Microsoft 365 Business: Standard vs Premium — 2026 Business Guide
Microsoft 365 Business: Which Plan for Your Company?
Looking for a Microsoft 365 subscription for your business? Microsoft offers two main Business plans: Microsoft 365 Business Standard and Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Each includes the Office apps, but with different levels of features and security.
In this complete comparison, we break down the differences between these two Microsoft Office 365 plans to help you choose the right solution for your company.
Table of Contents
- 1. Overview of the plans
- 2. Full comparison table
- 3. Business Standard in detail
- 4. Business Premium in detail
- 5. Security: the big difference
- 6. How to choose
- 7. The alternative: a perpetual license
- 8. Frequently asked questions
1. Overview of the Microsoft 365 Business Plans
Both Office 365 Business plans are designed for small and medium businesses (up to 300 users). They include the Office desktop apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) plus cloud services:
Microsoft 365 Business Standard
Full Office apps + Exchange (business email) + OneDrive (1 TB) + SharePoint + Teams. The standard choice for business productivity.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Everything in Standard + advanced security: Intune (device management), Azure Information Protection, advanced phishing protection, and compliance policies.
2. Comparison Table — Standard vs Premium
| Feature | Business Standard | Business Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook | ✅ | ✅ |
| Teams (chat, video, calls) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Exchange (business email, 50 GB) | ✅ | ✅ |
| OneDrive (1 TB/user) | ✅ | ✅ |
| SharePoint | ✅ | ✅ |
| Microsoft Bookings | ✅ | ✅ |
| Intune (device management) | ❌ | ✅ |
| Azure Information Protection | ❌ | ✅ |
| Advanced anti-phishing protection | ❌ | ✅ |
| Defender for Office 365 | ❌ | ✅ |
| Remote device wipe | ❌ | ✅ |
| Conditional access | ❌ | ✅ |
| Price at euroshopkey.com | see price | see price |
3. Microsoft 365 Business Standard in Detail
Business Standard is the most popular plan for small and medium businesses. It offers:
- Full Office apps installable on PC, Mac, tablet and smartphone
- Business email with your own domain name (contact@your-company.com)
- Teams for team communication: chat, video conferencing, file sharing
- OneDrive: 1 TB of cloud storage per user
- SharePoint: company intranet and document management
4. Microsoft 365 Business Premium in Detail
Business Premium adds a layer of professional security that’s crucial for companies handling sensitive data:
- Microsoft Intune: manage your employees’ mobile devices (BYOD), enforce security policies, and wipe data remotely if a device is lost or stolen
- Azure Information Protection: encrypt and protect sensitive documents, even when they are shared outside the company
- Defender for Office 365: advanced protection against phishing, malware and malicious links in emails and files
- Conditional access: control who can access what, from which device and which location
5. Security: The Big Difference
The main reason to choose Premium over Standard is security. In 2026, cyberattacks against small and medium businesses are up 300%. The average cost of a data breach for an SMB is 150,000€.
Business Premium includes protections that would cost hundreds of euros per month if purchased separately: mobile device management, advanced anti-phishing protection, data encryption, and GDPR compliance.
6. How to Choose?
Choose Business Standard if:
- You’re a small team (1-20 people) without particularly sensitive data
- Your employees use only company PCs (no BYOD)
- Your budget is limited
Choose Business Premium if:
- You handle sensitive data (customers, finances, healthcare, legal)
- Your employees use their personal devices for work
- You must meet compliance standards (GDPR, ISO, etc.)
- Cybersecurity is a priority for your company
7. The Alternative: A Perpetual Office License
If you don’t need the cloud services (Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint), a perpetual Office license is often more cost-effective. Office 2024 Professional Plus at see price gives you Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access and Publisher with no subscription.
To learn more: Lifetime Office license: the cost-effective alternative and Microsoft 365 vs Office 2024.
8. Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the maximum number of users for the Business plans?
Up to 300 users per Business plan. Beyond that, you need to move to the Enterprise plans (E3, E5).
Can I upgrade from Standard to Premium?
Yes, you can migrate at any time from the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Can the Office apps be installed for offline use?
Yes, both plans include the full desktop apps installable on PC and Mac and usable offline.
Microsoft 365 Family vs Business Standard?
The Family version is meant for home users (up to 6 people). Business Standard adds business email, SharePoint, and IT administration tools.
