Microsoft 365 · for teams of 1–50
Microsoft 365: reseller or direct? What changes, what doesn't.
The license is the same product either way, and the tenant is yours either way. Buying direct from Microsoft is roughly $1–3 a month less per seat. A reseller charges for what sits around the license: setup, DNS, billing and help. This page lays out exactly what changes, so you can pick the right one.
Same licenses · Your tenant · Cancel anytime
Side by side
What changes when you buy through a reseller
The Squish column is what squish.co/email sells today. The Microsoft column is what buying from Microsoft yourself looks like.
| Item | Through Squish (reseller) | Direct from Microsoft |
|---|---|---|
| Price per seat | From $6 per user a month, billed monthly or yearly. | Roughly $1–3 a month less per seat. |
| The license | The same Microsoft 365 licenses. Squish is an authorized Microsoft 365 reseller, and the licenses come straight from Microsoft's cloud. | The same Microsoft 365 licenses, bought from Microsoft. |
| Who owns the tenant | You. Your Microsoft 365 account belongs to you, and you keep full access to your own Microsoft 365 admin center. | You. |
| Where you get help | The Squish assistant, from any page. It checks your plan, DNS and email authentication on the spot, and anything it cannot sort out becomes a case you follow from your dashboard. | Microsoft's own support channels. |
| DNS setup | With your domain on Squish, MX, SPF and DMARC are configured automatically. DKIM signing is one guided step. | Microsoft gives you the records; you add them at your DNS host yourself. |
| Setup time | A two-minute form after checkout. Mailboxes are usually ready 5–30 minutes after you send it. | At your own pace, in the Microsoft 365 admin center. |
| Already on Microsoft 365 | A self-serve move, about 5 minutes. Billing changes without touching your mailboxes: same logins, same data, zero downtime. | You are already there. Nothing to move. |
| Contract | Monthly or yearly, cancel anytime. Monthly plans have no contract and scale up or down anytime. | Microsoft's own monthly and annual terms. |
| Billing | One bill with your hosting and domains. No hidden fees, no surprise overages. | A separate Microsoft invoice. |
| Team size | Self-serve plans for teams of 1–50. More than 50 users, or Microsoft 365 E3 or E5, is a custom quote. | Any size. |
The honest answer
Buy direct if… and buy through a reseller if…
Both are reasonable. The right one depends on what you want to be doing yourself.
Buy direct from Microsoft if…
- You have more than 50 users.Squish's self-serve plans stop at 50. Above that it is a custom quote, so get the quote and compare it with direct before you decide.
- You need Microsoft 365 E3 or E5.Those are quoted on request at Squish, not bought off the page. If you already know you need E3 or E5, direct is the simpler buy.
- Your domain and DNS live elsewhere and are staying there.The automatic MX, SPF and DMARC setup applies to domains on Squish. Without it, the setup advantage is smaller, and you would be adding records yourself either way.
- The lowest per-seat price is the only thing that matters.Direct is roughly $1–3 a month less per seat. If nothing around the license is worth that to you, buy direct.
Buy through Squish if…
- You want email, domains and hosting on one invoice.One bill, one dashboard, one place to cancel. Hosting on Squish renews at the price you signed up at.
- You do not want to touch DNS.With your domain on Squish, the records are added for you as soon as Microsoft confirms you own the domain, and DKIM is one guided step.
- You already pay for Microsoft 365 and want it on the same bill.The self-serve wizard moves the billing relationship in about 5 minutes. Your MX records do not change and nothing changes for your users.
- You want help that already knows your domain and hosting.The assistant checks your plan, DNS and email authentication on the spot. Anything it cannot sort out becomes a case you follow from your dashboard.
Either way
What a reseller does not change
- The license. It is Microsoft 365 either way, with the same Outlook, Teams, OneDrive and Office apps.
- The tenant. It belongs to you. If you ever leave a reseller, it goes with you and you can buy licenses wherever you like.
- Your mail. It sits on Microsoft's infrastructure, not the reseller's.
- Your sign-in. Passwords go straight to Microsoft. With Squish, the sign-in page forwards your address as a login hint and never sees the password.
Decide, then start
Pick a plan, or bring the Microsoft 365 you have
New to Microsoft 365: pick a plan, fill in a two-minute form, and your mailboxes are usually ready 5–30 minutes later. Already on it: the wizard moves the billing in about 5 minutes.
Questions people ask before choosing
Is Microsoft 365 cheaper if I buy direct from Microsoft?
Yes. Microsoft direct is roughly $1–3 a month less per seat than buying through Squish. What a reseller charges for is everything around the license: guided setup, DNS that configures itself, one bill with your hosting and domains, and help that knows your account. If none of that is worth $1–3 a seat to you, buy direct.
Who owns the Microsoft 365 tenant if I buy through a reseller?
You do. With Squish, your Microsoft 365 account belongs to you and you keep full access to your own Microsoft 365 admin center. If you ever leave, the tenant goes with you and you can buy licenses wherever you like.
Can I switch from Microsoft direct to a reseller without migrating my mailboxes?
Yes. The self-serve wizard at squish.co/migrate-email moves the billing relationship to Squish in about 5 minutes without touching your mailboxes. Same logins, same data, zero downtime, and your MX records do not change. You can schedule it for your current renewal date so you never double-pay.
Can I leave a reseller later and go back to buying direct?
Yes. Monthly plans on Squish cancel anytime, and the tenant is yours, so leaving means changing who bills you, not moving your mail.
What does a reseller change about DNS and email authentication?
Buying direct, Microsoft gives you the MX, SPF and other records and you add them at your DNS host. With your domain on Squish, setup adds MX, SPF and DMARC automatically as soon as Microsoft confirms you own the domain, and DKIM signing is one guided step. If your domain lives elsewhere, that advantage does not apply.
Should a business with more than 50 users buy through a reseller?
Compare quotes. Squish's self-serve plans are for teams of 1–50; above that, and for Microsoft 365 E3 or E5, it is a custom quote with volume pricing. Get the quote, compare it with Microsoft direct, and buy whichever is better for you.
Microsoft 365 through Squish
- From $6 per user a month
- Monthly or yearly, cancel anytime
- MX, SPF and DMARC set for you
- One bill with hosting and domains
More than 50 users, or E3 or E5? Ask for a quote on the plans page, then compare it with direct.