Office 2024 vs Microsoft 365 in the UK: Which One Should You Buy?

Choosing between Microsoft Office 2024 and Microsoft 365 can feel tricky, especially if you’re a UK buyer wondering about cost, features, and long-term value. Both products let you create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations — but the way you pay for them and what you get differs a lot.

Office 2024 is a one-time purchase. You buy a licence up front (for either Home & Student or Home & Business editions), and it’s yours to use forever. That makes it appealing if you don’t want ongoing costs, and it’s especially popular with students or families who only need the basics like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Microsoft 365, on the other hand, is a subscription. You pay monthly or annually, but in return you get continuous updates, premium apps (like Outlook, Access, Publisher), and cloud storage with OneDrive. Families in the UK often go for Microsoft 365 Family, since it covers up to six people and includes 1TB of storage each.

So, which one’s right for you?

• Choose Office 2024 if you want a one-off payment, don’t need the latest features every year, and are happy with the classic apps.
• Choose Microsoft 365 if you want all the extras, cloud storage, and ongoing updates, and you don’t mind a subscription.

For many UK buyers, the decision comes down to cost: Office 2024 is cheaper long-term if you only need the basics, but Microsoft 365 offers better value for families or business teams.