Microsoft Windows 10 ESU subscriptions will start at $61 per year

Without any other details, a price of $427 for receiving security support while using Windows 10 until 2028 sounds expensive, and even the $315 tag for a cloud-based option doesn't sweeten the deal much. However, it should also be noted that these prices only apply to business customers. For now, Microsoft still has to reveal how much they are planning to charge home users.

Back when Windows 7 was nearing the end of its life, Microsoft introduced Extended Security Updates (ESU). The price was $50 for the first year, $100 for the second, and $200 for the third year of extended support. This amounted to a total of $350, a quite large sum, but it should also be taken into account that this price was valid only for organizations. While home users didn't get this option from Microsoft, the enterprise security updates unsurprisingly made it to home users via unofficial means.

The pricing for Windows 10 ESU starts at $61 per device for the first year, in the case of a 5-by-5 subscription key. Following the same pattern as Windows 7 ESU, the cost goes up to $122 and $244, respectively, in the next two years. The second option, which comes for free, applies to Windows 10 PCs that are accessed via Windows 11 Cloud PCs. The last ESU subscription option is less expensive than the first one and targets users of cloud-based update services like Microsoft Intune. In this case, a 25% discount might apply, pushing the price down to $45 per user in the first year (up to five devices). The second year will cost $90, and the third will hit $180.

All the options mentioned above apply to businesses, and home users might be left out in the cold once again. Hopefully, that won't happen, but Microsoft still hasn't mentioned anything about it. Obviously, home users could be forced to upgrade to Windows 11 or just drop Microsoft's operating system for a Linux distro that would work with their unsupported Windows 11 hardware.

Before moving to Windows 11, Windows 10 users should check out Mike Wang's comprehensive Windows 11 User Guide to prepare for the big move. In some cases, such a guide might help decide whether to remain in Microsoft's ecosystem or get out of it.