Microsoft Home vs Business: Difference and Comparison

Who hasn’t used Microsoft in their lives? Ingrained into every device, Microsoft is a basic application that is pre-installed on most computers.

However, it is offered in several different types and forms. Microsoft application is available exclusively for personal and/or office use. These applications can be bought according to the user’s needs and requirements.

Key Takeaways

1. Microsoft Home is designed for personal use and includes core apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, whereas Microsoft Business targets small businesses with additional apps like Outlook and Access.
2. Microsoft Business offers business-specific features like email hosting, data loss prevention, and advanced security options not found in Microsoft Home.
3. Microsoft Home is more affordable than Microsoft Business, making it an attractive option for individual users.

Microsoft Home vs Business

Microsoft Home is a suite of consumer-oriented applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, for personal and household use. Microsoft Business is a suite for small to medium-sized businesses, including Outlook, Publisher, Access and Teams, designed to improve productivity.

As the name suggests, Microsoft Home refers to the software application created by Microsoft that is used on a larger scale for residential purposes.

This application offers Microsoft Office apps that are considered to be its staples, including One Note, Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. It is available on a cheaper subscription plan than its commercial counterpart.

Microsoft Business talks about the software application belonging to Microsoft that is used as a go-to among any business organization or institution.

Owing to its name, the Business variant of Microsoft offers its customers SharePoint, Exchange servers,  OneDrive for Business, Yammer, and Microsoft Teams.

It is an extensive and intricate program that owns everything that might be required to run a business and the applications one might need to do so.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Microsoft Home	Microsoft Business
Definition	The software application is owned by Microsoft for residential purposes.	Microsoft application used on commercial platforms.
Apps or programs	One Note, Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint	Exchange servers, SharePoint, OneDrive for Business, Yammer, and Microsoft Teams.
Number of accounts allowed	Primarily a single account	Allows up to 300 accounts
Storage	Offers OneDrive cloud up to 1 TB and 50 GB mailbox in Outlook	Offers OneDrive cloud up to 1 TB, Skype 300 people, and 50 GB mailbox in Outlook
Price	Comparatively lower	Higher rate of subscription

What is Microsoft Home?

Staying in lieu of its name, Microsoft Home is used in reference to the software application created by Microsoft that is used on a larger scale for residential purposes. 

The Home application of Microsoft offers its users the Microsoft Office apps that are considered to be their basic staples.

Including One Note, Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. This array of applications supports blank documents, presentations, spreadsheets, video calls, etc., that are used in data transfer and storage.

Microsoft primarily uses its base accounts for all the programs offered in its services, although users can use up to five different accounts without facing any trouble.

Microsoft Home 365 also offers its customers and subscribers storage of  OneDrive cloud up to 1 TB and 50 GB mailbox in Outlook.

Each of the account users can install every app available on the Office onto their devices using a single subscription plan. The cherry on top is that the shared accounts get 1 TB OneDrive cloud space, irrespective of the difference.

Due to the availability of these features and a cheaper subscription plan than its counterpart, Microsoft Home is a well-loved and popular choice amongst its faithful users.

Used predominantly in an informal atmosphere, Microsoft Home is also preferred to be used by smaller business organizations due to the efficient applications offered and the price range.

What is Microsoft Business?

This software application belonging to Microsoft termed Microsoft Business, is used as a go-to among any business organization or institution. Therefore, it is preferred and used for commercial or official purposes. And can be found in such environments.

Owing to its name, the Business variant of Microsoft offers its customers Exchange servers, SharePoint, OneDrive for Business, Yammer, and Microsoft Teams. 

This array of applications helps run the business smoothly, efficiently handling the varying aspects of a business and helps accordingly.

Microsoft Business allows up to 300 accounts in a single subscription. This includes an offer of cloud storage on OneDrive up to 1 TB and a 50 GB mailbox in Outlook.

The facilities allowed, including the member, to Skype 300 people, Microsoft Teams provide a platform to instil a chat-based workspace and a planner to help manage tasks.

Microsoft Business has a higher rate of subscription owing to its larger customer base per subscription.

Companies that require several video conferences and a strict task manager and planner opt to get the Business version of Microsoft installed.

It is an extensive and intricate program that owns everything that might be required to run a business and the applications one might need to do so.

Main Differences Between Microsoft Home and Business

1. Microsoft owns both these software applications, Home is used in a residential platform, and Business for commercial purposes.
2. Home offers its users applications such as One Note, Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. The Business version includes SharePoint, Exchange servers,  OneDrive for Business, Yammer, and Microsoft Teams.
3. The Home version of Microsoft allows a primarily singular account, which can be added to five devices. Microsoft Business allows up to three hundred accounts.
4. Small businesses subscribe to Microsoft Home, whereas larger companies and firms opt for Business.
5. The pricing range for Home is comparatively lower, and Office has a higher rate of subscription.

References

1. https://download.microsoft.com/documents/australia/corporateaffairs/palladium_white_paper_public.pdf
2. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4302-6686-0_1