What the names reveal
The names are the key. Office 365, today officially Microsoft 365, refers to the 365 days of the year, in other words to an ongoing subscription. Office 2024 carries a year number, which at Microsoft has always been the hallmark of a perpetual licence, a fixed version that is purchased once.
This naming logic applies throughout: Office 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2024 are perpetual licences with a year number. Office 365, or Microsoft 365, is the subscription. Anyone who reads the name already knows which payment model lies behind it.
Which model suits you
- Office 2024, the perpetual licence. One-time purchase, permanent use, security updates until 2029. Suitable for classic Office usage.
- Office 365, the subscription. Ongoing payment, but in return cloud storage, multi-person coverage and continuously new features.
- Cost question. For single users over several years, the perpetual licence is usually cheaper.
- Cloud question. Anyone who needs online storage and constant synchronisation will only find it in the subscription.