Now that MS Publisher is no longer included in Microsoft 365, is the cost going to be reduced?

Question

No?

Thought not.

Micro$oft has once again decided they know better than its users. Its PAYING users.

Word and Powerpoint are poor substitutes for Publisher

Answer 1

Dear @Barry Ward, 

Good day! Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum! 

Based on your description, I understand that you’re concerned about Microsoft Publisher no longer being included in Microsoft 365 and are questioning whether this change should result in a reduced subscription cost. You’ve also expressed that Word and PowerPoint are not adequate replacements for Publisher for your use case. 

I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by this issue.

Regarding this matter, Microsoft has confirmed that Microsoft Publisher is being retired and will be removed from Microsoft 365, with support continuing only until October 2026. After that date, Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit .pub files using Publisher.

Regarding pricing, Microsoft has not announced any subscription cost reduction tied specifically to the retirement of Publisher.

Please be noted that as forum moderators and end-users, we don’t have visibility into Microsoft’s internal pricing or product‑roadmap decision‑making.

If you currently depend on Publisher, Microsoft recommends planning ahead before October 2026 by converting important .pub files to formats like PDF or Word while the app is still supported.

While moderators can’t change pricing decisions, your feedback is actively reviewed by Microsoft product teams. Therefore, please kindly send you feedback via:

• Publisher > Help tab > Feedback
• 
• Feedback Portal (you could send the link to your feedback after you have sent it to this forum so that other people with the same query would be able to add their votes to your feedback)

If enough users submit feedback for the same idea, it may also help Microsoft consider this in the future.

Note: As Microsoft Community moderators, please note that we are not involved in product design decisions and do not have direct access to the development roadmap, we want to assure you that your feedback has been acknowledged and is valued.  

Thank you for your kindness and understanding!

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Answer 2

Microsoft Publisher is set to be discontinued from Microsoft 365, and while the specific pricing changes have not been detailed, it is unlikely that the overall cost of Microsoft 365 will be reduced as a result. Microsoft typically adjusts its offerings and pricing based on the overall value of the services provided rather than the removal of a single application. Users may find alternatives within the Microsoft 365 suite, such as Word and PowerPoint, but these tools are not direct substitutes for Publisher in terms of desktop publishing capabilities.

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References:

• Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 - Microsoft Support
• Microsoft 365 apps for enterprise in Visual Studio subscriptions