Windows 365 Enterprise
2 vCPU / 8 GB RAM / 128 GB storage
£35.60 per user, per month
The natural comparison for personal desktops, where one person keeps one machine and the cost is predictable per head.
Free tool
Windows 365 TCO calculator
Compare what you spend running Azure Virtual Desktop today against Windows 365 Enterprise and Windows 365 Flex. Three inputs, a directional answer in a couple of minutes, and no sign-up to run it.
The calculator is free and needs no account. EtherInsights runs the same comparison against your real tenant on a 14-day trial, no credit card.
What you need before you start
Three figures. If you can read your Azure bill and your desktop counts, you have everything.
Which kind of desktop estate you run
Personal desktops assigned to one person, or pooled desktops shared across shifts and intermittent users. This choice drives which Windows 365 model you are compared against, so it changes the answer more than any other input.
How many desktops, or your peak concurrency
For personal estates, the number of assigned desktops. For pooled estates, the peak number of Azure Virtual Desktop users signed in at once, because pooled capacity is sized on concurrency rather than headcount.
Your current monthly Azure Virtual Desktop run cost
The total you pay each month to run the estate: compute, storage, images and profiles. One number from the bill is enough. There is no host count or VM SKU modelling to do.
Why deployment type changes the answer
Azure Virtual Desktop is variable infrastructure spend. Windows 365 is a flat per-user licence. Neither is inherently cheaper, so the useful question is which shape of cost fits each group of users.
Windows 365 Flex
4 vCPU / 16 GB RAM / 128 GB storage
£86.00 per licence, per month
The comparison for pooled, shift-based, intermittent or low-density use, where licences are priced against peak concurrency rather than every named user.
Microsoft UK list prices, excluding VAT, without Windows Hybrid Benefit. Checked 12 August 2026. Prices change, so confirm current pricing before committing to a plan.
What this is not
It is a first-pass sales tool, deliberately kept simple. Being clear about the edges is what makes the number usable.
- A directional estimate, not a quote and not a commitment. It tells you whether a migration is worth modelling properly, not what you will pay.
- It excludes migration effort, project cost, image and application remediation, and any Azure spend you keep after moving.
- It assumes a single baseline per deployment type rather than modelling every licence, SKU or reserved-capacity option you might hold.
- High-density multi-session and GPU workloads often belong on Azure Virtual Desktop, and the calculator will not tell you that on its own.
Once the direction looks right, the real work is cohort by cohort. See Windows 365 migration for how the move is planned and sequenced, or Windows 365 and Cloud PC for running the estate afterwards.
Common questions
Is the Windows 365 TCO calculator free?
Yes. It is free to use and needs no account or sign-up. You only share an email address if you choose to have the report sent to you.
How accurate is the estimate?
It is directional. It uses one Microsoft retail baseline per deployment type against the total run cost you enter, which is enough to tell you whether a migration is worth modelling properly. It is not a quote, and it will not match a final bill.
Do I need to know my VM sizes or host counts?
No, and that is deliberate. You need your deployment type, your desktop count or peak concurrency, and your current monthly run cost. Host-level and SKU-level modelling belongs in a full sizing review, not a first-pass estimate.
What is the difference between Windows 365 Enterprise and Windows 365 Flex?
Enterprise is the per-user model that suits personal desktops, where one person keeps one Cloud PC. Flex suits pooled, shift-based and intermittent use, where licensing follows peak concurrency instead of every named user. Flex was previously named Windows 365 Frontline.
Will moving from Azure Virtual Desktop to Windows 365 save money?
Sometimes. Many personal desktop estates and low-density pooled estates compare well against Windows 365, while high-density multi-session and GPU workloads usually do not. The honest answer depends on your estate, which is why the calculator gives a direction rather than a promise.
How do I get a number based on my actual tenant?
EtherInsights runs the same comparison against live estate data rather than typed figures, and produces the per-cohort detail a business case needs. It is available on a 14-day trial with no credit card.
Run the comparison
A couple of minutes with three figures will tell you whether this is worth a proper business case. If it is, EtherInsights takes it from typed estimates to your real tenant.