Choosing the right Microsoft 365 package can be difficult. There are several options available and many businesses choose based on price, without fully understanding what each package actually allows their team to do. Microsoft 365 is more than just email and Office apps. The package you choose can affect how securely your business operates, how productive your employees are, and whether you have the right tools in place to support growth.
To help you decide, we’ve broken down each Microsoft 365 package based on what those features actually mean for your business instead of just a list of features.
Take a look at our comparison table below.
Microsoft 365 comparison table
| If your business needs to... | Business Basic | Business Standard | Business Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep costs low while giving staff access to professional email, Teams and cloud-based apps | ✅ Best option | ✅ Possible | ❌ Likely unnecessary |
| Use desktop versions of Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint installed directly on employee devices | ❌ Not included | ✅ Ideal choice | ✅ Included |
| Allow staff to work remotely while accessing files securely from anywhere | ✅ Suitable | ✅ Better collaboration tools | ✅ Most secure option |
| Run webinars, virtual client meetings, or larger online events | ❌ Limited | ✅ Best option | ✅ Included |
| Manage a growing team that relies heavily on Microsoft apps every day | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ Strong option | ✅ Strong option |
| Improve collaboration across departments using shared files, calendars and productivity tools | ✅ Good | ✅ Better | ✅ Best overall |
| Protect business data from phishing, ransomware and cyber threats | ❌ Very limited protection | ⚠️ Basic security only | ✅ Designed for stronger protection |
| Manage company laptops, phones and employee devices centrally | ❌ Not included | ❌ Not included | ✅ Full device management tools |
| Operate in industries with stricter security or compliance requirements | ❌ Not recommended | ⚠️ Limited protection | ✅ Recommended |
| Protect remote workers using advanced security policies and access controls | ❌ No advanced protection | ❌ Limited | ✅ Best option |
| Need stronger cyber security for sensitive business or customer data | ❌ Not suitable | ⚠️ Some protection | ✅ Designed for this |
TL;DR: Which license is best for your business?
Choose Business Basic you’re a smaller business looking for a low cost cloud-based productivity solution and mainly need to use email, Teams, storage and web-based Office applications.
Best for:
- Small teams
- Businesses with basic productivity needs
Choose Business Standard if your team relies heavily on desktop applications like Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint, and you need stronger collaboration tools for day-to-day business operations.
Best for:
- Growing businesses
- Office-based teams
- Businesses running meetings, webinars or frequently collaborating
Choose Business Premium if cyber security is a priority, your employees work remotely, you handle sensitive customer data, or you need stronger control over company devices and user access.
Best for:
- Professional services firms
- Healthcare organisations
- Financial businesses
- Businesses focused on security and compliance
- Companies with remote or hybrid teams
Need help choosing the right Microsoft 365 setup?
Give us a call! We are happy to talk about your setup and requirements and make sure you chose the right package. We help businesses set up and manage the right Microsoft 365 environment based on how your team works, what level of security you require, and where your business is heading in the future.