- A
Upgrade all users to Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
Why wrong: Business Premium includes Intune and Defender for Office 365, but it costs about $22/user/month, which is more than adding the needed capabilities as standalone add-ons to the existing Basic licenses.
- B
Add the Microsoft 365 Business Premium add-on to each user.
Why wrong: There is no such add-on; Business Premium is a complete plan, not an add-on to another plan.
- C
Purchase Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 as standalone add-ons.
Both Intune and Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 are available as standalone add-ons for Business Basic. This adds the needed features at a lower total cost than switching to a higher-tier plan.
- D
Upgrade all users to Microsoft 365 E3.
Why wrong: Microsoft 365 E3 is more expensive than Business Basic plus the required add-ons, and it also includes many other features that are not needed, making it less cost-effective.
MS-900 Describe Microsoft 365 pricing and support Practice Question
This MS-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe microsoft 365 pricing and support. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. A key principle to apply: microsoft Intune is available as a standalone add-on.. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company with 200 users currently has Microsoft 365 Business Basic licenses. They now need device management (Microsoft Intune) and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 for all users. They want to keep costs as low as possible. What is the most cost-effective licensing strategy?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Purchase Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 as standalone add-ons.
Option C is correct because Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 are available as standalone add-ons for Microsoft 365 Business Basic. This allows the company to add only the specific services needed without upgrading the entire license, keeping costs minimal while meeting the device management and security requirements.
Key principle: Microsoft Intune is available as a standalone add-on.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Upgrade all users to Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
Why it's wrong here
Business Premium includes Intune and Defender for Office 365, but it costs about $22/user/month, which is more than adding the needed capabilities as standalone add-ons to the existing Basic licenses.
- ✗
Add the Microsoft 365 Business Premium add-on to each user.
Why it's wrong here
There is no such add-on; Business Premium is a complete plan, not an add-on to another plan.
- ✓
Purchase Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 as standalone add-ons.
Why this is correct
Both Intune and Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 are available as standalone add-ons for Business Basic. This adds the needed features at a lower total cost than switching to a higher-tier plan.
Related concept
Microsoft Intune is available as a standalone add-on.
- ✗
Upgrade all users to Microsoft 365 E3.
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft 365 E3 is more expensive than Business Basic plus the required add-ons, and it also includes many other features that are not needed, making it less cost-effective.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume you must upgrade to a higher-tier suite (like Business Premium) to get Intune and Defender, overlooking the cost-effective standalone add-on options available for Business Basic.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Microsoft Intune can be licensed as a standalone service (Microsoft Intune Plan 1) and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 is a separate add-on that provides anti-malware, anti-phishing, and safe links/attachments protection for Exchange Online. These add-ons integrate directly with Business Basic’s existing Exchange Online and Azure AD infrastructure, allowing granular control without the overhead of full suite upgrades. In a real-world scenario, a company with 200 users might save thousands annually by avoiding unnecessary suite features like desktop apps or advanced compliance.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Microsoft Intune is available as a standalone add-on.
- Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 is available as a standalone add-on.
- Standalone add-ons can be combined with Microsoft 365 Business Basic licenses.
- Purchasing specific add-ons is often more cost-effective than upgrading to a higher-tier bundle for targeted needs.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Microsoft Intune is available as a standalone add-on.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review microsoft Intune is available as a standalone add-on., then practise related MS-900 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this MS-900 question test?
Describe Microsoft 365 pricing and support — This question tests Describe Microsoft 365 pricing and support — Microsoft Intune is available as a standalone add-on..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Purchase Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 as standalone add-ons. — Option C is correct because Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 are available as standalone add-ons for Microsoft 365 Business Basic. This allows the company to add only the specific services needed without upgrading the entire license, keeping costs minimal while meeting the device management and security requirements.
What should I do if I get this MS-900 question wrong?
Review microsoft Intune is available as a standalone add-on., then practise related MS-900 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Microsoft Intune is available as a standalone add-on.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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