Is Business Premium worth the extra cost? Short answer: yes. Here’s why.
If you’re running a small or medium-sized business in the UK, chances are you’ve looked at Microsoft 365 licenses and felt slightly overwhelmed. There are too many plans. Too many acronyms. Too much Microsoft-speak.
Let’s clear things up.
You’ve probably compared Microsoft 365 Business Standard and Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Maybe even winced at the price difference. But before you decide to save a few pounds a month, you should know what you’re leaving on the table.
Because Business Premium doesn’t just give you more stuff. It gives you better control, tighter security, and tools that help you sleep at night.
What’s included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium?
Let’s start with the basics. Of course you get everything from Business Standard:
- Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access (PC only)
- Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint
- Exchange email hosting (50GB mailbox)
- Desktop apps for up to 5 devices per user
- 1TB of OneDrive storage
But Business Premium goes further. Here’s what it adds:
- Microsoft Defender for Business (Smart AV)
- Intune (for device management and app control)
- Azure AD Premium P1 (conditional access and better identity management)
- Windows Autopilot (automated device provisioning)
- Microsoft Information Protection (labels, DLP policies)
That’s where the real value kicks in.
Real-world Microsoft 365 Business Premium advantages
1. Better security. Actual, useful security.
Cyber threats are not just for the big boys. SMEs are prime targets because, hackers assume you’re under-protected. They’re often right.
Business Premium includes Microsoft Defender for Business, which offers enterprise-grade protection tailored for SMEs. We’re talking endpoint detection and response (EDR), automated investigation, and threat mitigation.
2. Device management with Intune.
One of the biggest headaches in small businesses? Devices that are all over the place. Laptops bought from different retailers. Staff using personal phones for work. A lack of consistency and control.
With Intune, you can manage devices remotely. Set up policies. Push apps. Wipe data from lost phones. You finally get some order. IT stops being reactive and starts being… well, actually strategic.
We’ll go deeper on Intune in a follow-up article, but trust this: if your staff work remotely or use multiple devices, you want this tool.
3. Conditional access. Because not everyone should get in.
With Microsoft Entra ID P1, you can set up conditional access rules. Want to block logins from outside the UK? Done. Only allow company devices to access SharePoint? Easy.
It’s access control with brains. No more “one password gets you everything” madness.
4. Simplified onboarding. Faster setup, fewer headaches.
Using Windows Autopilot, you can ship a laptop straight to a new starter. When they switch it on, it auto-configures itself with all the apps and settings you define. No more messing about with USB drives and install disks.
Perfect for hybrid teams or fast-growing businesses. Or just anyone sick of manually setting up machines.
5. Data protection. Because mistakes happen.
Let’s be honest. People click on things they shouldn’t. They send the wrong file. They leave laptops in taxis.
With Microsoft Information Protection, you can label documents, control who can view or edit them, and stop sensitive info from being emailed out. Yes, even by accident. You can create DLP (Data Loss Prevention) rules that actually make sense.
Is the price worth it?
As of writing, the difference between the two is around £8 per user, per month.
So the real question is: are all those security and management tools worth less than ta tenner?
If you’ve ever had a cyber breach, lost a device, or spent two hours trying to help someone log in from a coffee shop, the answer is obvious.
Who should pick Business Premium?
This license is ideal for UK SMEs who:
- Have remote or hybrid staff
- Want better security without hiring an IT team
- Need to manage multiple devices across locations
- Handle sensitive data (especially in finance, legal, healthcare)
- Want a smoother onboarding process
If you’re running a five-person team and everyone works from one office? You might get by with Business Standard. But once you grow or go hybrid, you’ll hit its limits fast.
Bottom line
Microsoft 365 Business Premium advantages go well beyond “extra features.” It’s not about bells and whistles. It’s about control, security, and saving time. Especially for small businesses without a big IT department.
It’s not the cheapest license, but it’s the most complete one for most SMEs. The cost is predictable. The benefits are immediate. The peace of mind? Honestly priceless.
