business plan bell mobility

Nationwide Bell Mobility for Business *

Bell Mobility is offering new Bell customers Unlimited 5G Share Plans with no overage fees, with credits from $200 up to $650 per phone. And you can use the credit to pay down your bill or subsidize the purchase of new Smart Phones.

* All pricing and service details subject to final contract with Bell Canada

Province where company headquartered?

Number of devices, number of new devices, unlimited share plan for  x.

$ X per month for each device

$ X per month subsidy for each new device

$ X one-time bill credit*

  X GB for each device

$ X total monthly cost

  X GB shared across devices

What products are of interest?

To serve you better please provide additional information about your request., bell mobility services.

For organizations adding 16+ phones, each new smartphone will receive 10 GB per phone of shareable data in a company pool and $650 credits per phone, $400 for porting to Bell and $250 if buying new hardware. *

If you keep your existing Smartphones the $400 credits per phone will reduce the monthly cost per phone to $25.88 per month!! If buying new phones, you can use $250 of the $650 credit towards the new hardware purchase.

We look for all available promos and incentives to provide the best price and lowest total cost of ownership. We offer the latest iPhones and Android models and with Bell subsidies and credits reduce the price of the new hardware significantly.

Example: If buying new Apple iPhone 15 devices with 128 GB (Retail price $1,161) on a 3-year new activation plan for 16+ smartphones with Bell credits, $250 of $650 could apply towards the phone and a Bell subsidy of $15 per month paid over the 36-month term. This would reduce your upfront cost to $371 per phone. Speak to your Sales partner about other phone models and pricing.

• Best Business Cell Phone Plans

Best Business Cell Phone Plans Of 2024

Updated: Aug 26, 2024, 9:47pm

Business cell phone plans are an important consideration for any team. LinkedIn reports that 57% of sales professionals saw an increase in calls to customers in 2020. Ensuring that all of your staff can pick up the phone no matter where they are can make a huge difference in your overall sales.

If you want phone calls on the go, you have several options at your disposal. For one, you could go with a business-centric plan from one of the major United States wireless carriers. Alternatively, you could use one of the leading voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) platforms and stay connected via a mobile app. Forbes Advisor ranked the best mobile options on the market to help you figure out which is best for your brand.

• Best VoIP Service
• Best Free VoIP Phone Service
• Best VoIP Cell Phone Service
• Best Conference Calling Services
• Best Call Center Software

The Best 5 Business Cell Phone Plans of 2024

Why you can trust forbes advisor small business.

RingCentral

Verizon Wireless

Google voice, at&t wireless, forbes advisor ratings, methodology, considerations for choosing the best business cell phone plan, frequently asked questions (faqs), next up in business.

Featured Partners

$20 per user, per month (paid annually)

On RingCentral's Website

Starts at $10 per user, per month

On Zoom's Website

• RingCentral: Best VoIP business mobile plan
• Verizon Wireless: Best traditional wireless carrier
• Google Voice: Best mobile solution for sole proprietors and freelancers
• AT&T Wireless: Best for mobile security
• T-Mobile: Best for novel features

The Forbes Advisor Small Business team is committed to bringing you unbiased rankings and information with full editorial independence. We use product data, strategic methodologies and expert insights to inform all of our content and guide you in making the best decisions for your business journey.

We reviewed the leading mobile phone providers in the market using a detailed system to determine the five best cell phone services for small businesses. Pricing was an essential consideration when putting together our list as were the features that each provider offered. We also took into consideration real users’ experiences with the cell phone providers to come up with our final rankings. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Best Overall Business Cell Phone Plan

Starting price

$24.99 per user, per month

Free hardware available

International coverage

RingCentral is a far cry from your traditional business cell phone plan. It does not offer a wireless network or devices for your team. Instead, this VoIP service offers a monthly (or annual) subscription to software you can use from a computer, tablet or smartphone via an app. In most cases, subscribing to RingCentral and having your team log in to the app via their accounts is a lot more affordable than going with one of the big wireless carriers. Therefore, it is our top overall pick for business cell phone plans.

