Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft 365: Pricing, Reviews, and Savings in 2026

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Benjamin

Updated on

May 19, 2026

Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft 365: Pricing, Reviews, and Savings in 2026

In 2026, Microsoft Copilot became the default AI assistant built into the entire Microsoft 365 suite. Gone are the "Personal" plan at €6.99 and the "Family" plan at €99 per year: following the 2025–2026 pricing update, AI is now included in nearly all consumer plans. The new prices: €9.99/month or €99.99/year for Personal, €12.99/month or €129/year for Family (up to 6 people). That’s 30 to 43% more expensive than before, but the plan now includes the equivalent of ChatGPT Plus (at ~€23/month for a single user) plus Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, and 1 TB of cloud storage per user. At €21.50 per person per year for the Family plan split among 6 people, it’s one of the best AI deals on the market.

Key points to remember

Microsoft 365 Home 2026: €12.99/month or €129/year, including Copilot (vs. €99/year before the price increase, a 30% increase).
Microsoft 365 Personal 2026: €9.99/month or €99.99/year, including Copilot (up from €6.99/month, a 43% increase).
"Classic" option: for existing subscribers, plans WITHOUT Copilot that retain the old rate—request this in your account dashboard.
Families of 6 sharing via spliiit: €129 ÷ 6 = €21.50 per person per year, the most affordable AI package on the market (Copilot + Word + Excel + 1 TB of OneDrive per member).
Comparison: ChatGPT Plus (individual plan) €23/month, Claude Pro €18.50/month, Perplexity Pro €18.50/month, Gemini Advanced €21.99/month (with 2 TB of storage).

What is Microsoft Copilot, and why has it been such a game-changer?

Copilot is Microsoft’s generative AI assistant, launched in late 2023 and gradually integrated into all Office applications. In January 2024, it expanded beyond the “enterprise” sector to include consumer subscriptions, and in 2025, Microsoft made the bold decision to include it by default in Microsoft 365 Personal and Family.

Specifically, Copilot is available in:

Word — summarizing long documents, generating paragraphs, rewriting, multilingual translation.
Excel — generating formulas, analyzing tables, and creating charts using natural language.
PowerPoint — Creating a presentation from a document or a text brief.
Outlook — summaries of long email conversations, draft replies, scheduling.
Teams — meeting minutes, live translation, automatically generated action items.
OneNote — summaries, outline suggestions, list generation.
Copilot Chat — a ChatGPT-style general-purpose assistant available in Edge, Windows, and the mobile app.

The underlying engine is primarily OpenAI’s GPT-4o and GPT-4 Turbo (Microsoft is OpenAI’s majority shareholder), with Microsoft models (Phi, MAI) used for certain tasks. The platform does not charge end users based on token counts.

What will Microsoft 365 with Copilot cost in 2026?

Microsoft has significantly overhauled its consumer pricing structure for 2025–2026. AI is no longer a separate premium option (the former "Copilot Pro" at €22/month) but is now included in the subscription price.

2026 Consumer Rate Schedule

Plan|Monthly price|Annual price|Users|Copilot included
Microsoft 365 Personal|€9.99/month|€99.99/year|1|Yes
Microsoft 365 Home|€12.99/month|€129/year|Up to 6|Yes, for each user
Microsoft 365 Personal Classic|€6.99/month|€69/year|1|No
Microsoft 365 Family Classic|€9.99/month|€99/year|Up to 6|No

Growth since 2024: 30% to 43% over two years

Map|2024 Rates|2026 Rates|Rate Increase
Monthly subscription|€6.99|€9.99|+43%
Annual subscription|€69|€99.99|+45%
Family Monthly|€9.99|€12.99|+30%
Family Annual|€99|€129|+30%

The price increase is officially justified by the integration of Copilot, which requires significant AI computing resources. For subscribers who don’t need AI, the “Classic” option allows them to revert to the old pricing—but it must be selected in the account management section; it is not offered by default.

What exactly does Microsoft 365 Home include in 2026?

Microsoft 365 Home is likely the best value-for-money productivity subscription on the consumer market in 2026, especially when shared.

Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, and Access —desktop versions available for installation on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
1 TB of OneDrive per person — for a total of 6 TB on the Family plan.
One Copilot per member — a personalized monthly quota per account.
Outlook with a custom domain, shared calendar, and contacts.
Microsoft Defender — antivirus and anti-phishing protection.
Microsoft Advanced Editor — Grammar Checking in Word and the Browser.
Clipchamp Premium — online video editor (filters, AI voice-over, HD exports).

Save up to 70% on Microsoft 365 with a shared subscription. spliiit verified users so they can legally share the Family plan (designed for 6 people by Microsoft). See how to share Microsoft 365 on spliiit.

How does Copilot stack up against ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity?

Does Copilot measure up to its AI-focused competitors? The honest answer: for office productivity, yes. For general-purpose use, ChatGPT remains more versatile. For coding and long-form writing, Claude reigns supreme. Here’s the 2026 landscape.

