{"id":50333,"date":"2026-09-09T12:10:59","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T09:10:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/?p=50333"},"modified":"2026-10-13T12:48:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T09:48:52","slug":"is-teams-part-of-microsoft-office","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/reviews-comparisons\/is-teams-part-of-microsoft-office","title":{"rendered":"Is Teams Part of Microsoft Office or Microsoft 365? Plans Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/trueconf.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/is-microsoft-teams-part-of-microsoft-office_-690x388.png\" alt=\"Is Microsoft Teams Part of Microsoft Office?\" width=\"690\" height=\"388\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-50335\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/is-microsoft-teams-part-of-microsoft-office_-690x388.png 690w, https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/is-microsoft-teams-part-of-microsoft-office_-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/is-microsoft-teams-part-of-microsoft-office_-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/is-microsoft-teams-part-of-microsoft-office_-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/is-microsoft-teams-part-of-microsoft-office_.png 1672w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\"><b>Microsoft Teams can be included with Microsoft 365 and Office 365, but it is not included with every plan.<\/b> Microsoft offers commercial Microsoft 365 and Office 365 subscriptions both with Teams and without Teams, while Teams can also be licensed separately.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">That makes the question \u201cDoes Microsoft Office include Teams?\u201d more complicated than a simple yes or no.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">A company can use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other Microsoft 365 applications without using Teams as its primary messaging and <a href=\"https:\/\/trueconf.com\/blog\/reviews-comparisons\/video-conferencing-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">video conferencing platform<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"h4--main h4--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">Is Microsoft Teams Part of Microsoft Office?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Not exactly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Microsoft Teams is not an Office application in the same sense as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. It is a <a href=\"https:\/\/trueconf.com\/blog\/reviews-comparisons\/unified-communication-and-collaboration-tools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">communication and collaboration service<\/a> that can be bundled with some Microsoft 365 or Office 365 subscriptions or licensed separately.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">The confusion comes from three different things:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"ui-list ui-list--medium\" style=\"margin-bottom: 18px;\">\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">some Microsoft 365 and Office 365 plans include Teams;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">other plans are sold without Teams;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">the Teams desktop application may be installed even when a particular subscription does not provide a Teams service entitlement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">This means that simply seeing Teams installed on a computer does not prove that the account has a Teams license.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"h4--main h4--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">Is Teams Included With Microsoft 365?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Sometimes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Microsoft currently offers Microsoft 365 and Office 365 subscriptions both <b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/licensing\/faqs\/10\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">with Teams and without Teams<\/a><\/b>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">A simplified view looks like this:<\/p>\n<table style=\"overflow-x: auto; display: block;\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"padding: 8px 16px; text-align: left; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\"><strong>Subscription Type<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding: 8px 16px; text-align: left; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\"><strong>Microsoft Teams<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Microsoft 365 \/ Office 365 suite with Teams<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Included<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Microsoft 365 \/ Office 365 suite without Teams<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Not included<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Microsoft 365 Apps<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Teams service is not automatically included<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Standalone Microsoft Teams<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Licensed separately<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">The important distinction is between the <b>Teams application<\/b> installed on a device and the <b>Teams service license<\/b> assigned to the user.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"h4--main h4--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">Why Is Teams Installed If My Plan Does Not Include It?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Because installation and licensing are separate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">The Teams client can be <a href=\"https:\/\/learn.microsoft.com\/en-us\/microsoftteams\/teams-client-deploy-with-m365apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">deployed alongside Microsoft 365 Apps<\/a> even in some environments where the user&#8217;s subscription does not include access to the Teams service.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Administrators can also control whether Teams is installed as part of a Microsoft 365 Apps deployment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">A useful rule is:<\/p>\n<div class=\"accent-note ui-mb-sm-1\">\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text\"><b>The Teams app and a Teams service license are not the same thing.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">If Teams appears on a computer but the user cannot access the expected business functions, check the license assigned to the Microsoft account rather than relying on the installed application.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"h4--main h4--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">Why Did Microsoft Separate Teams From Microsoft 365?