Buying Microsoft Office sounds simple – until you have to choose: Perpetual licence or subscription? Office 2019, 2021 or 2024? Professional Plus, Standard or Home & Business? Windows or Mac? This guide is your overview of all Office options in 2026. In just a few minutes we walk you through the right decision and link the matching detailed guide for each topic. By the end you will know exactly which version suits you – and what it costs.
- Perpetual licence (pay once, use forever) instead of a subscription (Microsoft 365, annual cost) – the cheaper choice for most buyers
- Three purchase generations: Office 2019 (from 9,90 €), Office 2021 (from 11,90 €) and Office 2024 (from 11,90 €)
- Four editions explained: Home & Student, Home & Business, Standard and Professional Plus
- Available for Windows and Mac – each with its own editions
- Legal as a used volume licence following the EuGH ruling “UsedSoft” (C-128/11) and § 69c UrhG
- Delivery in minutes by e-mail · Invoice with VAT · 100-day money-back guarantee on unactivated keys
Straight to the current recommendation: Office 2024 Professional Plus 11,90 € – Instant download by e-mail
Decision 1: Perpetual licence or subscription (Microsoft 365)?
The first and most important question when buying Office is: pay once or rent monthly? Both models deliver Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook – but the payment model and the range of features differ fundamentally.
- Perpetual licence (Office 2019 / 2021 / 2024): You pay for the licence once and use the programs for an unlimited time – no term, no renewal, no follow-up costs. The software is installed locally and runs without a permanent internet connection.
- Subscription (Microsoft 365): You pay annually. In return you also get 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage, the Copilot AI features and always the latest version. As soon as you stop paying, you lose full access to the apps.
Who should choose what?
For classic office and home use (documents, spreadsheets, presentations, e-mail) the perpetual licence is almost always the cheaper choice – a single subscription year alone costs more than a permanent purchase licence. The Microsoft 365 subscription only pays off if you specifically need the cloud connection, 1 TB OneDrive or the Copilot AI.
You can read the full cost comparison with worked examples in the detailed guide Office 2024 Professional Plus vs. Microsoft 365.
Decision 2: Which Office generation – 2019, 2021 or 2024?
Once you have decided on the perpetual licence, the choice of generation follows. All three are full purchase versions; they differ above all in their range of features and their update period.
- Office 2019 – the affordable base (from 9,90 €): proven and solid for all standard tasks. However, support already ended in October 2025 – there are no more new security updates. Ideal when price is the priority. Details: Buying Office 2019 – guide & comparison.
- Office 2021 – the proven standard (from 11,90 €): more modern features than 2019, security updates until 13 October 2026. The balanced middle ground. Details: Buying Office 2021 – editions compared.
- Office 2024 – the current purchase version (from 11,90 €): the newest perpetual licence with the longest update horizon. Recommended if you want to be covered for as long as possible. Details: Buying the Office 2024 perpetual licence – guide.
Torn between the proven and the newest generation? Our direct comparison helps: Office 2021 vs. 2024 – which version suits you?.
Decision 3: Which edition – Home & Student, Home & Business, Standard or Professional Plus?
Within each generation there are various editions. They differ in which programs are included – above all whether Outlook, Access or Publisher are part of the package.
- Home & Student: the core programs Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote – without Outlook. For private users, pupils and students who do not need an e-mail program.
- Home & Business: like Home & Student, but with Outlook. The typical choice for small offices and the Mac (there the classic home/business edition is called this).
- Standard: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher and OneNote. The complete office suite – only without the Access database.
- Professional Plus: the full package including the Access database and the Publisher layout program. For the self-employed and power users.
The simple rule of thumb:
Do you need Outlook? Then at least Standard or Home & Business. Do you also need the Access database? Then Professional Plus. Are Word, Excel and PowerPoint enough? Then Home & Student will do.
You will find a detailed comparison of the editions with a recommendation for each user type in the guide Which Office version suits you?.
Windows or Mac?
Office is available for both Windows and macOS – but the licences are platform-bound. A Windows key cannot be activated on a Mac and vice versa. So check your operating system before buying.
