Microsoft 365 comes in several business tiers, and the jump from Business Standard to Business Premium is one of the most commonly misunderstood decisions Perth SMBs face. Here's what each plan actually includes, and which one is right for your business.
The short answer
Business Standard gives you the full Office suite, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Exchange. It's the productivity platform. Business Premium adds the security and device management layer on top - Microsoft Defender for Business, Intune, Conditional Access, and advanced email threat protection.
Business Premium can suit organisations that need its additional security and device-management capabilities. Assess the required controls and existing licences before choosing a plan. Compare current licence costs with the security and device-management capabilities your business needs.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive (1 TB/user) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Exchange Online (business email) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Microsoft Defender for Business (endpoint protection) | - | ✓ |
| Microsoft Intune (device management) | - | ✓ |
| Azure AD P1 (Conditional Access, MFA policies) | - | ✓ |
| Microsoft Purview Information Protection | - | ✓ |
| Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 (anti-phishing, safe links) | - | ✓ |
| Azure Virtual Desktop rights | - | ✓ |
| Licence pricing | Quoted separately | Quoted separately |
What the Premium-only features actually do
Microsoft Defender for Business
This replaces the need for a separate third-party antivirus or EDR product on Windows and Mac devices. It provides real-time threat protection, automated investigation and response, and a centralised dashboard for your IT team or provider to monitor device health. For most Perth SMBs, Defender for Business is equal to or better than what they were paying extra for separately.
Microsoft Intune
Intune is Microsoft's mobile device and endpoint management platform. It lets your IT provider enforce security policies across all company devices - require encryption, block USB drives, remotely wipe a lost laptop, push software installs, and ensure devices are compliant before they can access company data. Without Intune, there's no easy way to manage and secure your device fleet at scale.
Azure AD P1 / Entra ID P1 (Conditional Access)
Standard only includes basic MFA. Premium adds Conditional Access - policies that control when and how users can authenticate. For example: require MFA only when logging in from outside Australia, block access from non-managed devices, or require compliant device status to access Teams. This is the foundation of a Zero Trust access model.
Defender for Office 365 Plan 1
Advanced protection for email including Safe Links (real-time URL scanning), Safe Attachments (detonating suspicious attachments in a sandbox), and anti-phishing policies. Standard includes basic spam filtering - Premium adds these more sophisticated layers that catch targeted attacks Standard misses.
We supply, license, and manage Microsoft 365 Business Premium for Perth businesses, including Defender, Intune, and Conditional Access setup.
Microsoft 365 & Cloud →Who should stay on Business Standard?
Business Standard may be appropriate if:
- Your business has 1–3 staff and minimal IT complexity
- You have no regulated or sensitive data (no health records, financial data, client personal information)
- You have a separate enterprise security stack already in place (uncommon for SMBs)
For most Perth businesses with 5+ staff, the security gap that Standard leaves is too significant to justify the saving.
What about Microsoft 365 Apps for Business?
There's also a cheaper "Apps for Business" tier (licence quoted separately) that gives you Office apps and OneDrive but no Exchange email hosting. It's only suitable as an add-on if you already have email hosted elsewhere, and it lacks the additional security and device-management capabilities included in Premium. We don't recommend it as a standalone solution for Perth businesses.
Licensing notes for Perth businesses
Business plans cap at 300 users. Above that, you move to Enterprise tiers (E3/E5). Microsoft 365 is sold through certified partners in Australia - pricing varies slightly based on the reseller agreement. Top Tier Computing can supply and manage M365 licensing as part of a managed IT engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much more does Business Premium cost compared to Standard?
The price difference depends on current Australian pricing, billing term, commitment, promotions, and tax. Compare a current written licence quote for each plan. Licences are separately scoped from managed support and cloud-data backup.
Can a very small business stick with Standard?
It can make sense if you've only got one to three staff, no regulated or sensitive data, and no plans to grow quickly. Once you're past that size, or you're storing client financial, health, or personal information, the security gap Standard leaves usually isn't worth the saving.
What's the difference between Business Premium and the cheaper Apps for Business plan?
Apps for Business provides desktop Office applications and OneDrive without Exchange email hosting. Business Premium adds business email and additional security and device-management capabilities. Choose according to your requirements and confirm current licence pricing in a quote.
Is there a limit on how many staff can be on a Business plan?
Yes, Microsoft 365 Business plans (Standard and Premium) cap out at 300 users. If your business grows past that, you'd move up to an Enterprise tier like E3 or E5, which a licensing partner can help you transition into without losing your existing setup.
Not sure which M365 plan is right for you?
We'll review your current licensing, identify gaps, and recommend the right plan for your team - at no cost.
For related reading, see our guides to Microsoft 365 Security for Perth Businesses and Microsoft Intune for Perth Businesses.