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Microsoft changed the packaging of Teams after competition concerns in Europe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Enterprise suites with Teams stopped being sold to new customers in the European Economic Area and Switzerland in 2023. In April 2024, Microsoft expanded the separation globally for new Enterprise customers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">The model changed again from <b>November 1, 2025<\/b>. New customers worldwide could once again purchase Microsoft 365 and Office 365 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/licensing\/faqs\/10\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enterprise suites that include Teams<\/a>, while corresponding versions without Teams remained available.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">This explains why older articles can provide apparently contradictory answers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Depending on when they were published, they may state that:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"ui-list ui-list--medium\" style=\"margin-bottom: 18px;\">\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">Teams is included with Microsoft 365;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">Teams was separated from Microsoft 365;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">Enterprise customers need a separate Teams license.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">For 2026, the practical answer is:<\/p>\n<div class=\"accent-note ui-mb-sm-1\">\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text\"><b>Microsoft 365 and Office 365 are available in configurations both with and without Teams.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/trueconf.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/teams-app-vs-teams-service-license-690x388.png\" alt=\"Teams App vs Teams Service License\" width=\"690\" height=\"388\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-50337\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/teams-app-vs-teams-service-license-690x388.png 690w, https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/teams-app-vs-teams-service-license-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/teams-app-vs-teams-service-license-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/teams-app-vs-teams-service-license-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/teams-app-vs-teams-service-license.png 1672w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"h4--main h4--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">Which Microsoft 365 Plans Include Teams?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Microsoft currently offers Enterprise, Business, and Frontline licensing options with Teams as well as corresponding no-Teams configurations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Enterprise suites available with Teams include products such as:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"ui-list ui-list--medium\" style=\"margin-bottom: 18px;\">\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">Microsoft 365 E3 and E5;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">Office 365 E1, E3, and E5.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Versions without Teams also remain available.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">For smaller organizations, Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Business Standard, and Business Premium can likewise be available in configurations <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en\/microsoft-365\/business\/no-teams-plans-and-pricing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">with Teams or without Teams<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">The exact catalog can vary by market, customer type, and licensing program.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Before purchasing, check:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"ui-list ui-list--medium\" style=\"margin-bottom: 18px;\">\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">the exact subscription name;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">whether a Teams service plan is included;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">whether Teams is licensed separately;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">whether the subscription is an existing legacy bundle or a new purchase.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">The phrase <b>Microsoft 365<\/b> alone is therefore not enough to determine whether Teams is included.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"h4--main h4--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">Do You Have to Pay Separately for Microsoft Teams?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Not always.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">If the Microsoft 365 or Office 365 subscription includes Teams, the included Teams service does not require a separate Teams license.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">If the selected subscription does not include Teams, an organization can license Teams separately.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Alternatively, it can choose another platform for messaging, calls, and video conferencing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">This creates an important distinction:<\/p>\n<div class=\"accent-note ui-mb-sm-1\">\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text\"><b>Using Microsoft 365 does not require an organization to standardize all corporate communication on Microsoft Teams.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"h4--main h4--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">Can You Use Microsoft 365 Without Teams?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Yes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">A company can use Microsoft 365 applications and services without using Teams as its communication platform.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Depending on the selected subscription, the organization may continue to use:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"ui-list ui-list--medium\" style=\"margin-bottom: 18px;\">\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">Word;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">Excel;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">PowerPoint;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">Outlook;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">OneDrive;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">SharePoint;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">other Microsoft 365 services;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">while choosing another system for:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"ui-list ui-list--medium\" style=\"margin-bottom: 18px;\">\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">personal and group messaging;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">voice calls;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">video conferencing;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">meeting rooms;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">internal communication.