- Windows: the Professional Plus, Standard and Home & Student editions run under Windows 10 and Windows 11 (64-bit).
- Mac: for Apple computers there are separate Mac editions (e.g. Home & Business for Mac, Standard for Mac) that run under macOS on Intel and Apple Silicon processors.
The most important Office options for 2026 compared
| Product | Model | Included | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 Office 2024 Professional Plus |
Perpetual licence (current) | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Publisher, OneNote | 11,90 € |
 Office 2021 Professional Plus |
Perpetual licence (proven) | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Publisher, OneNote | 11,90 € |
 Office 2019 Professional Plus |
Perpetual licence (affordable) | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Publisher, OneNote | 9,90 € |
 Microsoft 365 Single |
Subscription (1 year) | Office apps + Copilot AI + 1 TB OneDrive, 1 person / 5 devices | 139,90 € |
You will find all available licences – including the Standard, Home-&-Business and Mac editions – collected in our Office collection (all Office licences).
Buying advice: how to spot a reputable seller
Software keys are offered online at very different prices. When buying, look out for these features so that you receive a genuine, permanently activatable licence:
- Immediate key delivery by e-mail – with download link and instructions
- Invoice with itemised VAT
- Clear indication of the licence type (e.g. used volume licence under UsedSoft)
- German-language support and a genuine legal notice (Impressum)
- Money-back guarantee for unactivated keys
Why are the licences so cheap? The legal situation
The low prices come from used volume licences: companies originally acquired these licences legally in the EU and no longer need them. The resale of such “exhausted” licences is expressly permitted in the EU – decided by the European Court of Justice (EuGH, judgment of 03.07.2012, C-128/11 “UsedSoft/Oracle”) and confirmed by the German Federal Court of Justice. The decisive factor is the copyright principle of exhaustion under § 69c UrhG. You receive the identical software from Microsoft – just without the new-product price.
Frequently asked questions about buying Office
What is the difference between an Office perpetual licence and Microsoft 365?
A perpetual licence (Office 2019, 2021, 2024) is paid once and used for an unlimited time. Microsoft 365 is a subscription with annual costs, but with cloud storage and Copilot AI. For normal office and home use the perpetual licence is usually cheaper.
Which Office version should I buy in 2026?
If you want security updates for as long as possible, choose Office 2024. Office 2021 is the proven middle ground with updates until 13 October 2026. Office 2019 is the cheapest base but no longer receives updates.
Which edition do I need for Outlook?
Outlook is included in the Standard, Professional Plus and Home & Business editions. The Home & Student edition does not include Outlook.
What is the difference between Standard and Professional Plus?
Professional Plus additionally includes the Access database. Otherwise Standard offers the same package including Outlook and Publisher, but without Access.
Is there Microsoft Office for Mac too?
Yes. For macOS there are separate editions as perpetual licences, such as Home & Business for Mac and Standard for Mac. Windows and Mac keys are not interchangeable.
Is buying used Office licences legal?
Yes. The resale of used software licences is expressly permitted in the EU by the EuGH ruling “UsedSoft” (C-128/11) and § 69c UrhG.
Our recommendation for 2026
Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus – full version for Windows | perpetual licence
11,90 €Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Publisher and OneNote as the current purchase licence – pay once, use for an unlimited time, no subscription costs. The longest update horizon of all Office perpetual licences, for Windows 10 and Windows 11 (64-bit), delivery in minutes by e-mail.
Get it nowKey in your inbox within minutes
Instant delivery · Support · 100-day money-back
Conclusion
Buying Microsoft Office in 2026 comes down mainly to three decisions: a perpetual licence instead of a subscription saves money with normal use, the generation (2019 affordable, 2021 proven, 2024 current) determines the update horizon, and the edition (Home & Student, Home & Business, Standard, Professional Plus) depends on whether you need Outlook and Access. For most buyers, Office 2024 Professional Plus for 11,90 € is the well-rounded recommendation: current full package, permanently usable, no subscription. If you want to dig deeper, follow the linked detailed guides – and in the end buy from a reputable retailer with instant delivery, a VAT invoice and a real guarantee.
