Office 2021 vs Office 2024 vs Microsoft 365: Which to Buy?
Updated by the Software Recycling support team
Office 2021 and Office 2024 are one-time purchases you install on one computer, while Microsoft 365 is a subscription that keeps updating. Office 2021 support ends October 13, 2026 and Office 2024 support ends October 9, 2029. Pick Office 2024 for a long supported one-time license, or Microsoft 365 if you want cloud storage and constant updates.
Office 2021 and Office 2024 are one-time purchases: you pay once, install on one computer, and keep that version. Microsoft 365 is a subscription: you pay monthly or yearly and always have the current apps plus cloud storage. The right choice depends on how long you want support, which apps you need, and whether you want to keep paying.
One-time purchase vs subscription
A one-time purchase is cheaper over several years if you only need the core apps. A subscription costs more over time but includes new features and online services.
| Office 2021 | Office 2024 | Microsoft 365 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payment | One-time | One-time | Monthly or yearly subscription |
| Feature updates | No | No | Yes, ongoing |
| Security updates | Until October 13, 2026 | Until October 9, 2029 | While subscribed |
| Devices | One computer | One computer | Several devices per user |
| Cloud storage | Not included | Not included | OneDrive storage included |
With a one-time license, the apps keep working after support ends. They simply stop receiving security fixes, which matters most for apps that handle email and attachments, such as Outlook.
Which apps come with each edition?
Office editions differ mainly in whether they include Outlook, Access and Publisher.
| Edition | Word | Excel | PowerPoint | OneNote | Outlook | Access | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office Home 2024 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Office Home & Business 2024 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Office LTSC Professional Plus 2021 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac | Yes | Yes | Yes | Free separate app | Yes | No | No |
Access and Publisher are Windows only. Office 2024 dropped Publisher entirely, so if you depend on Publisher files you will need another way to edit them over time.
Office 2021: who should still buy it?
Office 2021 makes sense only if you need a feature or app that later versions removed and you accept the support date. Microsoft support for Office 2021 ends on October 13, 2026.
Office 2021 Professional Plus is the last Windows edition with Publisher. If you need Publisher for existing files, or you are matching other PCs in an office that already run Office 2021, it can fill that gap. For a new installation where security updates matter, Office 2024 is the better choice because Microsoft supports it until October 9, 2029.
Office 2016 and Office 2019 already reached end of support on October 14, 2025.
Office 2024: the current one-time version
Office 2024 is the newest version you can buy outright, and it has the longest remaining support of any one-time Office release. Support runs until October 9, 2029.
Choose the edition by the apps you need:
- Office Home 2024 for personal use with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote.
- Office Home & Business 2024 if you need Outlook or use Office for work. It includes commercial use rights.
- Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024 for organizations that need Access and deploy under volume licensing.
Office 2024 runs on Windows and on recent versions of macOS. It does not receive new features after release, only security and quality updates.
Microsoft 365: when a subscription makes sense
Microsoft 365 makes sense if you want the latest features, use several devices, or need cloud storage and email services. It never reaches an end of support date in the same way, because Microsoft keeps updating it while you subscribe.
Home plans include Microsoft 365 Personal for one person and Microsoft 365 Family for up to six people, each with 1 TB of OneDrive storage. Business plans range from Microsoft 365 Business Basic, which includes the web and mobile apps only, to Business Standard and Business Premium, which include the desktop apps.
The trade-off is cost. If you stop paying, the desktop apps switch to a reduced functionality mode and you lose the extra storage.
Which should you pick?
For most people choosing today, the decision comes down to Office 2024 or Microsoft 365.
- You want to pay once and use Office for years: Office 2024.
- You need Outlook for work on one PC: Office Home & Business 2024.
- You use a Mac and want a one-time license: Office Home & Business for Mac. Check the version's support date first.
- You need Publisher for existing files: Office 2021 Professional Plus, knowing that support ends October 13, 2026.
- You want the newest features, cloud storage and several devices: Microsoft 365.
- You run a team that collaborates in shared files every day: a Microsoft 365 business plan.
If you also need Visio or Project, both are sold as separate one-time licenses in matching versions. See /other/visio and /other/project.
Installing and activating your Office license
Office one-time licenses install from Microsoft's official setup and activate with a product key. Redeem a retail key at setup.office.com when the product supports it, or follow the steps in our guide to installing and activating Office. If online activation fails, use Office phone activation. To swap an existing key, see how to change an Office product key.
Keys from Software Recycling LLC are genuine Microsoft product keys recycled from businesses that upgraded or closed down. Once activated, Office receives Microsoft updates and security patches like any retail license, for as long as Microsoft supports that version.
Need help?
If you are not sure which edition fits, or activation does not work, open a ticket at /support or call +1-888-470-5516. Free tech support is available 7 days a week.
