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Check out Microsoft 365 small business help on YouTube.
Microsoft 365 for business is a subscription service that lets you run your organization in the cloud while Microsoft takes care of the IT for you. Microsoft manages devices, protects against real-world threats, and provides your organization with the latest in business software. You can sign up for a free trial subscription for Microsoft 365 Business Standard, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, or Microsoft 365 Apps for business and try it out for 30 days.
Note
You must use a credit card when you sign up for a free trial. At the end of your free trial period, your trial subscription is automatically converted to a paid subscription. Your credit card isn't billed until the end of the trial period.
Important
Payment options for Office 365 operated by 21Vianet in ChinaInternational credit cards are not accepted. You can pay for your subscription by:
- Invoice
- Online payment using Alipay or China UnionPayProof of payment will be provided in the form of Fapiaos. You can submit your Fapiao request to our Fapiao system about three (3) days after you have paid. For more information, see Apply for a Fapiao for Office 365 operated by 21Vianet.
Before you begin
You don't need an existing Microsoft account to sign up for a free trial. For all other procedures in this article, you must be a Global or Billing admin for your organization. For more information, see About admin roles.
Try a free trial subscription
Are you a new customer, and you don't already have an account with Microsoft? Use these steps to create an account and sign up for a free trial subscription of Microsoft 365 Business Standard, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, or Microsoft 365 Apps for business.
- Go to the Microsoft 365 Products site.
- Select the plan that you want to sign up for, such as Microsoft 365 Business Standard, scroll down the page, and select Try free for 1 month.
- On the next page, follow the steps to set up your account.
- The sign-up process may take several minutes to complete. After it's complete, you're ready to start the setup wizard for your subscription. For more information about setting up your subscription, see Next steps.
Buy a subscription from your free trial
At the end of your free trial period, your trial subscription automatically converts to a paid subscription. The paid subscription defaults to the plan you currently have. You can buy a different plan by following the steps in Buy a different subscription.
If you want to buy your subscription before your trial is over, use these steps:
- In the Microsoft 365 admin center, go to the Billing > Your products page.
- On the Your products page, find the subscription that you want to buy.
- In the Licenses section, select Purchase subscription.
- Choose a billing frequency for your subscription, then select Checkout.
- On the next page, verify the subscription, and select Checkout.
- On the next page, verify the Sold to address, the Billed to information, and Items in this order. If you need to make any changes, select Change next to the applicable section.
- When you're finished, select Accept agreement & place order.
Extend your trial
Do you need more time to try out the features of Microsoft 365 for business before buying? If your trial subscription is within 15 days of expiring and the trial hasn't been extended before then you can extend your trial for another 30 day period. You can only do this one time.
- In the admin center, go to the Billing > Your products page.
- On the Products tab, select the trial subscription that you want to extend.
- On the subscription details page, in the Subscriptions and payment settings section, select Extend end date.
- In the Extend end date pane, review the extension information, and if necessary, select a payment method. When you're finished, select Extend trial.
When you're ready to buy, see Buy your trial version.
Cancel your free trial subscription
If you decide to cancel your trial subscription before the free trial period ends, go to the Microsoft 365 admin center and turn off Recurring billing. The trial will automatically expire when your month ends, and your credit card won't be charged.
Try a different subscription
If you already have a Microsoft 365 for business subscription, you can use the Microsoft 365 admin center to try a different subscription.
When you add a subscription through the Microsoft 365 admin center], the new subscription is associated with the same organization (domain namespace) as your existing subscription. This association makes it easier to move users in your organization between subscriptions, or to assign them a license for the additional products they need.
- In the admin center, go to the Billing > Purchase services page.
- On the Purchase services page, you see the plans that are available to your organization. Choose the Microsoft 365 plan that you want to try.
- On the next page, select Get free trial. The trial gives you 25 user licenses for a one-month term.
- Choose to receive a text or a call, enter your phone number, then choose Text me or Call me.
- Enter the verification code, then select Start your free trial.
- On the Check out page, select Try now.
- On the order receipt page, select Continue.
Buy a different subscription
If you already have a Microsoft 365 for business subscription, you can go through the Microsoft 365 admin center to buy a different subscription for your organization.
Watch: Move users to a different subscription
Check out this video and others on our YouTube channel.
As your users change roles, they may need features that aren't available in their current Microsoft 365 Business Premium subscription. When this happens, you can add a new subscription that includes those features, and assign licenses to the people who need them.
Note
For some subscriptions, you can only cancel during a limited window of time after you buy or renew your subscription. If the cancellation window has passed, turn off recurring billing to cancel the subscription at the end of its term.
