You’ve had your copy of Microsoft Office for years, and you’re wondering if it’s worth it to upgrade to Office 365 if you should just stick with the software you have.
There are a several reasons to upgrade to a newer version, such as older versions being phased out of important security updates and compatibility with newer applications.
But the thought of paying a monthly or annual fee instead of just buying the software and owning it forever, keeps many home users from choosing the cloud-based Office 365.
Could you be missing out? By staying away from Microsoft’s subscription-based Office you could possibly be losing some pretty nice features that would make your life much easier and could end up saving you money.
Over half of businesses globally use Office 365. (Wire19)
On the business side, we see a lot of Pro Tech Guy clients that use the business versions of Office 365 not only for the core Microsoft Office programs – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook – but also for the additional tools that come along with them, like OneDrive for storage.
When we’re providing business IT consulting for companies in Framingham and the surrounding area, we often find great features of Office 365 business that are included in the home user version as well. OneDrive is just one of those.
If you’re a home user and use your computer either for work, pleasure, or both, does it make sense to purchase an Office 365 home subscription?
We’ll go over all the benefits for the home version below so you can decide if the extras they package with Office 365 make it worth it for you.
What is Office 365 & How Does it Differ from Office 2019?
Let’s look first at what Office 365 is and how it differs from the “offline” versions you may be used to.
Office 365 is what we call a cloud-hybrid, meaning that although you can access all the Office programs online, you also download them to your computer and can work on them offline as well, which is convenient as you don’t always have to have a internet connection to use Word or any other Office programs.
Office 365 includes all the basic software you’re used to, plus more. A big benefit is that your software is accessible online from multiple devices, mobile included.
Office 365 vs Office 2019
Office 365 Home (and Personal) includes:
-
Word
-
Excel
-
PowerPoint
-
Outlook
-
Publisher (PC only)
-
Access (PC only)
-
OneDrive
-
Skype
Office Home & Student 2019 (one-time purchase) includes:
-
Word
-
Excel
-
PowerPoint
So, if you’re just comparing pricing on a one-time purchase of the Microsoft Office programs versus subscribing to the online version, you’ll be missing out on a lot of the extra applications & services you get with Office 365.
Pricing between Office 2019 (offline) and Office 365 (cloud-hybrid)
There are two versions of Office 365 for home users, the main difference is the number of users you get. With Office 365 Personal, you get 1 user only. With Office 365 Home, you get up to 6 users.
-
Office 365 Personal: $69.99/year or $6.99/month
-
Office 365 Home: $99.99/year or $9.99/month
-
Office Home & Student 2019: $149.99 (one time)
What Features Do You Get with Office 365 Home/Personal?
Here is a run down of six features that may make you rethink your decision to upgrade to the cloud-based version of Office.
OneDrive Storage
OneDrive is an online storage service that you can use to automatically backup your computer, drag & drop files to save or share, or do an auto upload of your smartphone photos/videos. With your Office 365 Home subscription each of your 6 users gets 1TB of space on OneDrive.
Skype Minutes
With your subscription of Office 365, each user gets 60 Skype minutes per month to make calls to mobile phones or landlines.
Office for Mobile Devices
Office 365 allows you to fluidly start a document on your desktop, then pick it back up on your tablet and continue. The mobile capability is one of the biggest benefits for users who enjoy mobility and being able to work away from their main computer.
Activate on 5 Devices Per User
You get a lot of freedom to use your Office 365 subscription on multiple devices, for no additional cost. Each user can install Office on unlimited devices (computers, laptops, mobile devices) and have up to 5 of them activated at a time (meaning you’re signed in)
Real-time Co-Authoring
Because Office 365 is cloud-based, you can use it to work on a document simultaneously with another person. The mobile versions also include the ability to co-author.
Use it with Microsoft Teams for Chat Collaboration
While Microsoft Teams may be marketed more to businesses, you can download it for free and use it with your Office 365 subscription to easily share documents between your family or friends, set up a private chat group for your HOA or volunteer group, and as a launchpad for all your Office applications.
Get Help with a Custom Office 365 Setup
If you’re planning to take advantage of all that Office 365 offers, give Pro Tech Guy a call. We can help you customize all the settings and show your family how to make the most of it to save time and money.
Contact us online or call 508-364-8189 to schedule your custom setup today.