BUSINESS CENTRAL LICENSING
Dynamics 365 Business Central is Microsoft’s all-in-one business management solution for small and mid-sized organizations. From finance and sales to inventory and project management, it brings your operations together in a single, streamlined platform. But to get the most out of Business Central, it’s essential to understand how licensing works. This guide walks you through the available license types, user roles, and pricing tiers, all so you can choose the right setup for your business goals and budget.
Business Central Team Member
Best for: Light users who need read-only access or occasional updates.
Ideal for employees who don’t require full access to Business Central but still need to view data, run reports, and perform limited tasks like time entry or updating personal information. A cost-effective option for team members who support business processes without managing them directly.
Includes: Read access to all data across Business Central, update capabilities for select fields (e.g., timesheets, expenses), participation in workflows and approvals, access to custom apps and dashboards
Month to Month Commitment
$9.60
per user/month
Annual Commitment
(pay monthly)
$8.40
per user/month
Annual Commitment
(pay upfront)
$8
per user/month
$96
per user/year*
Business Central Essentials
Best for: Core business users managing day-to-day operations.
The Essentials license is designed for users who need access to the core capabilities of Business Central. It supports financial management, sales, purchasing, inventory, and project management—making it a great fit for most small to mid-sized businesses.
Includes: Financial management (GL, AP/AR, bank reconciliation), sales and purchasing, inventory and warehouse management, project management, basic human resources, CRM capabilities
Month to Month Commitment
$84
per user/month
Annual Commitment
(pay monthly)
$73.50
per user/month
Annual Commitment
(pay upfront)
$70
per user/month
$840
per user/year*
Business Central Premium
Best for: Businesses with advanced operational needs like manufacturing or service management.
The Premium license builds on Essentials by adding powerful features for companies that need to manage production or deliver complex services. It’s ideal for manufacturers, service-based businesses, or any organization with advanced operational workflows.
Includes: Everything in Essentials, plus: Manufacturing (production orders, BOMs, capacity planning), service management (service orders, contracts, dispatching)
Month to Month Commitment
$120
per user/month
Annual Commitment
(pay monthly)
$105
per user/month
Annual Commitment
(pay upfront)
$100
per user/month
$1200
per user/year*
*Dynamics 365 Business Central Price are set to increase in October 2025. Make sure to lock in the lower rate beforehand! Three year plans are also available, as well as migration discounts up to 40% for on premise GP, NAV, SL clients
Month to Month Commitment
$48
per device/month
Annual Commitment
(pay monthly)
$42
per device/month
Annual Commitment
(pay upfront)
$40
per device/month
$480
per device/year
Best for: Shared workstations or devices used by multiple users in roles like warehouse, retail, or manufacturing.
The Device license is designed for scenarios where multiple users access Business Central through a single, shared device. It’s ideal for environments like shop floors, warehouses, or front desks, where users perform transactional tasks without needing individual user licenses.
Includes: Access to Business Central through a licensed device, support for multiple users on the same device (one at a time), use of features like point-of-sale, inventory receiving, shipping, and time registration, integration with barcode scanners and other peripherals
Key Benefit: Cost-effective licensing for high-turnover or shift-based roles where individual user licenses aren’t practical.
Business Central Storage
Each tenant gets 80 GB base storage, shared across all environments. Customers also receive additional storage per licensed user.
- Premium: 3 GB per license of this type
- Essential: 2 GB per license of this type
- Device: 1 GB per license of this type
More storage capacity is available in the add-on increments below, and Microsoft Azure can serve as a complementary source of storage as well. Azure Blob Storage could help your organization offload or archive large files, backups, or exported data to improve performance and reduce costs.
Database Capacity Add-On
(1 GB)
What it is: A standard add-on that provides an additional 1 GB of database storage.
Use case: Ideal for businesses that need a small storage boost without committing to a large block.
Best for: Gradual growth, smaller tenants, or those testing new features or integrations.
Month to Month Commitment
$12
/month
Annual Commitment
(pay monthly)
$10.50
/month
Annual Commitment
(pay upfront)
$10
/month
$120
/year
Database Capacity Add-On
(100 GB)
What it is: A bulk storage add-on that provides 100 GB of additional capacity.
Use case: Designed for organizations with high data volumes or long-term storage needs.
Best for: Large businesses, multi-branch operations, or those storing extensive historical data.
Month to Month Commitment
$600
/month
Annual Commitment
(pay monthly)
$525
/month
Annual Commitment
(pay upfront)
$500
/month
$6,000
/year
Database Capacity Overage
(1 GB)
What it is: A discounted 1 GB add-on available only after purchasing at least one 100 GB block.
Use case: Offers a more affordable way to scale storage once you’ve committed to a larger capacity tier.
Best for: Businesses that have already purchased 100 GB and want incremental expansion at lower cost.
Month to Month Commitment
$6
/month
Annual Commitment
(pay monthly)
5.25
/month
Annual Commitment
(pay upfront)
$5
/month
$60
/year
Business Central External Accountant
Additionally, we thought the Business Central External Accountant license was worth mentioning! It’s best for External accountants or bookkeepers who manage financial data on behalf of your organization.
The External Accountant license is a specialized license that allows a third-party accountant to access your Business Central environment. It provides full access to financial data and reporting tools, enabling external professionals to support your business with tasks like auditing, tax preparation, and financial reporting—without consuming a paid user license.
Business Central Information Access via Teams
Did you know? With Microsoft 365 Business integration for Dynamics 365 Business Central, users can view and collaborate on business data, such as customer details, invoices, and sales orders, directly within Teams conversations. Even team members without a Business Central license can see shared records, as long as a licensed user shares them in a chat or channel.
Businesses can save significantly by avoiding the need to purchase additional Team Member or full Business Central licenses just to keep everyone informed. From Microsoft, here are the steps to get you going!
- Configure which Business Central data the Microsoft 365 licensed users have permission to view
- Enable access with Microsoft 365 licenses on the Business Central environment
- Assign a security group to the environment (not required)
- Deploy the Business Central app for Teams to users
- Test your setup (not required)
Work with xMonthly to Choose the Right Plan
Choosing the right Dynamics 365 Business Central license is essential to getting the most value from your investment by not overpaying for features you don’t need. That’s where xMonthly comes in. Our team will work closely with you to understand your business processes, user roles, and operational goals to recommend the most cost-effective and scalable licensing strategy.
Schedule a free consultation call today and get tailored recommendations that align with your business goals and budget!