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Office productivity and corporate communications do not have to come from the same vendor.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"h4--main h4--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">Can You Replace Teams and Keep Microsoft 365?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Yes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Replacing Teams does not require replacing Microsoft 365.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">An organization can separate the two layers:<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\"><b>Microsoft 365<\/b><br \/>\nEmail, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, storage, and productivity workflows<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\"><b>Communication platform<\/b><br \/>\nMessaging, voice, video conferencing, meetings, and room communication<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">This model can be useful when the organization wants to keep Microsoft productivity tools but has different technical or infrastructure requirements for corporate communications.<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: space-between; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 12px; background: #00B3CD; border-radius: 12px; padding: 12px 16px;\">\n<h5 class=\"primary-small-text white-text\">Compare TrueConf with Microsoft Teams!<\/h2>\n<p>    <a href=\"https:\/\/trueconf.com\/teams-alternative.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" role=\"link\" class=\"default-button default-button--sm default-button--orange default-button--rounded default-button--truncate default-button__forward-icon default-button--right-icon white-icon\"><br \/>\n        <span class=\"default-button__text white-text\">Compare<\/span><br \/>\n    <\/a>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">\n<h2 class=\"h4--main h4--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">When Does a Microsoft Teams Alternative Make Sense?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">A <a href=\"https:\/\/trueconf.com\/microsoft-teams-alternative.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Teams alternative<\/a> is worth considering when the limitation is not Microsoft 365 itself but the way <a href=\"https:\/\/trueconf.com\/blog\/productivity\/what-is-corporate-communication\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">corporate communication<\/a> is deployed or managed.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"h5--main h5--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">Teams Is Not Included in the Selected Subscription<\/h3>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">If an organization already needs to license its communication system separately, it can compare Teams with alternative platforms instead of treating Teams as an automatic part of Microsoft 365.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"h5--main h5--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">Communication Must Run on Company Infrastructure<\/h3>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Microsoft Teams is primarily delivered as a <b>Microsoft-hosted cloud service<\/b> and does not provide a conventional fully <a href=\"https:\/\/secumeet.com\/reviews\/self-hosted-teams-alternatives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">self-hosted Teams<\/a> server for commercial organizations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Companies that require a customer-controlled messaging and conferencing server therefore need a different deployment model.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"h5--main h5--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">Communication Must Continue Inside a Private Network<\/h3>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Some organizations need messaging and video meetings to remain available without depending on public cloud services.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">In this case, the important question is whether core functions such as:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"ui-list ui-list--medium\" style=\"margin-bottom: 18px;\">\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">messaging;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">conferencing;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">authentication;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">administration;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">can continue inside the organization&#8217;s own infrastructure.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"h5--main h5--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">Existing Video Systems Need to Remain in Use<\/h3>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Organizations may already operate conference rooms, SIP endpoints, H.323 systems, or other video infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Changing the communication platform should not necessarily require replacing existing room equipment.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"h5--main h5--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">Microsoft 365 and Communications Need Different Control Models<\/h3>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">An organization may be comfortable using Microsoft-hosted services for office productivity while requiring direct control over internal messaging and video infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">There is no requirement that both functions use the same deployment architecture.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"h4--main h4--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">Microsoft Teams vs TrueConf Server<\/h2>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">TrueConf Server is an alternative for organizations that want business messaging and video conferencing to operate on customer-controlled infrastructure.<\/p>\n<table style=\"overflow-x: auto; display: block;\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"padding: 8px 16px; text-align: left; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\"><strong>Requirement<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding: 8px 16px; text-align: left; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\"><strong>Microsoft Teams<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding: 8px 16px; text-align: left; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\"><strong>TrueConf Server<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Team messaging<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Video conferencing<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Microsoft 365 integration<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Native<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Separate communication environment<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Customer-controlled server<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">No conventional self-hosted Teams server<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Deployment model<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Microsoft-hosted service<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Customer-controlled deployment<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">SIP\/H.323 interoperability<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Available through Microsoft architecture and supported integrations<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Supported<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Can coexist with Microsoft 365<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #F7F9FC; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<p class=\"primary-smallest-text\">Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">The key difference is architectural.