Business or enterprise plan: the short answer
Choose a Microsoft 365 Business plan if your organisation has 300 users or fewer and needs email, Office apps, Teams and, with Business Premium, strong security. Choose an Enterprise plan (E3 or E5) if you have more than 300 users, or need Windows Enterprise, larger storage and the deeper security and compliance tools that only enterprise plans include.
Most Kenyan SMEs, schools, NGOs, clinics and professional firms are well served by a Business plan, and Business Premium in particular covers device management, phishing protection and data loss prevention. Enterprise plans earn their place when you outgrow the 300-user cap, when regulators expect advanced audit and investigation tools, or when you want Teams Phone and Power BI Pro included. The same comparison applies if you still think of them as Office 365 business vs enterprise plans: the names changed, the split did not.
The table shows prices through Priori per user per month on an annual commitment, excluding VAT. For billing options and currency, see our Microsoft 365 pricing page.
| Plan | Priori price (KES) | Priori price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 Business Basic | KES 865 | USD 6.65 |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard | KES 1,729 | USD 13.30 |
| Microsoft 365 Business Premium | KES 2,717 | USD 20.90 |
| Microsoft 365 E3 | KES 4,817 | USD 37.05 |
| Microsoft 365 E5 | KES 7,410 | USD 57.00 |
Per user per month, annual commitment. Excludes VAT (16%). Converted at KES 130 to the US dollar. Prices checked 3 October 2026.
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Business and Enterprise plans compared
Business Premium and E3 are closer than most people expect; the big jumps are the user limit, Windows Enterprise, storage and, with E5, advanced security and compliance.
| Feature | Business Basic | Business Standard | Business Premium | E3 | E5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum users | 300 | 300 | 300 | No limit | No limit |
| Desktop Office apps | No, web and mobile only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mailbox | 100 GB plus 50 GB archive | 100 GB plus 50 GB archive | 100 GB plus 1.5 TB archive | 100 GB plus 1.5 TB archive | 100 GB plus 1.5 TB archive |
| Cloud storage per user | 1 TB | 1 TB | 1 TB | 1 to 5+ TB | 1 to 5+ TB |
| Microsoft Teams | Chat, calls and meetings | Adds webinars | Adds webinars | Adds webinars | Adds Teams Phone and Audio Conferencing |
| Identity | Entra ID free version | Entra ID free version | Advanced Entra ID with conditional access | Entra ID Plan 1 | Entra ID Plan 2 |
| Device management | No | No | Intune Plan 1 | Intune Plan 1 | Intune Plan 1 plus Intune Suite capabilities |
| Windows | Not included | Not included | Windows 11 Pro upgrade | Windows 11 Enterprise E3 | Windows 11 Enterprise E5 |
| Device protection | No | No | Defender for Business | Defender for Endpoint Plan 1 | Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 |
| Email threat protection | Spam and malware filtering, time-of-click link checks | Spam and malware filtering, time-of-click link checks | Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 | Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 | Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 |
| Data protection and compliance | No | No | Purview Information Protection Plan 1, data loss prevention, Audit Standard | Purview Information Protection Plan 1, Audit Standard, eDiscovery Standard | Purview Information Protection Plan 2, Insider Risk Management, Audit Premium, eDiscovery Premium |
| Power BI Pro | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Copilot Chat | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Microsoft 365 Copilot | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on |
Which family should you choose?
Headcount sets the first boundary, and your security and compliance needs decide the rest.
Choose a Business plan if…
- You have 300 users or fewer, and expect to stay under that number for the next year or two.
- You need professional email, Teams and shared files, with desktop apps for staff who write and analyse.
- Business Premium’s Intune, Defender for Business, conditional access and data loss prevention cover your security needs.
- You don’t need Windows Enterprise, more than 1 TB of storage per user, or advanced eDiscovery.
Choose an Enterprise plan if…
- You have more than 300 users, or will pass that number soon.
- You want Windows 11 Enterprise across your laptops and desktops.
- You need eDiscovery, or with E5, Insider Risk Management, Audit Premium and Defender for Identity, because regulators or auditors expect them.
- Your users need 1 to 5+ TB of storage, or you want Teams Phone and Power BI Pro included with E5.
The 300-user limit, and when to move to Enterprise
Each Microsoft 365 Business plan is sold for up to 300 users, while E3, E5 and the frontline plans have no user limit. That cap is the clearest reason to move. If you are at 220 users and hiring, plan the move to Microsoft 365 E3 before you reach 300, not after, so the change happens on your timetable.
Headcount is not the only trigger. Consider moving earlier if:
- You are regulated. Banks, insurers, SACCOs and hospitals often need the audit, eDiscovery and insider risk tools that sit in Microsoft 365 E5. These help you answer regulators and meet the Data Protection Act 2019, alongside your own policies and processes.
- You standardise on Windows Enterprise. Business Premium includes a Windows 11 Pro upgrade; E3 and E5 include Windows 11 Enterprise.
- You need more storage. Business plans give 1 TB per user; enterprise plans give 1 to 5+ TB.
- You want calling and analytics in one licence. E5 includes Teams Phone, Audio Conferencing and Power BI Pro.
If none of these apply, stay on Business Premium. It is the plan we recommend to most organisations under 300 users, and moving up early would mean paying for tools you won’t use. See Microsoft 365 Business Premium for what it covers.
What Business plans leave out
Business plans leave out Windows Enterprise, storage beyond 1 TB per user, eDiscovery and, compared with E5, the advanced Defender, Entra ID Plan 2 and Purview tools. Business Basic and Standard also leave out device management and advanced threat protection, which is why we usually recommend Premium for staff who handle sensitive data.
