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Office 365 Migration:
Cost, Plans & Process Explained

Plain-English answers to every question your team will ask — including the exact prices most IT companies won't publish.

$999 flat Phase 1 foundation setup $50–$275 /user Phase 2 onboarding $6–$22 /user/month Microsoft license
📞 Call 408-216-5800 See pricing ↓
Watch: 3-minute overview

Not a reader? Watch our 3-minute walkthrough of the migration process, then scroll down for full pricing details.

Quick answer

eSudo's Office 365 migration is priced in two phases.

  • Phase 1: M365 Foundation is a flat $999 for every company, covering tenant setup, DNS, and security hardening.
  • Phase 2: User Onboarding starts at $50–$75 per user for email migration only, up to $200–$275 per user for full device setup and hands-on support.
  • Plus Microsoft's ongoing license fee of $6–$22 per user/month. A 20-person business typically spends $2,000–$6,500 total to migrate.

    • Understanding the cost

    How Much Does Office 365 Migration Cost?

    eSudo uses a two-phase model — a flat foundation fee plus a per-user onboarding fee. Here's exactly what both cost and why we price it this way.

    Cost layer 1 — Ongoing

    Microsoft 365 Software License

    $6 – $22 / user / month

    This is what you pay Microsoft every month to use Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, and OneDrive. Think of it like a Netflix subscription for your business software — it never goes away, but it replaces the cost of running your own email server.

    Cost layer 2 — One-time

    eSudo Migration Service

    $999 + $50–$275 / user

    Phase 1 is a flat $999 to build and secure your Microsoft 365 environment — the same work regardless of team size. Phase 2 starts at $50/user to migrate email and scales up based on how much device setup and support your team needs.

    Example: 20-person business migrating from Google Workspace
    Phase 1 — M365 Foundation (flat, one-time): $999
    Phase 2 — Email Migration + Device Onboarding: 20 users × $175 avg = $3,500
    Ongoing Microsoft 365 Business Premium license: 20 users × $22 = $440/month
    Total first-month investment: approximately $4,939. After that, just $440/month.

    All prices shown are estimates. Phase 2 cost depends on how many users you have and which tier you choose. We always provide a written Scope of Work (SOW) with a fixed price before we start — no surprises, no scope creep.

    Microsoft 365 licensing

    Which Microsoft 365 Plan Does Your Business Need?

    Microsoft offers several plans. Here are the four most common for small businesses — with what's actually included in plain English.

    Microsoft 365 plan comparison for small businesses
    Plan name Price / user / month What's included Best for
    Microsoft 365 Business Basic $6 Web-only Office apps, Outlook email, Teams, 1 TB cloud storage. No desktop Word or Excel. Teams that mostly work in a browser
    Microsoft 365 Business Standard Popular $12.50 Full desktop Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, 1 TB OneDrive Most small businesses needing full Office apps
    Microsoft 365 Business Premium Our pick $22 Everything in Standard + advanced security, device management (Intune), phishing/malware protection Any business handling sensitive data, healthcare, finance, or remote workers
    Microsoft 365 E3 $36 Everything in Premium + enterprise compliance tools, unlimited OneDrive, advanced audit logging Larger organizations with compliance requirements (HIPAA, etc.)

    * Microsoft's standard retail pricing as of 2025. Annual commitment may reduce cost. eSudo can help you purchase and manage your licenses.

    eSudo recommendation for most small businesses: Microsoft 365 Business Premium at $22/user/month. It includes the full Office suite plus security tools that protect against ransomware and phishing — threats that cost small businesses far more than the extra $9.50/month when they hit.

    eSudo migration service pricing

    Our Two-Phase Migration Pricing — Transparent From Day One

    Every migration starts with Phase 1 — a one-time flat fee to build your Microsoft 365 foundation. Then Phase 2 covers your people, priced per user based on how much help they need.

