Office 365 vs Office 2024 – What is the difference for you?
Pay monthly or make a one-time purchase? That is the central question if you want to use Microsoft Office. The difference between Office 365 and Office 2024 is greater than you think, and the right choice depends on how you work. In this article, we clearly outline everything so you know which version suits you.
Spoiler: for most home users, Office Professional Plus 2024 the wisest choice.
What is Microsoft 365 (Office 365)?
Microsoft 365, formerly known as Office 365, is subscription model . You pay monthly or annually and get access to the full suite: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and more. As long as you pay, you have access. Does the subscription stop? Then you lose the ability to edit documents.
The personal versions — Microsoft 365 Personal and Microsoft 365 Family — cost approximately €7 and €10 per month, respectively. That is €84 to €120 per year, year after year. For families or those who collaborate intensively via the cloud, this subscription offers real added value.
What is Microsoft Office 2024?
Microsoft Office 2024 is a one-time purchase. You pay once and can use the software for life without monthly costs. Office 2024 includes the classic applications Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.
The major advantage: you buy the license, activate it on your PC, and use it for as long as you want. Through LicentiePromo, Office 2024 (1 device) is available starting at €34.90, a fraction of what you would pay for a multi-year subscription.
Office Professional Plus 2024 will not receive any major new features after release, but it will receive security updates until 2029. For those who want to work stably, affordably, and without surprises, that is more than sufficient.
Comparison Table: Office 2024 vs Microsoft 365
| Criterion | Office 2024 | Microsoft 365 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | One-time from €34.90 | From ± €7/month (± €84/year) |
| Updates | Security updates through 2029 | Ongoing feature updates |
| Apps included | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote (+Outlook in certain versions) | Full suite incl. Teams, Access, Publisher |
| Cloud storage | Not included | 1 TB OneDrive per user |
| Number of devices | 1 PC for life | Up to 5 devices, as long as the subscription is active |
| Subscription required | No | Yes |
When will you choose Office 2024?
Buying Office 2024 as a one-time purchase is the smartest choice if you:
- one device and has no need for multiple installations
- Do not want to be dependent on a monthly bill or subscription
- primarily locally and does not require large cloud storage
- self-employed or a home user who uses Word, Excel, and PowerPoint daily
An Office 2024 license via LicentiePromo costs you a one-time fee starting from €34.90. By comparison, Microsoft 365 Personal costs more than €168 after two years for the same basic functionality.
Conclusion and recommendation
The difference between Microsoft 365 and Office 2024 is fundamental: subscription versus one-time purchase. For most Belgian home users and self-employed professionals, Office 2024 the most cost-effective choice. You pay once, work without limits, and have no worries about ongoing costs.
Do you have a large family, do you work in a team daily, or do you always want the very latest version? Then Microsoft 365 is the right option.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Office 2024 cost?
Office 2024 is available via LicentiePromo starting at €34.90 for a one-time license on 1 device. This is a one-time payment with no further subscription fees. You use the software for life.
Is Office 365 more expensive than Office 2024?
In the long run, yes. Microsoft 365 Personal costs approximately €7 per month, which amounts to more than €84 per year. After two years, with an Office 2024 license via LicentiePromo, you will have already saved more than €130 without sacrificing the basic functionality of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Can I upgrade from Office 2024 to Microsoft 365 later?
Yes, that is always possible. You can subscribe to Microsoft 365 at any time, even if you are currently using Office 2024. Your existing documents and files remain fully compatible between both versions.