Regardless of which plan you choose, all versions of RingCentral come standard with the following:

• Unlimited calls within the United States and Canada
• Unlimited business short message service (SMS)
• Team member messaging
• Voicemail to text
• Document sharing
• Toll-free numbers

Service plan costs vary depending on how many people you employ. Pricing for two to 20 users on an annual basis is as follows:

• Essentials: $24.99 per user, per month with unlimited domestic calling, SMS, document sharing and voicemail-to-text functionality
• Standard: $27.99 per user, per month with unlimited fax, video calling for up to 100 people, the ability to adopt a number in more than 100 countries and more
• Premium: $39.99 per user, per month with automatic call recording, third-party software integrations and more
• Ultimate: $54.99 per user, per month with advanced status reports, alerts and unlimited online file storage

RingCentral’s plans offer features that aren’t available through larger carriers. The fact that RingCentral offers toll-free numbers is helpful in commanding a more professional business presence, and features like video calling and faxing are nice bonuses. RingCentral also has an intuitive, modern interface that closely resembles your smartphone’s default phone and texting apps. Once it is installed, you can think of the app as a business phone that lives in your personal phone.

The only downside with RingCentral as a business cell phone plan is it requires a fair amount of trust. On one end, you will need to consider whether or not you can count on your team members to keep company information secure if the app is installed on their personal devices. Additionally, your staff may not feel comfortable with having their work phone installed onto their smartphones.

While the lines between work and home continue to blur, thanks in large part to apps like Slack and Zoom, you might want to evaluate your company culture before moving forward. It’s also worth noting that all of RingCentral’s features can be used on a PC or Mac.

Learn more: Read our full RingCentral review .

Who should use it:

RingCentral’s pricing and features make it a good fit for businesses of every size.

• Free 15-day trial
• Very affordable monthly plans
• Able to customize service by business size and industry
• Available across multiple devices
• Possible to video conference with up to 200 people
• Must upgrade for 24/7 customer support and, even then, it apparently leaves a lot to be desired
• Plans get inexplicably more expensive for sole proprietors
• Can only rent phones with multi-year contracts

Best for Traditional Plans and VoIP Features

Plans as low as $30 per month, per line

Verizon is one of the largest carriers in operation, with coverage and services spanning from coast to coast and beyond. The company makes our list as it provides solid cell phone plans for small and large businesses alike. You can choose from one of several subscription options according to what works best for your company.

Flexible Business Wireless Plans

The Flexible Business Wireless Plan offers unlimited domestic talk and text, unlimited international messaging and a mobile hot spot. It also comes with a shareable data pool for your phones, tablets and other devices. You can even gain access to corporate email services.

What makes this plan “flexible” is that you get to choose the amount of data you want to add to your smartphone, tablet or both. The pricing plans vary according to the amount of data you need for your device. Use a handy calculator to determine how much smartphone or tablet data you’ll need to get an idea of your expected monthly price.

Business Unlimited Plans

These Verizon business phone subscriptions provide companies with unlimited talk, text and data through three tier levels: Start. 2.0, Plus 2.0 and Pro 2.0:

• Business Unlimited Start 5G: As low as $30 per month when you add five or more lines. Includes unlimited talk, text and data; 5G nationwide/4G LTE and call filter
• Business Unlimited Plus 5G: As low as $40 per month with five or more lines; it includes everything in Start plus 5G Ultra Wideband, 100 GB Premium network access and an unlimited mobile hotspot. The tier also offers Business Mobile Secure, which protects your smartphones against potential security threats.
• Business Unlimited Pro 5G: As low as $45 per month when you buy five or more lines; offers unlimited Premium Network Access and a 50% discount on Business Unlimited Pro tablet plans

The monthly plan price fluctuates according to the number of smartphone lines you buy. Although Verizon offers generous price discounts with each tier, smaller businesses might find the pricing plans a bit expensive, even excessive if they don’t need five or more lines.

