Getting Started
M365 Plans Explained
This guide explains the four main Microsoft 365 business plans in plain language, so you understand what your licence includes and why certain features may or may not be available to you.
Time needed
5 minutes to read
Platform
Microsoft 365
Guide steps
4 clear sections
Before you begin
None — this is a reference guide.
Follow along
Step-by-step guide
Business Basic — web and mobile apps, email, and Teams
- Instruction 1: Business Basic is the entry-level plan. It gives you Outlook email, Teams, OneDrive (1 TB storage), SharePoint, and Exchange Online.
- Instruction 2: You do NOT get the full desktop Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint as installed programs) with Business Basic — only the browser-based web versions.
- Instruction 3: This plan suits users who mainly need email, Teams meetings, and access to shared files from a browser or mobile device.
Action map
Business Basic — web and mobile apps, email, and Teams
- 01
Business Basic is the entry-level plan. It gives you Outlook email, Teams, OneDrive (1…
- 02
You do NOT get the full desktop Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint as installed…
- 03
This plan suits users who mainly need email, Teams meetings, and access to shared files…
Visual guide
Use this visual action map alongside the written instructions above.
Open Microsoft 365 help & learning for M365 Plans ExplainedApps for Business — desktop apps, no email hosting
- Instruction 1: Apps for Business gives you the full desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Access (PC only), plus OneDrive (1 TB).
- Instruction 2: It does NOT include Exchange Online email hosting — your email must be hosted elsewhere.
- Instruction 3: This plan suits organisations that already have email sorted (e.g. Google Workspace) but want their staff to have full desktop Office apps.
Business Standard — the most common all-in-one plan
- Instruction 1: Business Standard includes everything in Business Basic AND the full desktop Office apps installed on up to five computers per user.
- Instruction 2: You also get Teams webinars, customer booking features, and more advanced collaboration tools.
- Instruction 3: This is the most commonly used plan for small and medium businesses that want email, full desktop apps, and Teams all in one licence.
Business Premium — Standard plus advanced security
- Instruction 1: Business Premium includes everything in Business Standard plus a full enterprise-grade security stack.
- Instruction 2: The security additions include Microsoft Defender for Business (advanced endpoint protection), Intune (device management), Entra ID P1 (Conditional Access policies), and Defender for Office 365 (anti-phishing, safe attachments).
- Instruction 3: Business Premium is strongly recommended for any organisation that handles sensitive data, has remote workers, or needs device compliance controls.
- Instruction 4: If you are unsure which plan your organisation is on, ask your IT team or helpdesk — they will know and can explain what is available to you.
Quick fixes
Troubleshooting
I cannot install Word or Excel on my computer
The ability to install desktop apps is included in Apps for Business, Business Standard, and Business Premium — but not Business Basic. Contact the helpdesk to confirm your licence and whether an upgrade is possible.
A colleague has a feature I cannot find
Different users in the same organisation can be on different licence plans. Contact the helpdesk to check your plan and request a licence change if the feature you need is available at a higher tier.
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