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Microsoft 365 licensing

Pay for the Microsoft 365 features you use, and use the ones you pay for.

Licence mixes grow by accident: E5 for a few people because of one feature, Business Premium where E3 was needed, add-ons nobody remembers buying. We match licences to what each group of users needs, with the security and compliance trade-offs set out plainly.

Start with a licence optimisation review
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The main options

  • Microsoft 365 Business Premium: capped at 300 users, and includes Intune, Entra ID P1, Defender for Business and Defender for Office 365 Plan 1
  • Microsoft 365 E3: no user cap, with Intune, Entra ID P1 and core compliance features
  • Microsoft 365 E5: adds the full Defender XDR suite, Entra ID P2 with Privileged Identity Management and advanced Purview compliance
  • Add-ons such as E5 Security, E5 Compliance and Teams Phone, which can give specific groups E5 capabilities without full E5

What we look at

  • Which licences are assigned, and which features are in use
  • The security and compliance controls you need, and which licences provide them
  • Groups of users with different needs, such as frontline workers, office staff and administrators
  • Your renewal date and agreement type

Supplied through us, or your partner

We can supply Microsoft 365 licences through the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider program, or give recommendations your existing licensing partner can act on.

How it runs

  1. Review: licence assignments, usage and the features your controls rely on.
  2. Recommend: a licence mix per user group, with the cost and security trade-offs.
  3. Change: licences adjusted at renewal or during the term, with the configuration updated to match.

Questions buyers ask

Business Premium or E3?

Business Premium includes more security for its price but is capped at 300 users per product. Above that, E3 with the security add-ons you need is the usual path.

Do we need E5?

Only if you will use what it adds. E5 Security or E5 Compliance add-ons for specific groups often cover the need at lower cost.

Can we mix licence types?

Yes, within Microsoft's rules. Frontline, office and administrator groups often need different licences.

Can you supply our licences?

Yes, through the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider program, or you can keep your existing partner.

Is there a fixed-scope review?

Yes. The Microsoft 365 licence optimisation review gives a recommended mix per user group and the savings or cost change.

Related

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Get the licence mix right before the next renewal.

Tell us your current mix and renewal date.

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