Verizon lets you bring your own device (BYOD) to the service and even offers discount deals for doing so. However, not every device is compatible, and the brand recommends confirming compatibility before making the switch. Verizon often offers free phones or generous credit, between $200 and $1,000, toward purchasing a new phone.

Like many service providers, Verizon tends to automate customer support to the point where some customers struggle to speak with an actual human. Because it can be hard to talk to anyone, customers often find Verizon’s customer service somewhat lacking. To make up for this, Verizon offers a feature in which an agent will call you when one is available if you don’t feel like waiting on hold.

Verizon represents a more traditional phone plan structure, one with its service easily accessible across the country and via different locations worldwide. As such, even pricing and customer service issues are but minor deterrents. You’re still getting a big carrier plan with coverage in most of the United States and a wide range of service plans and devices to suit your needs.

Verizon works well for small to large businesses with a healthy budget.

Learn more:

Read our full Verizon Wireless review .

• Nationwide coverage
• Offers mobile VPN with certain plans
• Data, calls and texting available to use while in Canada and Mexico
• Ability to mix and match plans
• Could be overkill for smaller organizations
• Plans can get expensive

Best for Sole Proprietors and Freelancers

Plans starting at $10 per month, per user

Google Voice is an ideal choice for those who need an extra business phone number but might not be able to afford a complex and pricey service plan. Google Voice is a popular virtual phone service that offers call forwarding, voice and text messaging and voicemail options. Best of all, there is a version of the system that is entirely free to use as long as you have a Google Account.

Google Voice is popular for offering an impressive set of functionality in its free tier. As long as you have a personal Google Account, you can adopt a local number with nearly any area code in the United States. You can make unlimited domestic calls and texts across the U.S. and Canada from your phone or computer.

Because Google Voice is a free service, it can be especially useful to a small, cash-strapped business that wants to be able to make and receive calls without committing to pricier service plans offered by AT&T or T-Mobile. Though an existing number is required, once you link it to Google Voice, you’re able to communicate using virtually any device. If your business needs more than what the freeware offers, you can sign up for one of Google Voice’s subscription plans:

• Business Starter: $10 per user, per month; recommended for entrepreneurs or small businesses with 10 people or less
• Business Standard: $20 per user, per month; works for businesses of any size
• Business Premier: $30 per user, per month; aimed at larger, international companies

Once you upgrade, you can enjoy features such as unlimited domestic calling and text, voicemail transcripts, a “do not disturb” feature linked to your Google Calendar working hours, use and activity reports and 24-hour technical support. Upgrade to Standard or Premier for additional perks, including desk-phone compatibility, auto attendants and eDiscovery for calls, text messages and voicemail.

Overall, Google Voice offers businesses several benefits at either no cost or through very affordable service plans. Even if there are downsides, with the amount of free features, Google Voice is a beneficial service.

Learn more: Read our full Google Voice review .

Google Voice works best for organizations, small and large, that want a business cell phone plan that streamlines their contacts across multiple devices.

• Free version available
• 14-day trial for paid features
• Highly scalable, with service options for businesses of every size and budget
• Get a local number
• Unlimited calling and SMS
• Need an existing phone number to forward calls
• Must have internet/Wi-Fi connection to use

Best for Mobile Security

$30 per line, per month

We chose AT&T Wireless as it offers flexible cell phone plan options with plenty of added perks. With AT&T, your company has access to nationwide coverage and a range of plans that come standard with unlimited talk, text and data.

In addition to domestic coverage, AT&T provides unlimited talk and text from the United States to Canada or Mexico with no roaming fees. Some plan options even extend service options from the U.S. to up to 120 countries. It is crucial to note that some features are only available through devices compatible with AT&T’s service.

You can choose between one of several business-related subscription plans, priced per month and per smartphone line. AT&T’s best per-line pricing options come with six or more lines.

Unlimited Your Way

AT&T provides unlimited business service plans that let you choose only what you need for team members. There are three tiers available; you can purchase between one and 10 lines with these plans (per the Unlimited Your Way plan group), with per-month pricing fluctuating according to your decision.

• Business Unlimited Starter: Begins at $30 per month, per line with five or more lines and includes unlimited domestic talk, text and data, and unlimited talk and text to Canada and Mexico; offers access to AT&T’s 5G and 5G+ services on compatible devices where available and standard streaming and mobile security
• Business Unlimited Performance: Begins at $35 per month, paid per line with five or more lines. It includes everything in Starter, plus advanced mobile security and high-definition streams; each line has access to 30 GB of hotspot data.
• Business Unlimited Elite: Begins at $45 per month and per line for five or more lines; this plan adds AT&T Business Fast Track, which gives higher priority to your data usage, letting things run smoothly during times of high congestion; the plan gives you 100 GB of hotspot data

AT&T Mobile Select (Pooled)

Perhaps one device needs 5 GB per month while another only needs 2 GB. Pooling data means that each team member only uses a specific amount and your business only pays for exactly what it needs. In addition to pooled data, this plan provides unlimited talk and text. Customers will also get access to Stream Saver, which conserves data when users stream content.

Depending on your device or location, AT&T also offers its Call Protect Basic service. Plans start at $35 per month for 1 GB and increase according to your intended data pool.

AT&T Business 4GB

This plan option gives your business access to 4 GB of data per line, plus unlimited talk and text. Pricing isn’t as straightforward as it could be. The most affordable plan costs $50 per month, per line, when you buy at least three lines; the service option maxing out at 10 lines. Please note that this price is only guaranteed when you agree to sign up for autopay. This knocks $25 off the price per smartphone line with a service commitment.

AT&T’s Security Features

AT&T offers protection against increasingly common annoyances such as spam and fraud calls, including the ability to block suspicious phone numbers outright. For an additional service charge, AT&T provides its Secure Wi-Fi VPN service through AT&T Mobile Security Plus. The most basic version of this is available free with every plan and includes device security and breach reports. The add-on costs $3.99 per month and comes with a serious upgrade on secure mobile features:

• Secure Wi-Fi VPN
• Personal ID monitor
• Safe browsing
• Wi-Fi alerts
• Theft alerts (Android devices only)

If you’re looking for free hardware, AT&T Wireless does offer discounts and deals from time to time, including free phones or generous discounts towards the purchase of a qualifying phone.

AT&T’s business cell phone plans are impressive. Unfortunately, when things get congested, your service quality can drop substantially thanks to data caps and slowed coverage. AT&T often forces customers to upgrade to higher tiers to avoid slowdowns. The company’s plans can also get very expensive when you account for optional add-ons and devices.

AT&T Wireless is one of the larger service carriers, and so it can guarantee coverage and high-quality service to almost all of its customers. That said, its service fees could prove to be too expensive for smaller businesses with very tight budgets.

AT&T is best for mid to large-size companies with specific data needs and a desire for greater security when communicating or transferring information.

• Provides highly customizable business cell phone plans
• No roaming fees for Canada and Mexico
• Offers stellar mobile security add-ons
• No overage charges
• Data speeds drop when service gets very busy
• Add-ons and premium tiers can make the service pricey

Best for Novel and Unique Features

$25 per line, per month

T-Mobile is the third of the three biggest U.S. wireless carriers, after merging with Sprint in 2020. While it has all the standard functionality of the other business cell service providers, what makes it stand apart are its unique and novel bonuses that come with select plans. For instance, some plans come with Microsoft 365 and unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi.

