There’s a lot to be said about consistency in product names, but when you have dozens of products, each with multiple versions, similar names can quickly become confusing. We’re watching you, Microsoft.
THIS IS HOW IT ALL STARTED
Here’s how the chaos started: Microsoft launched Microsoft 365 in 2017, a series of existing products under one license for businesses. The name is similar to the existing Office 365. In fact, many people have mistakenly referred to Office 365 as Microsoft 365, so it’s easy to see confusion between the two products.
It gets even more confusing when you learn that Microsoft 365 includes Office 365. Let’s break down the differences:
Microsoft 365 vs. Office 365 in brief
Office 365 is a suite of cloud-based productivity applications such as Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and more. Microsoft 365 is a service pack that includes Office 365 and several other services including Windows 10 Enterprise.
Microsoft 365 vs. Office 365 in detail
Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 is a service pack that includes Office 365. It also includes Windows 10 Enterprise, Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS), and Machine Learning. As with Office 365, there are several plans to choose from, depending on your needs. Services included in Microsoft 365 are also available as separate licenses.
Office 365
Office 365 is a cloud-based suite of applications and services focused on business productivity. It includes some applications you may already be familiar with, such as Microsoft Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Depending on the tariff, the subscription also includes applications and services such as:
- Skype for Business
- SharePoint
- OneDrive
- Teams
- Yammer
- Planner
And more, along with powerful productivity, collaboration, and security features. Office 365 is a monthly subscription per user. There are a variety of plans to choose from depending on your specific needs. Plans can be mixed and matched within your organization, and you can change plans at any time.