- Microsoft 365 F3
- Microsoft 365 E3
- Microsoft 365 E5
- Microsoft 365 A3
- Microsoft 365 A5
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium
- Microsoft 365 Education Student Use Benefit
Differences Between Microsoft 365 Subscriptions
Each Microsoft 365 subscription comes with different features tailored for specific use cases. Below is a comparison to help you decide which one suits your development needs.
| Plan | Target Audience | Key Features | Best For Development? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 F3 | Frontline Workers | Web & mobile apps, 2GB mailbox, limited OneDrive (2GB), Teams | ❌ Limited developer tools |
| Microsoft 365 E3 | Enterprises | Full Office apps, 100GB mailbox, advanced security, 1TB OneDrive | ✅ Good for general development |
| Microsoft 365 E5 | Enterprises (Advanced Security & Compliance) | Includes E3 + advanced security (Defender, Compliance, Power BI Pro) | ✅ Great if security & analytics are needed |
| Microsoft 365 A3 | Education (Schools, Staff) | Similar to E3 but for education | ❌ Not for corporate development |
| Microsoft 365 A5 | Education (Advanced Security & Compliance) | Similar to E5 but for education | ❌ Not for corporate development |
| Microsoft 365 Business Premium | Small & Medium Businesses | Includes Office apps, Intune, security, Defender | ✅ Suitable for business development |
| Microsoft 365 Education Student Use Benefit | Students | Free access to Office apps, Teams, and OneDrive | ❌ Limited enterprise tools |
Which One is Best for Development?
If you're a developer working with Microsoft technologies like Power Platform, SharePoint, or Azure, you should go for:
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Microsoft 365 E3 – Good balance of features with enterprise-grade tools.
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Microsoft 365 E5 – Ideal if you need advanced security, Power BI Pro, and analytics tools.
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Microsoft 365 Business Premium – Works well for small/medium-scale projects.
How to Decide?
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If your organization provides E3 or E5, it’s best for development.
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If you need Power BI Pro, Microsoft Defender, and compliance tools, go for E5.
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If you’re working in a small business or startup, Business Premium might be sufficient.
If you have Microsoft 365 E3 or E5, you should have:
✅ Power Apps for Microsoft 365 (Limited to standard connectors)
✅ Power Automate for Microsoft 365 (Limited to standard connectors)
✅ SharePoint Online Plan 2 (If included in E3/E5)
If you need premium connectors, Dataverse, or AI Builder, you might require an additional Power Platform license.
Method 2: Check in Power Platform Admin Center
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Navigate to Environments and select your default environment
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Click on Settings > Resources > Capacity
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Check if you have Dataverse (formerly CDS) and premium services enabled
Included in Microsoft 365 E3
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Power Apps (for Microsoft 365) – You can build and use canvas apps with standard connectors (e.g., SharePoint, Excel, Outlook).
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❌ Does not include premium connectors (Dataverse, SQL, SAP, etc.).
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❌ No access to standalone Power Apps environments.
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Power Automate (for Microsoft 365) – You can create automated workflows using standard connectors.
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❌ No RPA (Robotic Process Automation) or premium connectors.
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SharePoint Online Plan 2 –
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✅ Full SharePoint Online access with advanced features (eDiscovery, DLP, etc.).
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✅ Supports custom SPFx solutions, workflows, and integrations.
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🔍 Limitations for Advanced Development
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No Dataverse (Common Data Service)
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No AI Builder or premium connectors
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Limited Power Platform environments
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No full-fledged Power Virtual Agents
🚀 Next Steps: What You Can Do
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For Full Power Platform Development
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Sign up for a free Power Apps Developer Plan here
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This gives you full Dataverse, premium connectors, and unlimited environments
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For Enterprise-Grade Development
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If your org allows it, consider requesting Power Apps Per User Plan or Power Automate Premium
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If you need RPA, Dataverse, or AI models, you may need additional licenses
Comparison: Power Apps Per User Plan vs. Power Automate Premium
| Feature | Power Apps Per User Plan | Power Automate Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Develop and use unlimited apps | Build automated workflows, RPA, and integrations |
| Included Apps | Power Apps (Canvas, Model-Driven) | Power Automate (Cloud Flows, RPA, APIs) |
| Access to Dataverse | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Premium Connectors | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| AI Builder Credits | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (AI-driven automation) |
| RPA (Robotic Process Automation) | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (Unattended & Attended bots) |
| API Requests per User/Day | 40,000 | 40,000 |
| Power Pages (Portals) | ✅ Yes (Limited use) | ❌ No |
| Best For | Building Power Apps with advanced connectors & Dataverse | Automating processes, RPA, and AI-driven workflows |
| Ideal Use Case | If you need to build enterprise apps | If you need advanced automation & RPA |
Which One Should You Choose?
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If you want to build and use advanced apps with Dataverse, get 👉 Power Apps Per User Plan
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If you need automation, AI-based workflows, and RPA, get 👉 Power Automate Premium
Do You Need Both?
