Microsoft SharePoint
Employee intranet software
Team collaboration software
Business management software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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$5.00 per user per month
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What is Microsoft SharePoint
Microsoft SharePoint is a web-based platform for building and managing intranet sites, team sites, and content repositories. It is used by organizations to publish internal communications, manage documents and records, and support collaboration through pages, lists, and workflows. SharePoint is commonly deployed as SharePoint Online in Microsoft 365 or as SharePoint Server on-premises, and it integrates tightly with Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, and Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD).
Deep Microsoft 365 integration
SharePoint connects natively with Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, Outlook, and Microsoft 365 Groups for file storage, sharing, and permissions. This reduces duplicate systems for organizations already standardized on Microsoft 365. Identity, access control, and compliance features align with Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft Purview capabilities. The integration supports common intranet patterns such as news publishing, hub sites, and team workspaces.
Strong document management controls
SharePoint provides versioning, check-in/check-out, metadata, content types, and retention/records features (depending on configuration and licensing). Libraries support structured document storage with permissions and auditing suitable for regulated environments. Search and indexing help users find content across sites when information architecture is maintained. These capabilities are often more extensive than lighter-weight intranet tools focused mainly on communications.
Configurable sites and workflows
Teams can build sites using templates, web parts, lists, and page layouts without full custom development. SharePoint supports process automation through integrations with Power Automate and Power Apps for forms and workflows. Hub sites and navigation controls help standardize intranet structure across departments. This flexibility supports both corporate intranet publishing and operational team collaboration use cases.
Complex governance and administration
Effective SharePoint deployments typically require defined information architecture, permissions models, and lifecycle policies. Without governance, organizations often accumulate redundant sites, inconsistent navigation, and unmanaged content sprawl. Administration spans multiple Microsoft 365 services (e.g., Teams, Groups, Entra ID), which can increase operational overhead. This can be heavier than purpose-built intranet platforms with more prescriptive structures.
Customization can require specialists
While basic site building is accessible, advanced branding, custom web parts, and complex integrations often require SharePoint/Power Platform expertise. Organizations may need developers or specialized partners for non-standard requirements and long-term maintainability. Changes to Microsoft 365 features and deprecations can also affect custom solutions over time. This can increase total cost and implementation timelines for highly tailored intranets.
User experience varies by setup
End-user experience depends heavily on how sites are designed, permissions are configured, and content is curated. Inconsistent metadata and navigation can reduce search relevance and make content harder to find. Users may also experience fragmentation between SharePoint sites, Teams channels, and other Microsoft 365 entry points if not coordinated. As a result, adoption often hinges on strong content ownership and change management.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| SharePoint (Plan 1) | $5.00 per user/month (paid yearly) | Create team sites, share files securely and co-author in real time; manage document libraries (versioning, access control); search and discover content and people. Includes SharePoint, OneDrive, Microsoft Lists. |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard | $12.50 per user/month (paid yearly) | Includes SharePoint plus desktop/web/mobile Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Microsoft Teams, Exchange (business email), 1 TB OneDrive per user. Shows a "Try free for one month" offer on Microsoft site. |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard (no Teams) | $9.29 per user/month (paid yearly) | Variant of Business Standard without Teams; includes SharePoint and Office apps. (Shown on Microsoft pricing pages for certain regions.) |
| SharePoint (Plan 2) | Price not listed on Microsoft public pricing pages (Unavailable/Unsure) | Microsoft documentation references SharePoint Plan 2 as a standalone offering with advanced features (eDiscovery, advanced compliance, enterprise search), but I could not find an authoritative price on the public Microsoft pricing pages at the time of checking. |
Seller details
Microsoft Corporation
Redmond, Washington, United States
1975
Public
https://www.microsoft.com/
https://x.com/Microsoft
https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft/
