Those who consider themselves a layman in terms of computers and technology, may cross the terms Microsoft office and Microsoft office 365 and might be wondering sometimes what the terms mean.
Microsoft packages and sells its Office productivity solutions in several ways and Microsoft’s every subsequent release triggers a lot of confusion in the user community.
Although many customers work via Microsoft Office regularly, they are unaware of the basic difference between Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365.
Well, no more confusion because we’re here to your rescue!
For those who find it a cause of confusion while talking about Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365, although they are the product of Microsoft, both the models are not the same at all. They may propose the same package of tools but you won’t find the same features in Microsoft Office as you can find in the Microsoft 365 package. Along with the pricing, you can see many differences in the facilities as well.
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Does Microsoft 365 include Microsoft Office?
Microsoft Office is a package of some Microsoft apps, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and so on. Whereas Microsoft 365 package provides all those apps alongside some others. hence, you can say that Microsoft 365 includes Microsoft Office.
Microsoft Office vs Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based service which is also known as Microsoft Pro. When you opt for it, you can choose to pay for your subscription every month or purchase a yearly plan, all together Moreover, you get extra online storage and cloud-connected characteristics which let you collaborate on files in real-time
Microsoft Office is presented as a standalone software product. You make a one-time payment and get to use the product as long as you would like to. For users who are not willing to opt for the cloud service, it appears like a safe bet. You purchase it once, and you’re done until you purchase another version deal. You get notified with security updates, but no big attribute updates are made available to you. While Microsoft 365 gets updated regularly and provides you with all the latest features.
Some other important points that can certainly guide you discern the distinction between the two models of Office i.e., Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365.
| Microsoft 365 subscription | Mto Microsoft Office |
|---|---|
| You only need to pay a small monthly fee or save by paying for a complete year. | You need to bear a single or one-time cost. |
| The latest version of Office includes apps like Excel 365, Word, Office PowerPoint, and Outlook office with the latest features, new tools, security updates, and bug fixes. Also, PC users Microsoft Access and Publisher. However, you will keep getting the latest apps & updates with every modification from the company itself. In addition, you can also install the mobile apps for free. | Depending on the Office edition, it also includes the same tools. eg. in Microsoft Office Home & Student only apps like Excel, PowerPoint and Word are available. Security updates are also included, but you won’t get any new features with every update because upgrades to major releases aren’t included. |
| Microsoft 365 subscription can be utilized on up to 5 devices including Smartphones and tablets. | Since it is a one-time purchase, it can be installed only once either on a PC or Mac. |
| It stores your files securely not only on your device but also on the cloud. In addition, you also get 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage/user, for up to 6 users including yourself. | There is no cloud support. |
| assists with technical issues, subscription and billing support is also available throughout the subscription. | In this model, technical assistance is available only during installation. |
Incidentally, Office Online is a free version of Office which can be used in a web browser. All you need is to sign up with a new or existing email address for a Microsoft account or you can create a Microsoft email address to log in.
Conclusion
Through the above analysis, you might be well understood that Office 365 or Microsoft 365 is much better than Microsoft Office in some cases. Let’s assume that you like to get Word, Excel online etc., without worrying about any updates or paying fees every month/year. In such cases, Microsoft Office is better than Microsoft 365 undoubtedly.
