Microsoft 365 Business Premium— the plan that adds the security
Every Microsoft 365 plan includes the apps. Microsoft 365 Business Premium adds Defender, Intune and data loss prevention — and PIP makes sure they’re actually switched on.
Why Microsoft 365 Business Premium exists
Microsoft 365 Business Premium is the most complete Microsoft 365 plan for small and medium sized businesses — supporting up to 300 employees. It includes everything in Business Standard (the Office apps, Microsoft Teams, Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive) plus the advanced security features, device management capabilities and compliance tools that Standard leaves out.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium is for businesses that handle sensitive data, support remote work or BYOD, or operate in regulated industries where data security matters. Most businesses sitting on Business Standard are one tier below where their risk profile actually sits — paying for productivity but leaving the security off the table. If your business handles client information and your staff work from more than one device, 365 Business Premium is the plan that closes the gap.
Everything in Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Microsoft 365 Business Premium bundles the full productivity suite with enterprise-grade security and device management — all the features in one plan, managed under one subscription. Business Premium supports up to 300 employees and provides 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage per user.
Office apps
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote — desktop, web and mobile versions on up to 5 devices per user. The same Office apps as every Microsoft 365 business plan, plus the ability to create presentations, documents and spreadsheets offline.
Teams & communication
Microsoft Teams for video conferencing, chat and file sharing. Exchange Online for business email with a custom domain. Microsoft Bookings for appointment scheduling. Microsoft Loop for collaborative workspaces. Everything your team needs to stay productive.
Cloud storage
Microsoft 365 Business Premium provides 1 TB of OneDrive storage per user — files synced across devices, SharePoint for team document libraries, and real-time co-authoring built in.
Microsoft Defender
Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes Microsoft Defender for Business — endpoint protection, advanced threat protection, automated investigation and anti-phishing across email and devices. Not available in Business Standard.
Microsoft Intune
Microsoft Intune for device management capabilities: manage devices, enforce security policies, mobile device management for phones and tablets, and app management for BYOD — so the business controls what runs on every endpoint.
Compliance & DLP
Microsoft Purview for data classification, sensitive information protection and compliance reporting. Data loss prevention policies detect and block sensitive data leaving the organisation through email, SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams.
Identity: Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes Entra ID P1 — Conditional Access policies, MFA enforcement and identity protection beyond the basic Entra ID Free tier. Business Premium is also the foundation tier for Microsoft Copilot when it becomes available as an add-on, positioning it as the right plan for an AI-powered future.
Business Premium vs Business Standard
The most common question: what does Microsoft 365 Business Premium add over Business Standard, and is it worth the difference? Business Standard and Business Premium are separate products at different price points — the difference is security and compliance, not productivity apps.
| Business Standard | Recommended Business Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Teams, Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive | ✓ | ✓ |
| Microsoft Defender for Business | — | ✓ |
| Microsoft Intune (device management) | — | ✓ |
| Data loss prevention | — | ✓ |
| Microsoft Purview (compliance) | — | ✓ |
| Entra ID P1 (Conditional Access) | — | ✓ |
| Microsoft Secure Score | Basic | Full |
| Pricing | Partner pricing via PIP | Partner pricing via PIP |
Microsoft 365 Business Premium is generally more expensive than Business Standard — the difference reflects the advanced security features and device management capabilities, not additional Office apps. For businesses handling client data, supporting remote staff, or operating in regulated industries, 365 Business Premium is the right plan. Business Standard leaves significant security posture off the table.
The security tools in Business Premium
These are the advanced security features that come with Microsoft 365 Business Premium and not with Business Standard. Every one of them needs to be configured — which is exactly why PIP manages them.
Microsoft Defender for Business
Endpoint protection, threat detection, automated investigation and response, ransomware protection and advanced anti-phishing across email and devices. The primary threat protection layer in Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
Data loss prevention
DLP policies detect and block sensitive data and sensitive information from leaving the organisation — across email, SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams. Data security that travels with the document.
Entra ID P1 & MFA
Conditional Access policies, multi-factor authentication and identity protection — included in Business Premium via Entra ID P1. Multi-factor authentication reduces unauthorised access risks across every user account.
Intune & device management
Manage devices across the organisation — enforce compliance policies on mobile devices, laptops and desktops. Microsoft 365 Business Premium is recommended for any business supporting remote work or BYOD: Intune enforces device compliance across managed and unmanaged devices so staff stay productive on any endpoint.
Microsoft Purview
Microsoft Purview helps manage compliance and generate reports — data classification, sensitive information types, audit logs and compliance reporting for the IT team and management.
Microsoft Secure Score
A dashboard tracking your organisation’s security posture across the Microsoft 365 business environment — Microsoft Secure Score benchmarks your configuration against Microsoft’s recommendations and shows what to fix next. Advanced email protection (real-time link and attachment scanning) reduces the most common attack vector for SMBs.
Business Premium — configured and managed by PIP
PIP is a trusted Microsoft partner supplying Microsoft 365 Business Premium at partner pricing. But the real value is configuration: Business Premium security tools are only effective when configured, and most businesses that buy 365 Business Premium never activate Defender, Intune or data loss prevention properly. PIP configures Business Premium correctly from day one.
- Defender policies active and monitored from the first day
- Intune enrolled — every device compliant before it touches company data
- Data loss prevention rules live across email, SharePoint and Teams
- Conditional Access enforced — users, locations and devices verified on every sign-in
- User lifecycle management: onboarding and offboarding handled by PIP
- Ongoing licence auditing, security alert response and policy review
- Microsoft Secure Score monitored and improved — not ignored
PIP manages Microsoft 365 Business Premium as part of the broader Microsoft 365 managed service — not a separate engagement. All the features and services included in Business Premium are configured and maintained for every user and every device, so the overall user experience is secure by default and the benefits of the plan are actually realised.
Business Premium, answered
What does Microsoft 365 Business Premium include?
Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes the full Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote), Microsoft Teams, Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive with 1 TB per user, Microsoft Defender for Business, Microsoft Intune for device management, data loss prevention, Microsoft Purview for compliance, and Entra ID P1 for Conditional Access and identity protection. It is the most complete Microsoft 365 business plan for organisations under 300 seats — all the features and services included in one subscription.
What is the difference between Business Standard and Business Premium?
Business Standard and Business Premium are separate products. Business Standard includes the productivity stack — Office apps, Teams, Exchange Online, SharePoint and OneDrive. Microsoft 365 Business Premium adds the advanced security features: Microsoft Defender for Business, Intune, data loss prevention, Purview and Entra ID P1. The price difference between Business Standard and 365 Business Premium reflects security and compliance capability, not additional Office apps. Office 365 Standard was the older name for what is now Microsoft 365 Business Standard — the comparison is the same.
How much is a Microsoft 365 Business Premium subscription?
PIP supplies Microsoft 365 Business Premium at partner pricing — businesses pay less than the published retail rate. The right plan depends on user count and requirements: contact PIP for a quote tailored to your situation rather than a sticker price that doesn’t fit.
Is Business Premium the right plan for my business?
If your business handles sensitive data, supports remote work or BYOD, operates across multiple devices, or sits in a regulated industry — Microsoft 365 Business Premium is the right plan. If your users only need the Office apps and basic email with no device management or advanced security, Business Standard may be sufficient. PIP advises on the right plan for each client — the answer depends on what your business actually does with Microsoft 365, not on which plan is cheapest.
On Standard and wondering if you need more?
If you’re on Business Standard and haven’t activated Defender or Intune — or you’re not sure which Microsoft 365 business plan is right — that’s the conversation to have with PIP.