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Teams extends the Microsoft 365 cloud ecosystem.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">TrueConf Server can operate as an independent communication layer while the organization continues using Microsoft 365 for productivity.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"h4--main h4--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">When TrueConf Server Is a Relevant Alternative<\/h2>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">TrueConf Server is most relevant when an organization wants to keep Microsoft 365 but needs a different model for messaging and video communications.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">For example, it can be considered when:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"ui-list ui-list--medium\" style=\"margin-bottom: 18px;\">\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">communication must run on company-controlled servers;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">dependence on a public communication cloud is undesirable;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">messaging and video conferencing need to operate inside a private network;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">existing SIP\/H.323 equipment should remain connected;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">the organization wants to administer communications separately from Microsoft 365.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">In this model, Microsoft 365 continues to handle documents, email, spreadsheets, presentations, and other productivity workflows, while TrueConf handles corporate messaging and video communication.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">TrueConf therefore does not need to replace Microsoft 365.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">It can replace the <b>communication layer represented by Teams<\/b> while leaving the rest of the Microsoft environment in place.<\/p>\n<div class=\"grid-layout\">\n<div class=\"grid-layout__col-2\">\n<div class=\"grid-layout__item grid-layout__item--md grid-layout__item--color\">\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\"><b>Try TrueConf Server Free!<\/b><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ui-list ui-list--small\" style=\"margin-bottom: 18px;\">\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\"><b>1,000 online users<\/b> with the ability to chats and mske one-on-one video calls.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\"><b>10 PRO users<\/b> with the ability to participate in group video conferences.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\"><b>One SIP\/H.323\/RTSP connection<\/b> for interoperability with corporate PBX and SIP\/H.323 endpoints.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\"><b>One guest connection<\/b> to invite a non-authenticated user via link to your meetings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>            <a href=\"https:\/\/trueconf.com\/products\/tcsf\/trueconf-server-free.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" role=\"link\" class=\"default-button default-button--sm default-button--orange default-button--rounded default-button--truncate white-text\"><br \/>\n                <span class=\"default-button__text\">Learn more<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-layout__item\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/trueconf.com\/images\/products\/server-free\/feature\/--static-right\/__slide\/en\/features--static-right__slide--media.png\" alt=\"Content Sharing in High Quality\" title=\"Content Sharing in High Quality\" loading=\"lazy\">\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">\n<h2 class=\"h4--main h4--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">When Should You Keep Microsoft Teams?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Replacing Teams does not make sense for every organization.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Keeping Teams is usually simpler when:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"ui-list ui-list--medium\" style=\"margin-bottom: 18px;\">\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">Teams is already included in the Microsoft 365 subscription;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">employees rely heavily on native Microsoft 365 integrations;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">SharePoint, OneDrive, Outlook, and Teams are tightly connected in existing workflows;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">Microsoft-hosted communication infrastructure meets organizational requirements;<\/li>\n<li class=\"ui-list__item ui-list__item--disc\">there is no requirement for a customer-operated communication server.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">In that environment, moving to another platform may add complexity without solving a meaningful licensing, infrastructure, or control problem.<\/p>\n<section id=\"faq\">\n<h2 class=\"h3--main h3--thick black-text ui-mb-md-1\">FAQ<\/h2>\n<div class=\"faq__container ui-mb-md-1\">\n<div class=\"faq__item\">\n<p class=\"faq__question h4--main h4--thick black-text hyphens--auto margin--not\">Is Microsoft Teams part of Microsoft Office?<\/p>\n<div class=\"faq__answer\">\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text margin--not\">Microsoft Teams can be included with some Microsoft 365 and Office 365 subscriptions, but it is not included in every plan. Teams can also be licensed separately.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq__item\">\n<p class=\"faq__question h4--main h4--thick black-text hyphens--auto margin--not\">Is Microsoft Teams included with Microsoft 365?<\/p>\n<div class=\"faq__answer\">\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text margin--not\">Some Microsoft 365 subscriptions include Teams, while others are sold without it. The exact entitlement depends on the selected subscription.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq__item\">\n<p class=\"faq__question h4--main h4--thick black-text hyphens--auto margin--not\">Why is Teams installed if my plan does not include it?