Four SharePoint intranet software options compared

Advantages and disadvantages at a glance

Option Advantages Disadvantages
Option 1
SharePoint Online out of the box
  • Quick to implement
  • Low licensing costs
  • Data in your M365 tenant
  • Strong option for small companies with straightforward needs
  • Full integration with M365 suite
  • Copilot integration
  • Missing features and gaps e.g. for internal communicators, content governance etc.
  • Rarely meets the needs of mid- and large organisations
  • Limited branding options
  • Overall medium to high total cost of ownership (TCO)
  • Harder to manage
  • Might not meet specific custom needs
Option 2
SharePoint in-a-box intranet software
  • Quick to implement
  • Overall low to medium total cost of ownership (TCO)
  • Data in your M365 tenant
  • Full features to support an intranet, including for internal communications
  • Easier ongoing management
  • More branding options
  • Full integration with M365 suite
  • Copilot integration
  • Initial additional licensing and implementation costs
  • Might not meet specific custom needs
Option 3
Standalone in-a-box intranet that integrates with SharePoint
  • Full features to support an intranet, including for internal communications
  • Easier ongoing management
  • More branding options
  • Overall medium to high total cost of ownership (TCO)
  • Limited integration with M365 suite
  • Data not in your M365 tenant
  • Less ROI for investment in SharePoint and M365
  • Might not meet specific custom needs
  • Far less likely to integrate with Copilot
Option 4
Customised SharePoint Online
  • Meets specific custom needs
  • Usually full integration with M365 suite
  • Data in your M365 tenant
  • Copilot integration
  • Overall medium to high total cost of ownership (TCO)
  • Takes longer to implement
  • Technical debt
  • May be against IT policy
  • Higher ongoing effort to maintain customised parts