Microsoft 365 Business Premium
The security-first SMB plan — Intune, Defender & Entra built in
In this guide
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Who Is Business Premium For?
Business Premium is the “grown-up” plan for SMBs — the one IT consultants recommend when a small business says “we need to take security seriously.”
Premium is right for you if:
- ✅ You’re a small business (under 300 users) handling customer data
- ✅ You need to manage company devices (laptops, phones) centrally
- ✅ You want protection against phishing and ransomware
- ✅ You need to meet cyber insurance requirements (MFA, endpoint protection)
- ✅ You’re a Business Standard customer ready to level up security
- ✅ You want DLP and sensitivity labels to prevent accidental data leaks
Premium is probably not enough if:
- ❌ You have more than 300 users — move to M365 E3 ($39)
- ❌ You need advanced compliance (Insider Risk, eDiscovery Premium) — that’s M365 E5
- ❌ You need Teams Phone — that’s E5 or a separate add-on
- ❌ You want Copilot included (not as an add-on) — that’s M365 E7
Business Standard vs Business Premium
flowchart LR
STD["Business Standard
$14/mo
Apps + Email + Teams"]
PRE["Business Premium
$22/mo
Standard + Security"]
SEC["Premium Adds:
Intune P1
Defender for Business
Defender for O365 P1
Entra ID P1
DLP + Info Protection"]
STD -->|"+$8/mo"| PRE
PRE --- SEC
| Feature | Standard ($14) | Premium ($22) |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop Office Apps | ✅ | ✅ |
| Exchange (50 GB) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive | ✅ | ✅ |
| Intune P1 (device management) | ❌ | ✅ |
| Defender for Business (EDR) | ❌ | ✅ |
| Defender for Office 365 P1 | ❌ | ✅ |
| Entra ID P1 (Conditional Access) | ❌ | ✅ |
| Data Loss Prevention | ❌ | ✅ |
| Sensitivity Labels | ❌ | ✅ |
| Windows Autopilot | ❌ | ✅ |
| Max users | 300 | 300 |
💡 The value proposition: Buying Intune ($8) + Defender for Business ($3) + Entra P1 separately would cost $11+ per user. Premium bundles them all for just $8 more than Standard. It’s the best security deal in M365.
What’s Included in Business Premium
📧 Productivity (Same as Standard)
| Feature | What You Get |
|---|---|
| Desktop Office Apps | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access, Publisher — up to 5 devices per user |
| Exchange Online | 50 GB mailbox, shared mailboxes, custom domain |
| Microsoft Teams | Chat, video meetings, webinars (up to 300 attendees) |
| SharePoint Online | Intranet, team sites, document libraries |
| OneDrive for Business | 1 TB per user |
| Microsoft Bookings | Online appointment scheduling |
🔐 Security (Premium-Only)
| Feature | What It Does | Plain English |
|---|---|---|
| Intune P1 | MDM/MAM for all devices | “Remotely manage, secure, and wipe laptops and phones” |
| Defender for Business | Enterprise-grade endpoint protection | “Stops ransomware, malware, and suspicious activity on PCs” |
| Defender for Office 365 P1 | Email threat protection | “Scans every link and attachment before you click” |
| Entra ID P1 | Conditional Access, MFA, SSO | “Block risky logins — only allow trusted devices and locations” |
| DLP | Data Loss Prevention | “Prevent employees from accidentally emailing credit card numbers” |
| Information Protection | Sensitivity labels, encryption | “Label documents as Confidential — they stay encrypted everywhere” |
| Windows Autopilot | Zero-touch device deployment | “Ship a laptop — the user signs in and it configures itself” |
Cyber Insurance Checklist
Most cyber insurers now require these controls. Premium covers all four:
| Insurer Requirement | Business Premium |
|---|---|
| ✅ Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) | Entra ID P1 |
| ✅ Endpoint protection (EDR) | Defender for Business |
| ✅ Email security (anti-phishing) | Defender for O365 P1 |
| ✅ Device management (MDM) | Intune P1 |
| ✅ Data encryption | Sensitivity Labels |
When to Upgrade to Enterprise
If you hit the 300-user limit or need more advanced features, here’s the upgrade path:
flowchart LR
PRE["Business Premium
$22/mo
≤300 users"]
E3["M365 E3
$39/mo
Unlimited users"]
E5["M365 E5
$60/mo
+ Advanced security"]
E7["M365 E7
$99/mo
+ Copilot + AI"]
PRE -->|"300+ users"| E3
E3 -->|"+security"| E5
E5 -->|"+AI"| E7
| Need | Business Premium ($22) | Enterprise Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| More than 300 users | 300 max | M365 E3 ($39) — unlimited |
| Advanced compliance | Basic DLP | M365 E5 ($60) — Insider Risk, eDiscovery Premium |
| Teams Phone | ❌ | M365 E5 ($60) — included |
| Copilot included | Add-on ($30) | M365 E7 ($99) — included |
| 100 GB mailbox | 50 GB | M365 E3 — 100 GB |
Common Add-Ons for Business Premium
| Need | Add-On | Price |
|---|---|---|
| AI assistant in Office apps | Microsoft 365 Copilot | +$30/user/mo |
| PSTN calling through Teams | Teams Phone Standard | +$10/user/mo |
| Advanced endpoint management | Intune Suite | +$10/user/mo |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the difference between Business Standard and Business Premium?
Premium adds Intune P1 (device management), Defender for Business (endpoint protection), Defender for Office 365 P1 (email security), Entra ID P1 (Conditional Access), and DLP. Standard has none of these security features.
2. Is Business Premium worth the extra $8 over Standard?
If you manage any company devices or handle sensitive data — absolutely yes. Buying Intune and Defender separately would cost $11+ per user. Premium bundles them for $8 more.
3. Can I use Business Premium with more than 300 users?
No. All Business plans cap at 300 users. For larger organisations, use Microsoft 365 E3 ($39) which is the enterprise equivalent with similar security features.
4. Is Business Premium enough for cyber insurance?
For most SMBs, yes. It includes MFA (Entra P1), endpoint protection (Defender), device management (Intune), and email security — the four things cyber insurers look for.
5. Can I add Copilot to Business Premium?
Yes. The Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on ($30/user/month) works with Business Premium. Total cost would be $52/user/month.
6. What is the difference between Business Premium and Microsoft 365 E3?
Similar security features, different target audience. Business Premium ($22) is capped at 300 users with 50 GB mailboxes. M365 E3 ($39) has unlimited users, 100 GB mailboxes, Windows Enterprise, and more compliance tools.
7. Is Office 365 Business Premium the same as Microsoft 365 Business Premium?
No. The old Office 365 Business Premium became Microsoft 365 Business Standard in April 2020. Microsoft 365 Business Premium is the higher plan that adds Intune, Defender and Entra ID P1 security.
8. How much does Business Premium cost?
The USD list price is $22 per user per month, unchanged in July 2026. Your price can differ by region and billing term, so confirm it on Microsoft’s pricing page.