Microsoft Office Buying Guide: Rent vs Own and Choosing the Right Version
Buying Microsoft Office has become increasingly complex in recent years, with multiple payment models and versions available. In this guide, we'll untangle the landscape to help you choose the right version for your needs.
The first decision is whether to rent or own: Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based service that offers continuously updated versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more, as well as AI features and cloud storage. The catch is that when you stop paying, the applications drop into read-only mode, but your documents will still be accessible.
On the other hand, perpetual licenses like Office 2024, Office 2021, and earlier editions offer a one-time purchase with no renewal required. While they don't include cloud storage or AI features, they do provide permanent access to the software.
The arithmetic is clear: over five years on one computer, Microsoft 365 Personal costs around $500, whereas a perpetual license is a single payment that often outlives the five-year window. Unless you genuinely use a terabyte of cloud storage or want Copilot's AI features, renting may not be the best choice.
Office 2024 is the newest one-time-purchase release, available in three packages: Professional Plus, Home, and Home & Business. While it includes all the standard apps, neither retail package includes Access or Publisher, which are only available with Professional Plus.
Office 2021, on the other hand, offers a similar app roster at a lower price point, making it a good value pick for those who don't need the latest features. Office 2019 and 2016 remain in circulation but have ended support, making them suitable only for secondary machines or offline PCs.
Mac users have their own fork of every decision above, with three quirks worth knowing: there is no Professional Plus for macOS, and perpetual Mac editions are Home & Business (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote).