Microsoft 365 or Office 2024? Subscription vs. One-Time Purchase
Subscription or one-time purchase? Microsoft 365 and Office 2024 both include Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook – but they differ in cost, devices, storage and updates. This comparison shows you in five minutes which one suits you.
The difference in one sentence
You buy Office 2024 once and use it on one device with no expiry date. Microsoft 365 is rented: you pay every year and in return always get the latest version, cloud storage and multiple devices.
Comparison table
| Office 2024 | Microsoft 365 Single | Microsoft 365 Family | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payment | one-time | yearly | yearly |
| People | 1 | 1 | up to 6 |
| Devices | 1 PC or 1 Mac | up to 5 signed in at the same time | up to 5 per person |
| Cloud storage | – | 1 TB OneDrive | 2 TB shared by everyone |
| Updates | security updates until Oct. 2029 | always the latest version | always the latest version |
| Tablet & smartphone | only basic features of the free apps | full Office apps | full Office apps |
| Usable offline | yes, permanently | yes, subscription must be checked online regularly | yes, subscription must be checked online regularly |
Since 8 October 2026, new Family subscriptions share 2 TB of storage. Existing subscriptions switch to this model at renewal, from May 2027 at the latest.
Who is Office 2024 for?
- You work on one computer and don't need cloud storage from Microsoft.
- You want no ongoing costs. Over three, four or five years, the one-time licence is usually much cheaper.
- You often work offline or don't want Office to need a regular online check.
Who is Microsoft 365 for?
- You use Office on several devices – for example a laptop, PC and tablet.
- You need cloud storage for photos, backups and shared files.
- Several people in your household want to use Office: with Family, up to six people share one subscription and 2 TB of cloud storage; each person's files stay private.
- You always want the latest features without buying again.
Example calculation: which is cheaper in the long run?
You pay for the one-time licence once, but for the subscription every year. Divide the price of Office 2024 by the yearly price of Microsoft 365 Single – the result is roughly the number of months or years after which buying pays off. With Office Standard and Professional Plus (volume licence), at our prices this point is reached within the first year, and with Home & Business after about two years. If, on the other hand, you really use the storage and multiple devices, the subscription gives you more for your money.
Our rule of thumbOne device, no cloud: Office 2024. Several devices or people: Microsoft 365.
Frequently asked questions
Can I switch from Office 2024 to Microsoft 365 later?
Yes, at any time. Uninstall Office 2024 and sign in with your Microsoft 365 account. Your files remain usable without any changes.
Does Office 2024 expire after a while?
No. Office 2024 is a perpetual licence with no expiry date. Security updates are provided until October 2029; after that, it keeps running without updates.
What happens when my Microsoft 365 subscription ends?
The Office apps switch to a reduced-functionality mode: you can still open and read files, but no longer edit them or create new ones. Your files in OneDrive are kept for a while.
Is Outlook included in both?
Always in Microsoft 365. With Office 2024, Outlook is included in Home & Business, Standard and Professional Plus, but not in Office Home 2024.
