Three years have passed since Microsoft released the 2021 version of its essential Office apps suite, but the company has continued to innovate. Throughout this time, Microsoft 365, its subscription-based service, has seen regular updates. For those who prefer a traditional purchase model, however, there’s exciting news: Microsoft has launched Office 2024 for consumers.
The standard version, dubbed Office Home (which continues the trend of lackluster branding), features Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote, available for a one-time price of $150 for both PC and Mac. You can easily purchase Office Home 2024 for $149.99 directly from Microsoft.
If you require commercial licensing, the Office Home & Business version is priced at $250. This option is primarily intended for larger organizations with HR departments. For installations on five or more devices, you’ll need to contact Microsoft’s sales department for bulk licensing and be prepared for an upsell to Microsoft 365.
One of the standout features of Office 2024 is the option to make a single purchase for lifelong access—at least as long as Microsoft maintains its purchase validation servers. Additionally, power users will appreciate the improved performance, refreshed interface, and enhanced data analysis and image embedding capabilities in Excel, alongside support for new features from the OpenDocument ODF 1.4 standard.
PowerPoint introduces the Cameo feature, which allows users to embed a live camera feed into slides. (However, it’s highly recommended to avoid this feature in presentations, as it’s rarely beneficial.)
It’s important to note that Office 2024 is a version locked in time; while all included apps will have the latest features at release, they will not receive future updates. For those seeking ongoing feature enhancements, Microsoft 365 is the better choice. You will need a Microsoft account and an internet connection for the initial license validation of Office 2024, but afterward, it will function offline. It is compatible with Windows 10 and 11, but users on older versions will find themselves unable to upgrade. (If this applies to you, you likely still have an older version of Office in use.)