If you've been hearing about Microsoft Teams Premium and Copilot for Microsoft 365, you might be wondering, do I need both, or can one tool handle everything? In this blog post, we'll break down the key differences, explore unique features, and help you decide whether Teams Premium, Copilot, or both are right for you.
What is Teams Premium?
Teams Premium is an add-on license that enhances meetings, especially for businesses, global teams, and those needing advanced security and personalization. Here's what it includes:
- Intelligent Recap: AI-generated summaries with key takeaways and action items.
- Live Translation: Real-time caption translation in over 40 languages.
- Advanced Security: End-to-end encryption, watermarking, and sensitivity labels for compliance needs.
- Personalized Meetings: Custom lobby backgrounds, branding, and advanced webinar features and reporting.
- Virtual Appointments: Streamlined scheduling for client consultations and meetings.
Whether you're running executive meetings, global team collaborations, or webinars, Teams Premium provides the right tools.
What does Copilot bring that Teams Premium doesn’t include?
What is Copilot for Microsoft 365?
Copilot is an AI-powered assistant integrated across Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, enhancing productivity. (We offer Copilot training if you need it!) Key features include:
- Post-Meeting Insights: AI-generated summaries, action items, and key points.
- Real-Time Meeting Support: Summarizes discussions, suggests next steps, and drafts messages.
- Task Management: Prioritizes tasks, follows up on action items, and automates workflows.
- Content Creation: Drafts emails, reports, and presentations across Microsoft 365 apps.
- Intelligent Scheduling: Optimizes calendars based on priorities.
See our tips on writing Copilot prompts
Do They Compete or Complement Each Other?
Teams Premium and Copilot work hand in hand but serve different purposes. During meetings, Teams Premium provides live translations and security features, while Copilot summarizes discussions and suggests next steps. After meetings, Teams Premium generates structured summaries, while Copilot analyzes the content and organizes tasks across Microsoft 365.
Who Needs What?
Teams Premium is best for advanced meeting tools, live translations, and security. Copilot is ideal for AI-driven workflow improvements, content creation, data analysis, and more. Both together provide a full AI-powered experience. If your primary purpose for extending Teams Premium to users is for the Intelligent Recap, and you will license the same user for Copilot, you can likely skip the Teams Premium license. If you want live translation, or advanced security, custom corporate branding, they you would need to provide both licenses.
Meeting Recap: Standard vs. Intelligent
One important meeting feature to break down is Meeting Recap. The standard recap, built into Teams without an additional add-on license, includes the meeting recording transcript and an attendance report. If enabled with Teams Premium, there's Intelligent Recap, which includes AI-generated summaries, action items, speaker timelines, and insights. Copilot AI notes include everything in Intelligent Recap, plus AI-generated responses, suggested next steps, and content integration across Microsoft 365.
Considerations for Implementation
Before rolling out Copilot, consider whether you or your organization are ready. Do you or your users understand AI capabilities? Are there policies for AI usage and data security? (See our guide on secure adoption.) Can IT support Copilot troubleshooting, and do you have a training plan? Smart licensing decisions matter because Teams Premium enhances meetings while Copilot powers productivity across Microsoft 365. If you want the full AI experience, you may need both. Start small, train users, and scale as needed.
Hopefully, this helped clarify the differences between Teams Premium and Copilot. Whether you need one, the other, or both, the right choice depends on your organization's goals. If you want to dive deeper into how to use Teams or Copilot, be sure to check out the videos in our library for more tips and insights.