Pricing and Features of the Leading AI Assistants

Service|Individual Pricing|Flagship Model|Strengths
Copilot (via M365)|€9.99/month (Individual) or €12.99/month (Family)|GPT-4 and Microsoft models|Native Office integration
ChatGPT Go | €8/month | Limited GPT-5 | 2026 Mid-Tier Plan
ChatGPT Plus|~€23/month ($20)|GPT-4o, 32k window|Versatile, limited Sora, DALL·E
ChatGPT Pro|~€229/month ($200)|Unlimited GPT-5, Operator|Unlimited Sora, advanced agents
Claude Pro|~€18.50/month ($20)|Claude 3.5/4 Sonnet|Long-form writing, code, reasoning
Claude Max 5×|~€92/month ($100)|Top-tier Claude|Heavy use
Gemini Advanced / Google AI Pro | $21.99/month | Gemini 3 Pro | Includes 2 TB of Drive storage, 1 million tokens
Perplexity Pro|~€18.50/month ($20)|GPT-4, Claude, custom models|Sourced web search

The verdict based on usage

Office Productivity (Word/Excel/PowerPoint/Outlook) — Copilot is unbeatable because it’s built right in. No other assistant can natively read an open .xlsx file.
Whether it's long-form writing or complex code, Claude Pro remains the best choice, followed by ChatGPT Plus.
Researching sourced information — Perplexity Pro for its transparent citations.
Image and video generation — ChatGPT Pro (Sora), DALL·E, and Midjourney running in parallel.
Versatile family plan with storage — Microsoft 365 Family beats Google One for 6 people (€129 vs. €99.99 for Google AI Pro for 1 person).

For a more detailed comparison of major AI systems, see our comparison guides for ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Grok; ChatGPT vs. Perplexity; the differences between ChatGPT Free, Plus, and Pro; and our comparison of the best AI tools.

Why is Microsoft 365 Family still one of the best deals in 2026?

The math is simple. The Family plan, at €129/year, includes 6 separate users, each with their own Copilot, 1 TB of OneDrive storage, and access to Word and Excel. When shared among 6 users, that works out to:

€21.50 per person per year, or €1.79 per person per month.
It costs almost as much per year as a single month of ChatGPT Plus alone.
For this price: full Office suite + 1 TB of cloud storage + generative AI.

Cost comparison for 6 users over 1 year

Option|Total cost per year|Cost per person|AI included
Microsoft 365 Family via spliiit 6|€129|€21.50/year|Copilot
6 × ChatGPT Plus|~€1,656|~€276/year|GPT-4o
6 × Claude Pro|~€1,332|~€222/year|Claude
6 × Gemini Advanced|~€1,583|~€263.88/year|Gemini 3
6 × Microsoft 365 Personal|~€600|~€100/year|Copilot

That’s a savings of over 90% compared to an individual ChatGPT Plus subscription, and about 78% compared to six M365 Personal subscriptions. All of this without violating Microsoft’s terms of service, since the Family plan is designed by the publisher itself to cover up to six people.

Want to enjoy Microsoft 365 Family without paying €129/year on your own? With a shared subscription, you can split the cost of the plan among up to 6 verified users. Find out how it works on spliiit and read our complete guide to sharing Microsoft 365 Family.

Microsoft 365 vs. Google Workspace: Which One Should You Choose in 2026?

This question comes up often. The two suites are direct competitors but position their AI differently. Here’s an overview.

Microsoft 365 Family — €129/year for 6 people, including Copilot, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and 1 TB of OneDrive storage per person.
Google AI Pro (formerly Google One Premium) — €99.99/year for 1 person (promotional price) or €219.99/year, including Gemini 3 Pro, 2 TB of shared storage, Magic Eraser, and 1 million token context.
Google Workspace Individual — $9.99/month for 1 person, without premium AI included.

The verdict in a nutshell:

For a family or a household with multiple users: Microsoft 365 Family is unbeatable (€21.50 per person per year with a shared subscription vs. a minimum of €99.99 per year with Google).
For a solo user looking for the Gemini 3 Pro and 2 TB of shared storage: Google AI Pro.
For pure desktop Office use: Microsoft, without a doubt.

For more information, see our detailed comparison of Microsoft 365 vs. Google Workspace and our guide to the most affordable AI productivity tools in 2026.

How can you save money on Copilot and Microsoft 365 in 2026?

There are four main ways to lower your bill without breaking any laws.

Share Microsoft 365 Family among 6 people via spliiit — final cost: €21.50 per person per year. This is by far the most effective solution, and the one that best aligns with Microsoft’s terms (the Family plan is designed for 6 people).
Take advantage of the student or faculty offer — Microsoft offers Microsoft 365 Education for free with a valid university email address (usually including Office Online, Teams, and 1 TB of OneDrive storage, without Copilot for personal use).
Select the Classic option — for users who do not need AI; an explicit request must be made in the account to keep the old pricing (€69 for Personal, €99 for Family).
Pay monthly for one-time needs — €9.99/month for the Personal plan with no commitment, ideal for a project lasting a few weeks.

