Microsoft 365 offers a range of subscription plans tailored to businesses of various sizes and needs. It is crucial for businesses to assess their specific requirements and ensure alignment with industry regulations. While as service providers, we always recommend the Microsoft 365 Business Premium plan for its comprehensive security features, customisable compliance settings, and regular updates, we recognise that smaller businesses may not fully utilise every feature included.
In this article, we will explore the three business plans offered by Microsoft and highlight the key features that are essential for daily productivity. For a detailed overview of the security features, please refer to the full information here.
Microsoft 365 Business Basic
Microsoft 365 Business Basic is designed for small businesses and secondary domain accounts. It provides web and mobile versions of Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, along with 1TB of OneDrive storage per user.
The plan includes business-class email through Outlook, Microsoft Teams for communication and collaboration, and SharePoint for file sharing and collaboration.
This plan is ideal for small businesses that need essential collaboration tools, email, and cloud storage, but don’t require full access to desktop apps.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard
Microsoft 365 Business Standard is designed for small to medium-sized businesses that require desktop Office apps along with collaboration and communication tools. It offers the full desktop versions of Office apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook on up to 5 devices per user, including PCs, Macs, tablets, and phones.
The plan also includes 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage per user for file storage and sharing, business-class email with Outlook and Exchange, and Microsoft Teams for collaboration, chat, meetings, and team management. SharePoint is available for advanced team collaboration and document sharing, while Microsoft Defender for Business provides basic security for devices and data protection. Additional features like Microsoft Bookings for scheduling and Microsoft Planner for task management further enhance productivity.
This plan is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses that need a full suite of Office apps for offline work, cloud storage, email, and advanced collaboration tools like Teams and SharePoint.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Microsoft 365 Business Premium is designed for small to medium-sized businesses that require advanced security, device management, and compliance features, especially in heavily regulated industries like finance and healthcare. It offers the full desktop versions of Office apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, along with 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage per user and business-class email with Outlook and Exchange. Microsoft Teams is included for chat, video calls, meetings, and file collaboration.
The plan also provides advanced security and compliance tools, including Microsoft Defender for Business for threat protection, Intune for mobile device management, and Azure Information Protection for data security. Advanced device management allows businesses to manage employee devices, apps, and security from a single platform, while data loss prevention ensures sensitive information is protected through email or SharePoint. Microsoft 365 Defender adds extra threat protection across all apps and services, and Microsoft Endpoint Manager ensures devices comply with company policies.
This plan is ideal for businesses that need heightened security measures, advanced device management, and compliance tools, offering a substantial upgrade from Business Standard.
At Entrust, we are committed to striking the perfect balance between business productivity and security. We will tailor your cloud solution to meet your daily needs, while ensuring it upholds the highest cybersecurity standards available in each plan. Contact us today to discover the best solution for enhancing your business productivity!
