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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →For most small businesses that want security controls bundled with productivity apps, Microsoft 365 Business Premium is the clearest starting point: Microsoft lists Defender for Business, Defender for Office 365 Plan 1, Intune Plan 1 and Entra ID P1 in the plan. Microsoft 365 E3 is a substantial enterprise foundation, but it does not include every advanced Defender or Purview capability. E5 bundles a broader set; eligible organizations can also add Defender or Purview suites to certain base plans.
The important distinction is the exact service and plan within the service—not simply whether a license says “Microsoft 365” or “Defender.” The comparison below covers common commercial small-business and enterprise plans, not every education, government, frontline, legacy, regional or negotiated offer. Microsoft’s licensing tables are the authority for current entitlements; confirm the exact SKU and agreement before buying.
What security comes with each Microsoft 365 plan?
This table summarizes the security-related entitlements shown in Microsoft’s Subscription Suites Licensing Guidance and its Microsoft 365 Security pricing for business and enterprise plans pages. “Not listed” means the named service is not shown as included in the cited subscription table; it is not a claim that the service cannot be licensed separately.
| Plan | Security-related baseline shown by Microsoft | What that means for a buyer |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 Business Basic | The subscription table lists Exchange Online Plan 1, SharePoint Online Plan 1 and OneDrive Plan 1. Defender for Business, Defender for Office 365, Intune Plan 1 and Entra ID P1 are not listed as included security rows. | Do not assume it bundles the endpoint protection, device management and identity controls listed for Business Premium. |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard | Adds Microsoft 365 Apps for business to the listed business services. The dedicated Defender for Business, Intune Plan 1 and Entra ID P1 set shown for Business Premium is not listed for Standard. | This is an apps-and-services tier, not the security bundle described for Premium. |
| Microsoft 365 Business Premium | Defender for Business; Defender for Office 365 Plan 1; Intune Plan 1; Entra ID P1; Azure Information Protection Premium Plan 1; Purview Data Loss Prevention; and Exchange Online Archiving. | The most complete bundled security baseline among these common small-business plans. Microsoft positions it for organizations with up to 300 employees; check regional availability and the precise SKU. |
| Microsoft 365 E3 | Entra ID P1, Microsoft Defender Antivirus and Intune Plan 1; Microsoft also identifies core Purview capabilities for E3. | A substantial enterprise foundation, but not a guarantee of every advanced Defender, identity or compliance feature. |
| Microsoft 365 E5 | Includes E3 capabilities plus broader advanced security, compliance and identity protection. Microsoft’s subscription table associates E5 with additional Defender and Purview capabilities. | The broadest combined tier in this comparison. Check feature-specific terms and whether the particular E5 offer includes Teams. |
Plan contents and names can vary by country, sector, reseller and agreement, and Microsoft can change its tables. Confirm the exact service rows for the offer you intend to purchase rather than relying on a plan name or an older comparison.
#1 Best Overall
How do Business Basic, Standard and Premium differ?
Basic and Standard
Basic and Standard include core hosted services, and Standard adds Microsoft 365 Apps for business. But the subscription table does not show the dedicated Defender for Business, Defender for Office 365 Plan 1, Intune Plan 1 and Entra ID P1 bundle that it shows for Business Premium. If endpoint protection, managed devices and stronger identity controls are requirements, check those named entitlements rather than assuming that a higher productivity-app tier includes them.
Business Premium
Premium combines the services above with security and management features that address several different needs: Defender for Business for endpoint protection, Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 for email and collaboration protection, Intune Plan 1 for device management, and Entra ID P1 for identity and access capabilities. It also lists Azure Information Protection Premium Plan 1, Purview Data Loss Prevention and Exchange Online Archiving. These are distinct services; inclusion of one does not mean every advanced feature in the broader Defender or Purview portfolios is included.
Rank #2
What changes between E3 and E5?
E3: a foundation, not the full advanced stack
E3 includes Entra ID P1 and Microsoft Defender Antivirus, and Microsoft’s subscription table lists Intune Plan 1. Microsoft also includes core Purview capabilities in E3. That is meaningful baseline coverage, but it should not be read as including every advanced endpoint detection, identity risk, email protection, SaaS visibility or compliance feature associated with E5.