When you buy another subscription through the Microsoft 365 admin center, the new subscription is associated with the same organization (domain name space) as your existing subscription. This makes it easier to move users in your organization between subscriptions or assign them a license for the additional subscription they need.
- In the admin center, go to the Billing > Purchase services page.
- On the Purchase services page, select the plan that you want to buy, select Details, then select Buy.
- Enter the number of licenses that you need and choose whether to pay each month or for the whole year. Choose whether you want to automatically assign licenses to everyone who does not currently have a license. Then select Check out now.
- Review the pricing information and select Next.
- Provide your payment information, and then select Place order > Go to Admin Home.
Note
You must move users from your free trial subscription to the new subscription before your 90-day grace period ends after your trial subscription expires. By doing this, you keep your data, accounts, and configuration. Otherwise, that information is deleted.
Payment options
You can pay for your subscription by:
Invoice
Online payment using Alipay or China UnionPay
Proof of payment will be provided in the form of Fapiaos. You can submit your Fapiao request to our Fapiao system about three (3) days after you have paid. For more information, see Apply for a Fapiao for Office 365 operated by 21Vianet.
Note
International credit cards are not accepted.
Next steps
If you have a new account and are setting up your first subscription, you can use the guided setup articles to help you get started.
- Set up Microsoft 365 Business Basic
- Set up Microsoft 365 Business Standard
- Set up Microsoft 365 Business Premium
- Set up Microsoft 365 Apps for business
If you already have a subscription and are adding a new subscription, you can move users to it. To learn how, see Move users to a different subscription.
Related content
Microsoft 365 for business training videos (video)
Add users and assign licenses at the same time (article)
Assign licenses to users (article)
Upgrade to a different plan (article)
Buy or edit an add-on for Microsoft 365 for business (article)
Add storage space for your subscription (article)
FAQs
Is there a one time purchase for Office 365? ›
Office 2021 is sold as a one-time purchase, which means you pay a single, up-front cost to get Microsoft 365 apps for one computer. One-time purchases are available for both PCs and Macs.
Is Microsoft 365 worth it for small business? ›Microsoft 365 is the platform to beat. As a tool for business, it provides everything you need to plan future strategies, manage your business assets, communicate with your team and customers, and present new ideas.
How do I get Office 365 for free for business? ›- Go to Microsoft365.com.
- Click Sign up for the free version of Office under the "Sign in" button.
- Log in to your Microsoft account or create one for free. ...
- Select the app you want to use and save your work in the cloud with OneDrive.
Microsoft Office Professional 2021 lifetime license: $30
This wildly popular offer for a Microsoft Office lifetime license is live once again for just $30. It's available for both Mac and Windows, so be sure to grab the right one for the computer that you use regularly.
What is the difference between Office 365 and Microsoft 365? Microsoft 365 includes everything you know in Office 365. Microsoft 365 is designed to help people and businesses achieve more with innovative Office apps, intelligent cloud services, and world-class security.
Do most businesses use Office 365? ›Office 365 is used by over a million companies worldwide, with over 879,851 companies in the United States alone using the office suite software.
Is Office 365 being phased out? ›Is Office going away entirely? No, as part of Microsoft 365 you will continue to get access to apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. We will also continue to offer one-time purchases of those apps to consumers and businesses via Office 2021 and Office LTSC plans.
Is 365 Business Premium worth it? ›Microsoft Business Premium offers a slew of advanced security features that make it worth the upgrade. These include features such as: Microsoft Defender for Office 365, which provides protection against dangerous email attachments and links.
What is the cheapest Office 365 license? ›| Microsoft Licensing Plan | Price Per User Per Month |
|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 Apps for Business | $8.25 |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard | $12.50 |
| Microsoft 365 Business Premium | $22.00 |
| Office 365 Enterprise F3 | $4.00 |
How Much Does Microsoft 365 Cost? Subscription prices start at $69.99 per year for Microsoft 365 Personal, which includes access to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, and Skype apps for one user on up to five devices.
Which Microsoft Office is best for business? ›
- ₹ 125.00. Microsoft 365 Business Basic ₹ 125.00. user/month. GST extra as applicable. ...
- ₹ 660.00. Microsoft 365 Business Standard ₹ 660.00. user/month. GST extra as applicable. ...
- ₹ 1,585.00. Microsoft 365 Business Premium ₹ 1,585.00. user/month. GST extra as applicable.
...
How to buy Office 365
- Choose the plan. ...
- Set up the account. ...
