Differences between SharePoint 2019 and SharePoint Online

OVERVIEW

This article describes the differences between SharePoint 2019 and SharePoint Online.

For more SharePoint Online resources:

 

Comparison: Feature-specific

SP2019 SPO

Subsites

Not available.

Microsoft 365 has a flat structure.

"Open with Explorer"

Not available.

However, you can sync to desktop via OneDrive and edit SharePoint site files and folders on "File Explorer"

RSS Feed

Not available.

 

Comparison: Technical / High-level

Feature/Aspect SP2019 SPO

General Availability

On-premises installation, part of Office Server 2019.

Hosted by Microsoft, continuously updated.

Access Control

Supports classic and modern authentication methods, including AD FS.

Primarily relies on Azure Active Directory for modern authentication methods, supports more complex scenarios.

Database

Requires SQL Server; managed by organization’s IT.

Managed by Microsoft; no direct access to the SQL database.

Farm/Tenant Architecture

Farm-based; multiple sites can be hosted within a farm. Requires manual scaling.

Tenant-based in a multi-tenant environment. Automatically scaled by Microsoft.

InfoPath/Power Apps

Supports InfoPath; limited future support and no new development.

Power Apps integration for forms and custom applications; InfoPath support is deprecated.

Workflows/Power Automate

Supports SharePoint 2010 and 2013 workflows. Workflow Manager required for 2013 workflows.

Power Automate is the preferred tool for workflows; legacy workflows supported with limitations.

Managed Metadata

Supports managed metadata services; requires manual configuration and maintenance.

Enhanced managed metadata services; integration with Microsoft 365 features like content types and term store.

Navigation

Classic and modern navigation options available; customization through SharePoint Designer or custom code.

Modern navigation experiences; easier to configure and manage with improved user experience.

Search

Classic search experience; requires configuration and maintenance of search schema.

Modern search experience with Microsoft Search; AI-powered, personalized results.

IRM/DLP

Information Rights Management (IRM) available; requires Active Directory Rights Management Services. DLP capabilities are limited compared to SharePoint Online.

Integrated with Microsoft 365 compliance center for advanced DLP and IRM features; supports labels, policies, and more comprehensive compliance tools.

Site and Content Management

Supports both classic and modern sites but with a focus on classic experiences; requires more manual effort to maintain and update.

Modern sites with seamless integration with Microsoft 365 groups and applications; easier to create and maintain.

Ecosystem and Integration

Integrations with on-premises applications and services; limited cloud integration compared to SharePoint Online.

Deep integration with Microsoft 365 suite (Teams, OneDrive, Yammer, etc.); extensive ecosystem of apps and services through the Microsoft cloud.