Choosing Between Microsoft 365 F1 and F3 for Frontline Staff

Understanding Microsoft 365 Frontline Plans

The frontline plans are a separate set of plans for a different set of people, not cheaper versions of the business plans. The frontline plans have no cap on the number of people; the business plans stop at 300. F1 and F3 are licensed per person, so both can run in the same tenant.

Both plans include Microsoft Teams, 2 GB of file storage per person, SharePoint Kiosk for the intranet, no maximum number of people, and the sign-in rules. Neither plan includes archive storage, installed Word, Excel and Outlook, webinar and meeting recording, protection on computers, or attachment and link scanning.

The Deciding Question: Do They Need A Mailbox?

Whether a person needs a mailbox of their own is the deciding question. Microsoft 365 F1 costs $3 per seat per month, and Microsoft 365 F3 costs $10 per seat per month. Stepping from F1 to F3 costs $7 more per seat per month. Prices are Microsoft's published US list prices per user per month, paid yearly on an annual subscription, checked on microsoft.com on November 1, 2026.

F1 has a calendar only, with no mail. F1 suits staff who need the schedule, the company intranet and Teams and have never had a work email address. F3 includes a 2 GB mailbox. F3 suits staff who are emailed directly or who fill in and return documents.

Applications, Editing, and Windows 11

F1 includes read-only Word, Excel and Outlook in the browser. F3 includes editable versions in the browser and on mobile.

F1 includes Planner and Lists and Bookings with Teams as extra apps. F3 includes Bookings, Planner, Forms and Sway.

F3 includes the Windows 11 Enterprise E3 entitlement. F1 does not include a Windows 11 upgrade.

Contact CloudCentric

CloudCentric is a managed IT provider in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, serving businesses across Charleston and the Lowcountry. To license Microsoft 365 for your frontline staff, contact us at (844) 422-7000.