Everyone who needs or thinks about acquiring Microsoft application packages invariably arrives at the big and cruel question: between Microsoft 365 and Office 2019, which is the best option? Plus, isn't Office on the web enough?Microsoft has two versions of Office, its productivity suite: the traditional one, currently in the Office 2019 version, which is a one-time purchase license, and Office 365, a subscription service. But do you know what are the main differences between them? Find out right now.

What are all these packages anyway? 

To begin with, let's separate one thing from the other. Microsoft 365 is the old Office 365, for those who were confused — which is the subscription service for the Office suite, which can be either monthly or yearly, and brings not only well-known applications but also technical support and benefits such as cloud storage. via OneDrive, among other benefits. 

Office 2019 is the latest application package from Microsoft, which is sold separately and does not enjoy all the subscription extras, receiving only security updates, for example, and has no technical support (installation only). Payment for this Office suite, however, only needs to be done once. 

And Office on the web — which, for those who are used to it, is the new name for Office Online — is a free, online option of the Office suite, including all basic applications and 5GB of cloud storage. The use of the applications, however, is more limited, without all the functions of their counterparts in the desktop version, and an internet connection is required for operation, such as phone and internet bundles, without the possibility of working offline. 

Microsoft Office 2019: advantages and disadvantages 

For Office 2019 (and its earlier versions), Microsoft offers a one-time purchase license, where the user acquires the permanent use rights for the programs contained in the package; the programs will receive periodic security updates, and you will be entitled to use Microsoft support, even if only for 60 days. 

The advantage of Office 2019 is that the user will only have to make the payment once, not having to be tied to a subscription model to use the software. At the same time, it will have the basics of the basics and will be able to choose versions suitable for its use, without having to pay for all the programs. The simplest version Home & Student, for example, is dedicated to home users and students have the mandatory Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, plus OneNote. The Home & Business version is aimed at professionals and adds Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft's corporate email client. 

On the other hand, the traditional package does not receive the incremental updates (more features) destined periodically for Office 365, and the license is only valid for a single computer, be it Windows or macOS. Therefore, the user cannot install it on more than one terminal at the same time. 

Microsoft Office 365: advantages and disadvantages 

This is the more traditional approach. When you buy it, you get access to all or almost all applications depending on the package you choose. If you buy the Home and Students 2019 version then you have access to Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. In other words, it doesn't have Outlook or other tools. But watch out. Outlook is not included. 

Office 365, in turn, offers the complete suite, with all the software in the basic package (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and One), Outlook, and two additional ones only for installation and use on Windows computers, Access (database ) and Publisher (layout). The user can use the programs either locally, through the direct installation on the computer, or in the cloud, through the Office Online portal. 

The main difference is that to have access to Office 365, the user must have a Microsoft account and subscribe to the service, with monthly or annual payments. It is possible to purchase an annual key from the retailer, but the business model is the same. Office 365 has two subscription models: Personal, intended for just one user, and Home, which supports up to six people. In both versions, the user will be able to install the application package on as many computers as they want, with Windows or macOS. 

The suite frequently receives incremental updates, which add new features or improve existing ones, which Office 2019 (or earlier) does not, and the user has access to Microsoft support as long as the subscription is active. 

The suite also has other advantages over Office 2019: Office 365 offers each user 1 TB of space on OneDrive, Microsoft's online storage service, and 60 minutes of monthly Skype calls (messenger). Finally, iPad Pro owners (all versions) will be able to save their work in the Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps for iOS, which are free to use for iPhone, iPad, and Android users. 

The downside of Office 365 is that all these benefits are directly tied to the subscription. And once it's gone, the suite greatly restricts usage options. Ultimately, to keep the 365 always-on, the user would have to spend a lot more than with a single license, but it has additional advantages. 

After all, which one should I choose? 

Between Office 2019 and Microsoft 365, which one should I go with? Well, we hope that question has been answered with the more detailed analysis we did above, but it doesn't hurt to reiterate a few points. 

While Office on the web is a good and complete tool enough for those who simply want to edit documents without any professional or specific functions, more commercial or demanding users may prefer the Office 2019 suite — which comes with all the functions of the applications included for one price. unique, but a bit prohibitive, and leaves out add-ons like AI tools and tech support — with the option to share the license among friends, family, or employees. The web version also requires an internet connection, provided by Frontier bundles or fiber optics. 

Microsoft 365, on the other hand, has all the possible and imaginable functions of the Office suite, which is the best choice for those who use everything that is offered, appreciate or need support constantly, and/or prioritize integration between devices and the latest news and auxiliary technologies – and doesn't care about monthly or annual fees.