Microsoft Office

There are two ways to buy Microsoft’s office applications, and they suit different people.

Microsoft 365 is a subscription, renewed annually. It includes the always-current versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, cloud storage, and installation across multiple devices — Windows, Mac, iPad and phones. Personal covers one person; Family covers up to six people, each with their own account and their own storage allocation, which is why it is far better value than several Personal licences for a household.

Office Home and Business perpetual licences are a one-off purchase tied to a single device. There are no feature updates and no cloud storage, but there is also no renewal — which works out cheaper over several years if you use the applications rarely and do not need the latest version.

The rough rule: if you would use it across several devices or in a household, the subscription wins. If it is one machine and basic documents, the perpetual licence may be cheaper long-term.

See also software.