for creating visualizations, while Excel is meant for inputting, manipulating and transforming data.
“A couple of these add-ons are included in Business Premium, underscoring why we encourage our clients to purchase Premium. But these add-ons allow you to selectively add extra protection should you decide to purchase Basic, Standard or Apps for business.”
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1
What is it?
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 is an email filtering tool that helps protect against phishing attacks, business email compromise and malware attacks. It scans links, file attachments and will quarantine suspected spam or malicious emails.
How much does it cost?
$2 per user, per month
Who would use it?
With phishing emails on the rise, any small business would benefit from having this tool. Defender for Office is another service packaged within Business Premium but can be added to Business Basic, Standard or Apps for business licenses.
Planner Plan 1 (formerly Microsoft Project Plan 1)
What is it?
Microsoft Planner Plan 1 is a powerful project management tool that helps teams plan, manage and track projects. It allows you to create detailed timelines, assign tasks and monitor progress to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget.
How much does it cost?
$10 per user, per month.
Who would use it?
Small businesses or teams managing multiple projects that require clear timelines, defined responsibilities and effective tracking tools. For example, a marketing agency juggling client campaigns or a construction company overseeing project timelines could benefit greatly from Microsoft Project. It’s ideal for organizations that need more structure and visibility into their project workflows than what basic tools like Excel or Teams can provide.
As mentioned, a couple of these add-ons are included in Business Premium, underscoring why we encourage our clients to purchase Premium.
But these add-ons allow you to selectively add extra protection should you decide to purchase Basic, Standard or Apps for business.
Find the Microsoft 365 Add-on for Your Organization
Do you need to restrict access to cloud apps or visualize data? Contact us today to schedule a consultation to discuss how Microsoft add-ons can keep your business running smoothly while increasing productivity, security and profitability.
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