T-Mobile offers limited and unlimited talk and text service in Canada and Mexico and standard 5G in its business packages. Additionally, all levels of T-Mobile’s business cell phone service come with its scam shield module, which identifies and warns you about known scam callers on your caller ID.

You get to choose from one of four service plans available for businesses, each priced per month and per line:

• Business Unlimited Select: Available for as low as $25 per month, per line when you purchase at least six lines; comes with 50 GB of premium data and 5 GB of hotspot data, limited talk and text to Mexico and Canada and unlimited standard definition streaming
• Business Unlimited Advanced: Available for as low as $30 per month, per line when you purchase at least six lines; includes one hour of free in-flight Wi-Fi,100 GB of premium data and a 40 GB hotspot plus unlimited talk, text and data in Canada and Mexico, as well as 5 GB of high-speed data at no extra cost; provides unlimited high definition streaming; includes two basic Microsoft 365 Business licenses
• Business Unlimited Ultimate: Available for as low as $40 per month, per line when you purchase at least six lines; unlimited access to premium data and 100 GB for your hotspot as well as unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi; get unlimited video streaming with quality up to 4K UHD
• Business Unlimited Edge: Available for as low as $45 per month, per line when you purchase at least six lines; unlimited access to premium data and 200 GB for your hotspot as well as unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi; get unlimited video streaming with quality up to 4K UHD

As mentioned, T-Mobile’s smartphone pricing will change depending on how many lines you choose to buy. You will be charged $60 per month for the most basic option if you only buy a single line. For this reason, smaller companies with tight budget constraints might find T-Mobile’s pricing to be too expensive, especially if they only need a few lines.

But for more mobile businesses that have employees constantly on the go, there are some really great perks. Offering access to unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi and unlimited talk, text and data to employees in Mexico and Canada could become a great selling point for your own brand.

Like most major carriers, there are a lot of customers competing for data priority. While T-Mobile offers access to this “premium data,” you have to pay a lot more out of pocket to ensure that your service doesn’t stagnate when things get particularly busy.

T-Mobile typically has multiple deals concerning phones, including free devices or credit up to a few hundred dollars towards buying a new smartphone. Like many such deals with carriers, they come with specific contract requirements, so it’s best to ask about the details before signing up.

T-Mobile seems best for businesses with team members who are constantly on the go and can therefore better appreciate perks related to international travel and flights.

• Reliable 5G network
• Service plans offer unlimited talk, text and data in Canada and Mexico
• Optional perks such as in-flight Wi-Fi and Microsoft 365
• Plans are expensive for six or fewer lines
• Bonus features only available in advanced plans

When putting this ranking together, we considered several vital components. Forbes Advisor researched the industry and analyzed multiple companies and plans. Then, we scored these providers across four categories of features using 13 different metrics that were weighted to favor features that small business owners find valuable in a cell phone service provider. The following are some of the metrics that we used to rank the providers that made our list.

Our main concern when it came to pricing was if the service is affordable, especially for small businesses, especially for the entry-level plan. Then, we looked at the costs and variety of plans available from each provider and what kind of value that each upgrade brought to users. Pricing accounted for 30% of our weighted scoring.

Key Features

We broke features into two distinct categories: general features and additional features. For general features, we looked at the offerings from each cell phone service provider that we considered to be common ones that every customer needs. Some of these general features include unlimited domestic calling and texting, international calling, conference calling and if any necessary hardware came free with the service. We weighted features at 45% of our total score.

Additional Features

For additional features, this included aspects of cell phone service that some users would consider to be nice to have, such as an automated attendant, mobile hot spot access and mobile security. For both kinds of features, we gave more weight to those that came with the service automatically as opposed to those that were add-ons that users had to pay additionally for. We weighted features at 15% of our total score.

Expert Analysis

Finally, based on our market research and the categories listed above, our experts also ranked additional criteria from customer reviews using metrics that included ease of use, popularity, value for the money and any stand-out features, such as offering international texting plans, mobile VPNs, free in-flight Wi-Fi, video calling and access to free local phone numbers. Altogether, these criteria make up 10% of the total score.

