If you are new to Microsoft Office or plan to upgrade, you will stumble upon two options: Office 2019 and the Office apps from Microsoft 365 (formerly known as Office 365).
This can make your decision-making a little more complicated.
Table of Contents
- Office 2019 vs. Microsoft 365: Which is Right for you?
- A sneak peek into Microsoft 365 vs. Office 2019
- How to get Microsoft Office on your PC
- What you need to know about Office in Microsoft 365
- What you need to know about Office 2019
- Microsoft 365 or Office 2019: Which One Should You Buy?
- Who Should Buy Microsoft 365?
- Who Should Buy Office 2019?
- Microsoft 365 buying guide: Which version should you buy?
- Final thoughts
Office 2019 vs. Microsoft 365: Which is Right for you?
Although these offerings give you access to the same set of apps, the difference comes down to the list of additional benefits and how each one will impact your wallet.
A sneak peek into Microsoft 365 vs. Office 2019
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Office in Microsoft 365 |
Office 2019 |
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No matter what device you’re using (online or offline), Office 365 is right there for you, connecting your documents with people and recent files across devices and OneDrive storage. With all this information at the palm of your hand, there’s no excuse for being disconnected anymore. Now, you can focus more of that creative energy on projects with blogs, homework assignments, presentations, and more. |
Office 2019 is the software suite for any project, whether it’s professional or personal. With its time-saving tools like inking, intelligent translation, and an easy-to-use interface with built-in help when you need it most, Office 2019 has everything you need to get things done ahead of schedule. No expiration, subscription, just pure commitment to the greatest suite available. |
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An introduction
Microsoft Office is the gold standard for productivity suites. There has never been a better time to pick up what's best for you. The current best options are Microsoft 365, which comes with all of your favorite software and additional services like OneDrive storage. This will come in handy when collaborating on projects.
If you prefer to go the traditional route, Office 2019 is a better choice instead of paying monthly fees that may not be necessary.
What do you want out of your Microsoft Office suite? Do staying within the traditional bounds and getting all-new features excite you, or would a subscription service be better for someone on the go? With two incredible options currently available, there are some key differences that need to be noted about each one.
How to get Microsoft Office on your PC
For a long time, the best (and only) way to get Microsoft Office was to buy a CD-ROM for a one-off price and install it onto your PC. But this changed.
Today, Office is available as a download, but you can either buy it outright with a one-time purchase or as a monthly subscription. There are advantages to either option.
Any Microsoft product under the ‘365’ umbrella is subscription-based, referring to the number of days in a year. Any Microsoft product without ‘365’ in its name is likely to be a one-time purchase - good if you only want to pay once, but you won’t be able to upgrade the software with online updates like you can with 365 subscriptions.
There are also several different versions of Office available, and you should choose the best one for you depending on your needs. It's worth noting that while this buying guide covers every platform, Mac users might want to take a look at the specific Office for Mac.
What you need to know about Office in Microsoft 365
Whether you're working on the go from your phone or using a PC, the apps in Microsoft 365 will help you stay organized and streamline communication. Get up-to-date on today's new releases with continuous updates as soon as they happen. You can stay connected across 6 different devices at once.
Microsoft 365 ensures that you have reliable access to all your work from anywhere in the world.
Microsoft 365 is perfect for those who work on different devices and want to have access to all Office apps. No more excuses of having no access — all of your devices can easily reach projects when the files are stored in the cloud. Additionally, each new subscriber will gain access to a large amount of cloud storage with OneDrive or SharePoint at no additional cost.
Tip: Office 365 is now Microsoft 365. New name, more benefits.
Be confident that you're always up to date with Microsoft 365. A Microsoft 365 subscription makes it easy to keep things current. Thanks to immediate, free updates, you'll always have access to the latest versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Access, and more. Work smarter, not harder.
What you need to know about Office 2019
Office 2019 is the latest edition of Microsoft's standalone productivity suite. It includes a wide range of features, regardless of which edition you purchase — from familiar favorites like Word and Excel to some standout apps like Outlook. Just choose what's right for your needs and never worry about paying a subscription fee again!
Looking for a software suite to get the job done? Pick up Office 2019 now. It’s quick, easy, and affordable (and it won’t expire).
Make professional documents with ease with Word 2019, create spreadsheets in Excel 2019, or just chat online on Skype. You know where we live — the workplace of tomorrow! So let's get started today. Pick this suite up if you want to have indefinite access to all the essential software on one Windows 10 device.
With Office 2019, you're seriously equipped to tackle any task. The essential apps ensure your documents are professional-looking with ease. The best part? You get to keep your product forever with perpetual licensing.
Microsoft 365 or Office 2019: Which One Should You Buy?
The choice is yours — Microsoft
Before purchasing your Office suite, it’s important to review your options. Don’t spend money on software you might regret buying, especially if you’re on a budget.
Who Should Buy Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 subscriptions are changing the way we work and interact. With your subscription, you have access to all of Office's software suite for any project — whether it is class projects or professional ones. Plus, when a new update comes out on Microsoft 365 apps only subscribers will get updated versions!
A Micros0ft 365 subscription may be beneficial if you're heavily involved in creating content and doing professional work with office programs like Word and PowerPoint. Until your plan expires there isn't really anything that could stop you from using these valuable resources freely. They keep updating regularly so their usefulness never runs dry.
Microsoft 365 is not just for power users anymore. With a subscription, Microsoft Office apps are always current and available on any device you need them.
