Is Microsoft 365 Worth It? Here Are the Pros and Cons
Microsoft Office 365 starts at about $7 per month. The price depends on the number of licenses you need and whether you're using it on a personal or business level.
While the basic plan includes the Office suite of programs, there are several higher-priced plans that allow you to run your business more effectively. You'll have access to up to 6 TB of storage with access to 365 from any device.
So, is Microsoft 365 worth it? Keep reading for the pros and cons of Microsoft 365 so you can decide for yourself whether it's a good fit for your business.
Table of Contents:
- Pros of Microsoft Office 365
- Customization
- Collaboration Tools
- Automatic Updates
- Cons of Microsoft Office 365
- Compatibility Issues
- Is Microsoft 365 Worth It?
Pros of Microsoft Office 365
Microsoft Office 365 has become one of the most popular cloud-based software solutions in the world, with over 1 million companies using it today.
This tool was designed by Microsoft to provide users with access to all of their important documents, emails, and other files from anywhere at any time. It's also easy to use as there are no installation requirements; just sign up for an account and get started!
Customization
You can change the frequency of notifications that are sent to your devices and apps, as well as the look of the app on each device. Third-party add-ons can also help boost productivity in project management and collaboration. For example, Zapier allows you to set up connections between Microsoft 365 and other apps such as Google Drive, MailChimp, and more.
Collaboration Tools
This cloud-based product provides online sharing of documents. You can share your Word and Excel files with colleagues, who can then make edits to them in real time. These features are very useful in team projects and when you need help completing a task.
If two people are working together on something long-term, this feature becomes even more valuable because it allows users to maintain multiple versions of documents over time as they collaborate on them together.
Security
Microsoft 365 Defender and Azure Defender are two of the most powerful security solutions in the industry. Their detection accuracy and real-time updates allow you to prevent, detect, and respond to attacks in many areas. If an employee accidentally opens a malicious attachment or clicks on a phishing link from their email account, you can catch it before damage is done.
Automatic Updates
One of the most important aspects of using any software is keeping it up-to-date with security patches and bug fixes as they become available. Microsoft does this automatically through its cloud services platform, so you don't have to worry about manually updating every application.
Cons of Microsoft Office 365
You'll have to pay for each user, whether they're using the software or not. This can get expensive if you have a lot of employees who use Office 365 regularly.
Since Microsoft Office 365 is cloud-based, another downside is that it's slower than locally installed programs, such as Google Docs and other products that don't require an internet connection to work.
Compatibility Issues
Microsoft Office 365 is compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices. It's also available for web browsers such as Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.
Unfortunately, Microsoft Office 365 does not work on Linux. If you're currently running an older version of Windows such as XP or Vista, then Microsoft Office 365 won't work for you, either.
Is Microsoft 365 Worth It?
Microsoft Office 365 is a worthwhile investment for businesses that edit documents on a daily basis. It's also a good choice for businesses that need to collaborate with others or store documents in the cloud.
The subscription model makes it easy to upgrade and downgrade your plan as you need, so there's no risk of being stuck with an expensive bill at year-end.