Windows Home or Professional – What’s best for my business?
Posted on 9 September 2025 by Beaming SupportWith many customers upgrading from Windows 10 to 11, this has raised the question of which version of Windows they should be using.
On the face of it, it would appear pretty simple, if you’re a home user then get the home version and if you’re a business user then get the pro version. As a general rule that’s actually true but like any good rule, there are always some exceptions, so let dig a little deeper into the subject.
The first thing to do is to have a look at what the differences are between Windows Home and Pro. The table below shows the major differences and the ones we are going to focus on in this article.
| Feature | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro |
| BitLocker Encryption | ❌ | ✅ |
| Remote Desktop | Client Only Support | ✅ |
| Domain Join | ❌ | ✅ |
| Group Policy Management | ❌ | ✅ |
| Mobile Device Management | ❌ | ✅ |
| Assigned Access | ❌ | ✅ |
| Price (as at August 2025) | Approximately £130 | Approximately £200 |
So, lets run through the features above and see why some home users might find pro features handy and why some business users might not need the pro features.
BitLocker Encryption: This feature secures data on your computer’s hard drive. It protects sensitive data by encrypting the entire disk, so if a laptop is stolen, the data cannot be accessed. This is critical for mobile devices and for any machine storing confidential information. Best practice is for little or no data to be stored on a local machine and for it to be stored on a server or in the cloud.
Remote Desktop: Windows 11 Pro allows you to access and control your PC from a different location, which is useful if you travel with a laptop but need to connect to your office desktop. The Home version only supports connecting as a client, not hosting a remote connection.
Domain Join: This is one of the most important Pro features for businesses. It allows a device to connect to a company’s network or a cloud domain like Microsoft Azure Active Directory. Joining a domain lets your IT department centrally manage the device, control access to files and programs, and improve security.
Centralised Management: The next three items (Group Policy Management, Mobile Device Management, Assigned Access) are tools that let IT administrators enforce security policies, manage user accounts, and configure settings across multiple computers at once.
The Bottom Line
If your business uses a hosted or cloud domain, Windows 11 Pro is essential for device management and security. For standalone PCs in an office, the decision often comes down to BitLocker encryption. If you’re using a laptop with confidential data, Pro is the safer choice. However, if it’s a desktop that never leaves the office and doesn’t hold sensitive information, Windows 11 Home may be a cost-effective option.