Updated November 2026
Microsoft 365 Business Standard and Business Premium give your people exactly the same apps. The difference is security: Premium adds device management, Conditional Access, endpoint protection and data loss prevention. Microsoft’s July 2026 changes raised the price of Standard while leaving Premium unchanged, so the cost difference between the two plans is now smaller than it used to be.
Microsoft 365 for Business is a cloud-based productivity suite designed specifically with businesses in mind. It includes the latest apps, secure cloud services, advanced protection and device management to support day-to-day tasks so your people can work and communicate wherever they are.
Business leaders can choose between two distinct packages: Microsoft 365 Business Standard and Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Both offer support by enhancing collaboration, security and efficiency, but there are also notable differences.
Whether you have outsourced IT support or manage everything in-house, we highlight the key variations between Microsoft Business Standard vs Business Premium and list the additional features you’ll find in one solution but not the other.
What different types of Microsoft 365 Business plans are there?
Microsoft 365 offers four main types of business plans designed to support small to medium-sized organisations with up to 300 employees. Each plan comes with varying features, apps and services that boost productivity, efficiency, collaboration, security and communication.
- Microsoft 365 Apps for Business: Desktop Office apps and 1 TB of OneDrive storage, but no business email or Teams
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic: Web and mobile Office apps, plus business email, Teams and 1 TB of OneDrive storage
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard: Desktop and web-based Office apps and business email
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium: All features provided by the other plans, plus advanced security and device management tools
While the first two options above may be suitable for some companies, our focus is on Microsoft Business Standard vs Business Premium, and which option serves your needs the best.
Business Standard vs Business Premium: What they share
Both Business Standard and Business Premium plans include core productivity and collaboration tools, which typically are enough for many small to medium-size businesses:
- Desktop versions + web + mobile versions of traditional Office apps: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook etc.
- Business email with your own domain via Exchange Online, with mailbox storage increasing from 50 GB to 100 GB during 2026..
- 1 TB (terabyte) of OneDrive cloud storage per user.
- Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive for Business, for collaboration and file sharing.
- Basic email filtering, plus link checking at the moment someone clicks (added to Business Standard in 2026).
So, if you mostly need standard productivity tools, file storage, email, remote/hybrid working collaboration — Business Standard gives you this.
What Business Premium gives you that Business Standard doesn’t
If you go with Business Premium, you get everything in Standard plus more advanced features, mainly around security, device and identity management, compliance, and protection. Here are the main enhancements:
| Feature | What Premium adds/improves | Why it matters |
| Threat protection/cybersecurity | Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 (safe attachments and advanced anti-phishing) and Defender for Business (endpoint protection that investigates and responds to threats automatically). | Helps defend against more sophisticated attacks. Good if you have more risk or sensitive data. |
| Device & endpoint management | Microsoft Intune Plan 1, so you can enrol company and personal devices, push security settings and remotely wipe a lost or stolen laptop or phone. | Useful if people use multiple devices, BYOD (bring your own device), remote/hybrid work. Keeps devices secure. |
| Identity & access controls | Microsoft Entra ID P1, which unlocks Conditional Access. For example, you can allow sign-ins only from compliant devices, or block logins from unexpected countries. | You can limit access based on location, device status etc. Helps prevent unauthorised access. |
| Compliance, data protection | Microsoft Purview data loss prevention (DLP), sensitivity labels, message encryption and audit tools. | If you handle regulated data (health, legal, finance) or want to stop sensitive information leaving the organisation. |
| Shared and virtual desktops | Shared Computer Activation for Remote Desktop Services and virtual desktops | The Office apps in Business Standard won’t activate properly on shared machines, so anyone using RDS or VDI needs Premium. |
How has Microsoft 365 business pricing changed in 2026?
Microsoft updated its pricing on 1 July 2026. Business Basic and Business Standard went up, while Business Premium stayed the same, so moving from Standard to Premium costs less than it did. Existing customers move to the new pricing at their next renewal. What you actually pay will also depend on how you buy your licences and the length of your term, so it’s worth getting a quote based on your own user numbers.
Copilot isn’t included in either plan. You can add Copilot Business to Standard or Premium, or buy either plan as a bundle with Copilot included. Our post on how Microsoft is changing Copilot Business billing explains the latest changes.
