Microsoft is splitting up its Teams and Office software products, following years of antitrust questions.
The popular video conferencing app Microsoft Teams will now be available all by itself across the globe. Microsoft has previously unbundled Teams for the EU in 2023. However, the EU’s antitrust investigation into the company remains ongoing, prompting some to speculate that Microsoft’s new unbundling decision was driven by the need to avoid further scrutiny.
Users will be able to get an Office package that doesn’t include Teams at all, with costs starting at $7.75 per month, or a Microsoft 365 Business plan without Teams, starting at $4.75 per month.
How the Teams/Office Unbundling Works
If you or your business are currently Microsoft customers, don’t fear: You have plenty of options. No matter what bundle you have now, you’ll be able to keep or renew your current setup, while also having the opportunity to switch to a new offer.
Here are the new unbundled software options and starting prices, according to Microsoft’s announcement post.
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- Microsoft Teams Enterprise (standalone): $5.25 per month
- Office 365 E1 (no Teams): $7.75 per month
- Office 365 E3 (no Teams): $20.75 per month
- Office 365 E5 (no Teams): $35.75 per month
- Microsoft 365 F1 (no Teams): $1.75 per month
- Office 365 F3 (no Teams): $3.50 per month
- Microsoft 365 F3 (no Teams): $7.50 per month
According to the announcement FAQ, the reasoning behind the unbundling is to “realign our global subscription structure following changes made in Europe in 2023.”
Microsoft 365 Plans Are Also Unbundling Teams
In addition to the Office 365 unbundling, all three Microsoft 365 Business plans are now available without Teams as well:
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic (no Teams): $4.75 per month
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard (no Teams): $10.25 per month
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium (no Teams): $19.75 per month
All prices and offers — including Office 365 as well as Microsoft 365 — are in effect as of today, April 1, 2024.
Microsoft’s Antitrust Troubles Aren’t Over Yet
EU antitrust charges are likely still coming down the pike for Microsoft in the coming months, according to analysis from Reuters.
Microsoft has plenty of reasons to avoid antitrust scrutiny, and they all come with a dollar sign in front of them: The EU has given the company a grand total of $2.4 billion worth of antitrust charges in the past decade alone. If found guilty of future antitrust charges, the tech giant could be fined as much as 10% of its global annual turnover.
That said, we do recommend Teams for web conferencing, although it has worthy competitors: Check out our guide to the top web conferencing tools for the full picture.
