Confused about the differences between Skype and Skype for Business? These applications are similar, but not identical.
Skype is great for home and works well for very small organizations. If you want to use Skype at work, you have two options—either use the same Skype that you use at home or use Skype for Business.
Skype for Business is great for larger organizations and lets you add a lot more people to online meetings, gives you enterprise-grade security, allows you to manage employee accounts, and is integrated into your Office apps.
If you're not sure if you’re using Skype or Skype for Business, look under Help > About. It will show either Skype or Skype for Business.
What are the differences between Skype and Skype for Business?
Skype and Skype for Business have several things in common, but they are not exactly the same. These applications can differ in which features are available. Here is a summary of some of the key differences.
|
Skype |
Skype for Business |
|
|
Online meeting participants |
Up to 20 people |
Up to 250 people |
|
Integrates with Office apps |
Separate from Office |
Fully integrated into Microsoft 365, Outlook, and SharePoint |
|
Security and permissions |
Encrypted |
Encrypted, but with stronger authentication and enterprise-grade security |
|
Conference room setup |
Limited |
Sophisticated setup |
|
Accounts |
You create your own account |
You sign in with your work account (email and password) |
|
Recommended use |
Home |
Work |
|
Cost |
Free download |
Various options available |
Where can I get additional information?
For more information about Skype for Business, see the following resources:
For more information about Skype, see the following resources:
