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Microsoft

Redmond, Washington Founded 1975 78 products

Official website
Products
78
Categories
42
Free plans
39
Guides
6

About Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation is a US software and cloud company based at One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington. It was founded in 1975, incorporated in June 1981 and went public in March 1986. Satya Nadella is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Microsoft says it employed 223,000 people worldwide at 30 June 2026.

For Indian businesses, Microsoft's main product lines are Microsoft 365 (Office apps, Outlook, Teams and SharePoint), the Azure cloud platform, Dynamics 365 business applications (Business Central ERP, Sales, Customer Service), Power Platform, and the Copilot AI assistants. It also offers free webmaster and analytics tools such as Bing Webmaster Tools and Microsoft Clarity, and developer tools including Visual Studio and GitHub. Most of these are sold as per-user monthly or annual subscriptions, while Azure is billed on consumption.

Microsoft sells in India directly and through a large network of Cloud Solution Provider partners and resellers. Its cloud services run from Indian datacenter regions. The company opened three Indian Azure regions in 2015: Central India (Pune), South India (Chennai) and West India (Mumbai). In August 2026 it added a fourth, India South Central in Hyderabad.

Recent milestones include an extended partnership with OpenAI in January 2023, the AI-powered Bing and Edge in February 2023, and completion of the Activision Blizzard acquisition in October 2023. Microsoft marked its 50th anniversary on 4 April 2025. Microsoft's facts page also records that IBM's first PC shipped with MS-DOS 1.0 in August 1981, and that in February 2026 Microsoft matched 100% of its annual global electricity consumption with renewable energy.

Microsoft in India

  • Azure cloud regions in Pune (Central India), Chennai (South India), Mumbai (West India) and Hyderabad (India South Central)

Key facts

Legal name
Microsoft Corporation
Headquarters
Redmond, Washington, United States
Founded
1975
Ownership
Listed on Nasdaq (MSFT)
Employees
223,000 (30 June 2026)
Made in India
No
Products listed
78
Platforms
Web, Windows, Android, iOS
Deployment
Cloud, Desktop
Headquarters
One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052
IPO
13 March 1986
India cloud regions
Pune, Chennai, Mumbai (2015); Hyderabad (2026)
Major acquisition
Activision Blizzard, completed 13 October 2023
Official website
onenote.com

Microsoft products compared

ProductCategoryStarting priceFree planPlatformsRating
Microsoft OneNote logoMicrosoft OneNoteNotes, docs & knowledge managementFreeYesWeb4.7
Microsoft Advertising logoMicrosoft AdvertisingAdvertising & PPC managementFreeYesWeb4.7
Microsoft OneDrive logoMicrosoft OneDriveCloud storage & file sharingFree planYesWeb4.6
Microsoft Forms logoMicrosoft FormsSurvey & customer feedback toolsFreeYesWeb4.6
Microsoft SQL Server logoMicrosoft SQL ServerDatabases & data platformsFree planYesWeb4.6
Visual Studio Code logoVisual Studio CodeDeveloper tools & APIsFreeYesWeb4.6
Visual Studio logoVisual StudioDeveloper tools & APIsFree planYesWeb4.6
Microsoft Power BI logoMicrosoft Power BIBusiness intelligence & dashboardsFree planYesWeb4.6
Microsoft Teams Chat logoMicrosoft Teams ChatTeam chat & collaborationFree planYesWeb4.6
Clipchamp logoClipchampVideo toolsFree planYesWindows4.6
Microsoft Entra ID logoMicrosoft Entra IDCybersecurity & endpoint protectionFree planYesWeb4.6
Microsoft 365 logoMicrosoft 365Office suites & productivity₹145/moNoWeb4.5
Microsoft Teams logoMicrosoft TeamsVideo conferencing & webinarsFree planYesWeb4.5
Loop by Microsoft logoLoop by MicrosoftTeam chat & collaborationFreeYesWeb4.5
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central logoMicrosoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralAccounting software₹5,800/moNoWeb4.5
Microsoft Designer logoMicrosoft DesignerAI image, video & avatar generationFreeYesWeb4.5
Microsoft Clarity logoMicrosoft ClarityWeb analytics & CROFreeYesWeb4.5
Microsoft Azure logoMicrosoft AzureCloud platforms & infrastructurePay as you goNoWeb4.5
Yammer (Viva Engage) logoYammer (Viva Engage)Team chat & collaborationPay as you goNoWeb4.5
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service logoMicrosoft Dynamics 365 Field ServiceField service & workforce apps₹8,000/moNoWeb4.5
Microsoft SharePoint logoMicrosoft SharePointDocument management & e-signature workflow₹400/moNoWeb4.5
AutoGen logoAutoGenAI agent & LLM development platformsFreeYesWeb4.5
Bing Image Creator logoBing Image CreatorAI image, video & avatar generationFreeYesWeb4.5
Microsoft Teams for Education logoMicrosoft Teams for EducationLMS softwareFreeYesWeb4.5
Microsoft To Do logoMicrosoft To DoTeam chat & collaborationFreeYesWeb, Android, iOS4.5
Microsoft Outlook logoMicrosoft OutlookOffice suites & productivityFree planYesWeb4.5
Outlook.com logoOutlook.comBusiness email & domainsFreeYesWeb4.5
Microsoft 365 Business Basic logoMicrosoft 365 Business BasicBusiness email & domains₹145/moNoWeb4.5
Microsoft Excel logoMicrosoft ExcelOffice suites & productivity₹500/moNoWeb4.5
Microsoft Planner logoMicrosoft PlannerProject management softwareFree planYesWeb4.5
Semantic Kernel logoSemantic KernelAI agent & LLM development platformsFreeYesWeb4.5
Playwright logoPlaywrightDeveloper tools & APIsFreeYesWeb4.5
Microsoft Lists logoMicrosoft ListsTeam chat & collaborationFreeYesWeb4.5
Microsoft Whiteboard logoMicrosoft WhiteboardTeam chat & collaborationFreeYesWeb4.5
Microsoft Project logoMicrosoft ProjectProject management software₹800/moNoWeb4.5
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales logoMicrosoft Dynamics 365 SalesCRM software₹5,400/moNoWeb4.5
Microsoft for Nonprofits logoMicrosoft for NonprofitsNGO, society & cooperative softwareFreeYesWeb4.5
Microsoft Power Automate logoMicrosoft Power AutomateTeam chat & collaborationFree planYesWeb4.4
Microsoft PowerPoint logoMicrosoft PowerPointOffice suites & productivity₹500/moNoWeb4.4
Microsoft Authenticator logoMicrosoft AuthenticatorCybersecurity & endpoint protectionFreeYesWeb, Android, iOS4.4
.NET logo.NETDeveloper tools & APIsFreeYesWeb4.4
Azure SQL logoAzure SQLDatabases & data platformsPay as you goNoWeb4.4
Microsoft Exchange Online logoMicrosoft Exchange OnlineTeam chat & collaboration₹300/moNoWeb4.4
Azure OpenAI Service logoAzure OpenAI ServiceAI agent & LLM development platformsPay as you goNoWeb4.4
Microsoft Edge logoMicrosoft EdgeUtility, productivity & everyday appsFreeYesWeb, Android, iOS4.4
Microsoft Defender for Business logoMicrosoft Defender for BusinessCybersecurity & endpoint protection₹250/moNoWeb4.4
Microsoft SwiftKey logoMicrosoft SwiftKeyUtility, productivity & everyday appsFreeYesWeb, Android, iOS4.4
Microsoft Bookings logoMicrosoft BookingsAppointment scheduling & bookingPay as you goNoWeb4.4
Microsoft Word logoMicrosoft WordNotes, docs & knowledge management₹500/moNoWeb4.4
Bing Webmaster Tools logoBing Webmaster ToolsSEO toolsFreeYesWeb4.4
LinkedIn logoLinkedInMessaging & social appsFree planYesWeb, Android, iOS4.4
Microsoft Translator logoMicrosoft TranslatorUtility, productivity & everyday appsFreeYesWeb, Android, iOS4.3
Azure Kubernetes Service logoAzure Kubernetes ServiceCloud platforms & infrastructurePay as you goNoWeb4.3
Ally.io (Viva Goals) logoAlly.io (Viva Goals)Performance & OKR software₹500/moNoWeb4.3
Azure Cosmos DB logoAzure Cosmos DBDatabases & data platformsPay as you goNoWeb4.3
Azure Functions logoAzure FunctionsCloud platforms & infrastructurePay as you goNoWeb4.3
Microsoft 365 Copilot logoMicrosoft 365 CopilotAI tools₹2,500/moNoWeb4.3
Microsoft Stream logoMicrosoft StreamTeam chat & collaborationPay as you goNoWeb4.3
Microsoft Lens logoMicrosoft LensDocument management & e-signature workflowFreeYesWeb, Android, iOS4.3
Microsoft Dynamics 365 logoMicrosoft Dynamics 365ERP softwareOn requestNoWeb4.3
Microsoft Viva logoMicrosoft VivaTeam chat & collaborationPay as you goNoWeb4.3
Azure Speech logoAzure SpeechCaption toolsPay as you goNoWeb4.3
Azure Monitor logoAzure MonitorTeam chat & collaborationPay as you goNoWeb4.3
Microsoft Power Pages logoMicrosoft Power PagesTeam chat & collaborationPay as you goNoWeb4.3
Microsoft Copilot Studio logoMicrosoft Copilot StudioLive chat & chatbot software₹16,000/moNoWeb4.3
Clipchamp Captions logoClipchamp CaptionsCaption toolsFree planYesWeb4.3
Azure Blob Storage logoAzure Blob StorageCloud storage & file sharingPay as you goNoWeb4.3
Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub logoMicrosoft for Startups Founders HubCloud platforms & infrastructureFreeYesWeb4.3
Azure DevOps logoAzure DevOpsDevOps, CI/CD & monitoringFree planYesWeb4.2
Azure Neural TTS logoAzure Neural TTSAudio, podcast & music toolsPay as you goNoWeb4.2
Microsoft Dynamics CRM logoMicrosoft Dynamics CRMCRM software₹5,400/moNoWeb4.2
Microsoft Teams Copilot logoMicrosoft Teams CopilotAI tools₹2,500/moNoWeb4.2
Microsoft Power Apps logoMicrosoft Power AppsDeveloper tools & APIs₹400/moNoWeb4.2
Microsoft Intune logoMicrosoft IntuneCybersecurity & endpoint protection₹500/moNoWeb4.2
Teams Webinars logoTeams WebinarsVideo conferencing & webinarsPay as you goNoWeb4.1
Glint (Viva Glint) logoGlint (Viva Glint)Performance & OKR softwareOn requestNoWeb4.0
Microsoft 365 Personal logoMicrosoft 365 PersonalUtility, productivity & everyday apps₹489/moNoWeb, Android, iOS4.0
Xbox Game Pass logoXbox Game PassOTT, music & entertainment apps₹349/moNoWeb, Android, iOS4.0

Microsoft pricing at a glance

Microsoft SQL Server logoMicrosoft SQL Server

Free Express/Developer · Standard $989/server

Free plan · Express (10 GB) and Developer (non-production)

5 plans · official pricing sourced

Categories Microsoft competes in

Notes, docs & knowledge management56 products comparedAdvertising & PPC management50 products comparedCloud storage & file sharing54 products comparedSurvey & customer feedback tools59 products comparedForm builders & no-code apps78 products comparedDatabases & data platforms88 products comparedDeveloper tools & APIs139 products comparedBusiness intelligence & dashboards51 products comparedTeam chat & collaboration177 products comparedVideo tools78 products comparedCybersecurity & endpoint protection158 products comparedPassword managers & identity58 products comparedOffice suites & productivity68 products comparedVideo conferencing & webinars50 products comparedAI meeting & transcription assistants60 products comparedAccounting software111 products comparedAI image, video & avatar generation63 products comparedAI tools532 products comparedWeb analytics & CRO68 products comparedTravel, transport & ride apps131 products comparedCloud platforms & infrastructure73 products comparedField service & workforce apps45 products comparedDocument management & e-signature workflow47 products comparedAI agent & LLM development platforms102 products comparedLMS software94 products comparedBusiness email & domains45 products comparedProject management software86 products comparedCRM software107 products comparedNGO, society & cooperative software39 products comparedWorkflow automation & integration216 products comparedUtility, productivity & everyday apps72 products comparedAppointment scheduling & booking53 products comparedSEO tools79 products comparedMessaging & social apps50 products comparedPerformance & OKR software55 products comparedERP software50 products comparedCaption tools49 products comparedLive chat & chatbot software81 products comparedDevOps, CI/CD & monitoring89 products comparedAudio, podcast & music tools65 products comparedIT service management & asset tracking55 products comparedOTT, music & entertainment apps70 products compared

Leadership & history

Leadership

  • Satya NadellaChairman and Chief Executive Officer

Timeline

  1. 1975 Microsoft founded
  2. 1981 Incorporated; MS-DOS 1.0 ships with the IBM PC
  3. 1986 Initial public offering
  4. 2015 Launched three Azure cloud regions in India
  5. 2023 Extended OpenAI partnership; launched AI-powered Bing; completed Activision Blizzard acquisition
  6. 2025 50th anniversary
  7. 2026 Opened India South Central cloud region in Hyderabad

Alternatives to Microsoft

Top-ranked products from other companies in the same categories.

Microsoft OneNote vs Zoho NotebookMicrosoft OneNote vs Apple NotesMicrosoft OneNote vs EvernoteMicrosoft OneNote vs Google Keep

Blogs that cover Microsoft

Cloud Storage Pricing India 2026: Drive, OneDrive, pCloudGoogle Drive, OneDrive, JioAICloud and pCloud compared for India: official plan prices, business vs personal storage, a TCO model and compliance checklist.BI Tools Pricing India 2026: Power BI, Zoho, TableauBusiness intelligence pricing in India: Power BI INR prices, Looker Studio, Metabase, Zoho Analytics and Tableau compared with a TCO model and data risks.Cybersecurity for Indian SMEs 2026: CERT-In GuideSME cybersecurity in India: CERT-In 6-hour reporting and 180-day logs, endpoint and email security, Microsoft Defender INR prices and a phased roadmap.Password Managers for Teams in India 2026: PricingTeam password managers compared: Bitwarden and 1Password official prices, Zoho Vault, Keeper and Dashlane, with an offboarding-led TCO model and checklist.Business Email in India 2026: Zoho vs Google vs MicrosoftCompare Zoho Mail, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Titan and Rediffmail Pro for Indian businesses: official prices, storage, CERT-In and DPDP checklist.Video Conferencing Apps & Pricing in India (2026)Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Zoho Meeting compared for India in 2026: official prices, free plan limits and participant caps. Is FaceTime free?

Microsoft FAQs

Is Microsoft an Indian company?

No. Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, United States. It has large operations and four cloud regions in India.

Who is the CEO of Microsoft?

Satya Nadella is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Who owns Microsoft?

Microsoft is a public company whose shares trade on Nasdaq under the symbol MSFT.

Does Microsoft have data centres in India?

Yes. Microsoft runs Azure regions in Pune, Chennai and Mumbai, and opened a fourth region in Hyderabad in August 2026.

What does Microsoft sell to businesses in India?

Microsoft 365, Azure, Dynamics 365 ERP and CRM, Power Platform and Copilot, sold directly and through partners.

What does Microsoft do?

Microsoft makes notes, docs & knowledge management, advertising & ppc management, cloud storage & file sharing and survey & customer feedback tools. Its products listed on App Advisor are Microsoft OneNote (Free digital notebook), Microsoft Advertising (Search ads on Bing and partners), Microsoft OneDrive (Cloud storage in Microsoft 365), Microsoft Forms (Forms and quizzes in Microsoft 365), Microsoft SQL Server (Relational database) and Visual Studio Code (Free code editor).

Where is Microsoft headquartered?

Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, United States and was founded in 1975.

How much does Microsoft cost?

Microsoft OneNote: Free; Microsoft Advertising: Free; Microsoft OneDrive: Free plan; Microsoft Forms: Free; Microsoft SQL Server: Free plan; Visual Studio Code: Free; Visual Studio: Free plan; Microsoft Power BI: Free plan. These are the starting prices on App Advisor's listings — confirm on Microsoft's official pricing page before you buy.

Does Microsoft have a free plan?

Yes. Microsoft OneNote, Microsoft Advertising, Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Forms, Microsoft SQL Server, Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, Microsoft Power BI, Microsoft Teams Chat, Clipchamp, Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Teams, Loop by Microsoft, Microsoft Designer, Microsoft Clarity, AutoGen, Bing Image Creator, Microsoft Teams for Education, Microsoft To Do, Microsoft Outlook, Outlook.com, Microsoft Planner, Semantic Kernel, Playwright, Microsoft Lists, Microsoft Whiteboard, Microsoft for Nonprofits, Microsoft Power Automate, Microsoft Authenticator, .NET, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft SwiftKey, Bing Webmaster Tools, LinkedIn, Microsoft Translator, Microsoft Lens, Clipchamp Captions, Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub and Azure DevOps offer a free plan or free tier.

What are the best alternatives to Microsoft?

Popular alternatives in the same categories include Zoho Notebook by Zoho Corporation, Apple Notes by Apple, Evernote by Bending Spoons, Google Keep by Google and Simplenote by Automattic.

Company details researched from official sources, last updated 2026-09-14: [1], [2], [3].

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