Intune isn't free: what the Microsoft 365 bundle really costs in 2026

In the realm of IT budgeting, the notion that certain services are "included" can lead to significant financial misjudgments, particularly with Microsoft's enterprise offerings. This year has seen notable changes, such as the introduction of Microsoft 365 E7, priced at $99 per user per month, and price increases across various Microsoft 365 plans. Despite perceptions of inclusivity, services like Intune, priced separately at $8 per user per month, are embedded within bundles like E3 and E5, often resulting in underutilization and wasted spend, as around 50% of E5 licenses remain inactive. Organizations are advised to make data-driven decisions rather than default choices, potentially saving substantial amounts by rightsizing licenses to better fit actual usage patterns. This involves assessing the real consumption of bundled features, individually pricing components, and using new tiers like E7 as leverage during negotiations. The article emphasizes that understanding and reassessing these bundles is crucial, as many companies are unknowingly incurring significant costs due to the "it's included" fallacy.

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