If you are building apps that require automation, you might need both plans. For example:
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Power Apps to collect data from users.
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Power Automate to trigger workflows, process approvals, or move data between systems.
✅ 1. Included in Microsoft 365 Plans (No Additional License Needed)
If you are developing within your organization's SharePoint Online environment, Microsoft 365 E3 (which you already have) includes:
✔ SharePoint Online Plan 2 – Full access for developing and managing SharePoint sites, lists, and document libraries.
✔ Power Automate for Microsoft 365 – Basic automation with standard connectors (e.g., SharePoint workflows).
✔ Power Apps for Microsoft 365 – Limited to canvas apps with standard connectors (no premium connectors like SQL, Dataverse).
🔹 2. Additional Licenses Needed for Advanced SharePoint Development
If you require advanced SharePoint customization, integrations, or automation, you may need:
| Requirement | License Needed |
|---|---|
| SPFx (SharePoint Framework) Development | No extra license (included in SharePoint Online Plan 2) |
| Power Apps using Premium Connectors (SQL, Dataverse, etc.) | Power Apps Per User Plan |
| Advanced Power Automate Flows (Premium Connectors, RPA) | Power Automate Premium |
| Dataverse for SharePoint-based apps | Power Apps Per User Plan |
| AI-Based Document Processing (OCR, AI Builder in SharePoint) | AI Builder Add-on |
| Power BI Embedded Dashboards in SharePoint | Power BI Pro / Premium |
| External User Access for Custom Apps in SharePoint | Power Pages (formerly Power Apps Portals) |
💡 Key Takeaways
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For standard SharePoint development (SPFx, Lists, Sites, Workflows, Power Apps with standard connectors) → Microsoft 365 E3 is enough.
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For apps using premium connectors (SQL, Dataverse, APIs) → You need Power Apps Per User Plan.
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For RPA, AI, or advanced Power Automate workflows → You need Power Automate Premium.
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For embedding Power BI reports in SharePoint → You need Power BI Pro.
Office 365 vs. Microsoft 365 for Enterprise – Key Differences & Comparison
Microsoft offers two major enterprise productivity suites: Office 365 and Microsoft 365. While they seem similar, Microsoft 365 is a more comprehensive solution that includes everything in Office 365 plus advanced security, device management, and Windows licensing.
🔹 1. Key Differences
| Feature | Office 365 (Enterprise) | Microsoft 365 (Enterprise) |
|---|---|---|
| Included Apps | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive | Everything in Office 365 + Advanced Security, Device Management, and Windows 11 Enterprise |
| Windows License | ❌ Not included | ✅ Windows 11 Enterprise (E3/E5) |
| Security & Compliance | Basic security (Email encryption, DLP, ATP in E5) | ✅ Advanced security (Defender, Identity Protection, Threat Analytics) |
| Device & App Management | ❌ Limited | ✅ Intune (Mobile Device & App Management) |
| Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) | ❌ Not included | ✅ Included (Azure AD Premium, Conditional Access, MDM, etc.) |
| Best For | Organizations needing productivity apps & collaboration tools | Enterprises requiring security, compliance, and device management in addition to Office apps |
🔹 2. Licensing & Plans Comparison
Office 365 Enterprise Plans (Focus: Productivity & Collaboration)
| Plan | Cost (approx.) | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Office 365 E1 | ₹660/user/month | Web-based apps, Teams, SharePoint, Email (50GB), OneDrive (1TB) |
| Office 365 E3 | ₹1,760/user/month | E1 + Desktop apps, 100GB Mailbox, eDiscovery, DLP, Office Scripts |
| Office 365 E5 | ₹3,070/user/month | E3 + Advanced security, Compliance, Power BI Pro, Analytics |
Microsoft 365 Enterprise Plans (Focus: Productivity + Security + Windows)
| Plan | Cost (approx.) | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 E3 | ₹2,640/user/month | Office 365 E3 + Windows 11 Enterprise + Intune + Azure AD Premium |
| Microsoft 365 E5 | ₹4,630/user/month | Microsoft 365 E3 + Advanced Security (Defender, Identity Protection) + Power BI Pro |
🔹 3. Which One Should You Choose?
| If You Need... | Go for Office 365 | Go for Microsoft 365 |
|---|---|---|
| Just Office Apps & Collaboration | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Windows 11 Enterprise & Security | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Cloud-based Security & Compliance | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Device Management (Intune, MDM) | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| AI & Threat Protection (Defender, Azure Security) | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
🚀 Key Takeaways
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Office 365 = Productivity & Collaboration (For businesses that just need Office apps and cloud tools like Teams, SharePoint, and Exchange).
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Microsoft 365 = Office 365 + Security + Windows (For enterprises needing advanced security, compliance, and device management along with productivity tools).
Check from Microsoft 365 Account Portal
Go to Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
Sign in with your Microsoft account (work or school).
Click on Your Info (top-right profile icon).
Under Subscriptions, you’ll see your assigned license.
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