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Office 2024 or Microsoft 365: which should you buy?

Microsoft offers its Office apps in two main ways: as a one-time purchase (Office 2024) or as a subscription (Microsoft 365). Both give you Word, Excel and PowerPoint, but they differ in how you pay, how many devices and people are covered, cloud storage and updates. This guide sets out the differences so you can choose the option that fits how you work.

## One-time purchase or subscription

Office 2024 is bought once and can be used for as long as you like. Microsoft provides security updates, but no new features, so the apps stay at the 2024 version.Microsoft 365 is a subscription, typically paid once a year. While the subscription is active, the apps receive new features as well as security updates, and the cloud services are included. If the subscription ends, the apps switch to a limited mode in which you can open and print documents but not edit them or create new ones.

On Clavanto, every product page states whether the product is a one-time purchase or a subscription, as well as its edition and region.

## Office 2024 Home & Business

  • Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
  • Installed on 1 PC or 1 Mac
  • Licensed for commercial use, so you can use it for your business
  • Classic desktop apps that do not change over time

## Microsoft 365 Personal and Family

  • Microsoft 365 Personal is for 1 person.
  • Microsoft 365 Family can be shared with up to 6 people, each with their own Microsoft account.
  • The apps work on all your devices: Windows PCs, Macs, tablets and phones. You can be signed in on up to five devices at the same time.
  • Each person gets 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage.
  • Updates keep arriving for as long as the subscription is active.
  • Personal and Family are intended for home use, not for commercial use.

## Which one suits you?

Office 2024 Home & Business may suit you if:

  • you work on one computer and prefer to pay once
  • you use the apps for a small business or freelance work
  • you prefer software that stays the same

Microsoft 365 may suit you if:

  • you use several devices, including phones and tablets
  • you want to share the apps and storage with your household
  • you need plenty of cloud storage for files and photo backups
  • you want new features as soon as Microsoft releases them

## How to redeem your key

After payment is confirmed, the key appears in your Clavanto account under Orders and is sent to you by email.

For Office 2024:

  • Go to setup.office.com and sign in with your Microsoft account, or create one.
  • Enter the product key and follow the steps on screen.
  • Download and install Office from your Microsoft account. The licence is linked to that account, so use one you intend to keep.

For Microsoft 365:

  • Go to microsoft.com/redeem and sign in with your Microsoft account.
  • Enter the code to start the subscription. If you already have an active subscription, the code extends it.
  • With Family, invite up to five other people from the sharing section of your Microsoft account.

If a key does not redeem or you are not sure which product is right for you, use the contact form in our help centre at clavanto.com/help and include your order number if you already have one.