Situatie
Microsoft Entra is now an umbrella identity platform that includes:
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Entra ID (formerly Azure AD)
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Entra Permissions Management
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Entra Verified ID
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Entra ID Governance (enterprise-level)
For most SMBs, Entra ID is the primary concern — the backbone of user authentication for Microsoft 365, Teams, Intune, and even third-party apps.
Free vs Paid Plans: 2025 Breakdown
| Feature | Free | Entra ID P1 | Entra ID P2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Sign-On (SSO) |  |
|
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| User/Group Management | |
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| Security Defaults (MFA on all users) | |
|
|
| Conditional Access Policies |  |
|
|
| Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) | (for cloud-only) |
|
|
| Hybrid Join (on-prem AD) | |
|
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| Identity Protection (risk-based MFA) | |
|
|
| Privileged Identity Management (PIM) | |
|
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| Access Reviews | |
|
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| Pricing (2025 est.) | Free | ~6 USD/user/month | ~9 USD/user/month |
The Free plan is still surprisingly useful for small teams using Microsoft 365:
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Cloud-based user accounts
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Basic MFA via Security Defaults
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Integration with up to 10 third-party SSO apps
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Admin portal with user logs
However, it lacks Conditional Access, so you can’t enforce more granular policies like:
“Block access unless user is in Romania and on a compliant device.”
Entra ID P1 is often the sweet spot for SMBs in 2025. It unlocks:
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Conditional Access policies (location, device, risk)
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Hybrid AD Join (sync on-prem Active Directory)
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Self-service group management
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Intune + Entra integration for device compliance
Example use case: An SMB wants to allow Teams logins only from managed mobile devices — P1 is required.
This tier is usually overkill for SMBs, unless:
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You manage multiple administrators and need PIM (just-in-time access)
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You require Identity Protection to detect risky sign-ins and automate blocking
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You need Access Reviews for compliance (ISO 27001, HIPAA)
It’s most useful for MSPs or SMBs working in finance, healthcare, or government sectors.
Licensing Notes (April 2025)
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Microsoft 365 Business Premium now includes Entra ID P1
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Microsoft is testing per-group conditional access licensing, expected late 2025
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A new SMB-specific bundle (with Defender for Endpoint and Intune) is in preview.
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