Try Microsoft 365 Copilot Business for free. Effective July 2026, Microsoft offers a free 30-day Microsoft 365 Copilot Business trial that eligible users can start from Copilot Chat.
Summary
- Microsoft introduces a free 30-day trial of Microsoft 365 Copilot Business, available from July 2026.
- The trial targets small and medium-sized businesses, with a maximum of 300 users.
- Eligible users start it themselves from Copilot Chat, with no payment information required.
- A valid Microsoft 365 Business license is required, the same prerequisite as the paid add-on.
- The option is on by default, and admins can disable user trials in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
- After 30 days, users need a paid license to keep the premium features.
What is changing
Until now, Microsoft offered no general trial for its paid Microsoft 365 Copilot. From July 2026, that changes for the Business edition: small and medium-sized organizations can run a free 30-day trial of Microsoft 365 Copilot Business and give users full access to the premium experience. The trial is designed to be low friction, so eligible users can start it on their own from Copilot Chat without a purchase or payment details.
The rollout begins with small and medium-sized businesses (up to 300 users). Enterprise plans are not part of this first wave.
What is Microsoft 365 Copilot Business?
Microsoft 365 Copilot Business is the small and medium business edition of the Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on. It brings Copilot into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, and adds secure Copilot Chat with Work IQ, the layer that grounds answers in your own Microsoft 365 content such as emails, documents, and calendar. It is an add-on to an eligible Microsoft 365 Business plan, listed at 21 US dollars per user per month, with a limited-time promotional price of 18 US dollars per user per month for annual commitments.
How the trial works
- Start point: eligible users launch the trial directly from Copilot Chat.
- Scope: small and medium-sized businesses, up to 300 users.
- Cost: no payment information is required to begin.
- Prerequisite: a valid Microsoft 365 Business license must already be in place.
- Per user: the option is enabled by default, and individual users activate it themselves.
- Admin control: admins can disable user trials in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center (self-service trials and purchases).
- End of term: after 30 days, an admin must assign a paid license to continue using the premium features.
Customer benefits at a glance
- Test Copilot on your own data and workflows before committing budget.
- No payment details and no purchase needed to begin.
- Admins keep control over who can start a trial.
- An easy path from evaluation to a paid license once the value is proven.
A note on compliance
Microsoft flags that a readily available trial can raise compliance considerations and recommends having artificial intelligence (AI) usage guidelines in place before starting. Because Copilot and Work IQ read across your Microsoft 365 content, it is worth reviewing SharePoint and OneDrive permissions before a wider rollout.
What organizations should do now
- Decide whether to allow or disable self-service Copilot trials in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
- Put artificial intelligence (AI) usage guidelines in place before any user starts the trial.
- Start with a small pilot group, to measure value.
- Review SharePoint and OneDrive permissions before Copilot indexes your content.
- Confirm that pilot users already hold an eligible Microsoft 365 Business license.
- Plan the paid license path before day 30 so productive users are not cut off.
Ready to plan your Copilot trial and licensing?
As an experienced Microsoft Licensing Solution Partner, SCHNEIDER IT MANAGEMENT helps you set trial governance, choose the right paid Microsoft 365 Copilot plan, and lock in the best licensing terms when you are ready to buy. Contact our Microsoft licensing experts to plan your Copilot rollout the right way.
Pricing note: All prices shown are non-binding and provided for information purposes only. Only a current, precise quote issued to the customer is binding.
Sources
For the announcement of the Microsoft 365 Copilot Business free 30-day trial, please visit: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/discussions/ExploringAI/microsoft-365-copilot-free-30-day-trial/4525318
For the Microsoft 365 Message Center post, please visit: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/homepage.
For the Microsoft 365 Copilot Business prerequisites and pricing, please visit: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/business.
For useful software licensing information on Microsoft 365 Copilot, please visit: https://www.schneider.im/microsoft-365-copilot-the-future-of-productivity/.