Guide

Why Your Microsoft 365 Renewal Doubled and What to Do

A higher Microsoft 365 renewal can come from an expired offer, changed licence counts, a different plan or billing schedule, supplier pricing or VAT presentation. Compare the old and new invoice lines before assuming one cause. Then request a like-for-like quote and check the cost and timing of any change.

Catalogue prices at 9 October 2026, ex VAT, annual upfront unless stated. We confirm your exact product, total and term by email.

Request a renewal comparison quote

One licence or a whole team. No payment or order when you send a request.

Find the cause before comparing prices

An expired introductory offer is one possible reason a renewal jumps, but it is not the only one. Compare these items on the old and new documents:

Exact Microsoft product, including Teams or no-Teams variants
Number of licences and any part-period additions
Commitment term and billing frequency
Promotion expiry and the new renewal rate
Support, security, hosting or other add-ons
VAT and the period covered by the invoice

Ask the supplier to explain each changed line. A larger annual bill might include more seats or services; it should not automatically be treated as a price rise for the same licence.

Put the July 2026 change in context

Microsoft announced pricing changes effective 1 July 2026. That date has passed. Your actual renewal still depends on the exact offer, currency, term and supplier quote, so avoid applying a single percentage to every UK subscription. See Microsoft's announcement.

Our current annual upfront monthly equivalents are £4.97 for Basic, £9.94 for Standard and £15.55 for Premium, per user ex VAT. Catalogue Microsoft list prices are £5.40, £10.80 and £16.90 respectively.

Calculate a like-for-like unit price

Separate the licence charge from other services.
If that charge includes VAT at 20%, divide by 1.2 to obtain the ex VAT amount. Do not strip VAT from an amount already stated ex VAT; use the actual tax treatment shown on the invoice.
Divide by the months covered and the relevant seat quantity, accounting separately for part-period or mixed-plan lines.
Compare the same commitment and billing schedule, not just the displayed monthly equivalent.

For illustration, £1,200 including 20% VAT for ten seats over twelve months is £1,000 ex VAT in total, or approximately £8.33 per seat per month. A different billing period or tax treatment needs a different calculation.

An optional tenant review compares available and assigned licence quantities. Catalogue estimates cover recognised products; they are not your invoice costs. Counts do not show user activity or whether an assigned licence is needed. Confirm renewal dates and unknown product prices separately.

Compare your options at renewal

Ask the current supplier for an explanation or revised quote. Check the new commitment, included services and any future promotional expiry.

Stay if the overall arrangement suits you. Convenience, support and the cost of change can matter as much as the headline licence rate.

Request another licence-only quote. Compare the full term cost, transition work and any overlap before choosing.

As a historical illustration, a £13.32 ex VAT monthly Standard rate recorded on this site in June 2026 would cost £3,996 annually for 25 seats. Our current 25-seat annual total is £2,982, a potential difference of £1,014. This is not a verified current GoDaddy price or a guaranteed saving for your business.

Plan any supply change around the actual tenant

First confirm your tenant ID, administrator access, current subscriptions and renewal dates. A change of licence supplier can often use the existing tenant, keeping data in place. A new reseller relationship alone does not transfer or cancel existing subscriptions. We check whether a supported subscription transfer, replacement licensing at renewal, provider handover or separately scoped migration is appropriate. Keep existing services active until the agreed replacement and checks are complete.

Do not assume that provider administration requires a new tenant, or that every supplier change is an immediate billing swap. Establish the route and responsibilities first. Technical work and licence supply can be quoted separately, with no compulsory managed IT contract.

Request your quote with the right information

Send the exact products, quantities, renewal dates and preferred commitment and billing frequency. We email the quotation, check the tenant and supplier requirements, then arrange fulfilment for an accepted order.

We offer annual commitment paid upfront or monthly commitment paid monthly, where available. Annual upfront is one payment for the full year. Monthly flexible has a one-month commitment, with its own price and renewal terms. Cancellation, seat reductions and upgrades depend on the exact subscription and eligible change window. Confirm the terms before ordering.

If you need Premium, our annual upfront monthly equivalent is £15.55 compared with £16.90 in our Microsoft list catalogue. Copilot Business is £13.80 per user per month ex VAT on annual upfront and requires an eligible base plan. The current promotional rate applies to eligible new orders until 31 December 2026. We confirm eligibility and the renewal rate before you commit.

The price agreed for your committed term is separate from the next renewal price. Future rates can change with the supplier offer, currency, promotions and our commercial pricing. We confirm the applicable rate before a new commitment; today's comparison is not a guarantee of future savings.

Common questions.

Why did my Microsoft 365 renewal double?

An expired offer may explain it, but check seat counts, product changes, the invoice period, billing frequency, added services and VAT too. Ask the supplier to identify the changed lines rather than assuming the same licence simply doubled in price.

Did Microsoft's July 2026 price change cause the whole increase?

Not necessarily. The July change may be relevant, but the exact product, offer, currency and supplier terms determine your renewal. Compare the written quote line by line, including any expired promotion, instead of applying one percentage to every plan.

Will switching suppliers require moving our mailboxes?

Not always. A supported change can use the existing tenant, but administrator access, commitments, sign-in arrangements and add-ons need checking. Confirm the handover and replacement licences before stopping existing services.

How do I work out my real per-seat price?

Separate the licence line. Remove VAT only if the figure includes it, using the actual rate; divide by the months and seats covered. Treat part-period additions and mixed products separately. Compare the same commitment and billing schedule.

Is today's quote guaranteed at every future renewal?

Can the free review find every unused licence?

No. It can flag unassigned capacity from available and assigned licence quantities. It cannot tell whether an assigned licence is actively used or appropriate for a person's role. Confirm any reductions separately and apply them only in an eligible change window.

Your licences. Your next step.

Build your licence list and we confirm prices and terms by email. Licence-only customers are welcome; a review or support service is optional.

Request a renewal comparison quote See all plans and prices

Sending a request takes no payment and places no order.

Operated by Dead Simple Computing Ltd, a UK Microsoft 365 reseller. Per user per month, ex VAT. Business customers only.