When selecting the best business cell phone plan for your company, there are a few factors to keep in mind. At the moment, for example, there are only three mainstream nationwide carriers. These larger carriers have pricing plans that might be too expensive for smaller businesses. Google Voice and RingCentral could work as much more affordable alternatives. We listed a few specific considerations in the sections below.

Smartphone Lines and Pricing

It’s a good idea to consider the number of lines your business needs, not to mention monthly or annual costs. Service providers will often offer a lower per-line price, but you’ll have to buy several lines to get the discount. It might be more affordable in the end to buy one or two lines rather than buy extra lines your company doesn’t need or can’t afford.

Free Phones and Purchase Credits

While the top carriers often allow you to BYOD, it might be possible to get at least one new phone for your business. If not a free phone, it’s common to provide you with substantial credit worth up to $1,000 towards the purchase of a brand-new smartphone.

A common caveat is this generosity gets tied to a long-term contract commitment. Do the month-to-month, and even year-to-year, math and decide what you’re willing to agree to in exchange for free or heavily discounted hardware. If all else fails, check to see if you can bring your existing devices with you to the new service provider. Some providers will let you do this at little to no extra charge.

International Perks or Availability

Many business cell phone plans focus on domestic features. Yet, if your brand is global, you’ll likely want to work with a company that offers talk, text and data options beyond American borders. Will data caps or a lack of in-flight Wi-Fi inhibit your ability to share information or communicate adequately? If you need worldwide service and support, it might be better to go with a much larger and more reliable carrier.

How ‘Unlimited’ Is Unlimited?

When a phone service says that an offer is unlimited, it is rare that an asterisk does not accompany the promise. Not all unlimited pricing plans are the same. Often, when things get congested, you may find that your service quality drops significantly. So, you learn that while your service option may be technically unlimited, there’s no such promise about the quality.

Some providers offer tiers that guarantee high-quality service no matter what. It’s best to read between the lines of the fine print to see what type of unlimited service you are getting offered.

Who has the best business cell phone plan for small businesses?

We selected RingCentral as our top choice due to its affordable payment plan structure when compared to other telephone companies.

What cell phone companies are offering free phones?

AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile are among the most popular brands known to offer a free phone when switching to their service. Brands often have such deals periodically, so it is good to stay updated about potential offers.

What is the average cost of small business cell phone plans?

Your final cost will depend entirely on the service package and the number of lines you have on your plan. With that in mind, smaller businesses can expect to pay anywhere from $29 and $69 per smartphone line, per month. That does not include any additional hardware costs. Be sure to research and compare brands to find the price that works best for your business.

Who has the best unlimited talk, text and data plans?

We recommend RingCentral, Verizon and AT&T Wireless. Verizon and AT&T offer more comprehensive unlimited plans. Meanwhile, RingCentral’s options are generally more affordable.

• The Best Conference Calling Services Of 2024
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• Google Voice Number: What It Is And How To Get One Fast

For nearly a decade, Toni Matthews-El has published business topics ranging from cloud communication software to best steps for establishing your own LLC. In addition to Forbes Advisor, she's published articles for Medical News Today, US News and World Report.

Cassie is a deputy editor collaborating with teams around the world while living in the beautiful hills of Kentucky. Focusing on bringing growth to small businesses, she is passionate about economic development and has held positions on the boards of directors of two non-profit organizations seeking to revitalize her former railroad town. Prior to joining the team at Forbes Advisor, Cassie was a content operations manager and copywriting manager.

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• Learning Center

MoSCoW Prioritization

What is moscow prioritization.

MoSCoW prioritization, also known as the MoSCoW method or MoSCoW analysis, is a popular prioritization technique for managing requirements. 

  The acronym MoSCoW represents four categories of initiatives: must-have, should-have, could-have, and won’t-have, or will not have right now. Some companies also use the “W” in MoSCoW to mean “wish.”

