Tough decision: “which Microsoft 365 license fits my business?”
Microsoft offers several licenses aimed at businesses and organizations. Plenty of choice! But which one suits your company best? As a company you want both functionality and advanced security. We looked at the possibilities and share our findings with you in this blog.
The range of licenses in Microsoft 365
To cut to the chase, there are 5 licenses that stand out for companies or organizations. They are the following:
• Microsoft 365 Business Basic
• Microsoft 365 Business Standard
• Microsoft 365 Business Premium
• Microsoft 365 Enterprise E3
• Microsoft 365 Enterprise E5
Within these 5 licenses there are 2 types; Business and Enterprise. The Business series consists of licenses for companies with less than 300 users. For an unlimited number of users, you can go for the Enterprise series.
Microsoft 365 Copilot is also available in the above licences. You can read all about the Microsoft Copilots in this blog.
Functionality combined with high security
With functionality and security in mind, we examined the 5 main licenses.
Good to know: each license below allows you to purchase the Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on.
Business Basic and Business Standard offer good functionality, but it lacks advanced security in both licenses. The main difference between the two variants is that with the Standard version you can use the desktop applications while with the Basic you are stuck with the web versions and mobile applications.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium brings a pleasant surprise. With its attractive price and advanced security features, it is a strong product. It competes directly with the pricier Enterprise E3. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is not available in the E3, but it is in Business Premium. Interesting.
Does that mean the Enterprise E3 is losing the battle? Certainly not. Although the E3 is about twice as expensive, it has other advanced security features that the Business Premium does not. On top of that, it can be used for an unlimited number of users.
Last in line: Enterprise E5. For its higher price, you enjoy the most advanced security. The eye-catcher in this package is the automation with Artificial Intelligence (AI) that also takes action itself. For large companies with many users and a high need for security, this license is a winner.
Which license ends up in the shopping cart?
The two outliers are without a doubt the Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Microsoft 365 Enterprise E5. Due to the attractive price that comes with advanced security, Business Premium remains the favorite if you can manage with 300 licenses. Are you a large company and do you have the financial scope for an ultimate security strategy? Then you can opt for an Enterprise E5.
If you don’t want to switch to an E5 license yet, you can choose the E3 license.
Want to learn more about Microsoft Business Premium and which security features are best suited for you? We made a short video about it on our Youtube channel! The video is in dutch, but English subtitles are available. Additionally, you can find explanations on our page about MS Business Premium. Ready to get started? Contact our security experts for more information!