Microsoft 365 Business Standard vs. Premium
Business Standard $14.00/user/mo
Business Premium $22.00/user/mo
Feature comparison
| Feature | Business Standard | Business Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Everything in Business Standard | ✓ | ✓ |
| Microsoft Defender for Business | — | ✓ |
| Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 | — | ✓ |
| Microsoft Entra ID P1 | — | ✓ |
| Conditional Access policies | — | ✓ |
| Microsoft Intune (MDM/MAM) | — | ✓ |
| Azure Information Protection P1 | — | ✓ |
| Microsoft Purview compliance tools | — | ✓ |
| Annual price per user/month | $14.00 | $22.00 |
Which plan is right for your organization?
For any organization that handles sensitive data, has regulatory compliance obligations, or has experienced a security incident, Business Premium is the correct choice. The $8.00 per user per month difference pays for Defender for Business, Entra ID P1, Intune, and Azure Information Protection — capabilities that would cost significantly more if licensed separately.
Frequently asked questions
- What security capabilities does Business Premium add over Business Standard?
- Business Premium adds Microsoft Defender for Business (endpoint detection and response), Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 (advanced anti-phishing and safe links), Microsoft Entra ID P1 (conditional access and multi-factor authentication enforcement), Microsoft Intune (mobile device and application management), and Azure Information Protection P1 (data classification and labeling).
- Is Business Premium required for HIPAA or CMMC compliance?
- Business Premium provides many of the controls required for HIPAA and CMMC compliance when properly configured. However, compliance depends on configuration, policies, and organizational processes — not the license alone. 4TH AND BAILEY aligns every Business Premium deployment to CISA SCuBA and NIST SP 800-53 to ensure the technical controls are in place.
- What does Microsoft Entra ID P1 add that is not in Business Standard?
- Entra ID P1 adds Conditional Access policies, which allow administrators to enforce multi-factor authentication based on user location, device state, and risk level. It also adds Identity Protection for automated risk-based sign-in controls.
- Is the $8.00 per user premium for Business Premium worth it?
- For most organizations handling sensitive data or operating in regulated industries, yes. The capabilities included in Business Premium — Defender for Business, Entra ID P1, Intune, and Azure Information Protection — would cost considerably more if licensed separately outside the Business Premium bundle.