    Required first — one-time flat fee
    Phase 1 — M365 Foundation
    Builds and secures your Microsoft 365 environment. This work is the same whether you have 5 users or 500 — so we charge a flat fee, not per person.
    $999
    flat, one-time
    ✓ Microsoft 365 tenant creation
    ✓ Domain connection & DNS setup
    ✓ MX records & email routing
    ✓ SPF, DKIM & DMARC configuration
    ✓ MFA & Conditional Access policies
    ✓ Admin security hardening
    ✓ Spam & phishing filter setup
    ✓ License purchase & management
    📌
    Already have a Microsoft 365 tenant or purchased licenses?

    That's fine — and it may reduce your Phase 1 cost. Here's how we handle it:

    Tenant needs hardening

    You have a tenant but MFA, Conditional Access, or DNS security (SPF/DKIM/DMARC) were never properly configured. Phase 1 still applies at $999 — we secure your environment before touching any user data.

    Tenant already secured

    Your tenant was set up properly by an IT company with MFA, DNS, and security policies in place. Phase 1 is reduced to a $299 Tenant Health Check — we verify everything is solid before we migrate your users.

    🕵 Not sure which applies to you? We assess your existing setup at no charge during our free discovery call and tell you upfront which path you're on — before you spend a dollar.

    After Phase 1 — priced per user
    Phase 2 — User Migration & Device Onboarding

    Choose the level of hands-on help each person on your team needs. All tiers include email migration — the difference is how much device and support work we handle for you.

    Tier A
    Email Migration Only
    $50–$75
    per user, one-time
    What's included
    ✓ Migrate all emails to Microsoft 365
    ✓ Migrate contacts & calendar events
    ✓ Remote support during email cutover
    ✓ Written setup guide for each user to configure their own devices
    + Device setup available as add-on
    Best for: Teams with in-house IT who handle their own device setup
    Tier B — Most popular
    Email Migration + Device Onboarding
    $150–$200
    per user, one-time
    What's included
    ✓ Everything in Tier A
    ✓ Outlook setup on each Windows or Mac computer
    ✓ Outlook setup on each person's phone
    ✓ Verify email, calendar & contacts working on all devices
    ✓ Remote technical support during cutover
    Best for: Most small businesses — we handle the tech, your team just shows up
    Tier C
    Migration + Hands-On Support
    $200–$275
    per user, one-time
    What's included
    ✓ Everything in Tier B
    ✓ Personalized user orientation (Outlook, Teams, OneDrive)
    ✓ 30-day post-migration support window
    ✓ Direct line to your migration engineer after go-live
    ✓ Priority response for any issues in first 30 days
    Best for: Teams with less tech comfort, or where zero disruption is critical

    What does a full migration cost all-in?
    Phase 1 (always required): $999 flat
    Phase 2 Tier B for 20 users: 20 × $175 avg = $3,500
    Microsoft 365 Business Premium license: 20 × $22 = $440/month ongoing
    Total one-time cost: ~$4,499  |  Then $440/month for Microsoft licenses.

    What's not included in either phase (quoted separately if needed): Microsoft Teams advanced configuration, SharePoint intranet build-out, Intune device management, and Azure Active Directory integration. These are always called out in your Scope of Work — never a surprise line item.

    Real migration · Bay Area client

    ROMtech migrated 800+ users across 5 states from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 with eSudo. They consolidated email, data storage, and identity management — eliminating duplicate services while improving security for their HIPAA compliance needs.

    Read the full case study →
    Budget planning

    Hidden Costs That Surprise Most Businesses — Budget for These

    Most migration quotes only cover the basics. Here are the real costs that catch businesses off guard — and what to ask about before you sign anything.

    📦

    Old employees' archived emails

    Microsoft counts every mailbox — even from staff who left — as a separate license. If you have 30 active and 20 former employees whose emails you must keep, you'll pay to migrate all 50. Ask us how to handle these efficiently before migration starts.