- Create Office 365 tenant. ...
- Decide about payment and billing.
You can continue to use Office for a short time after your trial ends. Eventually, Office will run in View Only mode and will show Unlicensed Product notifications. You'll still be able to open and print your documents, but you won't be able to edit them or to create new ones.
Can you cancel Office 365 after free trial? ›Select Services & Subscriptions from the top menu bar. Next to Microsoft 365, select Manage. Select Cancel Subscription in the right column. Select Turn off recurring billing on the next screen to confirm.
Is there Microsoft Office 365 lifetime subscription? ›There are NO “Lifetime subscriptions” to Microsoft 365 plans.
Can I buy Office 365 for multiple years? ›You can extend the duration of a Microsoft 365 subscription for up to 5 years.
Does Microsoft 365 have lifetime subscription? ›Subscribing to an Office 365 Personal plan requires you to shell out $70 per year and even more if you pay by month. But if you're Mac user who would rather avoid recurring fees, you can purchase lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 for just $50 , or 85 percent off.
What is the best alternative to Microsoft 365? ›- Google Workspace.
- OpenOffice.
- WPS Office.
- LibreOffice.
- ONLYOFFICE.
- WordPerfect.
- Polaris Office.
- ThinkFree.
Microsoft 365 for Business
Microsoft 365 Apps – costs $8.25 user/month and requires an annual commitment. It includes Office apps across devices and cloud file storage but doesn't include business email and Microsoft Teams. Microsoft 365 Business Standard – costs $12.50 user/month and requires an annual commitment.
The Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Apps for business, Business Standard, and Business Premium plans each have a limit of 300 users, while the Enterprise plans are for an unlimited number of users.
What are the disadvantages of Office 365? ›
- Subscriptions aren't for everyone. You don't have to pay out one-time costs, but you do have to pay every month. ...
- Compatibility issues with bespoke systems. ...
- Constant updates mean constant changes. ...
- Most people only use 20% of the functionality. ...
- You don't actually own the software.
More than two years ago, Microsoft announced it would rename its Office 365 SMB offerings as “Microsoft 365.” Today the company made the name change for all of its productivity apps. Included in the Microsoft 365 name change is Office.com, the Office mobile app, and the Office app for Windows.
How much is Outlook for business? ›| Cost | Mailbox Storage | |
|---|---|---|
| Outlook.com | Free | 15GB |
| Outlook Desktop | $129.99 | 50GB* |
| Office 365 Business Essentials | $5/user/mo. | 50GB |
| Office 365 Business Premium | $12.50/user/mo. | 50GB |
In Microsoft Office 2022, adds up to 100 GB of free storage for cloud users, which promotes the speed of operating and work efficiency. 2. The latest Microsoft Office 2022 that Microsoft cracked here comes with a host of updates to Microsoft Word, Spreadsheet, Powerpoint, and all other tools.
How much does 365 cost per year? ›If you would be the only one using the apps and services, the "Microsoft 365 Personal" plan is for you. It costs $70 a year (or $7 per month) and gives you access to all the apps alongside 1TB of OneDrive storage.
What are the benefits of Microsoft 365 Business Premium? ›Stay up to date with the latest versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. Connect with customers and coworkers using Outlook, Exchange, and Microsoft Teams. Manage your files from anywhere with 1 TB of cloud storage on OneDrive per user.
What is the difference between Office 365 E3 and business premium? ›As mentioned above, Office 365 E3 includes advanced Excel functionality that will help your business analyze big data sets. Microsoft Business Premium contains handy services such as Intune, Defender, Azure Protection, and Conditional Access which keep your devices/data organized and secure.
What should I pay for Office 365? ›The Microsoft 365 collection typically costs between $70 and $100 every year for subscription access across devices and family members. Microsoft also released a new stand-alone version of Microsoft Office for Windows and Mac, called Office Home and Student 2021, for a flat $150 -- no subscription required.
How much is m365 per month? ›For a subscription fee of $8.25 per user/month, Microsoft 365 Apps for Business (formerly known as Office 365 Business) gives your organization access to the most up-to-date desktop versions of Office applications. These include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, Access, and Publisher.
How many types of Office 365 licenses are there? ›There are three main types of Office 365 licenses: Business plans – limited to 300 users. Enterprise plans – with no user or feature limitations. Frontline worker plans– essentials for mobile or remote employees.
Do you have to renew Office 365 every year? ›
That purchase of a license to legally run the software gives you the right to use that version of Office 2021 in perpetuity. In other words, the license has no expiration date, and users may run the suite for as long as they want.