You'll never have to worry about losing your files or forgetting which device you were working on if you subscribe to Microsoft 365. From anywhere in the world, users can access their programs and data with just a few clicks. And for those who need professional software like Visio and Publisher without any additional fees, this is one of the best deals around!
Who Should Buy Office 2019?
Office 2019 is the latest office suite from Microsoft that provides a wide range of tools for work and personal or light business use. It has plenty to offer, but one downside might be its lack of team-based collaboration software like Microsoft 365 offers. This can make it difficult for some people who rely on teamwork at their jobs.
Office 2019 packs all the essentials. It’s perfect for personal use, work from home, and student projects.
Despite Office's shortcomings in any form of real collaborative environment, both with other users within an organization as well as across organizations, there are many benefits. These may outweigh such issues altogether depending on your needs. Once you purchase Office 2019, your software will be there forever! You'll never have to worry about paying another cent unless you want to upgrade.
Office 2019 is the latest edition of Microsoft's popular productivity suite. This software can be used by everyone, from a large organization to an individual with one computer at home—no matter how you use it, Office 2019 will always remain yours forever.
Microsoft 365 buying guide: Which version should you buy?
Tip: Microsoft 365 includes all the regular Office apps that suit your needs. But which plan should you go for?
Microsoft 365 - Family vs Personal
Microsoft 365 has two options: Family (previously Office 365 Home) or Personal (previously Office 365 Personal).
The main difference is that Microsoft 365 Family allows up to six users to use the software across multiple devices at one time, whereas the Personal account is intended for a single user.
Microsoft 365 Family edition licenses up to 6 people and offers up to 6TB of cloud storage.
As of 2018, Microsoft lifted the device limit on Office 365 installations. This means both Family or Personal subscribers can install the software on as many devices as needed.
Also keep in mind, if you're a student, you can also qualify for Microsoft 365 Education for free.
Microsoft 365 Family
- For 6 users at a time across unlimited PCs/Macs, tablets, and phones
- 1TB cloud storage per user for 6 users (6TB total)
- 60 minutes monthly Skype calls to mobile and landlines
- Ongoing access to updates
- Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher (PC Only), Access (PC Only), OneDrive, Skype, Microsoft Teams
Microsoft 365 Personal
- For 1 PC/Mac across unlimited PCs/Macs, tablets, and phones
- 1TB cloud storage per user for 1 user
- 60 minutes monthly Skype calls for 1 user
- Ongoing access to updates
- Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher (PC Only), Access (PC Only), OneDrive, Skype, Microsoft Teams, Family Safety
Office 365 Education - Free for students
Office 365 Education is a special version of Microsoft 365 for students (and often university faculty or staff). Students and teachers can sign up for free web access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint OneNote, and Microsoft Teams under the Office 365 A1 plan using their school/faculty credentials.
You'll need a university email address or other proof of your status to claim it.
Microsoft also has the Office 365 A3 plan if you want desktop access to the apps. But this will cost you more in the subscription. The top-tier Office 365 A5 plan, which costs £5.30/$6 per month for students and £7.05/$8 per month for teachers, offers desktop and web access along with added security features.
Microsoft 365 Business
Microsoft 365 also offers business-minded versions of its software focusing on the options for small businesses, Medium Enterprises, and for larger companies. Once again, there's a split between the 365 subscription packages with both monthly and yearly subscriptions.
There are three main versions of Microsoft 365 Business available, each offering very different software packages. So, make sure you pick the right one.
Also, be especially mindful about Microsoft 365 Business Basic, which doesn't actually include desktop versions of the core Office software like Word and Excel, but just Microsoft's online and cloud tools.
Also note the Microsoft 365 Apps for business plan ($11.99 per user per month) includes both desktop and mobile versions of the apps but without the other productivity tools such as email, calendaring, and team conference features.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard
- Microsoft 365 Business standard Monthly or Microsoft 365 Business Standard (Yearly)
- One license for 5 PCs/Macs plus 5 tablets and 5 phones per user
- 1TB cloud storage per user
- Allows up to 300 users
- Ongoing access to updates
- Desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, Access, OneDrive
- Web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
- Microsoft Office 365 Business Premium (Monthly) or Microsoft Office 365 Business Premium (Yearly)
- For 5 PCs/Macs plus 5 tablets and 5 phones per user
- 1TB cloud storage per user
- Allows up to 300 users
- Email hosting with 50GB mailbox and custom domain address
- Ongoing access to updates
- Desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, Access
- Access to OneDrive, Exchange, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Yammer, Skype for Business
- Web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook
Microsoft 365 Business Basic
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic Monthly or Yearly subscription
- 1TB cloud storage per user
- Email hosting with 50GB mailbox and custom domain address
- Allows up to 300 users
- Ongoing access to updates
- Video conferencing with up to 250 people
- OneDrive, Exchange, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Yammer, Skype for Business
- Web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote
Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise
- For 5 PCs/Macs plus 5 tablets and 5 phones per user
- 1TB cloud storage per user
- Web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and OneDrive
- Ongoing access to updates
- Allows up to 300 users
Final thoughts
The final decision will depend on how much you need from the apps and the cloud service. If you plan to stay with Office for many years, the Microsoft 365 subscription is perhaps your best option. The reason is that with the subscription, you will get full access to the apps and benefits at a low cost of ownership.
Also Read
> Microsoft Office Complete Guide
> Microsoft Office 2019 vs. Office 365 – What’s Your Choice?
> Microsoft Office Versions: A Comparison