Upgrading from Microsoft 365 by GoDaddy, and Why You Should

Many organizations purchase Microsoft 365 through resellers like GoDaddy, often starting with the Online Business Essentials plan (equivalent to Microsoft 365 Business Basic). While this entry-level plan provides essential productivity tools, companies frequently outgrow its constraints and find greater value in upgrading to a standalone Microsoft 365 subscription—such as Business Standard, Business Premium, or the enterprise-level E3/E5 offerings. In this post, we’ll compare GoDaddy’s Online Business Essentials with the key differences in standard Microsoft 365 plans, and outline why and when businesses might consider upgrading. We’ll also touch on how a structured migration process can ease the transition and mention how eSudo’s migration expertise can be a resource for a smooth move—without getting too promotional.

What Is GoDaddy’s Online Business Essentials?

GoDaddy’s Online Business Essentials mirrors Microsoft’s Business Basic plan but is managed through GoDaddy’s interface and support model. It includes:

• 50 GB Exchange Email Mailbox per user with custom domain email ([email protected]).

• 1 TB OneDrive Storage per user.

• Web and Mobile Versions of Office Apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) accessed via browser or mobile.

• Microsoft Teams for chat, meetings, and basic collaboration.

• Office Mobile Apps for iOS and Android.

However, it does not include installable Office desktop applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or advanced security and management tools. As a result, teams that require offline editing, richer feature sets, or more granular IT control may quickly run into limitations.

Overview of Microsoft 365 Business Standard

Business Standard (purchased directly from Microsoft) builds on the Basic/Essentials feature set. Its main additions are:

• Full Desktop, Web, and Mobile Office Apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher [PC only], Access [PC only]). Users can install these on up to five PCs/Macs and five tablets/phones.

• 50 GB Exchange Mailbox per user with custom domain email.

• 1 TB OneDrive Storage per user.

• Microsoft Teams for chat, meetings, and webinars (up to 300 attendees).

• SharePoint Online for team sites, document libraries, and intranet-style collaboration.

• Additional Microsoft 365 Web Apps such as Planner, Forms, Bookings, Loop, and Clipchamp.

With Business Standard, organizations gain the full desktop Office experience—enabling offline work, advanced document features (macros, add-ins), and deeper file integrations. No longer limited to the browser, teams can leverage advanced editing, richer file management, and tighter Windows/macOS integration.

Overview of Microsoft 365 Business Premium

Business Premium includes everything in Business Standard plus advanced security and device management:

• All Business Standard Features, including the full Office suite, email, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams.

• Microsoft Intune for mobile device and application management (MDM/MAM).

• Azure Active Directory Premium P1 for conditional access, self-service password reset, and identity protection.

• Microsoft Defender for Business for endpoint security and basic threat protection.

• Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 to help protect email from phishing, malware, and safe link/attachment scanning.

• Windows 10/11 Pro Upgrade Rights, enabling easier management of Windows updates and security on endpoint devices.

These added layers are particularly important for organizations managing personal or remote devices and looking to enforce conditional access or protect against email-borne threats. Business Premium is capped at 300 users; beyond that, enterprises typically examine E-series plans.

Overview of Microsoft 365 E3 and E5

Enterprise E3 and E5 address more stringent security, compliance, analytics, and voice telephony needs. Both include everything in Business Premium (aside from Windows upgrade rights), plus:

• Microsoft 365 E3:

  • Advanced Compliance (eDiscovery, Litigation Hold, Data Loss Prevention).

  • Exchange Online Archiving (100 GB primary mailbox plus unlimited archive).

  • Expanded SharePoint Storage (large collaboration sites, higher quotas).

  • OneDrive for Business Unlimited Storage (initially 1 TB, expandable on demand).

  • Power Apps & Power Automate (basic) for low-code workflows.

  • MyAnalytics and Workplace Analytics for productivity insights.

• Microsoft 365 E5 (all E3 features plus):

  • Advanced Security & Threat Protection (Defender for Endpoint Plan 2, Defender for Identity, Defender for Cloud Apps).

  • Advanced eDiscovery, Advanced Data Governance, and Insider Risk Management.

  • Microsoft Purview Information Protection (automatic labeling, encryption, data classification).

  • Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 (threat investigations, attack simulation, automated remediation).

