Microsoft recently announced that it will now offer a free version of Microsoft Teams, its popular collaboration software. The free offering will be available in 40 languages worldwide. It’s designed to be a sort of introductory experience for small businesses and specific groups of coworkers that might not have their own commercial Office 365 subscriptions. Here’s what you should know about the change and what’s available in the new, free Microsoft Teams version.
Features
The free Microsoft Teams is available for teams of up to 300 people. It includes unlimited chat messages and search; built-in audio and video calling for individuals, groups, and full team meetups; 10GB of team file storage plus additional 2GB per person for personal storage; integrated, real-time content creation with Office Online apps, including popular options you probably already use like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote; and unlimited app integrations with more than 140 different business apps, including big names like Adobe, Evernote, and Trello.
In addition to those specific features, the main idea behind the app is to give small teams and organizations the ability to communicate and collaborate with anyone, either inside or outside your organization, with the backing of Microsoft’s secure, global infrastructure behind you.
Who can use Free Microsoft Teams
All you need to sign up for Teams is a corporate or consumer email address. If you already have a paid Office 365 commercial subscription, then you’ll be directed to a managed experience for your existing account. If you do not already have such a subscription, then you can sign up for a free account that’s just for Teams online. And if you have an Office 365 or Microsoft plan without a Teams license, you’ll soon be eligible for a free trial that covers one year of use. The free version is also available just for teams of 300 or less.