So, you’re still rocking Windows 10. Honestly, I get it. It’s stable, it doesn’t have that weird centered taskbar vibe of Windows 11, and it just works. But the calendar says 2026, and things have changed. If you’re asking how much does win 10 cost today, the answer isn’t a simple sticker price on a box at Best Buy.
Microsoft officially pulled the plug on "free" support back in October 2025. Now, staying on the OS is sorta like keeping an old car on the road—it’s doable, but you’re probably going to have to pay for the maintenance.
The $30 Lifeline: Consumer Costs
For the average person sitting at home, the most direct answer to how much does win 10 cost is $30. That’s the price for a one-year Extended Security Update (ESU) license.
It’s basically a subscription to stay safe. Without it, your PC stops getting those monthly security patches that keep hackers from poking holes in your system.
Here is the kicker: for home users, this is a one-and-done deal. Microsoft has been pretty firm that this $30 license only covers you until October 2026. After that? You’re officially on your own. No more updates, no matter how much cash you throw at them.
Can you get it for free?
Actually, yeah. There are a few "backdoor" ways Microsoft allowed to keep people in the ecosystem.
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- Microsoft Rewards: If you’ve been religiously using Bing and racking up points, you can redeem 1,000 points for the ESU license.
- Windows Backup: Some users found that simply using the built-in Windows Backup tool to sync settings to the cloud triggered a free enrollment for that first year of extended support.
Business and Education: A Different Ballgame
If you’re running a business, the math gets ugly. Fast.
For commercial entities, the first year of ESU cost $61 per device. But Microsoft uses a "doubling" strategy to nudge you toward Windows 11. If you want to keep those business PCs on Windows 10 through year two, that price jumps to $122. By the third year? You’re looking at $244 per PC.
Total cost to keep a single business PC on Windows 10 for the full three-year extension? $427.
Schools get a massive break, though. Because Microsoft doesn't want to bankrupt the education system, they charge a pittance—literally $1 for the first year, $2 for the second, and $4 for the third. If you're a student or teacher, check with your IT department; your win 10 cost is basically the price of a candy bar.
Buying a New License in 2026
What if you aren't looking for updates, but actually need a new product key?
This is where it gets murky. Microsoft stopped selling Windows 10 keys directly on their website years ago. If you go to their store now, they’ll just point you toward Windows 11.
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However, Windows 11 keys are technically "downward compatible." If you buy a Windows 11 Home license for $139, you can usually use that key to activate a Windows 10 installation.
You’ve probably seen those "gray market" sites selling keys for $15 or $20. They work, sure. But they’re often OEM keys meant for manufacturers or volume licenses from other regions. It’s a bit of a gamble. Sometimes the key gets deactivated six months later, and you're back to square one.
Why the Price Matters Right Now
The reason everyone is suddenly obsessed with how much does win 10 cost is that we've reached the "danger zone."
As of early 2026, any Windows 10 machine without an ESU license is a sitting duck. New vulnerabilities are discovered every week. Without those patches, you're essentially leaving your front door unlocked in a bad neighborhood.
If your hardware is too old to support Windows 11—maybe you don't have that TPM 2.0 chip everyone complained about—you have three real choices:
- Pay the $30 (or use rewards) to buy yourself time until October.
- Risk it and stay offline or use a very strong third-party antivirus (not recommended).
- Switch to Linux (like Mint or Zorin OS) which is free but has a learning curve.
Summary of the Current Costs
To make it clear, here is how the landscape looks right now:
- Home Users: $30 for a one-year extension (ending Oct 2026).
- Business Users: $61 for the first year, doubling annually.
- Education: $1 per year, slightly increasing.
- New Activation: ~$139 (by purchasing a Windows 11 key).
It’s a weird time for Windows. For the first time, "owning" the OS isn't enough; you're essentially paying for the privilege of security.
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If you want to stay on Windows 10, check your Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update right now. If your PC is eligible, you'll see a prompt to enroll in the ESU program. Do it sooner rather than later, because once that October 2026 deadline hits, no amount of money will keep the lights on for Windows 10.
The smartest move for most people? Use this year to save up for a new machine or finally make the jump to Windows 11. The cost of staying behind is finally starting to outweigh the convenience of the old interface.
Next Steps
- Open your Windows Update settings to see if the ESU offer is waiting for you.
- Check your Microsoft Rewards balance to see if you can get the $30 license for free.
- Download the PC Health Check app one last time to see if there's any way your current hardware can actually run Windows 11 with a simple BIOS tweak.