I want to use Teams and Planner. What type of price plan should I use?

Question

I want to use Teams and Planner. What type of price plan should I use? Also, what type of MS subscription would other people, with whom I will chat and plan via MS Teams, need to have?

Answer 1

Dear @Marios Neoptolemou,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum

I understand you're looking for the right plan to use Teams and Planner for your needs, and I’m happy to help.

Your choice of plan primarily depends on whether you’re using these tools for personal use or for business collaboration. As of early 2026, Microsoft Planner is considered a "premium" feature within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem and is not included in the free or basic Personal/Family versions of Teams.

To fully integrate Planner within Teams, you’ll need a Business or Enterprise subscription.

Here are some options:

1.Microsoft 365 Business Basic

• For small teams on a budget.
• Access to Teams and Planner via web and mobile apps only (no desktop versions of Office apps).
• Teams + Planner integration.

2.Microsoft 365 Business Standard

• For most users.
• Includes desktop versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, along with Teams and Planner.

3.Microsoft 365 Business Premium

• For security-focused teams.
• Includes advanced cyber-threat protection and device management, in addition to Teams and Planner.

Additional Information on Licensing:

For people within your organization:

• They must have a license that includes Planner (any of the Business or Enterprise plans above) to view and interact with tasks within the Planner tab.
• Users with a "Teams Exploratory" or "Free" license can chat in Teams but will not be able to interact with Planner.

For External Guests (clients, freelancers, etc.):

• You can invite external users (with personal email addresses like @gmail.com or @outlook.com) as Guests for free.
• Guests can view Planner and be assigned tasks but cannot create new plans or delete buckets unless you grant specific permissions via your Microsoft Entra (formerly Azure) settings.

Additional Notes:

• Microsoft has merged Microsoft To Do, Planner, and Project into a single "Planner" app inside Teams.
• If you or your colleagues use a Personal/Family account (e.g., @outlook.com), the Planner app will not appear in the Teams sidebar.
• Planner is not available with the free version of Teams.
• Be careful when purchasing Microsoft business plans, as there are two options: plans with Teams and plans without Teams.

Summary Checklist:

• For You: Purchase at least Microsoft 365 Business Basic.
• For Your Core Team: They also need Microsoft 365 Business Basic or higher.
• For External Guests: No plan required; you can invite them via email, but their access will be limited.

For references:

Compare All Planner Options and Prices | Microsoft Planner

Microsoft 365 Business Plans and Pricing | Microsoft 365

I hope this information helps you find the right plan for your needs. If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments, and I’ll be happy to assist you.

Looking forward to your reply!

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