Business Premium (up to 300 users) and E3 (unlimited users) serve different needs. Here's a clear comparison — including which has better security features for most NZ businesses.
Key takeaways
- 1Microsoft Defender for Business — E3 doesn't include Defender for Business. To get EDR in E3, you need to add Defender for Endpoint P1 or P2 at additional cost.
- 2Microsoft Intune (full MDM) — E3 includes Intune only in some configurations; it's not guaranteed without careful licence checking.
- 3Microsoft Defender for Office 365 P1 — included in Business Premium, requires add-on with E3 base.
The most common licencing question from growing businesses approaching the 300-user limit is whether to stay on Business Premium or move to Microsoft 365 E3. The answer is often counterintuitive: for most businesses, Business Premium is the better security choice — even though E3 is more expensive.
What Business Premium has that E3 doesn't
- Microsoft Defender for Business — E3 doesn't include Defender for Business. To get EDR in E3, you need to add Defender for Endpoint P1 or P2 at additional cost.
- Microsoft Intune (full MDM) — E3 includes Intune only in some configurations; it's not guaranteed without careful licence checking.
- Microsoft Defender for Office 365 P1 — included in Business Premium, requires add-on with E3 base.
What E3 has that Business Premium doesn't
- No 300-user limit (Business Premium is capped at 300 users)
- Windows 10/11 Enterprise edition rights
- Advanced eDiscovery and compliance features
- Microsoft Teams Audio Conferencing
The recommendation for most businesses
For businesses under 300 users, Business Premium is the right choice — the security stack is more complete and it costs less. For businesses over 300 users needing to move to E3, the correct approach is: E3 as the base licence + Defender for Endpoint P1 or P2 + Microsoft Defender for Office 365 P2 as add-ons. This is more expensive but restores the security equivalence. Optimyze advises on licencing transitions as part of the vCIO engagement.
