Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) is one of the software giant’s most successful products. Many users, including our fellow writer and editor Osama, consider Microsoft 365 to be their favorite product from the company. The subscription is relatively affordable and offers great value, such as access to Office apps with a constant stream of new features, 1TB in OneDrive, 60 minutes of Skype calls, additional security features, ad-free Outlook, and more. Now Microsoft aims to make its subscription more valuable. The company has revealed a new entry-level Microsoft 365 Basic plan that will set you back just $1.99 a month.
Microsoft 365 Basic will replace the 100GB option that OneDrive customers can buy for the same price. Microsoft will launch the new tier on January 30, automatically upgrading all OneDrive users currently paying for 100GB of space.
Feature-wise, Microsoft 365 Basic offers the following benefits:
- 100GB of space in OneDrive
- Ad-free Outlook on web and mobile
- Additional security features, such as data encryption in Outlook, attachment scanning, and checking for suspicious links
- Additional features for OneDrive, such as Personal Vault, password-protected and expiring links, ransomware data recovery, and bulk file store (later this year)
- Additional technical support by phone or online chat for apps and Windows 11
The primary difference between Microsoft 365 Basic and Microsoft 365 Personal ($6.99/mo) is the standalone Office apps. Those who subscribe to Microsoft 365 Basic will not be able to download and install desktop Office apps. However, they can use web-based apps that support the most essential features and collaboration tools.
Do you think Microsoft 365 Basic offers enough features to justify its price? Let us know what you think about the new level in the comment section.
