I'm looking for ways to obtain a Microsoft 365 E5 license for personal use, as my company has these licenses but I want to learn tools like Entra, Intune, Autopilot, and Conditional Access at home. Are there any options for getting a trial or a discounted license for practice? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
If you're just starting out, M365 Business Premium gives you access to a lot of what you need for about $20/month. Practicing with this could prepare you well before deciding if you want to commit to the full E5 plan.
Another approach is to go for Microsoft 365 Business Premium instead. It’s a more budget-friendly choice at around $20/month, and while it doesn't have all the E5 features, it covers the basics you'll want to practice with. This has worked well for me!
If the trial option doesn’t suit you, consider the Microsoft 365 Developer Program. If you qualify, you can get an E5 subscription for development purposes. Otherwise, be prepared to purchase a license.
Starting with trial accounts is smart! You can explore each tier and see what features they offer as you go along. Also, check out M365maps for a handy guide on what each tier includes.
You could try signing up for trial licenses if they're available in your region—usually, it allows 25 users for a month. It's a solid way to get familiar with the environment and tools without any cost. Totally worth a shot!
I did this and spent an evening getting to know everything, followed by a weekend diving deep into Autopilot on an old machine. It was super helpful for my learning!
That’s a good plan! I tried that for a month and found it super beneficial for learning how different components interact.