Introduction
Microsoft 365 Personal and Family are consumer subscriptions — not the same as Business plans with @yourcompany.com mail. This guide explains who each fits, pricing in THB and SGD, and when a business must buy Business Standard instead.
Quick comparison
| Personal | Family | |
|---|---|---|
| Users | 1 person | Up to 6 people |
| THB / month | S$10 | S$14 |
| SGD / month | S$10 | S$14 |
| Desktop Office | Yes (1 user) | Yes (each of 6) |
| OneDrive | 1 TB | 1 TB per person (up to 6 TB total) |
| Company email on your domain | No | No |
| Microsoft Teams (business) | Limited consumer use | Limited consumer use |
Prices from our pricing page; Microsoft list prices may differ slightly.
Microsoft 365 Personal — one power user
Best for: Freelancers using a personal @gmail.com or @hotmail.com who need Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on a laptop — but do not need [email protected] email on a custom domain.
Includes: Full desktop Office apps, 1 TB OneDrive, security updates.
Not for: Registered companies that email customers from a business domain — use Business Basic minimum.
Microsoft 365 Family — household sharing
Best for: Up to six household members (family or flatmates) each with their own Microsoft account and 1 TB storage.
Good deal if: Several people would otherwise buy Personal separately.
Not for: A company putting six employees on one Family plan — violates Microsoft licensing terms and offers no admin center, no Exchange, no compliance tools.
Why businesses cannot use Personal or Family
| Business need | Consumer plan | Business plan |
|---|---|---|
[email protected] email | No | Yes (Exchange) |
| Admin assigns/removes access | No | Yes |
| Teams meetings with business policies | Limited | Full |
| Invoice / VAT for company books | Consumer receipt | Business invoice |
| PDPA / device management | No | Premium options |
Rule of thumb: If you issue a tax invoice to customers, buy Business licenses.
Personal vs Business pricing snapshot
| Plan type | Thailand | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | S$10 | S$10 |
| Family | S$14 | S$14 |
| Business Basic | S$18 | S$18 |
| Business Standard | S$26 | S$26 |
The step from Personal to Business Basic is small in THB — you gain professional email and Teams in a managed tenant.
Related consumer vs business questions
- "Can I use my Personal OneDrive for work files?" — Risky for company data; use Business OneDrive in a work tenant.
- "I already have Family — can I add a work mailbox?" — Buy a separate Business license; accounts stay separate.