Microsoft 365 Business Basic: the desktop apps line
Microsoft 365 Business Basic
per user per month, excluding VAT
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Microsoft 365 Business Basic is the entry plan in Microsoft's small and medium business range: business email, cloud file storage, Microsoft Teams for meetings and chat, and the Office applications in the browser and on mobile. The desktop versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint are not included, which is the single line that decides between this plan and Business Standard. It is limited to 300 users. It carries none of the security layer: no Microsoft Entra ID P1, so no Conditional Access, no Microsoft Intune Plan 1, no Microsoft Defender for Business and no Defender for Office 365.
What it is
Microsoft 365 Business Basic is the smallest of the three Microsoft 365 Business plans. It provides the cloud services, without the desktop applications and without the security products.
Who it is for
Small organisations that need professional email and a place to keep and share files, whose people work in a browser or on a phone, and who do not yet need Microsoft's identity or endpoint security products.
Key capabilities
- Business email and calendaring
- Cloud file storage and sharing
- Microsoft Teams for chat, meetings and collaboration
- Office applications in the browser and on mobile
What is not included
The desktop applications. Word, Excel and PowerPoint are available in the browser and on mobile, not installed on the machine. That is the line between Basic and Business Standard, and it is usually the whole decision.
Also absent: Microsoft Entra ID P1, and therefore Conditional Access; Microsoft Intune Plan 1; Microsoft Defender for Business; and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1. Those sit in Business Premium.
What can be added to it
Microsoft Defender for Business is available as a standalone licence for organisations of up to 300 users, including those on Business Basic. Exchange Online Archiving is on Microsoft's list of add-ons eligible for this plan. Microsoft 365 Copilot Business also attaches to Business Basic, subject to the same 300 user cap.
Requirements
The plan is limited to a maximum of 300 users.
Does Business Basic include the desktop Office applications?
No. Word, Excel and PowerPoint are available in the browser and on mobile only. Installing them on the machine requires Microsoft 365 Business Standard or above, and that is usually the whole decision between the two plans.
Can I use Conditional Access on Business Basic?
No. Conditional Access requires Microsoft Entra ID P1, which Business Basic does not include. Business Premium includes it, or it can be licensed separately.
Can I add endpoint security to Business Basic?
Yes. Microsoft Defender for Business is available as a standalone licence for organisations of up to 300 users, including those on Business Basic.
Does Microsoft 365 Copilot work with this plan?
Microsoft 365 Copilot Business attaches to Business Basic, Standard or Premium, and is capped at 300 users like the plans themselves.
How many users can it cover?
Up to 300, the ceiling across the whole Microsoft 365 Business range.
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Category
- Productivity
- Type
- SaaS
- Billing
- Monthly
- Commitment
- 1-Year
- Available terms
- 1-Year, Monthly
- SKU
- MST-NCE-102-C100
- 1You request the licence, or add it to the cart.
- 2I confirm price, term and seats, and check your VAT number in VIES. Businesses in the EU only.
- 3You pay before we provision, under the CSP Marketplace Terms. The invoice comes from Michal Jatczak, a sole trader registered in Malta, trading as ITSailor. Reverse charge for an EU VAT number that validates in VIES.
- 4Your authorised signatory accepts the Microsoft Customer Agreement before activation.
- 5I place the order with Pax8 within one business day of payment.