Compare Microsoft Copilot in Microsoft 365 E3, E5, and E7

Microsoft 365 E3, E5, and E7 provide different levels of security, compliance, governance, and AI capabilities. Use this article to compare the capabilities that help prepare your Microsoft 365 data for Microsoft Copilot and determine which license best supports your organization's requirements.

Important

Licensing availability and product terms can change. Confirm current eligibility and included capabilities in the applicable Microsoft product terms and service descriptions before you purchase or assign licenses.

For more information, see Microsoft 365 Copilot service description, Microsoft Copilot pricing and plans, and Microsoft Copilot licensing.

Compare the licenses

The following table summarizes the primary differences among Microsoft 365 E3, E5, and E7.

Important

Microsoft 365 E7 includes the capabilities of Microsoft 365 E5 and adds Microsoft Copilot, the Microsoft Entra Suite, and Microsoft Agent 365 in a single license.

Capability area	Microsoft 365 E3	Microsoft 365 E5	Microsoft 365 E7
Microsoft 365 productivity apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote	Included	Included	Included
Microsoft Copilot	Available as an add-on	Available as an add-on	Included
Security	Foundational identity with Microsoft Entra ID P1 and basic threat protection	Advanced identity with Microsoft Entra ID P2 and full Microsoft Defender XDR capabilities	Microsoft 365 E5 capabilities, plus the full Microsoft Entra Suite and agent security
Compliance and data governance	Core Microsoft Purview capabilities	Advanced Microsoft Purview capabilities	Microsoft 365 E5 capabilities, plus agent-focused governance
Microsoft Security Copilot	Not included	Included for eligible customers	Included for eligible customers
Microsoft Agent 365	Not included	Not included	Included

Compare capabilities and outcomes

Copilot uses the permissions and controls applied to organizational data in Microsoft 365. Compare Microsoft 365 E3, E5, and E7 based on your organization's required outcomes and the capabilities that support them.

Capability or outcome	Microsoft 365 E3	Microsoft 365 E5	Microsoft 365 E7
Reduce oversharing and manage content with SharePoint Advanced Management	SharePoint administration and foundational governance controls. SharePoint Advanced Management requires the Microsoft Copilot add-on.	Advanced SharePoint and governance controls. SharePoint Advanced Management requires the Microsoft Copilot add-on.	Microsoft 365 E5 capabilities, plus SharePoint Advanced Management through the included Microsoft Copilot license and controls that extend to agent governance.
Classify data and protect sensitive data	Manual sensitivity labeling and core data loss prevention capabilities.	Automatic labeling, broader data loss prevention coverage, and advanced information protection.	Microsoft 365 E5 capabilities, plus protection and governance controls that extend to Copilot experiences and AI agents.
Audit, eDiscovery, records management, and compliance management	Standard audit, core eDiscovery, records management, and foundational compliance capabilities.	Advanced audit with 10-year retention, eDiscovery, investigation, records management, and compliance capabilities.	Microsoft 365 E5 capabilities, plus visibility and governance for Copilot and agent activity.
Manage insider risk and communication compliance	Foundational compliance and protection controls.	Insider Risk Management, Communication Compliance, Adaptive Protection, and related advanced controls.	Microsoft 365 E5 capabilities, plus risk and governance controls that extend to Copilot experiences and AI agents.
Secure AI-assisted workflows	Foundational Microsoft 365 identity, access, and security controls.	Microsoft Security Copilot and advanced threat, identity, and access protection.	Microsoft 365 E5 capabilities, plus the Microsoft Entra Suite and security controls for AI agents.
Govern AI agents at enterprise scale with Microsoft Agent 365	Not included.	Not included.	Centralized agent governance, security, access, and lifecycle management.