  • Power BI Pro for self-service business analytics.

  • Microsoft Teams Phone System & Audio Conferencing for cloud-based VoIP and dial-in conferencing.

Enterprise plans scale to an unlimited user count and include 24/7 phone support, FastTrack onboarding, and Azure AD Premium P2 features (identity protection, privileged identity management).

Key Feature Differences at a Glance

Why Upgrade from Online Business Essentials?

1. Full Office Desktop Applications

   • Online Business Essentials users are limited to browser-based and mobile versions of Office. These lack advanced features like macros, offline editing, and integration with third-party add-ins.

   • Upgrading to Business Standard (or higher) provides installable desktop apps, so users can work offline, leverage full functionality (e.g., complex Excel models, Publisher, Access), and sync changes when they return online.

2. Enhanced Security & Compliance

   • Essentials includes only the built-in email protections from Exchange Online. Businesses handling sensitive data—finance, healthcare, legal—often need features like Data Loss Prevention (DLP), eDiscovery, and legal holds.

   • Business Premium introduces Defender for Business and email threat protection (Defender for Office 365 Plan 1). For regulated industries, Enterprise E3/E5 delivers full compliance tools (eDiscovery, DLP, advanced audit) and comprehensive threat protection (Defender plan 2, Insider Risk Management).

3. Device & Identity Management

   • Essentials users rely on end-user device security. If employees connect from personal or unmanaged devices, there’s little IT control.

   • Business Premium adds Intune for Mobile Device and App Management (MDM/MAM) plus Azure AD Premium P1 (conditional access, multi-factor authentication). E3/E5 go further with Azure AD P2, enabling Privileged Identity Management, advanced identity protection, and risk-based conditional access.

4. Scalability & Storage Needs

   • Online Business Essentials caps mailboxes at 50 GB per user and 1 TB OneDrive per user. Once a team grows, they may need to archive older mail or expand storage.

   • Enterprise E3/E5 increase the mailbox to 100 GB plus unlimited archiving and expand OneDrive storage beyond 1 TB as needed—eliminating manual file purges or costly add-ons.

5. Expanded Collaboration Tools

   • Essentials includes Teams, but either omits or severely restricts SharePoint and other Microsoft 365 web apps. Without SharePoint, teams can’t build robust intranet sites or use document libraries with advanced permissions.

   • Business Standard unlocks SharePoint Online, Planner, Forms, Bookings, and Loop—allowing teams to centralize documents, automate tasks, and schedule resources. E3/E5 further include Power Platform tools (Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI) to build custom apps, workflows, and dashboards.

6. Administrative Control & Support

   • GoDaddy’s Essentials customers manage licenses through GoDaddy’s portal, which lacks granular controls like Conditional Access policies or advanced DLP rules. Support is routed via GoDaddy’s tiered helpdesk.

   • Standard and up plans give direct access to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center—including detailed role-based permissions, audit logs, and the ability to configure security policies. Those plans also include direct 24/7 Microsoft support for urgent issues.

7. Cost Efficiency Over Time

   • Online Business Essentials is priced attractively for teams that only need email and basic collaboration. But if you add third-party security tools, device management solutions, or licensing for desktop apps separately, the total cost can rise quickly.

   • Moving to a single Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Premium subscription often reduces total cost of ownership—combining desktop apps, security, management, and storage into one predictable per-user fee.

Use Cases for Upgrading

1. Move to Business Standard

   • Ideal for: Small teams (5–50 users) needing installable Office apps, professional email, and SharePoint collaboration.

   • When to upgrade: If your users frequently work offline, need advanced document features (macros, mail merges, complex spreadsheets), or want richer file-sharing capabilities via SharePoint. This is also the first step if you plan to leverage Planner, Forms, or Bookings.

2. Move to Business Premium

   • Ideal for: Growing SMBs (10–300 users) that handle sensitive data and require mobile device or identity management.

   • When to upgrade: If your workforce connects via personal devices, you need to enforce conditional access or require encryption, or want to protect inboxes with Defender for Office 365. Intune and Azure AD P1 allow you to set up policies so only compliant devices can access corporate data.

3. Move to Enterprise E3/E5

   • Ideal for: Mid-size to large organizations (300+ users) or those with strict regulatory requirements.

