Employee Benefit Plan	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Compensation And Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
Employee Benefit Plan	(12) Employee Benefit Plan The Company sponsors a benefit plan to provide retirement benefits for its employees, known as the MicroStrategy 401(k) Savings Plan (the “401(k) Plan”). Participants may make voluntary contributions to the 401(k) Plan of up to 50% of their annual base pre-tax compensation, cash bonuses, and commissions not to exceed the federally determined maximum allowable contribution amounts. The 401(k) Plan permits for discretionary Company contributions. The Company currently makes a matching contribution to each 401(k) Plan participant in the amount of 50% of the first 6% of a participant’s contributions, up to a maximum of $3,000 per year. A participant vests in the matching contributions in increments based on the participant’s years of employment by the Company, becoming fully vested after completing six years of employment. The Company made contributions to the 401(k) Plan totaling $2.4 million, $2.1 million, and $1.9 million during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively. Effective January 1, 2019, the Company will make matching contributions to each 401(k) Plan participant in the amount of 50% of the first 12% of a participant’s contributions, up to a maximum of $5,000 per year. Further, all current active participants will become fully vested in the Company’s matching contributions after completing four years of employment, vesting in increments based on the participant’s years of employment by the Company.

Employee Benefit Plan

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Compensation And Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

(12) Employee Benefit Plan

The Company sponsors a benefit plan to provide retirement benefits for its employees, known as the MicroStrategy 401(k) Savings Plan (the “401(k) Plan”). Participants may make voluntary contributions to the 401(k) Plan of up to 50% of their annual base pre-tax compensation, cash bonuses, and commissions not to exceed the federally determined maximum allowable contribution amounts. The 401(k) Plan permits for discretionary Company contributions. The Company currently makes a matching contribution to each 401(k) Plan participant in the amount of 50% of the first 6% of a participant’s contributions, up to a maximum of $3,000 per year. A participant vests in the matching contributions in increments based on the participant’s years of employment by the Company, becoming fully vested after completing six years of employment. The Company made contributions to the 401(k) Plan totaling $2.4 million, $2.1 million, and $1.9 million during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively.

Effective January 1, 2019, the Company will make matching contributions to each 401(k) Plan participant in the amount of 50% of the first 12% of a participant’s contributions, up to a maximum of $5,000 per year. Further, all current active participants will become fully vested in the Company’s matching contributions after completing four years of employment, vesting in increments based on the participant’s years of employment by the Company.