SharePoint vs Office 365: Is SharePoint Part of Office 365?

Last Updated on August 26, 2023

Are you confused about SharePoint and Office 365?

Well, don’t worry about that. Microsoft’s products sometimes get a little confusing, especially their packages and suites.

In this article, let’s discuss SharePoint vs Office 365 and whether or not SharePoint is part of the Office 365 suite.

Let’s get started.

What’s the difference between SharePoint and Office 365?

Starting with the Office 365 plan:

Did you know that it’s now called “Microsoft 365”? Though the suite has a new name, the value is still the same.

Anyway, here’s is how Microsoft defines Microsoft 365:

Microsoft 365 is the productivity cloud designed to help each of us achieve what matters, in our work and life, with best-in-class Office apps, intelligent cloud services, and advanced security.

Basically, it’s the umbrella term for a suite that includes different Microsoft 365 apps and services — all in different plans:

As for SharePoint — it’s also a product from Microsoft that’s more geared toward allowing organizations to create an intranet.

Officially, Microsoft describes SharePoint this way:

Share and manage content, knowledge, and applications to empower teamwork, quickly find information, and seamlessly collaborate across the organization.

Now, as for SharePoint plans, you can either:

• Buy a standalone plan that includes OneDrive
• Buy SharePoint as part of the Microsoft 365 suite

Is Office 365 the same as SharePoint?

Not exactly.

Office 365 (Microsoft 365) — is a suite or package of apps and services from Microsoft. SharePoint is a Microsoft product.

SharePoint is one of the apps and services included in most Microsoft 365 business plans you can buy.

On the other hand, you can always buy SharePoint independently as Microsoft offers standalone plans that mainly revolve around SharePoint.

Do you need Office 365 to use SharePoint?

Technically, you don’t need to subscribe to Office 365 or Microsoft 365 to use SharePoint as it’s basically a product or service.

However, if you’re thinking of using SharePoint to enable your team to collaborate with one another easily, then getting Office 365 is a good idea.

That’s because SharePoint is interconnected with various Microsoft products and services that you may need as a team.

Is SharePoint part of Microsoft Office?

Yes, although there are some plans that don’t include SharePoint in its list of apps and services.

SharePoint in Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based service that’s hosted by Microsoft for all types of businesses that need internet.

For this product, you need to subscribe to a Microsoft Office 365 business plan that includes SharePoint in its usable apps and services.

Confused about whether to go with Microsoft 365 or a standalone SharePoint plan?

Chose the whole Microsoft 365 when:

• Your team needs a file-based storage
• Collaboration is vital to your team
• You need to exchange large files with your team
• You want the best of all worlds

Choose the standalone plan when:

• Your team has no need for most of the apps and services from Microsoft

Do you have more questions regarding SharePoint vs Office 365? If so, kindly comment with your question below.

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