Microsoft 365 has become a core part of Microsoft's business over the last decade or so. This productivity bundle gets you access to all the Microsoft Office apps you've always known, like Word or PowerPoint, with frequent feature additions, all for a relatively low monthly price. However, the subscription model isn't for everyone, and some still prefer buying Office outright with a one-time payment for a perpetual license on theirlaptop.
For those customers, Microsoft recently released Office 2024, which is now widely available for both commercial customers and consumers. It's been three years since the last perpetual license release of Office, and this one comes with a handful of new features.
Microsoft Office 2024: Pricing and availability
Office 2024 comes in different editions depending on the context. Office 2024 for consumers launched on October 1, 2024, and it comes in two editions.
- Office 2024 Home - Includes Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote -$149.99
- Office 2024 Home & Business - Includes the above plus Outlook, as well as rights to use the apps in commercial environments -$249.99
Enterprise customers got Office LTSC 2024 a bit earlier, on September 16th, 2024, also in two editions:
- Office LTSC Standard 2024 - Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote
- Office LTSC Professional Plus - Includes the above, plus Microsoft Access
While you can't buy the Office LTSC releases as a consumer, you can find the consumer versions on Microsoft's website as well as other retailers. You can buy them below:
Microsoft Office Home 2024
$95$150 Save $55Office Home 2024 includes Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and it can be used on a single PC forever.
Microsoft Office Home & Business 2024
Office Home & Business 2024 includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, plus the rights to use the apps in commercial environments. It also has a pertual license.
What's new in Microsoft Office 2024?
As you'd expect, a new release of Microsoft Office comes with a few new features, and Office 2024 is no different. It inherits some of the features that have rolled out to Microsoft 365 Insiders since the previous release, such as:
- User interface enhancements: Office 2024 is still very similar to Office 2021, but there's a new default theme that follows the Fluent Design principles ofWindows 11, making it a better fit for the new operating system. There's also a new default font, called Aptos, which replaces Calibri.
- New accessibility tools: Office 2024 helps make your documents easier to read and interpret with new accessibility tools that analyze said documents on the fly.
- New functions for Excel: Excel has received some notable updates with this release, with newly added support for dynamic charts with dynamic arrays, as well as new text and array functions. What's more, there's a new IMAGE function that lets you insert an image into a cell, and the overall performance of Excel has been improved.
- New presentation tools for PowerPoint: PowerPoint also has some big new features, including the ability to record and insert a video of your webcam directly into a slide, so you can explain its contents better. You cna also add closed captions to audio and video, and even record your presentation to share it as a video.
There are more new additions in tow, including the ability to add reactions to comments, improved search in Outlook, and more.
System requirements for Microsoft Office 2024
You can install Office 2024 on the following operating systems:
- Windows 11 (minimum for ARM-based devices)
- Windows 10 LTSC 2021
- Windows 10 LTSC 2019
- Windows 10
- Windows Server 2022
Your PC also needs to meet the following specifications or higher:
- 4GB RAM (6GB+ recommended)
- 4GB of available disk space
- Internet connectivity if you are using MAK activation
- 1.6GHz or faster processor
- Minimum screen resolution of 1024x768 (Windows) or 1280x800 (Mac)
Is Office 2024 better than Microsoft 365?
You've probably heard something about Microsoft 365 in the past, and in fact, it includes a lot of the same apps, plus some extras. You may be wondering which option is better, and the gist of it is that it depends on your needs and usage. Microsoft Office 2024 is a locked-in-time release, meaning it won't get any more new features after the initial launch. You'll keep getting updates for five years, but these will only fix bugs and address security issues.
However, it has the benefit that you only need to pay for the license once, and then you can use the apps forever. It's a cheaper option if you just need the Office features you've always needed and you don't want things to change more than they have to.
Should you get Microsoft 365 or Office 2024? Here's what you need to know
Is a subscription better than a one-time payment?
Microsoft 365 is a continuous subscription service. When you download the Office apps as part of Microsoft 365, you're going to get more features over time, since the apps get updated every month with new changes. It's a great way to get the latest and greatest, but on the flip side, you have to pay a monthly or annual fee. It costs $70/year to get Microsoft 365 for a single person, and that can add up quickly to be more expensive than a perpetual license, though it has other perks like OneDrive storage. Microsoft 365 users can also join the Insider Program to try new features even earlier. This can sometimes give you a glimpse at what will be included in the next perpetual release of Office.
XDA Report: Subscribe and never miss what matters
Ultimately, it depends on your needs. Office 2024 is a no-frills solution if you already have all the features you need in Office. Microsoft 365 is more interesting if you want to get new features over time, plus cloud storage.
How long will Microsoft Office 2024 be supported?
Office 2024 will be supported for five years. That means you'll keep receiving updates that fix bugs and other issues with the included apps. However, no new features will be added during the support period. The apps will continue to work beyond the support period, but they will no longer get updates.
Microsoft Office Home 2024
$95$150 Save $55Microsoft Office 2024 is the latest perpetual release of Office. The Home edition includes Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, the basics for all your daily work needs, so you can write documents, create spreadsheets, and make presentations for school.
Microsoft Office Home & Business 2024
Office Home & Business 2024 includes all the apps in the Home edition, but it also adds Outlook to the mix. Plus, you can use the apps in commercial environments, so you don't have to worry about licensing if you need the apps for serious work.
