In this guide 10 sections
- Microsoft 365 business plans: prices in Australia (2026)
- Basic, Standard and Premium: what each plan includes
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium
- The maths on Premium
- AI powered productivity: Microsoft Copilot
- Choosing the right plan
- Static Computers' view
- Questions
Microsoft 365 Business Basic vs Standard vs Premium comes down to apps and security. Business Basic gives you business class email, Microsoft Teams and the web and mobile versions of the Office apps. Business Standard adds the full desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Business Premium adds advanced security and device management: Microsoft Defender for Business, Intune and conditional access. For most Australian small and medium sized businesses that hold client or staff data, Microsoft 365 Business Premium is the right plan.
Microsoft 365 business plans: prices in Australia (2026)
Microsoft raised Business Basic and Business Standard prices on 1 July 2026. Business Premium didn't change.
| Plan | Price per user per month (AUD, ex GST, annual commitment) |
|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 Business Basic | $10.50 |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard | $21.00 |
| Microsoft 365 Business Premium | $32.90 |
Monthly (no-commitment) billing costs more, typically around 20% extra. Microsoft usually offers a one month free trial on business plans. Prices change; confirm current pricing with Microsoft or a Microsoft partner before buying.
Basic, Standard and Premium: what each plan includes
| Feature | Business Basic | Business Standard | Business Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business class email on your custom domain (Exchange Online, 50 GB mailbox) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft Teams for chat, calls and online meetings | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud storage: OneDrive 1 TB per user, SharePoint Online team sites | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Web and mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft Forms, Lists and Planner for task management | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Full desktop versions of the Office apps | No | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft Bookings, webinars, Clipchamp | No | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft Defender for Business (endpoint security and advanced threat protection) | No | No | Yes |
| Intune device management for PCs and mobile devices | No | No | Yes |
| Entra ID P1: conditional access and multi factor authentication policies | No | No | Yes |
| Data loss prevention and Azure Information Protection for sensitive data | No | No | Yes |
| Maximum users | 300 | 300 | 300 |
Above 300 users, businesses move to Microsoft's enterprise plans (E3, E5).
Microsoft 365 Business Basic
Business Basic is the cheapest of the Microsoft 365 business plans. It gives staff business class email, Microsoft Teams, file storage and the web and mobile apps. It suits staff who only need email, calendars, collaboration tools and browser-based Office, such as field or warehouse workers. You can mix plans, so these staff can sit on Basic while office staff use Premium.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard
Business Standard adds the desktop office apps that most office workers expect, plus Microsoft Bookings and webinar tools. It's the right plan when staff need full desktop versions of Excel for data analysis or Word for document management, and your security features, device management and endpoint security come from somewhere else, such as your IT provider's own stack.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Business Premium includes all the features of Business Standard plus the security requirements most Australian businesses now face:
- Microsoft Defender for Business gives endpoint detection and response, going beyond basic antivirus.
- Intune gives device management capabilities: enforce security policies, require encryption and updates, and wipe company data from lost laptops and mobile devices.
- Conditional access enforces multi factor authentication and blocks sign-ins from unmanaged devices.
- Data loss prevention and information protection help protect business data and sensitive data from being shared by mistake.
For businesses with remote workers, client data or a cyber insurance questionnaire, these enhanced security features improve your security posture more than any other licence change.
The maths on Premium
Premium costs $11.90 more per user per month than Standard at the prices above, about $143 per user per year. Buying endpoint security, device management and conditional access separately usually costs more than that, and adds tools to manage.
AI powered productivity: Microsoft Copilot
Microsoft 365 Copilot is a paid add-on on top of any of these business plans. It adds AI powered productivity features such as writing assistance in Word and Outlook, meeting summaries in Teams, and inbox and calendar awareness to help plan your day. Power Automate and Power Apps, included in Standard and Premium for Microsoft 365 data, add workflow automation for simple business processes.
Choosing the right plan
- Choose Business Premium if you handle client data, staff work remotely or on personal devices, or you need to meet the Essential Eight or a cyber insurance questionnaire.
- Choose Business Standard if you need desktop apps and security is handled by other tools.
- Choose Business Basic if staff only need email, Microsoft Teams and web apps.
- Mix plans according to how many users need each level.
Static Computers' view
Static Computers recommends Microsoft 365 Business Premium for almost every client that holds personal information, and uses its built-in tools for MFA enforcement, device compliance and patching, with ongoing support for staff. Mixing in Business Basic for staff who don't need desktop apps is a common way to keep the total down. Microsoft 365 support from Static Computers.