Microsoft Teams is now the primary client for messaging, meetings, and calling in Office 365. Starting October 1, 2018, new customers with 500 seats or less will be onboarded to Microsoft Teams and will not have access to Skype for Business Online. As of September 1, 2019, this applies to all new customers. Tenants already using Skype for Business Online can continue doing so (including provisioning new users) until they complete their transition to Microsoft Teams.
Note
Skype for Business Online Plan 2 retired from sale on July 1, 2019. This means that you will no longer be able to acquire Skype for Business Online Plan 2 for instant messaging, presence, meetings, and peer-to-peer voice and video. These features will continue to be supported in all plans that include Teams, including Office 365 suites. When your plan expires at the end of your current term, in order to have continued access to these features, you'll have to switch to a different plan. We recommend that you evaluate the Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Business Premium, or any other Office suites for users that currently have Skype for Business Online Plan 2 assigned.
Skype for Business Online is a communications service that connects people for conversations anytime and from anywhere. It gives users access to information about presence, and enables instant messaging, audio and video calling, and extensive web conferencing capabilities.
Skype for Business is hosted on multi-tenant servers that support multiple customers simultaneously. These servers are housed in Microsoft data centers and are accessible to users on a wide range of devices from inside a corporate network or over the internet.
We recommend that you use our simple comparison page to choose your version of Skype for Business Online. See Find the right Microsoft Teams for your business. If you want a more in-depth comparison, see the feature tables below. If you need extra help with this, call support. You can select your locale from the drop-down list to get a local number.
Skype for Business Online reporting in Microsoft 365 admin center
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
1 The Skype for Business (Lync) client is supported for use with these subscription options, but it is not included. Lync 2013 Basic is available for all customers. The Lync Basic desktop client is a locally installed application that provides presence, instant messaging, and conferencing features for plans that include Skype for Business Online. Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, and Office 365 E3 include the full Skype for Business (Lync) application, which includes additional features such as advanced telephony support, archiving, and compliance features. A Skype for Business Online license must be assigned for each user. For more information on Lync Basic features, see Desktop client comparison tables for Lync Server 2013.
2 Archiving for Skype for Business Online depends on the Exchange In-Place Hold feature, which is not included in this plan.
3 You must assign an Exchange Online (Plan 2) plan to users who you want to have voice mail. An Exchange Online ( plan ) plan can't be used for voice mail.
4 An Office 365 F3 user may participate in a sharing session if invited by a Skype for Business Online Plan 2 or enterprise plan user.
5 Audio Conferencing can be added to Microsoft 365 Business Standard, Office 365 E1, and Office 365 E3 subscription plans as an add-on.
6 Communication Credits can be added to Microsoft 365 Business Standard subscription plan as an add-on to support Audio Conferencing only.
7Emergency Calling isn't available on Mac and mobile clients.
8 Customer Key lets you control your organization's encryption keys and then configure Microsoft to use them to encrypt your data at rest in Microsoft data centers. Data at rest includes data from Exchange Online and Skype for Business that is stored in mailboxes and files that are stored in SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business. Customer Key helps you meet compliance obligations because you control the encryption keys that Microsoft uses to decrypt data. For more information, see Service encryption with Customer Key.
Feature availability across Skype for Business Online standalone plans
The following table lists Skype for Business Online feature availability across standalone plans. For a description of these features, go to Skype for Business Online features.
Note
Skype for Business Online Standalone Plan 2 licensed users will get the Skype for Business Basic client, not the full Skype for Business client. If you want users to have the Skype for Business client, you will need to upgrade them to a license that includes it, such as an Enterprise-based license. To deploy the Skype for Business client to your users, see Deploy the Skype for Business client in Microsoft 365 or Office 365.
Skype for Business Online reporting in Microsoft 365 admin center
No
No4
No4
1 The Skype for Business (Lync) client is supported for use with these subscription options, but it is not included. Lync 2013 Basic is available for all customers. The Lync Basic desktop client is a locally installed application that provides presence, instant messaging and conferencing features for plans that include Skype for Business Online. Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, and Office 365 E3 include the full Skype for Business (Lync) application, which include additional features including advanced telephony support, archiving & compliance features. A Skype for Business Online license must be assigned for each user. For more information on Lync Basic features, see Desktop client comparison tables for Lync Server 2013.
2 A Skype for Business Online Plan 1 user may participate in a sharing session if the user is invited by a Skype for Business Online Plan 2 user.
3 Archiving for Skype for Business Online depends on the Exchange In-Place Hold feature, which is not included in this plan.
4 Tenants with a standalone Skype for Business Online plan can access reporting features if the tenant also has at least one active Exchange license, such as Exchange Online Plan 1 or Exchange Online Plan 2.
5 Not supported if Exchange Online was purchased as part of a kiosk plan.
Skype Meeting Broadcast and Calling Plan Licensing Options
The following table shows licensing options for Skype Meeting Broadcast, Audio Conferencing, Phone System, and Calling Plans.
Microsoft 365 plan
Skype for Business Online features
Skype for Business Online Standalone Plan 2
Skype Meeting Broadcast For organizer, producer, event team member, and authenticated attendees, a license is required. For anonymous attendees, a license is not required. With Skype for Business Online Standalone Plan 2 or any suites that contain Plan 2, the following add-ons are available: - Audio Conferencing (available in limited countries) - Phone System NOTE When purchased by itself without Calling Plans, Phone System enables hybrid voice capability only. Hybrid voice requires an on-premises customer hybrid voice deployment to enable PSTN calling using your existing PSTN service provider(s). The following Phone System add-ons are available to enable inbound and outbound PSTN calling using Microsoft as your PSTN service provider: - Domestic Calling Plan (available in limited countries) - International Calling Plan (available in limited countries)
Skype for Business Online Standalone Plan 3
Skype for Business Online Standalone Plan 3. This plan is used only for third-party voice service providers and does not provide any calling services such as Audio Conferencing, Phone System, Domestic Calling Plans, or International Calling Plans.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard
Skype Meeting Broadcast: For Organizer, Producer, Event Team member, and authenticated attendees, a license is required. For anonymous attendees, a license is not required. Audio Conferencing (in countries where available).
Office 365 E1
Skype for Business Online Standalone Plan 2 (see Skype for Business Online Standalone Plan 2 above for included features).
Office 365 E3
Skype for Business Online Standalone Plan 2 (see Skype for Business Online Standalone Plan 2 above for included features).
Office 365 E5 with Audio Conferencing
Skype for Business Online Standalone Plan 2 is included (see Skype for Business Online Standalone Plan 2 above for included features). Audio Conferencing is included. Phone System is included. NOTE When purchased by itself without Calling Plans, Phone System enables hybrid voice capability only. Hybrid voice requires a customer on-premises hybrid voice deployment to enable PSTN calling using your existing PSTN service provider(s). The following Phone System add-ons are available to enable inbound and outbound PSTN calling using Microsoft as your PSTN service provider: - Domestic calling plan (available in limited countries) - International calling plan (available in limited countries)
Office 365 E5 without Audio Conferencing
Skype for Business Online Standalone Plan 2 is included (see Skype for Business Online Standalone Plan 2 above for included features). Phone System is included. NOTE When purchased by itself without Calling Plans, Phone System enables hybrid voice capability only. Hybrid voice requires an on-premises customer hybrid voice deployment to enable PSTN calling using your existing PSTN service provider(s). The following Phone System add-ons are available to enable inbound and outbound PSTN calling using Microsoft as your PSTN service provider: - Domestic calling plan (available in limited countries). - International calling plan (available in limited countries).