Business Standard vs Business Premium: Which plan is right for you?
The choice between Business Standard and Business Premium depends on your business needs. Business Standard is best if you want core productivity tools on a tighter budget and don’t require advanced security or device management. Business Premium adds stronger protection with Microsoft Defender, device management for remote teams, and compliance tools for handling sensitive or regulated data. Many organisations mix plans, using Premium for higher-risk teams such as finance or HR and Standard for everyone else.
Here are some scenarios to help decide:
- If you’re a small business, have non-sensitive data, low compliance burden, and cost is a concern, Standard might be enough.
- If you manage sensitive information, have remote workers or many devices, worry about security risks, or want to enforce stronger controls/compliance, Premium is likely worth the extra cost.
- If you’re paying for a separate anti-virus product or email security products, you can consolidate your costs and use tools built into Business Premium.
- If you run the Office apps on shared or virtual desktops, you’ll need Premium.
Our view: for most organisations that handle client or personal data, Premium is now the sensible default. The extra cost covers device management and endpoint protection that you’d otherwise buy from separate suppliers, and since 2026 that extra cost is smaller than it was.
How do I implement Microsoft 365 to access the benefits of Business Standard or Business Premium?
Successfully implementing Microsoft 365 begins with assessing your IT infrastructure and planning for a smooth transition.
Both plans include Teams, OneDrive and the desktop Office apps. If you choose Premium, much of its value depends on setting up its security tools properly: Conditional Access, Intune, Defender for Business and Purview need configuring for your organisation before they protect anything.
With extras like Microsoft Forms for surveys and Bookings for customer scheduling, Microsoft 365 streamlines operations, enhances engagement, and helps businesses stay productive and secure.
What support is available for Microsoft 365 services like Business Standard and Business Premium?
Microsoft 365 provides a wide range of support and security features to help businesses maximise value and stay protected.
Microsoft provides admin support across its business plans, but most organisations get quicker, more practical help from a Microsoft partner who knows their setup.
For tailored advice, Microsoft partners can deliver customised guidance. Beyond support, Microsoft 365 strengthens security with tools like Purview for compliance, advanced threat protection, endpoint detection and response, and Intune for device management—ensuring secure access, enforced policies, and the ability to remotely wipe lost or stolen devices.
Business Standard vs Business Premium checklist
If your business is facing a choice between Business Standard vs Business Premium, here’s a quick checklist to compare the different features and apps.
| Feature | Business Standard | Business Premium |
| Online meetings, video calls and chat | ✔ | ✔ |
| Desktop & web apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Business email and calendar management | ✔ | ✔ |
| Cloud file storage and sharing | ✔ | ✔ |
| Multi-factor authentication (MFA) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Link checking at time of click | ✔ | ✔ |
| Microsoft Defender for Business | ✖ | ✔ |
| Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 (advanced email protection) | ✖ | ✔ |
| Device management (Intune Plan 1) | ✖ | ✔ |
| Shared desktops and Azure Virtual Desktop | ✖ | ✔ |
| Conditional Access (Entra ID P1) | ✖ | ✔ |
| Data loss prevention and sensitivity labels | ✖ | ✔ |
| Copilot | Add-on or bundle | Add-on or bundle |
Looking for a Microsoft 365 partner for your business needs?
At ramsac, we’ll take care of all your IT needs, including migrating your full office infrastructure to the Microsoft 365 suite so your business can benefit from Business Standard or Business Premium features and security. Get in touch today.
Frequently asked questions: Microsoft 365 Business Standard vs Premium
No. Copilot is an add-on, or you can buy Business Standard or Business Premium as a bundle with Copilot included.
Yes. All Microsoft 365 business plans can use multi-factor authentication through security defaults. Premium adds Conditional Access, which gives you finer control over when and how people sign in.
Yes. Licences are assigned per user, so you can give Premium to the people handling the most sensitive data and Standard to everyone else.
Business plans are capped at 300 users each. Beyond that, you’d add an Enterprise plan such as Microsoft 365 E3 for the extra users.
Yes. From 1 July 2026, Business Basic and Business Standard went up, while Business Premium stayed the same. Existing customers see the change at their next renewal.
