Help CenterMicrosoft SharePoint is one of the most widely used platforms for collaboration, content management, and document sharing in organizations of all sizes. To cater to various business needs, Microsoft offers multiple SharePoint plans: Plan 1, Plan 2, and a more comprehensive offering, SharePoint Premium.
In this article, we'll explore the differences between these plans, focusing on SharePoint Online Plan 1, SharePoint Online Plan 2, and SharePoint Premium, helping you determine which is best suited for your organization.
What is SharePoint Online?
SharePoint Online is a cloud-based service that helps organizations store, organize, share, and access information from any device. It is available as part of Microsoft 365, enabling employees to collaborate on documents, share knowledge, and manage projects in real-time.
Key Differences Between SharePoint Plan 1, Plan 2, and Premium
1. Storage Limits
- Plan 1: 1 TB of storage per organization, with an additional 10 GB per licensed user.
- Plan 2: Similar base storage (1 TB + 10 GB/user), but offers unlimited storage as needed, making it ideal for scaling organizations.
- SharePoint Premium: Also offers unlimited storage, similar to Plan 2, but with additional premium services such as prioritized support, ensuring larger enterprises or mission-critical projects have no disruption.
2. Advanced Search and Discovery
- Plan 1: Provides basic search across SharePoint content, allowing users to find documents, files, and sites.
- Plan 2: Offers advanced search features like eDiscovery and Content Search, ideal for large organizations that need to conduct legal holds and data discovery.
- SharePoint Premium: Includes the same advanced search capabilities as Plan 2, but enhances it with AI-driven search and personalized insights, improving content discovery for users across large datasets.
3. Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
- Plan 1: Does not include DLP features.
- Plan 2: Includes Data Loss Prevention (DLP), allowing you to detect and prevent the accidental sharing of sensitive information such as social security numbers or credit card data.
- SharePoint Premium: Builds on Plan 2's DLP capabilities by integrating automated machine learning and advanced AI-powered security controls to identify and mitigate risks more proactively.
4. Information Protection and Compliance
- Plan 1: Basic compliance tools like access controls and version history.
- Plan 2: Advanced compliance features, including In-Place Holds, eDiscovery cases, and Retention Policies, making it suitable for organizations with strict regulatory requirements.
- SharePoint Premium: Offers enhanced compliance management and automated retention policies with advanced analytics to monitor adherence to compliance standards, making it a top choice for regulated industries like finance and healthcare.
5. Business Process Automation
- Plan 1: Basic automation through Power Automate, with simple workflows for task automation.
- Plan 2: More advanced automation capabilities, including support for Power Apps for custom app development, integration with Business Connectivity Services (BCS), and more complex workflows.
- SharePoint Premium: Provides enterprise-grade automation tools, including AI-driven workflow automation, advanced integrations with external platforms, and deeper capabilities for developing and deploying custom business applications at scale.
6. Security and Encryption
- Plan 1: Basic security features such as data encryption in transit and at rest, and access controls.
- Plan 2: Adds Data Loss Prevention and In-Place Holds to further protect sensitive information and ensure compliance.
- SharePoint Premium: Enhances security with more advanced information protection, retention policies, and AI-powered compliance tools for larger organizations.
Note: Microsoft Defender for Office 365 (formerly ATP), which includes advanced threat protection, is not included in SharePoint plans but can be added separately as part of Microsoft 365 E5 or purchased as an add-on. It provides protection for SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams from malicious files and links.
7. Analytics and Business Intelligence
- Plan 1: Limited analytics and no access to Power BI.
- Plan 2: Includes access to Power BI for business intelligence reporting and deeper integration with Microsoft 365.
- SharePoint Premium: Offers advanced business analytics through Power BI, plus AI-powered insights and predictive analytics to help businesses understand trends and make data-driven decisions. It provides real-time dashboards for monitoring document usage and employee engagement across the platform.
8. Access to Office 365 Suite Features
- Plan 1: Provides basic SharePoint Online features without deeper integrations with the wider Microsoft 365 suite.
- Plan 2: Comes with enhanced integration with Office 365 services, including Teams, OneDrive, Power BI, and Exchange Online, making it more versatile.
- SharePoint Premium: Provides seamless integration across all Microsoft 365 tools and services, plus enterprise support and priority updates for SharePoint-specific features, ensuring your organization is always on the cutting edge of collaboration technologies.
Which Plan is Right for You?
Choosing between SharePoint Plan 1, Plan 2, and SharePoint Premium depends on your organization’s size, needs, and budget:
- Small to Medium-Sized Businesses: Plan 1 is an affordable and sufficient solution for standard collaboration and document management needs.
- Enterprises and Regulated Industries: Plan 2 is the right choice for organizations that require advanced security, compliance, and business automation capabilities.
- Large Enterprises and Mission-Critical Projects: SharePoint Premium is designed for organizations that need premium support, enterprise-level tools, and advanced AI-driven automation and security. It is suitable for large enterprises that deal with sensitive data and require seamless scalability, robust security, and top-tier support.
Conclusion
Each SharePoint plan offers a unique set of features tailored to different organizational needs. Plan 1 is perfect for businesses looking for basic functionality at a lower cost. Plan 2 adds advanced security, compliance, and workflow automation, making it ideal for larger organizations. SharePoint Premium takes things further by integrating AI and offering enterprise-grade tools for highly regulated industries or large-scale operations.
By understanding the key differences between SharePoint Plan 1, Plan 2, and Premium, you can make an informed decision to best support your organization’s needs now and in the future.