# Microsoft Access

> Windows desktop database app sold with Microsoft 365

Microsoft Access is a Windows desktop application for building database apps from tables, queries, forms and reports, either from templates or from scratch. It comes with the Microsoft 365 plans that include the desktop apps and is also sold on its own as a one-time purchase for one PC. Data can stay in an Access file or be stored in SQL Server or Azure SQL.

- **Category:** Spreadsheets & Databases
- **Made by:** Microsoft
- **Website:** https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/access
- **Runs on:** Windows
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 5, 2026

## Pricing

Microsoft Access is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal).

- **Pricing model:** Free trial
- **Free plan:** None.
- **Free trial:** 1-month free trial of Microsoft 365 for individuals or of Microsoft 365 Business Standard.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $9.99 per month, or $99.99 per year | For 1 person on up to 5 devices: Access (PC only) alongside the Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook desktop apps and 1 TB of cloud storage. |
| Microsoft 365 Apps for business | $10.00 per user / month, paid yearly ($12.00 billed monthly) | Fully installed Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Access (PC only) for up to 300 employees, with 1 TB of cloud storage per user. |
| Microsoft 365 Family | $12.99 per month, or $129.99 per year | Everything in Personal for 1 to 6 people, each able to sign in on up to 5 devices, with 1 TB of storage per person. |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard | $14.00 per user / month, paid yearly ($16.80 billed monthly) | Desktop, web and mobile apps including Access (PC only), plus business email, Microsoft Teams and 1 TB of cloud storage per user. |
| Microsoft 365 Premium | $19.99 per month, or $199.99 per year | Everything in Family, plus extensive Copilot usage and agentic AI features such as advanced research and analytics. |
| Access | $179.99 one-time purchase for 1 PC | Standalone Access for one PC running Windows 11 or Windows 10, bought once rather than by subscription. |

Read from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/buy/compare-all-microsoft-365-products on Oct 5, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Microsoft Access before buying.

## Ways to pay less

- **Save up to 17% by paying yearly** (Annual discount): Microsoft 365 Personal is $99.99 a year against $9.99 a month, Family $129.99 against $12.99 and Premium $199.99 against $19.99. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/buy/compare-all-microsoft-365-products
- **Apps for business: $10 yearly, $12 monthly** (Annual discount): Microsoft 365 Apps for business is $10.00 per user a month when paid yearly, or $12.00 per user a month on a monthly subscription. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/microsoft-365-apps-for-business
- **Students save 50% on Microsoft 365 Personal** (Education): Verified college and university students get Microsoft 365 Personal, which includes Access, at half price. Student status has to be re-verified each year. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/college-student-pricing
- **Standalone Access as a one-time purchase** (Lifetime license): $179.99 buys Access for 1 PC running Windows 11 or Windows 10, with no subscription. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/p/access/cfq7ttc0pd0b

## Key features

- **Database apps from templates or scratch:** Business apps are built from templates or from scratch with Access's design tools, which Microsoft pitches at people who are not developers.
- **Tables, queries, forms and reports:** A database is made of tables for the data plus queries, forms, reports, macros and modules that sit on top of them and form the app's interface and logic.
- **Visual Basic for Applications:** VBA code automates business processes and is used to build more capable forms and reports.
- **SQL Server and Azure SQL storage:** Data can be stored in SQL Server or Microsoft Azure SQL instead of the Access file. Each requires its own subscription to that service.
- **Connectors to other data sources:** The Access connector library shares data between Access and line-of-business apps, so combined data can be queried and charted inside Access.
- **Multi-user sharing:** A database can be shared from a network folder, split into a back-end data file with a front-end copy per user, or linked to SharePoint lists. Access supports up to 255 concurrent users.

## Good for

- Small businesses building their own database apps on Windows PCs
- Teams sharing a database over a local network
- Organizations that already license the Microsoft 365 desktop apps

## Worth knowing

- Access is available for PC only; Microsoft lists no Mac, web or mobile version.
- It is not part of Office Home 2024 or Microsoft 365 Business Basic, which has web and mobile apps only.
- An Access database file is limited to 2 GB, minus the space needed for system objects.
- Storing data in SQL Server or Azure SQL requires a separate subscription to that service.

## Works with

SQL Server, Azure SQL, SharePoint

**Tags:** Databases, App builder, Templates, Reports, One-time purchase, Works offline

## Alternatives

- [Claris FileMaker](https://toolgpa.com/tools/claris-filemaker): Low-code platform for custom database apps on desktop, iOS and web. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/claris-filemaker-vs-microsoft-access)
- [Airtable](https://toolgpa.com/tools/airtable): Relational database platform for building team workflows and apps. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/airtable-vs-microsoft-access)
- [Ninox](https://toolgpa.com/tools/ninox): AI-assisted low-code platform for custom business software. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/microsoft-access-vs-ninox)
- [Grist](https://toolgpa.com/tools/grist): Open-source relational spreadsheet with Python formulas. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/grist-vs-microsoft-access)
- [Microsoft Lists](https://toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-lists): Information-tracking lists app included with Microsoft 365. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/microsoft-access-vs-microsoft-lists)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 5, 2026:

- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/access
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/buy/compare-all-microsoft-365-products
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/microsoft-365-plans-and-pricing
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/microsoft-365-apps-for-business
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/microsoft-365-business-standard
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/p/access/cfq7ttc0pd0b
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/college-student-pricing
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/access/access-specifications
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/access/ways-to-share-an-access-desktop-database

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-access
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).