Microsoft Viva vs Firstup
Microsoft Viva and Firstup both help a company reach employees with news, campaigns and resources. This page compares them on approach, frontline access, languages, licensing and pricing, Microsoft 365 integration and HR integrations, and says which fits which situation. Each fact comes from Microsoft's or Firstup's own pages.
Microsoft describes Microsoft Viva as an integrated employee experience platform built within Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams. Firstup offers an employee app, personalized homepages, employee email and digital signage.
Prices and other facts are as of November 6, 2026. Vendors change prices; confirm them on the vendor’s own pricing page. Independent analysis: neither project nor any vendor named here paid for or reviewed this page.
In brief
Choose Microsoft Viva when
- most employees, including frontline staff, already hold Microsoft 365 licenses
- you want list prices you can add to an existing Microsoft agreement
- you want the intranet and communities inside Teams and SharePoint
Choose Firstup when
- you need to reach employees through an app, email and screens in break rooms
- you want translation at the point of publishing
- you want campaigns targeted with Workday data
What has changed in Viva
Microsoft states that the SharePoint app in Teams, formerly Viva Connections, brings full SharePoint capabilities into Microsoft Teams. Microsoft announced that Viva Goals would be retired on December 31, 2025. Microsoft states that Viva Topics has been retired as of February 22, 2025.
Six differences that decide it
Compared on each vendor's own pages as of November 6, 2026.
| Aspect | Microsoft Viva | Firstup | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approach | Microsoft describes Microsoft Viva as an integrated employee experience platform built within Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams. Microsoft states that the SharePoint app in Teams, formerly Viva Connections, brings full SharePoint capabilities into Microsoft Teams. | Firstup offers an employee app, personalized homepages, employee email and digital signage. Firstup states that its digital signage reaches frontline teams with targeted messages on screens in break rooms, lobbies, and high-traffic areas. | Viva extends the Microsoft 365 tenant; Firstup is a separate communications platform that publishes to several channels. |
| Frontline access | Microsoft states that Viva Connections is designed to be used by everyone in the organization and can be customized for different employee groups, such as frontline workers who often have limited time to consume content and information during their shifts. Microsoft lists Microsoft 365 F1, F3, E3, A3, E5, or A5 as plans that Viva requires a license for. Microsoft states that Viva Engage community and conversation features are available to all Microsoft 365 or Office 365 enterprise and frontline plan users without requiring a separate license. | Firstup states that the Firstup app reaches everyone with critical information and company updates, regardless of location, shift, or role. Firstup states that its digital signage reaches frontline teams with targeted messages on screens in break rooms, lobbies, and high-traffic areas. | Viva reaches frontline workers who hold a Microsoft 365 license; ask Firstup how employees without a corporate account sign in. |
| Languages and translation | Microsoft states that dashboard content can be set by authors to support multiple languages, and that SharePoint news posts display author-translated posts in the user’s preferred language. Microsoft states that frontline co-workers can collaborate during shifts and cross global language barriers with automated translations. | Firstup states that campaigns can be translated across all channels with a translation icon, and that Firstup supports all AWS translations. Firstup describes Advanced Translations as translation at the point of publishing: publishers write in their native language and publish to a Topic pre-set to publish in a designated language. Firstup states that it offers the platform experience in various languages, so the display text each member sees is in their preferred language. | Viva's news pages show translations that authors provide; Firstup describes machine translation across channels and at publishing. Test both with your own languages. |
| Licensing and pricing | Microsoft lists Microsoft Viva Employee Communications and Communities from $2.00 per user/month, paid yearly. Microsoft lists the Microsoft Viva Suite from $12.00 per user/month, paid yearly. Microsoft states that a Viva suite or Viva Employee Communications and Communities license is required for anyone creating campaigns or receiving communications through Viva Amplify. | Firstup states that Professional includes everything in Essential, and Premier includes everything in Professional. Firstup states that its team guides customers to the right capabilities and helps them scale. | Viva publishes list prices on top of the Microsoft 365 license; Firstup prices its plans by quote. |
| Microsoft 365 integration | Microsoft states that Viva Connections is available to all Microsoft 365 or Office 365 enterprise plan users with a Microsoft Teams license. Microsoft states that users with a Microsoft 365 subscription (E, F, or A license) are limited to one SharePoint app in Teams experience, and that two or more experiences (up to 50) require every user in the tenant to have a Microsoft Viva Suite or Viva Communications and Communities license. | Firstup states that it can automatically display Firstup content in SharePoint and Viva Connections. Firstup states that with the Firstup Microsoft Teams app, employees can access personalized comms experiences without leaving Teams. | The two can run together: Firstup publishes into SharePoint, Viva Connections and Teams. |
| HR and other integrations | Microsoft states that Viva supports several partner integrations, and lists Qualtrics, ServiceNow, UKG and Blue Yonder for Viva Connections. | Firstup states that it uses Workday data for timely, targeted communication that reaches every employee. | Ask each to show the HR and scheduling systems your frontline employees use, connected on your tenant. |
Which is better for frontline workers?
It depends on whether your frontline employees hold Microsoft 365 licenses. Microsoft lists Microsoft 365 F1, F3, E3, A3, E5, or A5 as plans that Viva requires a license for. Firstup states that the Firstup app reaches everyone with critical information and company updates, regardless of location, shift, or role. Pilot both at one site, on the phones those employees carry, and count sign-ins, reads and acknowledgments.
By situation
Your frontline employees already hold Microsoft 365 frontline licenses
Viva. Microsoft states that Viva Engage community and conversation features are available to all Microsoft 365 or Office 365 enterprise and frontline plan users without requiring a separate license.
You publish safety updates in several languages
Test both. Microsoft states that dashboard content can be set by authors to support multiple languages, and that SharePoint news posts display author-translated posts in the user’s preferred language. Firstup describes Advanced Translations as translation at the point of publishing: publishers write in their native language and publish to a Topic pre-set to publish in a designated language.
You need screens in break rooms and on shop floors
Firstup. Firstup states that its digital signage reaches frontline teams with targeted messages on screens in break rooms, lobbies, and high-traffic areas.
You already run SharePoint and Teams as the intranet
Either, or both together. Firstup states that it can automatically display Firstup content in SharePoint and Viva Connections.
You want a list price before talking to sales
Viva. Microsoft lists Microsoft Viva Employee Communications and Communities from $2.00 per user/month, paid yearly.
Common questions
Is Viva Connections still a Microsoft product?
Microsoft states that the SharePoint app in Teams, formerly Viva Connections, brings full SharePoint capabilities into Microsoft Teams.
Does Firstup work with Microsoft Viva?
Firstup states that it can automatically display Firstup content in SharePoint and Viva Connections.
Does Firstup translate internal communications?
Firstup states that campaigns can be translated across all channels with a translation icon, and that Firstup supports all AWS translations. Firstup states that content managers can segment their communities and target people in different regions based on language preferences.
Sources
- Microsoft Viva overview (Microsoft Learn)
- Microsoft Viva pricing
- Microsoft Viva Connections
- SharePoint app in Teams overview (Microsoft Learn)
- Viva Goals retirement (Microsoft Learn)
- Viva Topics retirement (Microsoft Learn)
- Microsoft 365 for frontline workers
- Firstup home page
- Firstup platform
- Firstup employee app
- Firstup pricing
- Firstup content translation
- Firstup and Microsoft 365
- Firstup and Workday