Microsoft Teams Essentials: standalone Teams for SMBs
Microsoft Teams Essentials
per user per month, excluding VAT
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Microsoft Teams Essentials is Microsoft Teams sold on its own for small businesses: meetings, chat, calling and collaboration, without the Microsoft 365 productivity plan around it. It can connect to an existing email system, so a business that keeps its mail elsewhere can still run Teams as its meeting and chat platform. The variant carried here uses Microsoft Entra identity, which matters because that is the version Microsoft lists as a valid prerequisite for a Teams Phone Standard or Teams Phone with Calling Plan licence. Businesses already on a Microsoft 365 Business plan do not need it.
What it is
Microsoft Teams Essentials is a standalone Teams subscription for small businesses. It provides meetings, chat, calling and collaboration without requiring a Microsoft 365 productivity plan underneath.
Who it is for
Small businesses that want Teams as their meetings and chat platform while keeping email and files where they already are. It connects to an existing email system rather than replacing it.
Who does not need it
Anyone already on Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard or Premium. Those plans are sold in editions with and without Teams, so the choice is made when picking the plan. Buying Teams Essentials alongside a bundled Business plan duplicates what is already there.
Key capabilities
- Teams meetings, chat, calling and collaboration
- Connects to an existing email system
- Microsoft Entra identity in the variant carried here
- A valid base for Teams Phone Standard or Teams Phone with Calling Plan
Why the identity variant matters
Microsoft lists Teams Essentials (Microsoft Entra identity) among the prerequisite licences for Teams Phone Standard and Teams Phone with Calling Plan. If telephony is on the roadmap, that is the variant to be on, and it is worth confirming on the order rather than after it.
Where it sits against Microsoft Teams EEA and Teams Enterprise
Those two are the enterprise standalone licences, designed to pair with a Microsoft 365 or Office 365 enterprise suite bought in a no Teams edition. Teams Essentials is the small business standalone and is not that pairing product.
Do I need it if I already have Microsoft 365 Business Standard?
No. The Business plans are sold in editions with and without Teams, so the decision is made when choosing the plan. Adding Teams Essentials alongside a bundled Business plan duplicates what you hold.
Does it come with email?
No. It connects to an existing email system rather than providing one. Business email comes from a Microsoft 365 Business plan or Exchange Online.
Can I add telephony to it?
Yes. Microsoft lists Teams Essentials with Microsoft Entra identity as a valid prerequisite for Teams Phone Standard and for Teams Phone with Calling Plan, so it is a workable base for telephony.
How is it different from Microsoft Teams EEA or Teams Enterprise?
Those are the enterprise standalone licences, intended to pair with an enterprise suite bought in a no Teams edition. Teams Essentials is the small business standalone and is not that pairing product.
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Category
- Productivity
- Type
- SaaS
- Billing
- Monthly
- Commitment
- 1-Year
- Available terms
- Monthly, 1-Year
- SKU
- MST-NCE-AAD-C100
- 1You request the licence, or add it to the cart.
- 2I confirm price, term and seats, and check your VAT number in VIES. Businesses in the EU only.
- 3You pay before we provision, under the CSP Marketplace Terms. The invoice comes from Michal Jatczak, a sole trader registered in Malta, trading as ITSailor. Reverse charge for an EU VAT number that validates in VIES.
- 4Your authorised signatory accepts the Microsoft Customer Agreement before activation.
- 5I place the order with Pax8 within one business day of payment.