Microsoft 365 Business Standard

Who Is Business Standard For?

Business Standard is the most popular SMB plan — the one you get when you need “real Office” (not just web apps) plus Teams and email. It’s the sweet spot between Basic (too limited) and Premium (more security than some SMBs need).

Standard is right for you if:

• ✅ You’re a small business under 300 users
• ✅ You need desktop Office apps (not just browser versions)
• ✅ You want Teams, email, and file sharing in one package
• ✅ Security is handled by a third-party tool or isn’t a priority yet
• ✅ Budget matters — you want productivity without the security premium

Consider upgrading to Premium if:

• ❌ You need to manage employee devices (laptops, phones)
• ❌ You handle sensitive customer data (healthcare, finance)
• ❌ Your cyber insurance requires endpoint protection and MFA

Business Basic vs Standard vs Premium

flowchart LR
    BAS["Basic
$7/mo
Web apps only"]
    STD["Standard
$14/mo
Desktop apps"]
    PRE["Premium
$22/mo
Desktop apps
+ Security"]
    BAS -->|"+$7"| STD
    STD -->|"+$8"| PRE

💡 Rule of thumb: If your team just needs email and Teams → Basic. If they need desktop Office apps → Standard. If they handle sensitive data or you manage devices → Premium.

What’s Included

📧 Productivity

• Desktop Office Apps — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access (Windows), Publisher (Windows) — installed on up to 5 devices per user
• Exchange Online — 50 GB mailbox, shared mailboxes, custom domain email
• Teams — Chat, video meetings, webinars (up to 300 attendees), live events
• SharePoint Online — Intranet, team sites, document libraries
• OneDrive for Business — 1 TB per user
• Microsoft Bookings — Online appointment scheduling
• Microsoft Forms, Lists, Planner, Stream

⚠️ What’s NOT Included (Security Gap)

• No Intune — you can’t manage devices centrally
• No Defender for Business — only basic Windows AV
• No Conditional Access — can’t block risky sign-ins
• No DLP — can’t prevent accidental data leaks
• No Sensitivity Labels — can’t encrypt documents automatically

💡 Honest advice: Business Standard is a great productivity plan, but it has zero enterprise security. If you’re an IT admin recommending this, budget for Business Premium or third-party security tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What’s the difference between Office 365 and Microsoft 365 Business Standard?

Microsoft 365 Business Standard is the current name. “Office 365 Business” was the old branding. Same product, new name.

2. Can I upgrade from Standard to Premium later?

Yes — it’s a simple licence change in the admin centre. No data migration. Your users keep all their files and email.

3. Is 300 users really the limit?

Yes. If you grow past 300 users, you must switch to Enterprise plans (E3 at $39/user/month). Plan the transition early.