About this article
This article was created using an automated generation workflow powered by generative AI. Based on the official Microsoft Japan plans and pricing pages as of September 12, 2026, it organizes Business Premium and Microsoft 365 E3 so you can choose between them not just on price, but based on organization size, Windows, management, and storage.Verification Status: 📘 Microsoft Official Plans and Pricing Confirmed — Individual Contract Terms Not Confirmed
While Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Microsoft 365 E3 are both plans that bundle Office applications, identity management, and device management, the major dividing line in choosing between them is the 300-user limit, Windows Enterprise, large-scale organization management, and storage scalability. For organizations with 300 users or fewer that want to consolidate security and device management, Business Premium is a strong fit. If you exceed 300 users, want to standardize on Windows Enterprise, or require large-scale management, E3 becomes the easier option to consider.
First, review the official pricing under the same conditions
According to official Japanese listings as of September 12, 2026, typical pricing for annual commitments/annual subscriptions including Teams is as follows. Prices are exclusive of tax and may differ from contract prices via CSP, EA, etc.
| Plan | Official Display Price | Number of Users | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 Business Premium | Equivalent to ¥3,298 / user / month | Up to 300 | Easy to bundle Office, identity, device management, and security for small and medium-sized businesses |
| Microsoft 365 E3 | Equivalent to ¥5,847 / user / month | No limit | Windows Enterprise, large-scale management, broader storage/Enterprise features |
One important point to note here is that Office 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 E3 are different. If you look only at Office 365 E3 and conclude that "E3 is cheaper," you are not making a comparison that includes Windows and management features.
A self-assessment checklist you can run right now
Write down just the following 5 items in Excel or Notepad and answer Yes/No for each.
1. 3年以内に300ユーザーを超える可能性があるか 2. Windows Enterpriseをライセンス設計に含めたいか 3. 1ユーザー1TBを超えるストレージ要件が現実的にあるか 4. 大規模組織向けの管理・コンプライアンス要件があるか 5. 価格差より、将来のライセンス再設計を避けることを優先するか
Look here
If item 1 is No, you do not separately need Windows Enterprise, and you will stay within 300 users, Business Premium is a very strong option. Conversely, if item 1 or 2 is Yes, it makes a lot of sense to include Microsoft 365 E3 in your comparison from the start.
Change one variable
Instead of your "current user count," evaluate based on your estimated maximum user count in three years.
For example, if you currently have 250 users, you are 50 users away from the Business Premium cap of 300. If there is a possibility you will exceed this due to hiring or subsidiary integration, the operational cost of restructuring your license framework midway is also a factor to compare, rather than deciding based solely on current pricing.
Scenarios where Business Premium is a good fit
You stay within the 300-user limit
You want to bundle Office apps, email, identity, device management, and security into a single package
You want to start device and access management using Intune and Entra ID
You want to avoid complex enterprise-grade license design
Rather than "it's cheap so it's for SMBs," what matters is that it is easy to bundle necessary features within the clear boundary of 300 users.
Scenarios where E3 is a good fit
Microsoft 365 E3 is an enterprise suite that includes Windows Enterprise without assuming size restrictions. Microsoft officially highlights features such as 1 TB to over 5 TB of cloud storage per user, Windows Enterprise, and large-scale device management and security.
You exceed, or are very likely to exceed, 300 users
You want to standardize on Windows Enterprise
You want to unify devices, identities, and compliance across the entire enterprise
You want to standardize licenses assuming future organizational growth
Do not mix "with Teams" and "without Teams"
Microsoft 365 sometimes displays SKUs with and without Teams. Business Premium without Teams has a different price than the version with Teams. The same applies to E3.
When creating a comparison table, always include the following columns to reduce errors.
製品名 | Teams有無 | 契約期間 | 税込/税別 | 1ユーザー月額 | ユーザー上限
This alone largely prevents mistakes such as "comparing different SKUs as if they were the same product."
For professional use
If IT or general affairs is preparing an internal approval proposal, it is easier to make a decision if you set "your company's boundary conditions" first rather than listing all features.
Example:
Currently 450 users → Business Premium alone does not meet the user limit condition
200 users and device management to be unified going forward → Compare using Business Premium as the baseline
280 users with M&and acquisition planned → Estimate E3 transition timing and total cost in advance
From a practical standpoint, plan selection should be decided not by "which has more advanced features," but by which option seamlessly satisfies your company's headcount, Windows, and management requirements.
