The upgrade most small businesses actually need.
Business Standard is fine for the basics. Business Premium adds the security and device-management features you actually need to be Cyber Essentials-ready and to actually defend against modern threats.
We'll tell you honestly whether the upgrade is worth it for your business, and if it's not, we'll say so.
Business Premium
What you get
Six big upgrades over Standard
Each one would cost more as a separate add-on. Bundled together they're cheaper and they actually integrate properly.
Next-gen endpoint protection across PC, Mac and mobile. Real ransomware defence, not just AV.
Manage every device from one console. Zero-touch deploy, remote wipe, policy enforcement.
Conditional Access, MFA enforced everywhere, self-service password reset.
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 (Plan 1): safe links, safe attachments, real-time scanning of inbound mail. Much better than the Business Standard baseline.
Label sensitive documents, encrypt automatically, prevent forwarding outside your org.
Stop sensitive data leaving by accident. Block uploads of card numbers, NI numbers, client lists.
Standard vs Premium
The line-by-line comparison
| Feature | Business Standard | Business Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per user / month | £11.54 (was £10.30, +12%) | £18.10 (unchanged) |
| Office apps + email | ✓ | ✓ |
| Teams + SharePoint | ✓ | ✓ |
| Endpoint protection | Built-in basic | Defender for Business: full EDR |
| Device management | None | Microsoft Intune included |
| Conditional Access + MFA | Limited | Azure AD P1: full policy engine |
| Phishing + safe-links | Basic | Defender for O365 Plan 1 |
| Information protection | No | Yes (labels + encryption) |
| Data Loss Prevention | No | Yes |
| Cyber Essentials ready | Not without add-ons | Yes, out of the box |
Reality check: With Standard going up 12% and Premium holding firm, the upgrade gap is shrinking to ~£6.56/user/month. And if you're buying Business Standard plus AV plus a separate MDM tool, you're already paying more than Premium would cost, for worse integration.
Honest take
When it's worth it, and when it isn't
Upgrade if
- You handle sensitive client data (legal, healthcare, finance)
- You need Cyber Essentials certification
- Staff use personal devices for work email
- You'd struggle if a stolen laptop wasn't wiped within the hour
- You currently pay for a separate AV / MDM / DLP tool
Maybe skip if
- Under 3 staff and all work-issued devices
- You have no client data and no compliance obligations
- You already have full-stack security elsewhere
- Cost is genuinely the blocker: Standard + good practice is OK
Need a licence audit?
We'll show you what you actually need
20 minutes. We'll review your current setup, tell you whether Premium is worth the upgrade, and how to roll it out cleanly.
Book a licence audit →Last reviewed May 2026 · Sam James