Global price adjustment from 2026
IBM has implemented a global price adjustment for its products and services, effective January 1, 2026. This annual harmonization is intended to align prices with inflation and other macroeconomic factors. For customers, this means greater predictability and consistency across software, hardware, and cloud services.
Which products are increasing in price?
Most IBM products are seeing increases of around 6%, but some categories are seeing higher or lower adjustments. For example, maintenance for IBM i software (SWMA) is increasing by 10%, while cloud-based Power workloads on IBM Cloud (PowerVS) are seeing a slight increase of 2%. For IBM Cloud services, the increase ranges from 1% to 10%, depending on the service and region.
Other products, such as IBM Power Systems hardware and Storage Systems hardware and software, are up an average of 6%, but certain storage products are excluded. These include FlashSystem, SAN Ready Nodes, LTO tape, and storage media.
Price increases for software and cloud
IBM Software via Passport Advantage, SaaS subscriptions, and IBM Z software will also see a 6% increase. For IBM Cloud customers, it's important to consider both regional pricing differences and the transition from free tiers. For example, the App ID Lite tier will be discontinued and the paid Graduated tier will become the standard. This may result in additional costs for organizations that previously used free services.
Important dates to remember
- From 1 Januari 2026 the new prices apply worldwide.
- Op 5 Januari 2026 IBM Cloud Basic Support is changing to a self-service model.
Impact for organizations
The price adjustments are moderate, but organizations are advised to review their contracts, quotes, and cloud usage. Existing quotes remain valid until their expiration date, and contracts will not be updated until renewal. For customers who rely on free cloud services, it's important to plan the transition to paid tiers well in advance.
In short: organizations using IBM software, hardware, or cloud services should be prepared for an average price increase of 6%, with some outliers. Good insight into contracts, maintenance, and cloud services can prevent unexpected costs.
If you have any questions about the impact of these price adjustments, please contact one of our specialists.