Advanced Tips for Heavy AI Users

Combine Copilot (via Microsoft 365 Family) + Claude Pro — Office productivity on one side, long-form writing on the other, for ~€40 total/month for an individual or ~€5/month if shared with a family.
Keep an eye on the price hikes for ChatGPT and Gemini —ChatGPT Pro at €229/month, which is unnecessary for most users; Copilot is sufficient in 90% of Office use cases.
Take advantage of free trials — Microsoft, Google, and Anthropic are offering a free one-month trial so you can test their services before committing.

Pros and Cons of Microsoft 365 with Copilot

The benefits

Native integration — Copilot reads your open document without uploading or copying and pasting.
1 TB of cloud storage per person — much more than the competition at the same price.
Complete Office suite in locally installed desktop versions.
Sharing with 6 people is completely legal and authorized by the publisher.
Unbeatable shared family rate: €21.50 per person per year.

The drawbacks

A rise from 30% to 43% between 2024 and 2026, which will be a tough blow for subscribers who don't use AI.
The Classic option isn't highlighted—you have to select it manually.
Copilot takes a back seat to Claude when it comes to long-form writing and complex code.
Advertised monthly and annual costs can sometimes be misleading —paying monthly costs 20% more than paying annually.
Microsoft's commitment to data privacy continues to evolve.

Who is Microsoft 365 Family with Copilot best suited for?

For a family of 3 to 6 people — the obvious choice, especially with a spliiit shared subscription spliiit €21.50/year/person).
For remote workers, Office Copilot is like a superpower in Excel and PowerPoint.
For a versatile freelancer, the Personal + Claude Pro bundle is all you need; there’s no need for ChatGPT Pro at €229/month.
For students —first check if you qualify for free education (email @univ-xxx.fr); otherwise, use the "Family" option via spliiit.
For occasional Office users who don’t need AI features —go with Classic (€99/year for the Family plan) or stick with the free versions of Word and Excel Online.

Frequently asked questions

Can Microsoft 365 Family really be shared among 6 people?

Yes, that’s actually its main purpose. The Family plan is designed by Microsoft for six separate users, each with their own account, 1 TB of OneDrive storage, and their own Copilot. Sharing via a platform like spliiit this sharing among verified, unrelated users.

Is Copilot in Microsoft 365 worth the price of ChatGPT Plus?

For Office tasks (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), yes—the native integration is unbeatable. For long-form writing, complex code, or highly versatile use cases, ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro remain superior. The combination of Microsoft 365 Home and a third-party AI subscription covers 100% of your needs for less than €10 per month per user.

What is the "Classic" option, and how do I enable it?

Classic is the Microsoft 365 plan without Copilot, at the old price (€69/year for Personal, €99/year for Family). Microsoft does not offer it by default. You must go to your account portal (account.microsoft.com), navigate to the "Services and subscriptions" section, and explicitly request the switch to Classic before or during renewal.

Is the increase from 30% to 43% mandatory?

No. Existing subscribers can request to switch to the Classic plan to keep the old rate without Copilot. New subscribers have access to both options. The price increase is only mandatory if you want to keep Copilot included in your Office subscription.

Who will be Microsoft 365 Family's direct competitors in 2026?

In terms of suites, cloud storage, and AI: Google AI Pro (€99.99/year for a single user, 2 TB) and Apple One Premier (€32.95/month for 6 people, without equivalent generative AI). Microsoft 365 Family remains unbeatable in terms of price per user when shared among 6 people (€21.50/year).

Does Microsoft 365 really include 1 TB per person?

Yes. Each user on the Family plan gets their own OneDrive account with 1 TB of storage, separate from other members. That adds up to a total of 6 TB. It’s one of the best storage-to-price ratios on the market.

Can you use Copilot without Microsoft 365?

A free version of Copilot Chat (formerly Bing Chat) is available through Edge, Windows, and the Copilot app, with limited functionality. It does not have access to your Office files and does not appear in Word or Excel. For full integration, you need Microsoft 365 Personal or Family.

Conclusion

Microsoft 365 with Copilot in 2026 has become a textbook example of pricing strategy: the company raised its prices by 30% to 43% by integrating its AI, and the move is paying off for users who share accounts. At €21.50/year/person via the 6-person Family co-subscription, the offer is unbeatable compared to ChatGPT Plus (€276/year solo) or Gemini Advanced (€263/year solo). For a single user without AI needs, the €69 Classic option remains valid, but it must be requested manually. For a household or a group of verified users, legally sharing the Family plan via spliiit the best value for money in the AI productivity market. To learn more, read our guides on sharing Microsoft 365 Family, AI savings in 2026, and AI tool comparisons.