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Paid plans start at $45/mo. There's also a free plan.
Visual Studio Community is free for .NET and C++ development on Windows. The pricing information does not publish numerical usage or seat limits for Community, so check Microsoft’s licensing terms before choosing it for a commercial team. Paid Visual Studio subscriptions are priced per user, not by API calls or compute. Professional starts at $45 per user per month, while annual standard subscriptions have first-year prices and higher renewal rates.
01Every plan, line by line
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual Studio Community | — | $0 | .NET and C++ developers on Windows |
| Visual Studio Code | — | $0 | JavaScript and web developers |
| Enterprise standard | $499.92 | — | Large teams with enterprise development needs |
| Professional standard | $99.99 | — | Commercial development in small businesses |
| Enterprise monthly | — | $250 | Teams needing month-to-month Enterprise access |
| Professional monthly | — | $45 | Teams needing month-to-month Professional access |
Add-ons and overages
- GitHub Enterprise bundle available with an Enterprise Agreement; price not published
- Visual Studio Professional standalone one-time purchase; price not published
What a team pays per month
| Plan | 1 seat | 5 seats | 10 seats | 25 seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise standard | $499.92 | $2,499.60 | $4,999.20 | $12,498 |
| Professional standard | $99.99 | $499.95 | $999.90 | $2,499.75 |
| Enterprise monthly | $250 | $1,250 | $2,500 | $6,250 |
| Professional monthly | $45 | $225 | $450 | $1,125 |
02What the plan grid doesn't tell you
First-year renewal jump
Professional standard renews at $66.59 per user per month after the first year; Enterprise standard renews at $214.09 per user per month.
Annual payment upfront
Standard subscriptions require a one-time annual payment: $99.99 per user for Professional or $499.92 per user for Enterprise.
Monthly Enterprise premium
Enterprise monthly costs $250 per user per month, compared with $499.92 per user for the first year of Enterprise standard.
Unpriced add-ons
The GitHub Enterprise bundle and standalone Professional one-time purchase are available, but their prices are not published.
03Which plan should you buy?
| If you are… | Get | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Individual .NET or C++ developer | Visual Studio Community | It is free and listed for .NET and C++ development on Windows; check the license terms for your use. |
| Commercial development in a small business | Professional standard | It costs $99.99 per user for the first year and includes Visual Studio Professional and Azure DevOps Basic. |
| Team needing monthly Enterprise access | Enterprise monthly | It costs $250 per user per month and includes Visual Studio Enterprise and Azure DevOps Basic + Test Plans. |
04Is Visual Studio worth the money?
Visual Studio Community is the sensible starting point for an eligible developer working on .NET or C++ in Windows: there is no subscription charge. For commercial teams that need Professional or Enterprise, compare the annual first-year price with the renewal rate, not just the initial cost. Professional standard is $99.99 per user for year one, then $66.59 per user per month; Enterprise standard is $499.92 for year one, then $214.09 per user per month. Monthly plans cost more for Enterprise access. No usage-based charges are listed.
Visual Studio pricing FAQ
How much does Visual Studio Professional cost?
Professional standard costs $99.99 per user for the first year, billed annually, and renews at $66.59 per user per month after that. Professional monthly costs $45 per user per month and includes Visual Studio Professional and Azure DevOps Basic.
How much does Visual Studio Enterprise cost?
Enterprise standard costs $499.92 per user for the first year, billed annually, and renews at $214.09 per user per month after the first year. Enterprise monthly costs $250 per user per month and includes Visual Studio Enterprise and Azure DevOps Basic + Test Plans.
Is Visual Studio Community free for commercial use?
Community is listed as free for .NET and C++ development on Windows. The pricing information does not establish the license conditions or eligibility for every commercial organization. Review Microsoft’s current license terms before deploying it across a business.
Does Visual Studio charge based on usage?
The listed Visual Studio subscriptions are priced per user and billed annually or monthly. No API usage, request, compute, or overage charges are listed. Azure credits are included with the standard paid plans, but the pricing information does not state the cost of usage beyond those credits.