Thinking About Windows 10 Extended Support? Think Again

Before you know it, Windows 10 will be on its way out, as it will reach its end-of-support date on October 14, 2025. Unfortunately, whether you’re ready or not, this day will come. In the past, you could pay for extended security updates, but is this actually a feasible solution for a small business?

Explaining the Extended Security Updates Program

Before we waste too much time with an explanation, suffice it to say that no, it’s not worth paying for extended support for Windows 10—but we’ll still tell you why.

Microsoft offers a subscription that allows you to continue using Windows 10, but with a catch: it’s a limited version. This lets you get around the end-of-life date and still receive essential security updates. But before you get too excited, we have to talk about the details…

Yes, we’re talking about the cost, as well as what that cost actually gets you.

Limited for the Price (And Not Worth It)

If you enroll your computer in the Windows 10 ESU program, it will not receive any new features, updates, or design changes that would come to Windows 11. Microsoft explains it further on the ESU page:

“General support won't be provided for Windows versions past the end of support date. Support will be available only to those organizations that purchase ESU for specific situations concerning security updates. To get technical support, organizations must have an active support plan in place.”

This enrollment is an annual subscription, but with further complications:

• The Windows 10 ESU, purchased through the Microsoft Volume Licensing Program, will cost $61 per device for the first year.
• The program is only available in yearly increments and is cumulative. We’ll break down what this means in a moment.
• This price doubles each year.
• The ESU will only be an option for three years.

If you use Windows 10 virtual machines in Windows 365 or Azure Virtual Desktop, you can take advantage of the program for no additional cost.

So Why Is It Bad for Businesses?

A private user would probably be able to get some good use out of this plan, but it’s not a solution for businesses—and we’ll explain why.

If you have 30 workstations and only half of them meet the requirements for Windows 11, you’ll either have to procure 15 new workstations to keep up with the new requirements or pay for a couple of years of the ESU. 15 new workstations are going to set you back, especially with the price hikes that are likely to take hold in the coming months, so let’s take a look at the alternative cost.

If each device covered by the ESU costs $61 for the first year, and each subsequent year is $122 and $244, that comes to $427 per device. When you multiply that by 15, you get $6,405 in costs. Additionally, you’ll likely have to pay to replace hardware and adopt Windows 11, or its successor, by 2028, which is when the ESU expires. Basically, you’re spending $6,405 to prolong the inevitable, assuming your workstations can even join the program in the first place.

And honestly, who knows how much hardware will cost by then?

Just Eat the Cost and Upgrade Now (While It’s Still Feasible)

We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know that it’ll probably be more expensive than it is today. Don’t wait until it’s too late; upgrade your workstations away from Windows 10 now and save a lot of money.

Learn more by calling us at (402) 514-3200.