How much is M365 business premium? ›| Plan | M365 Business Premium | M365 Business Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Price per user, per month | $22 | $12.50 |
| User limit | 300 | 300 |
| Outlook storage | 50 GB | 50 GB |
| OneDrive storage | 1 TB | 1 TB |
As is usually the case, the cheapest option for Office 2021 is the "Home & Student" Edition, which comes with a single-user license, allowing you to install the Office suite of apps on one device.
What is the difference between Office home and business and professional? ›Microsoft Office 2019 Editions
Home & Student for PC/MAC: Includes core applications only. Home & Business for PC/MAC: Includes core applications plus Outlook. Professional: Includes core applications plus Outlook, Publisher and Access. Uses Windows Installer method for offline installation.
- Microsoft 365 Family. From $99.99 per year.
- Microsoft 365 Personal. From $69.99 per year.
- Office Home & Business 2021. $249.99.
- Office Home & Student 2021. $149.99.
- Project Professional 2021. $1,129.99.
There is no lifetime license for Microsoft 365. Microsoft 365, unlike Office 2019, requires an annual or monthly subscription to get the latest versions of the Office apps, such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook. You will always have the latest features, new tools, security updates and bug fixes available.
How do I activate Microsoft Office for free permanently? ›- Activating your free Office suite via Microsoft. Open the Microsoft Office program of your choice. ...
- Step 1: open the Office program. ...
- Step 2: choose an account. ...
- Step 3: log in to Microsoft 365. ...
- Step 4: accept the conditions. ...
- Step 5: get started.
Admins and users no longer have access to the services or Office applications that came with the subscription. All customer data—from user data to documents and email—is permanently deleted and is unrecoverable. At this point, you can't reactivate the subscription.
Can I cancel Office 365 yearly subscription? ›Select Cancel subscription (or it might say, Upgrade or cancel). Follow the instructions on the page to proceed with cancellation by turning off recurring billing. To review our complete cancellation policy, see Microsoft Store Terms of Sale.
Can I use Office 365 offline without subscription? ›To use extended offline access, you must have Version 2002 or later of Microsoft 365 Apps. To enable extended offline access, your organization must have a Microsoft 365 Apps license subscription. Extended offline access is not available as a license for all customers.
What happens to mailbox when Office 365 license is removed? ›
When you remove the license, all that user's data is held for 30 days. You can access the data, or restore the account if the user comes back. After 30 days, all the user's data (except for documents stored on SharePoint Online) is deleted permanently from Office 365 and can't be recovered.
Do I have to renew Microsoft 365 every year? ›All regular Microsoft 365 licenses expire after 12 months. However, Microsoft offers a grace period of up to three months, starting at the expiration date. You can still benefit from all the tools included in your current plan.
How much does Office 365 cost a year? ›How Much Does Microsoft 365 Cost? Subscription prices start at $69.99 per year for Microsoft 365 Personal, which includes access to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, and Skype apps for one user on up to five devices.
Can I buy Microsoft Office for 1 month only? ›You can choose to pay for your subscription on a monthly or yearly basis, and the Microsoft 365 Family plan lets you share your subscription with your family for up to 6 people, and use your apps on multiple PCs, Macs, tablets, and phones.
How much does it cost to buy Office 365? ›In-Depth Review of the Cost
Office 365 is available as a free trial for one month. Once your trial is complete, you can purchase Office 365 for a yearly personal subscription of $70.
What to expect: The Expired stage lasts for 30 days for most subscriptions, including subscriptions bought through Microsoft Open, in most countries and regions. For Volume Licensing products, except for Microsoft Open, the Expired stage lasts 90 days.
Can I still use Office 365 after subscription expires? ›You'll still be able to open and print your documents but you won't be able to edit them or to create new ones. Tip: In the meantime, you can use Office Online for free in your web browser. Go Office.com to access the free version.
How much is M365 Business premium? ›| Plan | M365 Business Premium | M365 Business Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Price per user, per month | $22 | $12.50 |
| User limit | 300 | 300 |
| Outlook storage | 50 GB | 50 GB |
| OneDrive storage | 1 TB | 1 TB |
There is no lifetime license for Microsoft 365. Microsoft 365, unlike Office 2019, requires an annual or monthly subscription to get the latest versions of the Office apps, such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook. You will always have the latest features, new tools, security updates and bug fixes available.
How much is Microsoft Office 2022? ›| Bundle Was Price: | $39.98 |
|---|---|
| Bundle Price: | $29.99 |
| You Save: | $9.99 (24%) |