What is the History of the MoSCoW Method?

Software development expert Dai Clegg created the MoSCoW method while working at Oracle. He designed the framework to help his team prioritize tasks during development work on product releases.

You can find a detailed account of using MoSCoW prioritization in the Dynamic System Development Method (DSDM) handbook . But because MoSCoW can prioritize tasks within any time-boxed project, teams have adapted the method for a broad range of uses.

How Does MoSCoW Prioritization Work?

Before running a MoSCoW analysis, a few things need to happen. First, key stakeholders and the product team need to get aligned on objectives and prioritization factors. Then, all participants must agree on which initiatives to prioritize.

At this point, your team should also discuss how they will settle any disagreements in prioritization. If you can establish how to resolve disputes before they come up, you can help prevent those disagreements from holding up progress.

Finally, you’ll also want to reach a consensus on what percentage of resources you’d like to allocate to each category.

With the groundwork complete, you may begin determining which category is most appropriate for each initiative. But, first, let’s further break down each category in the MoSCoW method.

Start prioritizing your roadmap

Moscow prioritization categories.

1. Must-have initiatives

As the name suggests, this category consists of initiatives that are “musts” for your team. They represent non-negotiable needs for the project, product, or release in question. For example, if you’re releasing a healthcare application, a must-have initiative may be security functionalities that help maintain compliance.

The “must-have” category requires the team to complete a mandatory task. If you’re unsure about whether something belongs in this category, ask yourself the following.

If the product won’t work without an initiative, or the release becomes useless without it, the initiative is most likely a “must-have.”

2. Should-have initiatives

Should-have initiatives are just a step below must-haves. They are essential to the product, project, or release, but they are not vital. If left out, the product or project still functions. However, the initiatives may add significant value.

“Should-have” initiatives are different from “must-have” initiatives in that they can get scheduled for a future release without impacting the current one. For example, performance improvements, minor bug fixes, or new functionality may be “should-have” initiatives. Without them, the product still works.

3. Could-have initiatives

Another way of describing “could-have” initiatives is nice-to-haves. “Could-have” initiatives are not necessary to the core function of the product. However, compared with “should-have” initiatives, they have a much smaller impact on the outcome if left out.

So, initiatives placed in the “could-have” category are often the first to be deprioritized if a project in the “should-have” or “must-have” category ends up larger than expected.

4. Will not have (this time)

One benefit of the MoSCoW method is that it places several initiatives in the “will-not-have” category. The category can manage expectations about what the team will not include in a specific release (or another timeframe you’re prioritizing).

Placing initiatives in the “will-not-have” category is one way to help prevent scope creep . If initiatives are in this category, the team knows they are not a priority for this specific time frame. 

Some initiatives in the “will-not-have” group will be prioritized in the future, while others are not likely to happen. Some teams decide to differentiate between those by creating a subcategory within this group.

How Can Development Teams Use MoSCoW?

  Although Dai Clegg developed the approach to help prioritize tasks around his team’s limited time, the MoSCoW method also works when a development team faces limitations other than time. For example: 

Prioritize based on budgetary constraints.

What if a development team’s limiting factor is not a deadline but a tight budget imposed by the company? Working with the product managers, the team can use MoSCoW first to decide on the initiatives that represent must-haves and the should-haves. Then, using the development department’s budget as the guide, the team can figure out which items they can complete. 

Prioritize based on the team’s skillsets.

A cross-functional product team might also find itself constrained by the experience and expertise of its developers. If the product roadmap calls for functionality the team does not have the skills to build, this limiting factor will play into scoring those items in their MoSCoW analysis.

Prioritize based on competing needs at the company.

Cross-functional teams can also find themselves constrained by other company priorities. The team wants to make progress on a new product release, but the executive staff has created tight deadlines for further releases in the same timeframe. In this case, the team can use MoSCoW to determine which aspects of their desired release represent must-haves and temporarily backlog everything else.

