The Spring sales are in full force this week, but it's important to not get carried away by the promise of discounts and purchase stuff that's really worth the money, regardless of if it's on sale or not. Shockingly, one of the most prolific and widely used software packages is at an all-time low right now as far as big third-party retailers like Amazon and Best Buy go. If you're looking for the best Microsoft apps like Word, Excel and Powerpoint, and you don't want to be chained to the regular license fees that come with the subscription model, Microsoft Office Home & Student 2021 is the buy for you. For a limited time, you can bag it for only $99 at Amazon, and have access to the best productivity apps for life for one simple payment.
More Spring Sale deals
- SAMSUNG EVO Select Micro SD 128GB | was
$18.99now $12.99 at Amazon - Microsoft Audio Dock | was
$249.99now $48.99 at Amazon - Logitech MX Master 2S mouse | was
$63.99now £59.99 at Newegg - Logitech G502 Lightspeed mouse |
was $149.99now $95.99 at Amazon - Up to $100 off Titan Evo gaming chairs at Secretlab
- Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini Desktop |
was $849.99now $749.99 at Best Buy
What's the difference between Office Home & Student 2021 and Microsoft 365?
Microsoft Office prices aren't as straightforward as they should be at first glance, and they feed into the eternal debate on the benefits of subscriptions versus one-time payments.
Microsoft Office 2021 — the OG of productivity. With a single purchase, you gain perpetual ownership of Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Install and update on one computer, without the recurring expenses. While there's no automatic upgrade to future versions, this standalone purchase model suits many users just fine.
However, Office 2021 lacks the cloud and AI-driven features found in subscription-based Office 365. Services like cloud saving and 1TB of OneDrive storage are not included. Yet, it shines in offline usability, allowing you to work seamlessly without an internet connection—a perk not shared by subscription counterparts which need you to be online every 31 days to reactivate.
For those wary of adding another monthly charge to their bill roster, Office 2021's one-time payment model offers an alternative. It's a sensible choice for home users seeking a traditional experience without ongoing subscription commitments. Plus, if you primarily operate on a single device and don't require advanced features, the upfront cost may be a preferable investment over continuous payments.
If you really want to compare all of the available versions thoroughly, our resident Microsoft software expert Mauro has a guide to Office 2021 vs. Microsoft 365 for any and all questions.
