#Ms office 365 for mac review software#

#Ms office 365 for mac review software#

That said, you have to use the software for a few years before you actually “save” money. Plus, Microsoft does a great job with file compatibility, so if someone sends you a Word document written in the latest Office or Microsoft 365 software, it will still open on your machine.įor hobbyists, educators, and small businesses, dropping $150 for the Office suite (which will work as long as you have a compatible machine) could be more cost-effective than a Microsoft 365 subscription. Sure, your version of Office will grow old and miss out on flashy new features, but you have the freedom to replace it when you choose. Microsoft Office has one obvious perk-you buy the software once and own it forever.

Office is also a stellar option for always-offline machines, and for some, it could be more cost-effective than a Microsoft 365 subscription. While Office’s lack of collaborative and cloud features may feel a bit limiting, the software bundle is still useful to individuals and businesses who want a stable, unchanging collection of productivity tools. Both versions of the Office suite work on just one computer and includes a few years of bug and security support from Microsoft (7 years for Office 2019, 5 years for Office 2021). The expanded Office Home and Business bundle, which costs $250, includes the Outlook email and calendar tool on top of the standard Office software. Microsoft Office 2019 and the upcoming Office 2021 suite start at $150 and come with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. But is the Office bundle really that cost-effective? And even if you can save some money by avoiding Microsoft 365, is it worth missing out on the subscription services’ exclusive features? Microsoft Office: Pros and Cons Microsoft Microsoft still sells its traditional Office suite for people who don’t want to pay a monthly fee or use the free, stripped-down Office Online tools. The subscription model allows Microsoft to offer constant updates and support for its productivity software, along the with the cloud storage and deep collaborative features made famous by Google’s browser-based productivity tools (Google Docs, Drive, Sheets, etc). Microsoft launched its 365 service in 2011 to help modernize the Office suite, which hadn’t experienced a major overhaul in nearly a decade. Google Docs most certainly does the collaboration bit better, while iWork covers most basic needs perfectly adequately.Unlike an Office bundle, which requires a one-time payment of $150 and only works on one computer, Microsoft 365 costs $7 a month, works on all of your computers and mobile devices, and includes collaborative features and perks that don’t come with a standard Office bundle. It looks more attractive, it’s easier to use than before and has more features than ever before.īut if you’re not interested in the latest UI gewgaws and a handful of features that may or may not be of use, then you’re better off sticking to what you have. There’s no doubt that Office 2016 for Mac is a huge improvement. The big question is, for those who have moved away to other offerings, is there enough in the latest version to justify subscribing? The answer is that it depends on your outlook (if you’ll pardon the pun).

It could do with a search box, though – and, disappointingly, there’s no third-party cloud integration as yet. In my opinion it feels much less befuddling, and it manages to integrate Microsoft’s cloud storage system, OneDrive, at least as well as Backstage does.

Here, thankfully, files are opened and saved using a much simpler dialog box.