Microsoft Lengthens Office 365 Trial In Attempt To Attract Small Businesses

Microsoft is really trying to sell small businesses on the idea of using Office 365. In an attempt to woo users away from using apps from rival Google, Microsoft tripled the length of its free trial for Office 365 Small Business from 30 days to 90 days.

Microsoft refers to the offer as Plan P1. This trial offers small businesses cloud-based email, shared calendars, and Web-based Office apps for up to 10 users. Plan P1 typically costs $72 per user per year. Microsoft plans to offer the 90-day Office 365 Small Business trial until the end of February.

Earlier this month, Google announced changes to its Google Apps for Business service. As a result of the changes, businesses with 10 or fewer users will be required to pay $50 per user per year for the service which includes cloud-based email as well as software.