Microsoft 365 Apps for Business is a plan that most Indian businesses overlook — but for a specific type of organisation, it is the most cost-effective Microsoft 365 option available. At ₹685 per user per month on an annual commitment, Apps for Business provides the full desktop Office applications and 1 TB of OneDrive per user, without Microsoft Exchange email or Microsoft Teams.
If your business already has business email — through Google Workspace, Zoho Mail, a hosting provider or an on-premises mail server — and your primary need is Office desktop apps for your team's PCs and Macs, Apps for Business delivers exactly that at a lower price than Business Standard.
Microsoft 365 Apps for Business — Key Specs
| Feature | Apps for Business |
|---|---|
| Price | ₹685/user/month (annual) |
| Word desktop app | ✓ PC and Mac |
| Excel desktop app | ✓ PC and Mac |
| PowerPoint desktop app | ✓ PC and Mac |
| Outlook desktop app | ✓ (connects to any IMAP/Exchange mailbox) |
| Publisher, Access | ✓ Windows |
| OneDrive | ✓ 1 TB per user |
| Web and mobile apps | ✓ All Office web apps |
| Exchange Online | ✗ Not included |
| Microsoft Teams | ✗ Not included |
| SharePoint | ✗ Not included |
| Defender for Business | ✗ Premium only |
| Maximum users | Up to 300 |
What Apps for Business Includes
Full Desktop Office Apps — 5 Devices Per User
The core of Apps for Business is the same set of desktop Office applications included in Business Standard:
Microsoft Word: Full desktop version with all formatting capabilities, mail merge, track changes, macros and offline access. On Windows, includes Publisher and Access as well.
Microsoft Excel: Complete desktop Excel with Power Query, Power Pivot, VBA macros, Solver, Data Analysis Toolpak and the full function library. For businesses relying on complex Excel-based workflows, this is the production-grade tool — not the web version.
Microsoft PowerPoint: Full desktop version with all animations, transitions, Designer, Presenter Coach and offline presentation capability.
Microsoft Outlook desktop: Full Outlook installed on PC or Mac. Critically — Outlook desktop is not tied to Exchange Online. It can connect to any email account via IMAP or Exchange protocol, including Google Workspace, Zoho Mail, GoDaddy email or any hosting provider's mailbox. Users on Apps for Business get Outlook desktop to access their existing email account through the full Outlook client.
Each user can install Office on 5 Windows PCs or Macs, 5 tablets and 5 mobile devices — the same allowance as Business Standard.
OneDrive — 1 TB Per User
Every Apps for Business user gets 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage with desktop sync. Files sync to Windows and macOS via the OneDrive desktop client, enabling local access, offline capability and automatic cloud backup.
For teams that need centralised cloud storage with version history and easy sharing — without SharePoint's full site structure — OneDrive on Apps for Business is fully functional.
Web and Mobile Office Apps
Apps for Business also includes the web-based versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, plus the iOS and Android apps for all Office applications.
What Apps for Business Does Not Include
Exchange Online and Microsoft Teams. This is the key omission. Apps for Business does not include Exchange Online mailboxes, so users do not get @yourcompany.com email through Microsoft. Teams for team meetings, channels and chat is also not included.
If your business needs Teams, you would need to add Teams Essentials (₹115/user/month) as a separate licence alongside Apps for Business, or switch to Business Standard (₹770/user/month) which includes both Teams and Exchange.
SharePoint. Team document sites through SharePoint are not part of Apps for Business. Shared file storage works through OneDrive shared folders rather than SharePoint team sites.
Who Apps for Business Is Designed For
Apps for Business is a genuinely useful plan for specific Indian business scenarios. It is not a universal recommendation — but for the right situation, it is meaningfully more cost-effective than Business Standard.
Businesses Already on Google Workspace
The most common Apps for Business user in India is a business that is satisfied with Google Workspace for email and collaboration (Gmail, Meet, Drive) but whose team needs desktop Office apps — primarily Word and Excel — for document work.
