How much do subscriptions cost over 10 years?

The average person spends $273/month on subscriptions, which totals over $32,000 over 10 years. Services like Adobe Creative Cloud can cost over $6,500 alone in that time.

What could I buy instead of paying for subscriptions?

Instead of renting content, you could own it. For example, your streaming subscription costs could buy vinyl records, books, or permanent digital purchases. Our calculator shows what you could own instead of paying monthly fees.

How can I reduce my subscription costs?

Use our calculator to see your total spend, identify expensive subscriptions, find cheaper alternatives, and cancel services you rarely use. Many services have free alternatives or one-time purchase options.

How much does Microsoft 365 Personal cost per year?

Microsoft 365 Personal costs $9.99/month, which equals $119.88 per year. Over 10 years, you'll spend $1198.80.

Is Microsoft 365 Personal worth it?

At $9.99/month ($1198.80 over 10 years), consider what you could buy instead: Google Workspace is free for personal use. Whether it's worth it depends on how often you use it.

How do I cancel Microsoft 365 Personal?

Cancellation difficulty for Microsoft 365 Personal is rated "Easy". You can cancel at: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/cancel-your-microsoft-365-subscription

What are alternatives to Microsoft 365 Personal?

Alternatives to Microsoft 365 Personal include: google-workspace, notion. You can also consider one-time purchase options that don't require monthly payments.

Home/Software/Microsoft 365 Personal

Microsoft 365 Personal

Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and 1TB OneDrive storage.

↑ 43% since 2013

Cost Breakdown

Monthly

$10

Yearly

$100

5 Years

$599

10 Years

$1,199

Reality check: Over the next decade, you'll spend $1,199 on Microsoft 365 Personal. That's equivalent to 80 meals out, or 24 books.

Last updated: 2025-01Report outdated price

Before You Subscribe

This used to be a one-time purchase

Before 2013, you could buy this for $139-$399 and own it forever.Microsoft Office was sold as perpetual license (Home & Student $139, Professional $399). Office 2021 still available but heavily de-emphasized.

Known Issues

Pricing IssueSignificant Issue

Perpetual Office licenses still exist but are deliberately hard to find on the website. Subscription is pushed as the default option.

Deceptive UIMinor Issue

Free trial auto-converts to paid subscription. Renewal notifications are easy to miss in email.

Price History2013 - 2023

$10

201320202023

When Will the Price Go Up?

Price Hike Prediction

~April 2028

medium confidence

Predicted Price

$12.13

+$2.14/mo

Avg. Hike Cycle

5.1 years

between increases

Historical Pattern

Average increase:+21.5%

Time since last hike:2.9 years

Data points:3 price changes

10-Year Price Projection

Today

$9.99/mo

→

In 10 years

$15/mo

Based on 21.5% increases every 5.1 years

Own vs Rent Calculator

See what you could own instead of renting access

Time subscribed5 years

1 year5 years10 years

Total spent on Microsoft 365 Personal

$599.4

$9.99/mo × 12 months × 5 years

What you could OWN instead:

Perpetual License

$100 each

apps

Open Source (free)

Free

∞

apps

Subscription

You own: 0

Stop paying = lose access

Buying

You own: 5+

Yours forever

The subscription trap: After 5 years, you've spent $599.4but own nothing. Cancel anytime and it's like you never subscribed. With ownership, you build a collection that lasts.

Instead, You Could Buy

With $10/month, here's what you could own instead:

Google Workspace is free for personal use
LibreOffice is free and does 90% of what Office does
A 2TB external hard drive (one-time ~$60)
Lifetime Office license (one-time ~$150 on sale)

Cancellation

Difficulty:Easy

Cancel Microsoft 365 Personal →

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