E5: broader security and compliance
Microsoft describes E5 as including E3 plus advanced security, compliance and identity threat detection and response, with additional endpoint, email and SaaS protections. The precise entitlement still depends on the feature row and offer: check the licensing table for the named service and verify whether Teams is included in the particular E5 SKU. “E5” is not a substitute for reviewing feature-specific terms.
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E3 does include core Microsoft Purview capabilities; it is inaccurate to say that E3 has no compliance tools or that every kind of data loss prevention requires E5. Microsoft’s core examples include manual, default and mandatory sensitivity labeling in Microsoft 365 apps; DLP for Exchange Online, SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business; basic data lifecycle and retention; Compliance Manager; basic message encryption; eDiscovery Standard; and Audit Standard.
Advanced Purview licensing adds capabilities such as DLP for Teams chats, Endpoint DLP, advanced message encryption, records management, Insider Risk Management, Communication Compliance, Information Barriers, eDiscovery Premium and Audit Premium. Those advanced capabilities map to E5 or the relevant Purview suite or add-on. Identify the particular workload and feature you need before deciding whether to license a full suite.
Rank #4
When do Defender and Purview add-on suites make sense?
Add-on suites can extend an eligible base license when an organization needs more than its current plan includes. They are not interchangeable with a base plan: prerequisites matter, and the services in each suite differ.
Business Premium Defender Suite
The Defender Suite for Business Premium adds Defender for Office 365 Plan 2, Defender for Identity, Defender for Cloud Apps, Defender for IoT EIoT, Azure Information Protection Premium Plan 2 and Entra ID P2. Microsoft’s subscription table says the add-on requires Business Premium. A combined Defender and Purview Suite for Business Premium includes those Defender additions and advanced Purview services.
Enterprise Defender Suite
Microsoft’s current name is Defender Suite; older material may call it Microsoft 365 E5 Security. Microsoft says the suite requires Microsoft 365 E3 or Office 365 E3 plus Enterprise Mobility + Security E3. It maps advanced services including Defender for Office 365 Plan 2, Defender for Endpoint Plan 2, Defender for Identity, Defender for Cloud Apps and Entra ID P2 to the suite.
Purview Suite and narrower add-ons
Microsoft’s Purview Suite was formerly called Microsoft 365 E5 Compliance. Microsoft says it requires Microsoft 365 E3 or Office 365 E3 plus EMS E3. There is also a dedicated Purview Suite add-on for Business Premium. In certain plan families, narrower Information Protection and Governance, Insider Risk Management, and eDiscovery and Audit add-ons may fit better when the need is limited to particular controls.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which Entra identity features are included?
Microsoft Entra ID P1 is included in Microsoft 365 E3, E5 and Business Premium, among other offers. P2 is included in E5 and designated Defender or EMS offers; it is also listed in the Defender Suite for Business Premium and the combined Defender and Purview Suite for Business Premium. P2 includes P1 capabilities plus Identity Protection and Privileged Identity Management. Microsoft Entra Suite is a separate identity and access suite and requires Entra ID P1 or a package that includes P1.
How to choose the right license
- List the control you need. Separate email and collaboration protection, endpoint detection and response, identity risk and privileged access, device management, SaaS visibility, and data governance or discovery.
- Match it to the exact service row. For example, Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 and Plan 2 are different entitlements, as are core Purview capabilities and advanced Purview features.
- Check the base plan and add-on prerequisites. Business Premium add-ons require Business Premium; the enterprise Defender and Purview suites require E3 or Office 365 E3 plus EMS E3.
- Validate the buying context. Confirm geography, sector, Teams inclusion, agreement terms, per-user scope and current SKU names with Microsoft or your licensing provider.
For a small organization seeking bundled endpoint, email, identity and device-management controls, Business Premium is the clearest baseline in this comparison. For enterprise buyers, E3 is a substantial starting point; E5 or eligible Defender and Purview additions are relevant when the required advanced capabilities justify them. Microsoft’s displayed prices and entitlements can change, and prices may vary by agreement, so use the quote for your own geography and contract rather than treating a web price as universal.
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