<\/p>\n<div class=\"faq__answer\">\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text margin--not\">The Teams application and the Teams service license are separate. The client may be installed with Microsoft 365 Apps even when the account does not have a Teams service entitlement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq__item\">\n<p class=\"faq__question h4--main h4--thick black-text hyphens--auto margin--not\">Can I use Microsoft 365 without Teams?<\/p>\n<div class=\"faq__answer\">\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text margin--not\">Yes. An organization can use Microsoft 365 applications and services while choosing another platform for messaging, calls, and video conferencing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq__item\">\n<p class=\"faq__question h4--main h4--thick black-text hyphens--auto margin--not\">Do I need to pay separately for Teams?<\/p>\n<div class=\"faq__answer\">\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text margin--not\">Only if Teams is not already included in the Microsoft 365 or Office 365 subscription and the organization still wants to use the Teams service.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq__item\">\n<p class=\"faq__question h4--main h4--thick black-text hyphens--auto margin--not\">Can I replace Microsoft Teams without replacing Microsoft 365?<\/p>\n<div class=\"faq__answer\">\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text margin--not\">Yes. Microsoft 365 can continue to provide email, documents, storage, and productivity tools while another platform handles messaging and video conferencing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq__item\">\n<p class=\"faq__question h4--main h4--thick black-text hyphens--auto margin--not\">What is an on-premises alternative to Microsoft Teams?<\/p>\n<div class=\"faq__answer\">\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text margin--not\">An on-premises alternative runs the communication platform on infrastructure controlled by the organization rather than relying entirely on a vendor-hosted communication service. TrueConf Server is one example of this deployment model.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<h2 class=\"h4--main h4--thick black-text ui-mb-xs-3 ui-mt-md-1\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Microsoft Teams can be part of Microsoft 365 or Office 365, but it should not be assumed that every Microsoft 365 subscription automatically includes it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">Microsoft offers suites both with and without Teams, and Teams can also be licensed separately.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">That gives organizations a useful architectural choice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">A company can keep Microsoft 365 for productivity while deciding independently how messaging, voice, video conferencing, and meeting-room communication should operate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">For organizations that already rely heavily on the Microsoft 365 ecosystem and are comfortable with Microsoft-hosted communications, Teams may remain the simplest option.<\/p>\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text ui-mb-sm-1\">If corporate communications need to operate on customer-controlled infrastructure or independently from the Microsoft cloud communication layer, TrueConf Server becomes a more relevant alternative.<\/p>\n<div class=\"divider\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"accent-note accent-note--special ui-mb-sm-1\">\n<p class=\"primary-medium-text\"><strong><i>About the Author<\/i><\/strong><br \/>\n<i>Olga Afonina is a technology writer and industry expert specializing in video conferencing solutions and collaboration software. At TrueConf, she focuses on exploring the latest trends in collaboration technologies and providing businesses with practical insights into effective workplace communication. Drawing on her background in content development and industry research, Olga writes articles and reviews that help readers better understand the benefits of enterprise-grade communication.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/olga-afonina-435b041a2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" role=\"link\" class=\"primary-small-text to-page to-page--rarr cyan-icon\"><i>Connect with Olga on LinkedIn<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n  .divider {\n    border-top: 10px solid #01b7cc;\n    margin: 16px 0;\n  }\n<\/style>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@graph\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Person\",\n      \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/olga-afonina-435b041a2\/\",\n      \"name\": \"Olga Afonina\",\n      \"jobTitle\": \"Technology Writer, Marketing Content Manager\",\n      \"worksFor\": { \n        \"@type\": \"Organization\", \n        \"name\": \"TrueConf\", \n        \"url\": \"https:\/\/trueconf.com\" \n      },\n      \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/olga-afonina-435b041a2\/\",\n      \"sameAs\": [\n        \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/olga-afonina-435b041a2\/\"\n      ],\n      \"description\": \"Olga Afonina is a technology writer and industry expert specializing in video conferencing and unified communications industry. At TrueConf, she focuses on exploring the latest trends in collaboration technologies and providing businesses with practical insights into effective workplace communication. Drawing on her background in content development and industry research, Olga writes articles and reviews that help readers better understand the benefits of enterprise-grade communication.\"\n    }\n  ]\n}\n<\/script><br \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n  \"mainEntity\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"Is Microsoft Teams part of Microsoft Office?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"Microsoft Teams can be included with some Microsoft 365 and Office 365 subscriptions, but it is not included in every plan. 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That makes the question \u201cDoes Microsoft Office include Teams?\u201d more complicated than a simple [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":50350,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[392,387],"class_list":["post-50333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reviews-comparisons","tag-softcompare","tag-video-conferencing","wpautop"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/60"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50333"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50333\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50349,"href":"https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50333\/revisions\/50349"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50350"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trueconf.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}