Microsoft 365 Business Basic gives each person a 50 GB business mailbox, Teams, 1 TB of OneDrive storage and the web and mobile versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Business Standard adds the full desktop apps for Windows and Mac. This guide compares the plans Host Dada sells so you can pick the right one for each person.
The short answer
- Business Basic suits people who mainly need email, calendar, Teams and file storage, and are happy using Word and Excel in a web browser or on a phone.
- Business Standard suits anyone who works in Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook on a Windows PC or Mac every day. It's our most popular plan.
- You can mix plans in the same Microsoft 365 organisation. For example, give the office team Business Standard and give staff who only need email Business Basic.
Plans compared
| What you get (per user) | Business Basic | Business Standard | Business Premium | Apps for business |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business email on your own domain (Exchange) | Yes, 50 GB mailbox | Yes, 50 GB mailbox | Yes, 50 GB mailbox | No |
| Microsoft Teams (chat, meetings, calls) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| OneDrive cloud storage | 1 TB | 1 TB | 1 TB | 1 TB |
| SharePoint (shared team files and sites) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook on the web and mobile | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop apps for Windows and Mac | No | Yes, on up to 5 PCs or Macs, 5 tablets and 5 phones | Yes, same as Standard | Yes, same as Standard |
| Advanced security (device management, Defender for Business) | No | No | Yes | No |
All Business plans are designed for organisations with up to 300 users. Microsoft's full breakdown is on its plan options page.
Old plan names you might see
Microsoft has renamed its plans over the years, so older invoices, emails and help pages may use different names:
| Old name | Today's name |
|---|---|
| Office 365 Business Essentials | Microsoft 365 Business Basic |
| Office 365 Business Premium | Microsoft 365 Business Standard |
| Microsoft 365 Business | Microsoft 365 Business Premium |
| Office 365 Business | Microsoft 365 Apps for business |
What Host Dada does for you
- Genuine licences. Host Dada is a Microsoft partner and supplies your Microsoft 365 subscription directly.
- Billing in one place. Your Microsoft 365 invoices and renewals appear in your Client Area alongside your hosting and domains.
- Adding or changing licences. To add more users, or to move someone from Basic to Standard, open a ticket and we'll update your subscription. Upgrading keeps the person's email and files.
- Domain and DNS setup. If your domain uses Host Dada nameservers, we can help you add the records Microsoft 365 needs. See Microsoft 365 DNS records on Host Dada nameservers.
- UK support. Our team can help with setup, users, mailboxes and Outlook problems.
Which plan should each person have?
- Do they need their own email address? If yes, they need Basic, Standard or Premium. Shared addresses such as info@ or sales@ don't need a licence. Use a free shared mailbox instead.
- Do they use desktop Word, Excel or Outlook on a computer? If yes, choose Business Standard. If a browser and phone are enough, Business Basic will do.
- Do you need to manage company laptops and phones centrally? If you want to enforce security on devices, wipe a lost laptop or use advanced threat protection, consider Business Premium.
Troubleshooting
"I can't find the button to install Word on my PC"
That person almost certainly has a Business Basic licence, which includes the web and mobile apps only. Ask us to upgrade them to Business Standard, then follow Install Microsoft 365 apps.
"There's no licence available when I add a new user"
Every licence you've bought is already assigned. Open a ticket to add another licence, or remove the licence from someone who has left first. See Remove a leaver.
"Office apps say 'Unlicensed Product'"
The person is signed in with an account that has no desktop app licence, often a personal Microsoft account. Sign out and sign in with the work email address. More fixes are in Install Microsoft 365 apps.
Ready to get started, or want to add Microsoft 365 to your hosting? See Host Dada's Microsoft 365 plans.
Last reviewed: October 2026
