In this article, we compare the Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Standard licences and look at how to tell which one is right for your organisation. It’s important to note that Microsoft 365 Business licences are limited to 300 users. If your organisation exceeds this, you’ll need to consider Microsoft 365 Enterprise licensing.
The Microsoft 365 Business Standard licence includes all the Microsoft Office applications you’d expect an established business to have: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and so on.
As well as the desktop version of these apps, the licence also covers the web and mobile versions. In conjunction with personal online storage, with OneDrive, and shared storage with SharePoint, this means your team can be productive from anywhere.
Alongside these must-have productivity tools, the licence also includes advanced security features, the ability to create your own company and team intranet sites, workflow automation tools, enterprise-level email and calendars and more:
Microsoft 365 Business Premium comes with everything the Standard licence has and more. As well as the Microsoft productivity and collaboration tools, the Premium licence includes enterprise-grade security with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
It also includes advanced data management and security tools. These allow you to discover, classify, and protect sensitive information. Conditional Access allows you to enforce restrictions based on your country, device management or multi-factor authentication (MFA) status, further protecting your business from cyber threats.
Together, these features not only ensure your organisation is as productive as possible, no matter where and how your employees work. It also helps you achieve and demonstrate the highest standards of compliance, even in highly regulated sectors.
Microsoft occasionally updates its pricing. Check the Microsoft website for your country to see what the current prices of Microsoft 365 Business Standard vs Premium are.
On the date on which this page was last updated (Apr 2026), these were the starting prices (minus added extras) for the two licences:
These prices are based on a 12-month commitment and may be subject to change.
The Microsoft 365 Standard licence is primarily designed for organisations that aren’t handling sensitive information. It offers a basic set of productivity and collaboration tools for small businesses.
If you handle sensitive and personal data, you will need a Premium licence. In this context, sensitive data could be anything from personal and financial details in highly regulated sectors, through to customer and supplier business data.
This gives you the tools and technologies required to secure data, whether at rest or in use, to the highest standards required by common industry and data-protection standards.
Given that most businesses and public-sector organisations now handle at least some sensitive and personal data, for many organisations, Premium will be the right choice. This assessment is something an experienced technology partner should be able to help you with.
| Plan | Best for | Key features | Starting price |
|
Microsoft 365 Business Standard |
SMEs and businesses | Advanced productivity, security, and compliance tools. | €10.80 per user per month (excluding VAT) |
| Microsoft 365 Business Premium | Organisations requiring robust security measures | Includes all standard features, plus advanced security, enhanced data protection & comprehensive device management |
€19.10 per user per month (excluding VAT) |
Texaport is one of the leading Microsoft 365 experts. We can help you configure and deploy Microsoft 365 in a way best suited to your needs and goals.
Our experts can help you choose the right licences and capabilities for your business goals. Contact us today to speak to one of our consultants today, to find out how Microsoft 365 can help you achieve your targets.