    📁

    Shared/public folders

    If your old system has shared folders multiple people access (like a shared "info@" inbox or company calendar), migrating these is a separate manual process. It adds time and cost. We map these in your SOW before we start.

    🔗

    Third-party software reconnection

    Tools like your CRM, accounting software, or backup service may need to be reconfigured to work with Microsoft 365. Some vendors charge a setup fee for this. We'll flag any integrations that need attention during our free initial assessment.

    📚

    Staff training time

    Switching from Gmail to Outlook or Google Drive to OneDrive takes adjustment. Most teams need 1–3 hours of guided onboarding. Ignoring it leads to frustration and lost productivity in week one. We include basic training guidance in all our migrations.

    🏗️

    Older server upgrades

    If you're running a very old on-site Exchange server (2010 or older), it may need upgrading before migration is possible. This adds time and cost. We'll identify this in our initial assessment — at no charge.

    📋

    Compliance data retention

    Healthcare, legal, and financial businesses often need to keep email records for 5–7 years by law. Migrating and organizing compliance archives is a specialized task. We have experience with HIPAA and other regulatory requirements — ask us specifically.

    Planning your project

    How Long Does an Office 365 Migration Take?

    Timeline depends mainly on how many users you have and which system you're coming from. Here's what to realistically expect.

    Office 365 migration timeline by business size
    Business size Estimated timeline What's typically involved
    1–20 users 1–2 weeks Straightforward. Email + contacts + calendar migration, PC and phone setup.
    21–50 users 2–3 weeks Often involves department-by-department rollout to minimize disruption.
    51–100 users 3–5 weeks May require phased migration, more testing, and briefly running both systems in parallel.
    100+ users 5–10+ weeks Full project management, department-by-department phasing, executive briefings. Contact us for a custom plan.

    Migrations from Google Workspace typically take slightly longer than from Exchange servers because calendars and shared drives require additional mapping steps.

    Your starting point

    Migrating from Google, GoDaddy, or an Old Server?

    Where you're coming from affects both cost and complexity. Here's what each migration type involves.

    From → To

    Google Workspace → Microsoft 365

    We move Gmail to Outlook, Google Drive files to OneDrive, Google Calendar to Outlook Calendar, and Google Contacts to Outlook. Your team gets a short orientation guide. This is our most common migration type.

    2–4 weeks typical
    From → To

    GoDaddy Email → Microsoft 365

    GoDaddy sells a "white-labeled" version of Microsoft 365 that's missing key security features and admin controls. Switching to true Microsoft 365 gives you full access to Microsoft's security dashboard, Intune, and compliance tools.

    1–2 weeks typical
    From → To

    On-Premise Exchange Server → Microsoft 365

    Moving your on-site email server to the cloud eliminates hardware maintenance, power costs, and the risk of a single point of failure. We handle all versions of Exchange (2010 and newer) with zero data loss.

    2–5 weeks typical
    From → To

    Kerio / Intermedia / Other hosted email → Microsoft 365

    We've migrated from Kerio Connect, Intermedia, Rackspace, and many other hosted email systems. If you're not sure whether we've handled your current provider, just call — in 25 years we've seen most things.

    2–4 weeks typical
    How it works

    Our 5-Step Migration Process — No Surprises

    Every eSudo migration follows the same proven process. Here's exactly what happens from first call to go-live.

    1

    Discovery & Assessment

    We review your current email system, count your mailboxes, map your shared folders, and identify potential complications — old servers, archived accounts, third-party integrations. This takes 1–3 days and is included at no charge.

    You receive: a plain-English summary of what we found and what it means for your migration.
    2

    Planning & Scope of Work

    We write a detailed Scope of Work document that lists exactly what's included, what's excluded, the timeline, and the fixed price. Nothing happens until you approve this document in writing. No "scope creep" surprises later.

    You receive: a written SOW with a line-by-line breakdown of every task and cost.
    3

    Microsoft 365 Setup & Licensing

    We set up your Microsoft 365 tenant, configure your email domain, create all user accounts, and purchase the right licenses. We run this in the background while your old system keeps working — zero disruption during this phase.

