Microsoft 365 Showdown: Basic vs. Standard vs. Premium

Microsoft offers three core 365 plans for small-to-medium-sized businesses. But which is best and why?

It’s no secret at this stage that we have a pretty good knowledge of Microsoft products and services. By “pretty good” we mean that we have a 25+ year partnership with Solutions Partner Status and a seat on the SMB Partner Advisory Council – not to toot our own horn! 

As part of our partnership with Microsoft, we offer Microsoft 365 for Business – Microsoft’s comprehensive, cloud-based suite of productivity tools. 

In today’s fast-paced business environment, choosing the right productivity suite is crucial for ensuring seamless operations and robust security. Microsoft 365 offers three core options for SMBs: Business Basic, Business Standard and Business Premium. 

We are often asked what the difference is between the three, and which we recommend, so, we thought we would lay it all out here for your convenience.  

Microsoft 365 Business Basic

It does exactly what it says on the tin. The Business Basic license is the most basic of the 365 for Business plans, offering:

• Web and mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Microsoft Teams for chat, calls, and video conferencing
• 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage per user
• Business-class email with 50 GB mailbox
• SharePoint for collaboration
• Basic security features like spam and malware filtering

Microsoft 365 Business Standard 

Microsoft 365 Business Standard is designed for businesses that need a comprehensive suite of productivity tools. It includes: 

• Core Office Apps: Access to desktop, web, and mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. 

• Email and Calendaring: Business-class email through Outlook with a 50 GB mailbox. 

• File Storage and Sharing: 1 TB of OneDrive storage per user. 

• Collaboration Tools: Microsoft Teams for chat, meetings, and collaboration. 

• Webinars: Tools for hosting webinars with attendee registration and reporting. 

Microsoft 365 Business Premium 

Microsoft 365 Business Premium is a step up. You get all of the above, plus additional advanced security and management capabilities: 

• Advanced Security: Microsoft Defender for Business provides comprehensive protection against cyber threats, including malware, phishing, and ransomware. 

• Device Management: Intune allows for mobile device and app management, ensuring that all devices accessing company data are secure. 

• Information Protection: Azure Information Protection helps classify and protect sensitive information, ensuring that only authorized users can access it. 

• Identity and Access Management: Advanced identity and access management features help safeguard user identities and control access to critical resources. 

There is no doubt about it that Business Premium is the superior of the three, which is why we recommend it to all of our SMB clients.  

Opting for Business Premium isn’t just about having more tools—it’s about having the right tools to propel your business forward, protect your assets, and give you that extra layer of security and management that today’s fast-paced, ever-changing business landscape demands. 

So, why settle for just keeping things simple and effective when you can elevate your entire business operation? Business Premium is the way to go if you’re serious about taking your productivity and cyber security to the next level. 

The question is, do you want to be operating at just the "basic" or “standard” level, or do you want to be a cut above the rest?