What Are the Drawbacks of MoSCoW Prioritization?

  Although many product and development teams have prioritized MoSCoW, the approach has potential pitfalls. Here are a few examples.

1. An inconsistent scoring process can lead to tasks placed in the wrong categories.

  One common criticism against MoSCoW is that it does not include an objective methodology for ranking initiatives against each other. Your team will need to bring this methodology to your analysis. The MoSCoW approach works only to ensure that your team applies a consistent scoring system for all initiatives.

Pro tip: One proven method is weighted scoring, where your team measures each initiative on your backlog against a standard set of cost and benefit criteria. You can use the weighted scoring approach in ProductPlan’s roadmap app .

2. Not including all relevant stakeholders can lead to items placed in the wrong categories.

To know which of your team’s initiatives represent must-haves for your product and which are merely should-haves, you will need as much context as possible.

For example, you might need someone from your sales team to let you know how important (or unimportant) prospective buyers view a proposed new feature.

One pitfall of the MoSCoW method is that you could make poor decisions about where to slot each initiative unless your team receives input from all relevant stakeholders. 

3. Team bias for (or against) initiatives can undermine MoSCoW’s effectiveness.

Because MoSCoW does not include an objective scoring method, your team members can fall victim to their own opinions about certain initiatives. 

One risk of using MoSCoW prioritization is that a team can mistakenly think MoSCoW itself represents an objective way of measuring the items on their list. They discuss an initiative, agree that it is a “should have,” and move on to the next.

But your team will also need an objective and consistent framework for ranking all initiatives. That is the only way to minimize your team’s biases in favor of items or against them.

When Do You Use the MoSCoW Method for Prioritization?

MoSCoW prioritization is effective for teams that want to include representatives from the whole organization in their process. You can capture a broader perspective by involving participants from various functional departments.

Another reason you may want to use MoSCoW prioritization is it allows your team to determine how much effort goes into each category. Therefore, you can ensure you’re delivering a good variety of initiatives in each release.

What Are Best Practices for Using MoSCoW Prioritization?

If you’re considering giving MoSCoW prioritization a try, here are a few steps to keep in mind. Incorporating these into your process will help your team gain more value from the MoSCoW method.

1. Choose an objective ranking or scoring system.

Remember, MoSCoW helps your team group items into the appropriate buckets—from must-have items down to your longer-term wish list. But MoSCoW itself doesn’t help you determine which item belongs in which category.

You will need a separate ranking methodology. You can choose from many, such as:

• Weighted scoring
• Value vs. complexity
• Buy-a-feature
• Opportunity scoring

For help finding the best scoring methodology for your team, check out ProductPlan’s article: 7 strategies to choose the best features for your product .

2. Seek input from all key stakeholders.

To make sure you’re placing each initiative into the right bucket—must-have, should-have, could-have, or won’t-have—your team needs context. 

At the beginning of your MoSCoW method, your team should consider which stakeholders can provide valuable context and insights. Sales? Customer success? The executive staff? Product managers in another area of your business? Include them in your initiative scoring process if you think they can help you see opportunities or threats your team might miss. 

3. Share your MoSCoW process across your organization.

MoSCoW gives your team a tangible way to show your organization prioritizing initiatives for your products or projects. 

The method can help you build company-wide consensus for your work, or at least help you show stakeholders why you made the decisions you did.

Communicating your team’s prioritization strategy also helps you set expectations across the business. When they see your methodology for choosing one initiative over another, stakeholders in other departments will understand that your team has thought through and weighed all decisions you’ve made. 

If any stakeholders have an issue with one of your decisions, they will understand that they can’t simply complain—they’ll need to present you with evidence to alter your course of action.  

Related Terms

2×2 prioritization matrix / Eisenhower matrix / DACI decision-making framework / ICE scoring model / RICE scoring model

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