Microsoft's 2026 price changes took effect July 1, and most of the firms I talk to still haven't felt them. That's because they don't hit on day one — they hit at your next renewal.
Here's what actually moved. Business Basic went up 16%. Business Standard went up 12%. Business Premium didn't change at all.
For a CPA firm that matters more than it sounds. Premium is the tier that already includes device management and the stronger email protection most offices are buying separately as add-ons. Standard just got more expensive. Premium didn't. The gap between them is narrower than it was.
In almost every licensing review I do, I find the same pattern: a firm on Standard, plus a third-party spam filter, plus a separate device-management tool, plus something that got switched on during a busy season and never switched off. Add the line items up and they're often past Premium's price for less protection.
Two things worth doing before your renewal date. Pull your assigned license count, not the number you think you have. Then list every security tool you pay for outside Microsoft and see what overlaps.
Most firms find at least one thing they're paying for twice. Better to find that before the renewal than after.
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