Modern hub sites and communication sites
With basic templates.
Do we need to invest? · Last reviewed May 2026
Do we even need to invest in our SharePoint intranet?
Quick answer: Native SharePoint Online is genuinely capable for functional intranet use cases: hub sites, modern pages, basic news, document libraries. Athena adds 19 purpose-built webparts, a premium design system, and the Orchestrator setup wizard for £290/month per tenant. The question isn't whether OOTB SharePoint “works”. It does. The question is whether your intranet is a place staff want to spend time, or a place they avoid.
Some organisations are perfectly served by native SharePoint and don't need Athena. This page lays out where each fits, including the case for doing nothing if your intranet is genuinely low priority.
What native SharePoint gives you.
This is genuinely functional. For an organisation whose intranet ambitions are “share files, post the occasional announcement, give staff a search box,” native SharePoint can be the whole answer. No additional spend justifies itself if the use case is that narrow.
News webpart
With author attribution and basic layouts.
People webpart
For staff cards (limited customisation).
Document libraries
With versioning, permissions, search.
Basic theme application
A handful of preset colour schemes.
Modern pages with stock webparts
Text, image, embed, list view, etc.
Tenant-wide search
Via Microsoft Search.
SharePoint mobile app
Native iOS and Android clients.
Where native SharePoint typically struggles.
Visual polish
Modern pages look like modern pages. Hero banners are constrained. Animations are absent. Typography is locked. The default aesthetic is functional, not designed.
Purpose-built features
No built-in org chart with manual override, no compliance acknowledgement workflow, no internal job board, no kudos/recognition surface, no policy training tracker, no premium news rotator.
Self-provisioning data structures
To set up a wiki, an events calendar, a noticeboard, a knowledge base, you manually create lists with the right columns each time.
Consistency at scale
Every site can theme itself differently, and over time most do. Maintaining brand consistency across 20+ sites becomes a separate project.
Mobile-app polish
Heavy webpart designs from third parties often flicker or break on mobile. Native SharePoint is mostly fine on mobile, but the moment you customise, you typically lose mobile reliability.
SharePoint vs SharePoint + Athena.
| Capability | SharePoint + Athena | Native SharePoint |
|---|---|---|
| Document libraries, permissions, search | Yes, full + Quick Links Libraries modal pattern | Yes, full |
| Basic news and pages | Yes + News Hero with 4 carousel layouts, 3 transition styles | Yes |
| Org chart | Purpose-built Org Chart & Directory with manual overrides | Built-in People webpart (limited) |
| Knowledge base / wiki | Self-provisioning rich-text Knowledge Base webpart | Manual list-and-page setup |
| Policy acknowledgement | Policy Pulse webpart with Entra audience targeting | Email-and-chase |
| Events | Events Hero with filmstrip and editorial date hero | Manual list + calendar view |
| Internal job board / kudos / noticeboard | Noticeboard with 6 first-class categories | Email + Teams channels |
| Premium design system | 25+ palettes, 27 lightbeam presets, 8 animation overlays, 11 fonts | Few preset themes |
| Cost | £290/month per tenant on top of M365 | Included in M365 subscription |
When to stay on native SharePoint.
Frequently asked questions.
For organisations whose intranet ambitions are functional rather than designed (share documents, post occasional news, basic staff search), native SharePoint is genuinely capable. For organisations that want a polished, branded intranet, native SharePoint typically falls short on visual polish, design consistency, and feature surface (no purpose-built org chart, no compliance acknowledgement workflow, no internal job board).
The honest test: does your intranet matter?
If yes, Athena turns it from functional into intentional for £290/month per tenant. If no, staying on native SharePoint is the defensible call. The 21-day free trial gives you a no-cost way to find out which one you are.
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