From 1 July 2026, Microsoft 365 Business Standard is set to increase in price by 12%.
For many UK businesses who are still on Standard, this should trigger more than a quick licence renewal. It should trigger a proper conversation about whether Business Standard is still enough.
The price rise matters because Business Premium is not going to increase in the same way. That means the gap between Business Standard and Business Premium is getting smaller.
In our view, that makes the decision even clearer.
Business Standard is good for productivity. Business Premium is built for modern business risk.
Business Standard only helps people work
Business Standard gives users the Microsoft tools most businesses rely on every day: Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive and SharePoint.
For productivity, it works well. But productivity is only part of the picture now.
Microsoft 365 is where your business stores emails, files, customer information, financial data, internal documents and shared projects. Staff access that information from laptops, mobiles, home networks, customer sites and sometimes personal devices.
That creates risk.
Cyber criminals know this. They target passwords, inboxes and devices because that is often the easiest way into a business.
This is why Business Standard has a limit. It gives people the tools to work, but it does not provide the level of security and device control modern businesses now need.
Business Premium protects how people work
Business Premium includes the core tools in Business Standard, but adds important security and management features.
That includes stronger protection for devices, better identity controls, improved email security and tools to help manage access to company data.
In plain English, Business Premium helps answer the questions every business should be asking:
- What happens if a laptop is lost or stolen?
- Can we protect company data on mobile phones?
- Can we reduce the risk of phishing emails?
- Can we control who can access business systems?
- Can we manage remote workers properly?
- Can we respond faster if a device is compromised?
These are not enterprise-only concerns. They are normal business risks.
That is why we believe Business Premium should now be the standard licence for modern businesses.
The price change makes Premium easier to justify
Business Standard is expected to rise from £10.08 to £11.29 per user per month. That is a 12% increase.
Business Premium is expected to remain unchanged.
For businesses already paying more for Business Standard, the question becomes simple: is it worth paying more for stronger protection, better control and a more secure Microsoft 365 environment? For most businesses, we believe it is.
Staying on Business Standard may look cheaper, but it can leave security holes that cannot be filled.
Business Premium is not a luxury licence
We do not see Business Premium as a nice-to-have upgrade. We see it as the right baseline.
If your business uses cloud email, stores files in OneDrive or SharePoint, has remote workers, uses laptops or mobiles, handles customer data, or has cyber insurance requirements, Business Premium is the appropriate licence.
Business Standard still has a place in some limited cases. But for everyday business users, relying on productivity tools without the right security controls around them is increasingly difficult to justify. The risk has moved on.