Is Windows 365 Worth It? The Cost, Features & How To Make the Decision

Is Windows 365 worth it?

It's the question on every home computer user's mind: is buying Windows 365 worth it?

How can you make a decision on whether or not to buy it?

Read this blog post to find out!

Is Buying Windows 365 Worth It? The Cost, Features & How To Make the Decision

Microsoft 365 is the best option for anyone who wants all the Office apps and everything the service offers. You can share the account with up to six people. The offering is also the only option that provides a continuity of updates at a low cost of ownership.

Windows 365 is Microsoft’s take on rental cloud PCs, fit for today's competitive market. It's an easy way to get your hands on all the latest and greatest software from one of the most well-known companies in tech.

But with a price tag that ranges from $288-$1944 USD per year, it can be hard to know whether or not you should sign up.

Users are questioning whether or not Windows 365 is beneficial and worth breaking the bank for; especially when there is no free trial option available for this product (although there are trials available for many other Microsoft offerings).

In this blog post we'll explore some common questions about Windows 365, including what features come with your rental cloud PC, and who it may be useful for.

What is Windows 365?

Windows 365 is a service that lets you connect to Windows machines that are on the cloud.

You can use its functionality if you need programs like Microsoft Office, but don’t want them installed locally (storage or compatibility issues).

For example, with Windows 365, you can use Windows-only apps from your macOS system!

Windows 365 Cloud PCs are based on Windows 10 Enterprise with additional features that relate to cloud computing, such as multi-factor authentication and MFA.

Soon after the launch of Windows 11 later this year (October 5th), it will also become available in the service under a subscription model similar to Microsoft's other products like Office 365.

Windows 365 pricing revealed — Everything you need to know

Microsoft has recently revealed their pricing for Windows 365, which starts at $20 per user per month.

The lowest end SKU gets you a single vCPU running on the Azure Cloud and 2GB of RAM along with 64GB of OneDrive cloud storage.

If you don’t need extensive power from your virtual cloud PCs, this can be a good deal.

Prices rise from there depending on configuration, up to $163 per user per month, where you get 8 vCPUs and 32 GB of RAM, as well as 512 GB in One Drive space. However, Windows 365 prices are discounted when using Microsoft Hybrid Benefit.

This is a discount that applies existing or new licenses toward your product cost.

Windows 365 features and benefits

Windows 365 is Microsoft's latest operating system that includes updates, security, and other benefits for your cloud PC running Windows 10 Enterprise or the new Windows 11 system when it becomes available.

Windows 365 comes with many features and potential benefits to all sorts of businesses, organizations, or individuals. Here are some of the highlights.

Run Windows-only apps on any device
If you need Windows-only software but your system isn't compatible, this benefit from 365 is perfect. Run Windows applications, even if your device isn't compatible with emulators for that platform.
Use a more secure operating system
Microsoft's Windows 365 is a great way for businesses to solve security issues. The integration with Azure Active Directory and Microsoft Defender makes it easy to add multi-factor authentication through conditional access. Encryption is applied across data at rest or in transit on cloud PCs as well.
Accessible anytime from anywhere
With Windows 365, you can access your files from anywhere with just about any device that connects to the internet. For example, when it comes time for a presentation, use a cloud PC. You don't have to worry if someone else has PowerPoint installed; all of your presentations can be played from your cloud device!
Included storage
With a low-tier plan, all Windows 365 owners gain at least 64 GB of free OneDrive storage. Those who pay more can acquire up to 512 GB for their own personal use and database needs.

Who is Windows 365 best for?

Windows 365 is beneficial for small to medium-sized businesses, and enterprises can also find use in the cloud-based operating system.

You may think that Microsoft’s cloud computing is expensive, but it's actually cheap for what you get. Plus, the prices are flat so they don't change even if your usage goes up or down by a lot.

If you're doing intense data processing, Windows 365 is not the service for your business. The Business Plan has a monthly bandwidth cap of 20GB on the low end and up to 70GB on high-end plans.

For this reason, we advise you to avoid running over your data cap by reducing intensive data processing on any Windows 365 plan.

Although Windows 365 doesn’t include a free trial, you can try it out for relatively cheap if you sign up for the lowest-cost plan.

If you think you or your employees could make use of this service, you can always upgrade!

Before you go

If you’re still here, it means you’re convinced that Windows 365 is worth your time. The best part about the program is that there are pricing plans to fit every budget and need.

You can get started with just $20 per user for one month or invest in enterprise-level features at an affordable price point.

Whether you want help managing internet security risks or saving money on hardware purchases by moving operations to the cloud, Windows 365 has got what it takes!

We hope we were able to shed some light on why so many people love our service here at SoftwareKeep — feel free to reach out if you have any further questions or want to make a purchase.