    You receive: your new Microsoft 365 environment ready to test before anyone switches over.
    4

    Mailbox Migration & Testing

    We move all emails, contacts, and calendar events using a secure migration tool. We test with a small group first, verify everything looks right, then migrate the rest of the team. Your DNS is only switched when everything checks out.

    You receive: a go/no-go confirmation before we flip the switch on your DNS records.
    5

    Go-Live & Post-Migration Support

    We cut over your email, set up Outlook on computers and phones (Option 2), and stay available for questions. All options include post-migration support — 7, 14, or 30 days depending on the plan.

    You receive: direct contact with your eSudo migration engineer for the full support window.
    Common questions

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Questions we hear every week from business owners considering migration.

    Microsoft renamed "Office 365" to "Microsoft 365" in 2020. The apps are the same — Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, OneDrive. Microsoft 365 simply added security and device management features on top. When someone says "Office 365 migration," they mean moving to Microsoft's cloud platform, which is now called Microsoft 365.
    No — migration is non-destructive when done correctly. We copy your emails from the old system to Microsoft 365 while your old system keeps running. We only switch your DNS records after verifying everything arrived correctly. In 25 years and thousands of migrated mailboxes, we have not had a migration result in data loss.
    Downtime is minimal — typically under 30 minutes during the final DNS cutover. We schedule this during off-hours or on a weekend. During the migration itself (which takes days), your old email keeps working normally.
    Yes — this is one of our most common migrations. We move Gmail to Outlook, Google Calendar to Outlook Calendar, Google Contacts to Outlook Contacts, and Google Drive files to OneDrive or SharePoint. We also provide a short orientation so your team knows the key differences between Gmail and Outlook. The process takes 2–4 weeks for most businesses.
    Usually not. Microsoft 365 runs on Windows 10/11 and macOS 10.14 or newer. If a computer is more than 8–10 years old it may need an upgrade, but most modern business computers handle it fine. We check hardware compatibility during our free discovery assessment.
    You can attempt a DIY migration using Microsoft's free tools — some small businesses with technical staff do it successfully. The risk is in the details: misconfigured DNS that causes email to bounce for days, missed archive mailboxes, calendar sync errors, and security settings left at defaults. Our Phase 1 foundation work specifically addresses those security gaps — MFA, Conditional Access, anti-phishing — that DIY migrations almost always skip. We've been doing this for 25 years in the Bay Area and we know where things go wrong. We also provide ongoing support after go-live so your team has someone to call if anything seems off.
    Maybe not the full $999 — it depends on the state of your existing tenant. We check two things: whether your security was properly configured (MFA, Conditional Access, SPF/DKIM/DMARC), and whether your DNS records are clean. If a qualified IT company set up your tenant correctly, we reduce Phase 1 to a $299 Tenant Health Check where we verify everything is solid before migrating your users. If your tenant was self-configured, set up through GoDaddy, or MFA was never turned on, the full Phase 1 hardening applies — because migrating email into an unsecured environment creates real risk. We assess this during your free discovery call and tell you exactly which path you're on before you commit to anything.
    Phase 1 is a flat $999 regardless of team size — there's no minimum for that. Phase 2 (per-user migration and device onboarding) has a minimum of 20 users for flat-rate pricing. If you have fewer than 20 users, call us — we can often accommodate smaller teams at an hourly rate. We serve businesses throughout the San Jose / Bay Area and work remotely for other California businesses.
    25+ years in business
    1,000s of mailboxes migrated
    0 data loss incidents
    Bay Area based team
    30-day post-migration support

    Ready to get a quote for your migration?

    Call us or request a free assessment. We'll review your current setup and tell you exactly what it will cost — in writing, before we start anything.

    📞 408-216-5800 Request free assessment →

    eSudo Technology Solutions · San Jose, CA · Serving the Bay Area since 2001