MS365

billn

Not a question but a heads up, from 1st January 2025 MS365 has gone up by about 42% this is because it now includes Copilot, Microsoft will email before auto renewal but will not make it clear that the original, which is now called Classic is still available. To get Classic select cancel the subscription and the page will show the alternatives.

I know some on here think MS365 is not worth the money but some do.

Doshwaster

I subscribe to M365 but always get a new subscription every year rather than let it auto-renew as there are always offers on if you shop around.

I can understand the tech companies wanting to make their money back on all of their AI investment but a such a big increase for Copilot does seem excessive. If it had been a pound or two a month I might have gone along with it but at that level I won't bother.

Vitor

Companies will be looking to use AI to save hiring staff/layoff existing staff and will do a cost/benefit analysis accordingly.

SiliconChip

billn said:

Not a question but a heads up, from 1st January 2025 MS365 has gone up by about 42% this is because it now includes Copilot, Microsoft will email before auto renewal but will not make it clear that the original, which is now called Classic is still available. To get Classic select cancel the subscription and the page will show the alternatives.

I know some on here think MS365 is not worth the money but some do.

What's your evidence for this? My MS365 Family subscription renewed on 12th January 2025 for exactly the same price (£79.99) as 1 year previously, and as far as I can tell it includes Copilot, although I haven't used it yet.

billn

SiliconChip said:

What's your evidence for this?

I looked at my subscription page to check how much would be taken and it has gone up from £59.99 the last time I looked which was the end of last year to £84.99 now.

Doshwaster

SiliconChip said:

billn said:

Not a question but a heads up, from 1st January 2025 MS365 has gone up by about 42% this is because it now includes Copilot, Microsoft will email before auto renewal but will not make it clear that the original, which is now called Classic is still available. To get Classic select cancel the subscription and the page will show the alternatives.

I know some on here think MS365 is not worth the money but some do.

What's your evidence for this? My MS365 Family subscription renewed on 12th January 2025 for exactly the same price (£79.99) as 1 year previously, and as far as I can tell it includes Copilot, although I haven't used it yet.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/its-official-all-your-office-apps-are-getting-ai-and-a-price-increase/

Current subscribers should have got a free Copilot upgrade (it appeared in my Word and Excel a few weeks ago) but from the renewal it will be a paid for feature. MS will be hoping that people start using it and will want to keep paying for it or won't realise that it is optional.

SiliconChip

Doshwaster said:

SiliconChip said:

billn said:

Not a question but a heads up, from 1st January 2025 MS365 has gone up by about 42% this is because it now includes Copilot, Microsoft will email before auto renewal but will not make it clear that the original, which is now called Classic is still available. To get Classic select cancel the subscription and the page will show the alternatives.

I know some on here think MS365 is not worth the money but some do.

What's your evidence for this? My MS365 Family subscription renewed on 12th January 2025 for exactly the same price (£79.99) as 1 year previously, and as far as I can tell it includes Copilot, although I haven't used it yet.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/its-official-all-your-office-apps-are-getting-ai-and-a-price-increase/

Current subscribers should have got a free Copilot upgrade (it appeared in my Word and Excel a few weeks ago) but from the renewal it will be a paid for feature. MS will be hoping that people start using it and will want to keep paying for it or won't realise that it is optional.

Looks like I was fortunate in the timing of my subscription then, it looks like rather than applying from 1st January it came into effect on the 16th, so I get almost a year with Copilot at the old price. If I don't use it, or don't find it useful, I'll have to try to remember to exclude it when I renew next year. I note that with a Family subscruption Copilot is only available to the subscription owner and not to anyone else it's shared with, who would have to pay for their own upgrade to include Copilot access.

Doshwaster

SiliconChip said:

Doshwaster said:

SiliconChip said:

billn said:

Not a question but a heads up, from 1st January 2025 MS365 has gone up by about 42% this is because it now includes Copilot, Microsoft will email before auto renewal but will not make it clear that the original, which is now called Classic is still available. To get Classic select cancel the subscription and the page will show the alternatives.

I know some on here think MS365 is not worth the money but some do.

What's your evidence for this? My MS365 Family subscription renewed on 12th January 2025 for exactly the same price (£79.99) as 1 year previously, and as far as I can tell it includes Copilot, although I haven't used it yet.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/its-official-all-your-office-apps-are-getting-ai-and-a-price-increase/

Current subscribers should have got a free Copilot upgrade (it appeared in my Word and Excel a few weeks ago) but from the renewal it will be a paid for feature. MS will be hoping that people start using it and will want to keep paying for it or won't realise that it is optional.

Looks like I was fortunate in the timing of my subscription then, it looks like rather than applying from 1st January it came into effect on the 16th, so I get almost a year with Copilot at the old price. If I don't use it, or don't find it useful, I'll have to try to remember to exclude it when I renew next year. I note that with a Family subscruption Copilot is only available to the subscription owner and not to anyone else it's shared with, who would have to pay for their own upgrade to include Copilot access.

It's not even going to be unlimited access to Copilot. You will get 60 "credits" per month. If you want more then you need to pay for Copilot Pro

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/understanding-ai-credits-68530f1a-4459-4d02-9818-8233c1f673b8

Vitor

MSFT doesn't make their money from Family subscriptions 

Wyndham

Mine has just renewed, at the old price. I understand that the increase will apply from my next renewal, i.e. in a years time. At that point I will look at alternatives!

jbuchanangb

I received a tip-off: "If you use Microsoft 365 family plan at £79.99 for a year and five accounts, beware ... They have added copilot in without asking you and raised the price to £104.99. There is a way round, go to your plan settings, cancel, then you will see a menu for Microsoft 365 Classic, just the same, no ai rubbish and still £79.99. " I have followed the instructions and although I have the "free" CoPilot extension at the moment I will revert to "Classic" at next renewal