Top Ten Reasons to Consider Microsoft 365 E5

Kyle Cira
Sep 10
3 min read

When it comes to Microsoft 365 licensing, many organizations hesitate at the price tag of Microsoft 365 E5. But in practice, E5 can deliver significant security, compliance, and cost advantages—especially for organizations that want to protect high-value users and streamline security management. Here are ten reasons why Microsoft 365 E5 is worth serious consideration.

1. Protect High-Value Targets

Not every employee faces the same level of cyber risk. HR, IT, executives, and other leaders are far more likely to be targeted by phishing, credential theft, and social engineering. Giving these high-value roles access to the best security capabilities included in E5—like advanced threat protection, real-time monitoring, and stronger identity controls—can drastically reduce the likelihood of a costly breach.

2. Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Compared to Third-Party Stacks

Many businesses try to stitch together separate vendors for email security, endpoint detection, SIEM, DLP, and compliance. While each tool may be strong, integration is often messy and the total costs (licensing, training, support, integration) pile up quickly. With Microsoft 365 E5, you gain an end-to-end security and compliance platform that reduces complexity, lowers TCO, and frees your IT staff to focus on higher-value tasks.

3. Consolidate and Save

Many organizations already pay for individual security add-ons:

Entra ID Premium P1/P2
Defender for Office 365 P1/P2
3rd party email protection
3rd party endpoint protection
Other advanced Microsoft security features

When you add up those costs, they can rival or exceed the price of a full E5 license. By consolidating under Microsoft 365 E5, you not only save money but also simplify billing, licensing, and support.

4. Cyber Insurance Applications Ask for It

Insurers are tightening requirements for cyber liability coverage. Increasingly, cyber insurance applications ask if your organization uses Microsoft 365 E5 or equivalent services. Having E5 can strengthen your security posture, help satisfy insurers’ requirements, and potentially lower premiums.

5. Compliance and Insider Risk Management for Regulated Industries

If you’re a regulated organization, E5 is likely worth it. Rather than picking and choosing between security and compliance add-ons, you need both. Microsoft 365 E5 delivers advanced compliance features like Compliance Manager, Insider Risk Management, and Communication Compliance out of the box. These tools help you meet regulatory requirements, reduce insider threats, and protect sensitive data—making it much easier to pass audits and avoid costly fines.

6. Unlock Automation with Plan 2 Offerings

Microsoft often reserves automation and advanced security features behind their “Plan 2” licensing tiers. From identity governance to insider risk management, automation reduces manual work and ensures consistent policy enforcement. With Microsoft 365 E5, you automatically gain access to all Plan 2 offerings—removing roadblocks to scaling your security program.

7. Better Visibility with Advanced Threat Analytics

E5 provides Microsoft Defender for Identity and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint at their most advanced levels, delivering deep visibility into user behavior, devices, and potential threats. This level of detection and analytics can help stop attackers earlier in the kill chain—before they move laterally or escalate privileges.

8. Implement Critical CIS M365 Controls

Many organizations look to the CIS Microsoft 365 Security Benchmark as a trusted guide for hardening their environment. However, several critical CIS controls require E5 licensing to implement. Without E5, your organization may be forced to accept higher risk—or try to patch together partial solutions. With E5, you can confidently implement the strongest controls and raise your security maturity.

9. Standardize for Faster Incident Response

During a security incident, every second counts. If your environment is spread across multiple disparate systems, your team may waste valuable time switching between tools, correlating logs, and struggling to piece together what’s happening. Microsoft 365 E5 allows you to standardize on a single, unified security ecosystem with Defender Security Center, complete with SIEM/SOAR functionality. This unified approach makes it easier to detect, respond, and recover—often the difference between surviving or succumbing to a cyberattack.

10. Provide a Cohesive Security Experience

Security works best when it’s consistent. If some users have advanced protections while others don’t, your weakest link becomes the attacker’s entry point. Microsoft 365 E5 gives your organization a cohesive, enterprise-grade security foundation for every user—covering email, collaboration, identity, devices, and data.

Final Thoughts

Microsoft 365 E5 isn’t just another license—it’s a comprehensive security, compliance, and productivity package designed for today’s threat landscape. For organizations with high-value targets, fragmented add-ons, or growing compliance requirements, E5 can deliver peace of mind and real financial value.

At Redeemer Cyber, we help businesses evaluate licensing options through a Microsoft 365 Security Licensing Review. If you’re wondering whether E5 is right for you, we can help you weigh the tradeoffs, calculate costs, and design a roadmap that maximizes your investment.