MS365

jazzy4906

I've just done the downgrade to the Classic version and saved myself £25 at the next renewal which is coming up in a few weeks. This needs to be shared far and wide!

MSE_Molly_G

Hi everyone, we've just published a news story on this: Microsoft's auto-adding up to £30 a year to 365 subscriptions for its AI software – but we've a trick to avoid it. Thanks!

Booknik18

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.

Sadly mine renewed back in October at the new high price. I cancelled the autorenew today but the only option to re subscribe is at £84.99 or a higher monthly rate. 

gt94sss2

MSE_Molly_G said:

Hi everyone, we've just published a news story on this: Microsoft's auto-adding up to £30 a year to 365 subscriptions for its AI software – but we've a trick to avoid it. Thanks!

Is what Microsoft is doing actually legal?

The practice of automatically opting customers into a service without their agreement and later charging for it if they do not cancel is known as inertia selling, and consumer legislation expressly prohibits this.

EddyM

Doshwaster said:

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.

This is what we always do too, except we buy several years at a time when it's on offer (usually best price is on Amazon for Black Friday and Prime Day), as you can add further years onto your existing subscription at any time rather than waiting until it's due for renewal (what you're buying is basically a code that you apply to the subscription in your Microsoft Account). Last time we topped it up was with a 15-month subscription (of Microsoft 365 Family) for £42.99 in July 2024, and it currently expires in September 2027. And it looks like we're still getting the AI stuff added as well, without paying any extra.

I thought this was going to be the "trick" mentioned in the headline, but it's not mentioned in the article at all. Maybe it's not a particularly good option right now (currently £69.99 for 15 months on Amazon), but surely it would still be worth mentioning and explaining how it works in the bit with other options at the end?

Actually looking at the table with the prices again, even that is still £10 cheaper than the "old price" per year, but it's actually got 3 extra months too, so people could buy several of it now to save money on what they would have already been paying for the next few years even if there hadn't been any changes *and* still get the new AI stuff too! (unless I'm missing something?)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Protection-Subscriptions-Antivirus-Activation/dp/B08V5M5N29

(That current best-value option also comes with McAfee for some reason but ignore that, you don't have to install it!)

Ericcat

I never simply renew my subscription to MS365. 

For the last several years I’ve bought from eBay an activation code to renew my subscription while still using my own MS account.  Last year I paid £54 for a year’s “Family” subscription. 

Make sure your account isn’t set to auto-renew, buy a code from a seller on eBay, enter said code in your account and watch as your subscription renews for another year. 

thefastone

MSE_Molly_G said:

Hi everyone, we've just published a news story on this: Microsoft's auto-adding up to £30 a year to 365 subscriptions for its AI software – but we've a trick to avoid Thanks!

OK, so my question is, does this affect business customers or is this JUST for personal customers? I pay for a business standard sub, for something like £12.99 a month, do I need to take this action too?

TheOutlineKid

Thanks for flagging this up.  I can’t believe that Microsoft switched me onto this new plan without even emailing me.  I feel like cancelling the whole thing. 

Copilot is just another annoying and interfering thing that Microsoft is trying to force on us.  Remember clippy “I can see you’re trying to write a letter”?  They soon got rid of that after the backlash.  

Anyway hopefully by not paying for it by switching to the classic plan we don’t have to be bothered by it and can just write our documents and spreadsheets in peace. 

HampshireHound

Doshwaster said:

 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.

It's increasing £2.50, so while the headline might be attention grabbing it looks like Microsoft is pretty much increasing prices by what you consider reasonable...

oldandwizend

Apart from initial purchase some 15 years ago, i have never renewed with Microsoft. As Doshwaster says there are always offer around. Also, you do not have to await until near renewal date as any new subscription automatically extends existing date. I generally start looking about two months before renewal and have, to date, always found a 'Family' annual subscription price at least £15 to £25 cheaper than Microsoft. Also worth noting that, as far as I can see, the 'Family' does not define who is considered  'Family' so you could maybe share cost.

Yes, there are other similar and cheaper options but i use a lot of VBA coding/macros etc. in my spreadsheets and have yet to come across anything anywhere near as comprehensive as Office, at least for Excel.