   • When to upgrade: If you need advanced eDiscovery, unlimited archiving, information protection (automatic data classification and labeling), or want centralized analytics via Power BI. E5 further adds cloud-native phone systems for Teams, audio conferencing, and the most comprehensive security stack with Defender for Endpoint Plan 2, Defender for Identity, and Cloud App Security.

Migration Considerations & How eSudo Can Help

Transitioning from GoDaddy’s Online Business Essentials to a standalone Microsoft 365 plan involves more than flipping a licensing switch. Here are key migration steps and reasons why having an experienced partner—such as eSudo—can be invaluable:

1. Tenant Preparation & Domain Transfer

   • If you’re moving to a new Microsoft 365 tenant (for example, leaving GoDaddy’s tenant behind), you’ll need to transfer your domain, update DNS records, and ensure your custom email domain stays live. eSudo’s team can map out dependencies, track TTL values for minimal email downtime, and guide you through repointing DNS records in the correct sequence.

2. Mailbox & Data Migration

   • To preserve existing email, calendar entries, and contacts, IMAP or cutover migration methods are typically employed. eSudo leverages proven tools to migrate mailboxes seamlessly, verify data integrity, and sync incremental changes so that end users experience minimal disruption.

   • OneDrive and SharePoint content must also move gracefully. Rather than manual downloads and re-uploads—which can be error-prone—eSudo uses scripted migrations that preserve folder structures, metadata, and sharing permissions.

3. User & License Mapping

   • Sit down with your IT or HR teams to confirm which users need which licenses. Not everyone needs Business Premium or E5; some may remain on Business Standard. eSudo consultants can perform a license assessment to recommend the right combination based on usage patterns, compliance requirements, and budget.

4. Security Policy Configuration

   • Moving to Business Premium or higher unlocks Intune, Azure AD Premium, and Defender policies. Anyone unfamiliar with these tools may accidentally leave policies incomplete, exposing vulnerabilities. eSudo has experience crafting Conditional Access rules, mobile device policies, and DLP rules tailored to various industry regulations (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.).

5. End-User Training & Change Management

   • Going from browser-only Office apps to full desktop Office introduces new features (e.g., rich Outlook desktop, Publisher, Access). Even seasoned users benefit from tip sheets, lunch-and-learn sessions, or hands-on workshops. eSudo can coordinate on-site or virtual training to help your team adopt new tools and best practices.

6. Post-Migration Validation & Support

   • After migration, there’s always a short period when end-users report missing files, broken links, or mailbox permissions issues. eSudo’s post-migration support ensures that any residual concerns—such as re-assigning shared mailbox permissions or correcting folder hierarchies—are resolved quickly.

By following these migration steps and relying on a partner experienced in large-scale Microsoft 365 transitions, organizations can reduce downtime, eliminate data loss risks, and ensure a secure, compliant environment from day one.

Conclusion

GoDaddy’s Online Business Essentials (Business Basic) is a solid choice for very small teams needing email, basic collaboration, and cloud storage. However, as businesses grow and their requirements for offline work, enhanced security, device management, and compliance intensify, upgrading to a standalone Microsoft 365 subscription becomes critical:

• Business Standard unlocks the full desktop Office suite and SharePoint for richer collaboration.

• Business Premium adds Intune, Azure AD P1, and Defender for Business—enabling device compliance, conditional access, and basic threat protection.

• Enterprise E3/E5 deliver advanced compliance (DLP, eDiscovery), unlimited archive storage, enhanced threat protection, identity protection, and analytics via Power BI.

If you’re preparing to upgrade, carefully assess your organization’s needs—storage, security, compliance, and collaboration—and plan a structured migration. Leveraging a partner with Microsoft 365 migration expertise can help you design a seamless transition: migrating mailboxes, preserving data integrity, configuring security policies, and training end users. eSudo’s consultants have guided numerous organizations through these exact scenarios, ensuring minimal disruption and a secure, scalable environment.

When your business reaches a point where Online Business Essentials no longer meets your requirements—whether for desktop apps, advanced security, or compliance—you’ll find that upgrading unlocks significant productivity and peace of mind. With careful planning and the right migration support, the move to Business Standard, Business Premium, or E3/E5 can be a straightforward investment in your organization’s future.