In today’s world of subscription services, Microsoft decided to go against the grain by introducing Office 2024, a simplified, single-purchase selection of its desktop apps.
Maybe you purchased Office 2021, and are thinking of upgrading your apps. Or perhaps you’re a Microsoft 365 subscriber who wants to stop paying regular subscription fees. Either way, we’ve weighed up the pros and cons of Office 2024 to help you consider your options before making that purchase!
The Benefits of Office 2024
Let’s first look at the pros of Office 2024:
Cost (and Budget!) Effective
Subscriptions can be a curse. They eat into your monthly or annual budget, they can be difficult to cancel, and prices can creep up over time. Possibly the greatest benefit of Office 2024 is that once you’ve bought it, you can cross it off your shopping list.
Alongside that, since it’s a one-time purchase, the longer you have Office 2024, the cheaper it becomes. Let’s assume that Microsoft launches its next version of Office after another three years in 2027. Over that period, you would pay $209.97 for the Microsoft 365 Personal subscription (or more if you pay monthly), meaning the one-off payment of $149.99 for Microsoft Office Home 2024 is a more cost-effective alternative.
Convenient and Simplified
Office 2024 is a nicely streamlined product, giving you four of Microsoft’s most essential apps—Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and OneNote. This means you (and your computer’s memory!) don’t have to deal with the many other apps that come with a Microsoft 365 Personal subscription. What’s more, you can rest assured in the knowledge that, when you purchase Office 2024, you are getting the latest versions of the apps, so you’re enjoying many of the benefits that subscribers also experience.
Moreover, since Office 2024 is “locked-in-time,” you don’t need to take the time to adapt to complex app updates and new software.
Everything in One Place
Whether you buy Office Home 2024 or Office Home & Business 2024, it’s for use on one PC or Mac only, meaning all your files are stored locally on your computer. This is a tidier and more secure alternative to using Microsoft’s cloud, OneDrive. It’s also a great way to control your work-life balance—once you’ve turned off your computer, you know you’re done for the day.
Work Offline
Office 2024 only needs internet access for the following purposes:
- Redeeming your purchase and associating it with your Microsoft account
- Downloading, installing, and activating the apps on your PC
- Receiving automatic security patches and bug fixes
This means that once you’ve set up the apps on your computer, Office 2024 works without a constant internet connection. Just make sure you reconnect your computer to the internet periodically to enable the security updates. Microsoft also says that Office 2024 requires periodic internet connectivity to keep your apps activated.
Improvement From Office 2021
Office 2024 includes many of the features introduced to Microsoft 365 subscribers after the launch of Office 2021.
More specifically, the apps in Office 2024 have a modernized interface, including improved accessibility tools and a new color scheme. Excel has many additional functions and improved performance, Outlook (for Office Home & Business 2024 customers only) has an improved search function, OneNote has new ink and drawing tools, and Word includes improved document recovery.
If you purchased Office 2021, and you’re thinking of upgrading to Office 2024, you’ll certainly notice the difference.
The Drawbacks of Office 2024
On the other hand, there are a few things you should know before making your Office 2024 purchase:
Significant Upfront Cost
Not everyone has the ability or desire to fork out $149.99 in one lump sum, especially given the option of paying $6.99 a month for a more comprehensive alternative. Paying nearly $150 seems even less justifiable when you remember that you can access Microsoft’s simplified versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, and OneNote online for free with a Microsoft account.
Fewer Apps
Office 2024 only offers desktop apps for Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and OneNote, and it doesn’t support Copilot or Editor. As a result, you’re missing out on extra security through Defender, online storage through OneDrive, desktop emails through Outlook, video editing through Clipchamp, and the AI assistance provided by Copilot and Editor.
Outdated Software
Because Office 2024 is “locked-in-time,” you won’t get the benefits of app developments and updates. This could mean that your software may become outdated as Microsoft continues to improve its desktop apps for Microsoft 365 subscribers. For example, if you’re emailed a Word document that contains a new feature, the file might not work properly when you open it.
In fact, your software is outdated as soon as you purchase Office 2024, given its lack of support for Copilot AI features.
No Remote Access to Files
You can only use your purchase of Office 2024 on one PC or Mac, so you won’t be able to access your files on other computers, tablets, or phones. If you’re someone who likes to work and organize your daily life on the move, this could be a problem.
Microsoft Will Probably Release Another Office in Three Years
While Office 2024 is promoted as a one-off purchase, in reality, bug fixes and security updates will only be supported for five years. After this point, it’ll be more vulnerable to nefarious activity, and you’ll have to enlist your own software developer if you encounter any major issues. This suggests that Microsoft will probably release another Office in a few years, so it’ll be decision-time all over again.
With a Microsoft 365 subscription, on the other hand, you have the luxury of 24/7 access to support, and security updates are automatic and indefinite.
So, Should You Buy Office 2024?
Office 2024 is for you if:
- You prefer one-time purchases over monthly or annual subscription fees,
- You only need access to Microsoft’s core apps,
- You don’t need online access or storage, and
- You want to upgrade from your Office 2021 purchase.
You probably shouldn’t go with Office 2024 if
- You don’t want to pay an upfront cost,
- You want to use Microsoft’s full suite of updated apps,
- You need to access your files on the move, or
- You want a suite of apps that don’t have an end date.
Ultimately, before you make your choice, take some time to weigh up your options, work out what you actually need, and make sure that some of the free Microsoft Office alternatives aren’t more suitable.