Business Basic has no desktop apps at all: staff use Word, Excel and PowerPoint in the browser and on mobile. That suits people who mainly read and reply, and costs less. Business Standard adds desktop apps and webinars, but no security beyond spam and malware filtering and link checks.
Microsoft 365 Apps for business vs Apps for enterprise
The two apps-only plans differ mainly in who can buy them. Both give you the desktop Office apps and 1 TB of cloud storage without business email or Teams. Microsoft 365 Apps for business belongs to the Business family, capped at 300 users, while Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise (formerly Office 365 ProPlus) belongs to the Enterprise family with no user limit, and some advanced information protection features need the enterprise version (Microsoft 365 and Office 365 plan options, Microsoft Learn, checked 4 October 2026). Microsoft 365 Apps for business is KES 1,235 per user per month; we quote Apps for enterprise on request.
The four Microsoft 365 plan families
Microsoft sells Microsoft 365, which used to be called Office 365, in four main families: home plans such as Personal and Family for households, business plans for up to 300 users, enterprise plans with no user limit (including F1 and F3 for frontline staff), and education plans for schools, colleges and universities. Registered nonprofits get discounted or donated versions of the business and enterprise plans; see Microsoft 365 Education and Microsoft 365 for nonprofits.
F1 and F3 for frontline staff
Frontline plans give shop floor, warehouse, ward and field staff Teams and managed access at a lower price than a full Business or Enterprise licence. Like E3 and E5, they have no user limit.
- Microsoft 365 F1, KES 371 per user per month. Teams for chat, calls and meetings, read-only Word, Excel and PowerPoint on web and mobile, 2 GB of storage, a Teams calendar but no full mailbox, plus Entra ID Plan 1 and Intune Plan 1. For staff who need to communicate, not create.
- Microsoft 365 F3, KES 1,235 per user per month. Editable web and mobile Office apps, a 2 GB mailbox, 2 GB of storage, Teams, Windows 11 Enterprise E3, Intune, Entra ID Plan 1 and Power Apps and Power Automate for Microsoft 365. For supervisors, drivers, nurses and branch staff on shared or mobile devices.
Read more on our Microsoft 365 F3 page. Neither plan includes desktop Office apps, so office-based staff still need a Business or Enterprise plan.
Can you mix Business and Enterprise plans?
Yes. Microsoft allows Enterprise, Business and standalone plans to be combined in one account, so office staff can be on Business Premium while frontline staff are on F1 or F3. The 300-user cap counts across all your Business plans together: with 250 Business Premium users, you can add only 50 more Business licences of any kind (Microsoft 365 and Office 365 plan options, Microsoft Learn, checked 4 October 2026).
How Priori helps you decide
We help you pick the plan for each group of staff, set it up properly and stay with you as you grow past each threshold.
- Licence review. We list your roles, headcount plans, data and compliance needs, and recommend the plan for each group.
- Clear quote. Prices are 5% below the standard price, invoiced in KES or USD, excluding VAT. Here is how to buy Microsoft 365 in Kenya through us.
- Setup and migration. We configure security, move email and files, and plan any later move from Business to Enterprise. How migration works.
- Adoption. Training for staff and administrators, so you get full value from every licence. Training and advisory.
Questions
Business vs Enterprise questions
The user limit, costs and the signs it is time to move up.
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How much more does an Enterprise plan cost than Business Premium in Kenya?
Through Priori, Business Premium is KES 2,717 (USD 20.90) and Microsoft 365 E3 is KES 4,817 (USD 37.05) per user per month on an annual commitment, excluding VAT.
E5 is KES 7,410 (USD 57.00). We invoice in KES or USD. Full details are on our Microsoft 365 pricing page.
Is Business Premium as secure as E3?
For most organisations under 300 users, yes: both include Intune, conditional access, Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 and Purview Information Protection.
Business Premium uses Defender for Business for devices, while E3 uses Defender for Endpoint Plan 1 and adds eDiscovery Standard. Microsoft 365 security.
What is the user limit on Microsoft 365 Business plans?
Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard and Premium are each sold for up to 300 users.
Enterprise plans such as E3, E5, F1 and F3 have no user limit. Microsoft 365 enterprise plans.
Is there a difference between Microsoft 365 Business and Enterprise?
Business plans are for organisations of up to 300 users, while enterprise plans have no user limit and add Windows Enterprise, more storage and deeper compliance tools.
Microsoft now sells most of these as Microsoft 365 plans; Office 365 E1, E3 and E5 are still sold alongside them, pairing the apps with basic security. Microsoft 365 plans.
Do you really need both Microsoft 365 Business and Enterprise plans?
No, most organisations need only one family: Business plans up to 300 users, and Enterprise plans above that or when you need their extra tools.
Microsoft does let you combine them, which helps when frontline staff need F1 or F3 alongside Business Premium, or while you move from one family to the other. Microsoft 365 enterprise plans.
What are the key differences between Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise and Apps for business?
Both give you the desktop Office apps and 1 TB of storage without email or Teams; Apps for business is capped at 300 users, while Apps for enterprise has no user limit.
Some advanced information protection features also need Apps for enterprise. Apps for business is KES 1,235 per user per month. Microsoft 365 Apps for business.
Which plan is best for frontline staff?
Microsoft 365 F1 or F3 is usually the right plan for frontline staff who work on phones or shared devices.
F1 suits staff who need Teams and read-only documents; F3 adds editable web apps and a 2 GB mailbox. Microsoft 365 F3.
Do we need an enterprise plan for Copilot?
No, Microsoft 365 Copilot is available as an add-on to Business and Enterprise plans, and Copilot Chat is included in both.
We confirm availability for your tenant and plan before you commit. Microsoft 365 Copilot Business.
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