For a 20-user team on Google Workspace Starter (₹270/user/month) that also needs Office desktop apps:
- Apps for Business: ₹685/user/month → ₹13,700/month for Office apps + OneDrive
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard: ₹770/user/month (replacing Google Workspace)
If the team is already comfortable with Google Workspace and switching is disruptive, running Apps for Business alongside Google Workspace gives them desktop Office at ₹685/user/month.
Businesses with On-Premises Exchange or Third-Party Email
Some Indian enterprises run their own on-premises mail server (Exchange on-premise, Postfix) or use a third-party email provider that is not Microsoft. Their team still needs desktop Office apps on Windows PCs. Apps for Business provides the apps and OneDrive without requiring a migration to Exchange Online.
Creative and Production Teams
Design agencies, production houses, architecture firms and similar businesses that primarily use Windows PCs for creative work and Office apps for documents and proposals — but use a specialised email system or a different communication platform — can use Apps for Business purely for the Office desktop suite and OneDrive.
Apps for Business vs Business Standard — When to Choose Which
| Scenario | Recommended plan |
|---|---|
| Need desktop Office + Exchange email + Teams | Business Standard (₹770) |
| Already on Google Workspace, need Office apps | Apps for Business (₹685) |
| Need Office apps, have own email server | Apps for Business (₹685) |
| Need Teams video meetings + Office apps | Business Standard (₹770) |
| Need only email, no desktop apps | Business Basic (₹145) |
The price difference between Apps for Business (₹685) and Business Standard (₹770) is ₹85/user/month — ₹10,200/year for a 10-user team. If a business needs Teams at all, Standard is the better value. If Teams is not needed, Apps for Business is the cleaner, lower-cost choice.
Microsoft 365 Apps for Business Annual Cost in India
| Users | Annual (ex-GST) | GST 18% | Total annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | ₹82,200 | ₹14,796 | ₹96,996 |
| 25 | ₹2,05,500 | ₹36,990 | ₹2,42,490 |
| 50 | ₹4,11,000 | ₹73,980 | ₹4,84,980 |
| 100 | ₹8,22,000 | ₹1,47,960 | ₹9,69,960 |
Annual commitment. GST at 18% recoverable as input tax credit with a GST invoice from an authorised Microsoft partner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Outlook desktop with Apps for Business to access my Gmail or Google Workspace email?
Yes — Outlook desktop in Apps for Business can connect to any IMAP email account, including Gmail and Google Workspace. You add your Google account to Outlook using the IMAP/SMTP settings or via the integrated Google account sign-in. This is a common setup for businesses on Google Workspace that want Outlook as their desktop email client.
Does Apps for Business include Microsoft Teams?
No — Teams is not included in Apps for Business. If you need Teams for video meetings, add Teams Essentials (₹115/user/month) alongside Apps for Business, or upgrade to Business Standard which includes both Exchange and Teams.
Is Apps for Business the same as Office 365 ProPlus?
Apps for Business is Microsoft's current name for the subscription that provides Office desktop apps and OneDrive for business users. Office 365 ProPlus was an older product name that has been retired. Apps for Business is its successor with updated branding.
Can I use Apps for Business alongside Google Workspace?
Yes — this is one of the most common use cases in India. Apps for Business provides Office desktop installs and OneDrive, while Google Workspace handles email, Meet and Drive. Both services work independently on the same devices.
What happens to Office files if I cancel Apps for Business?
Upon cancellation, Office apps enter a reduced functionality mode — you can view and print documents but cannot edit them. OneDrive files remain accessible for 30 days post-cancellation for export. Before cancelling, export all OneDrive content to local storage or another cloud service.
Interested in Microsoft 365 Apps for Business for your team? Contact Cloudfy Systems for INR pricing, GST invoice and help assessing whether Apps for Business or Business Standard is the right fit. Compare all plans at Microsoft 365 Services.