If you don’t want to subscribe to Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) here we show you how to buy Microsoft Office For Mac as a one time purchase in 2024.
Although Microsoft Office For Mac is now subscription only under the rebranded Microsoft 365, there are ways to get Microsoft Office For Mac for free.
However, many of these methods of using Office for Mac for free have limitations and still require using the subscription version of Microsoft Office which is why many users still want to buy a standalone Office For Mac like in the old days.
Here then we show you how to buy a fully functional version of Microsoft Office for Mac as a one time purchase in 2024.
Note that in March 2024, Microsoft announced that Office 2024 for Mac will be released as a one time purchase later in the year although at the time of writing, only Office 2021 For Mac is still available.
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How To Get Office For Mac As A One Time Purchase
You can still make a one time purchase of Microsoft Office For Mac from Microsoft but currently only for Microsoft Office For Mac 2021.
Microsoft Office 2021 was the last desktop version available under the Office brand before Microsoft started rebranding everything as Microsoft 365.
Microsoft Office 2021 For Mac is still available as a one time purchase which means you pay one up-front cost for Microsoft 365 apps on one Mac.
This is only valid for one installation of Microsoft Office 2021 on one Mac so it can’t be used on more than one computer.
If you buy Microsoft Office For Mac Home & Student 2021 as a one time digital download purchase from Microsoft it costs $149.99 (£119.99 in the UK).
Microsoft Home & Student For Mac 2021 gives you a unlimited access to the following Office apps:
- Microsoft Office Word
- Microsoft Office Excel
- Microsoft Office PowerPoint
- Microsoft Office Outlook
- Microsoft Office Teams (Basic Only)
Note that Microsoft Office Home & Business For Mac requires at least macOS Ventura, Monterey or Big Sur to work but is compatible with both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.
You can also buy Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 For Mac as a one of purchase which also includes everything in the Home & Student version plus Outlook for $249.99 (£249.99 in the UK).
Microsoft Office Home & Business For Mac gives you a unlimited access to the following Office apps:
- Microsoft Office Word
- Microsoft Office Excel
- Microsoft Office PowerPoint
- Microsoft Office Outlook
- Microsoft Office Teams (Basic Only)
- Microsoft Office OneNote
Note that Microsoft Office For Mac Home & Student and Microsoft Office For Mac Home & Business do not include Microsoft Publisher For Mac, Access For Mac,Project For Mac or Visio for Mac as these products are not available for Mac.
You can however get Microsoft Publisher for Windows and Microsoft Access for Windows in Microsoft Office Professional 2021 which is Windows only.
If you want to get Microsoft Office cheaper, can also buy a one off purchase of Microsoft Office For Mac 2021 discounted from sites such as Amazon.
Note that this is sold as a “digital download” but actually simply emails you with the license key to access the full version of Microsoft Office For Mac which you must download from Microsoft.
In the UK, you may also be able to purchase Microsoft Office for Mac at a discount via sites such as Currys.
Can You Get A Lifetime Version Of Microsoft Office For Mac?
You can also buy Microsoft Office Home & Business For Mac 2021 with a “lifetime license”.
Although it is marketed at a “lifetime license” by third parties other than Microsoft, it’s the same perpetual license that you would get as if you bought it directly from Microsoft.
The difference is you can make some huge savings on a one off purchase of MS Office For Mac by not buying direct from Microsoft.
For example, for a limited period you can get a lifetime license of Microsoft Office For Mac Home & Business for $69.99 from StackCommerce.
Alternatively you can get 81% off 2 licenses of Microsoft Office For Mac Home & Business costing $79.99 instead of $439.98 (Sold Out).
This gives you a unlimited access to the following Office apps:
- Microsoft Office Word
- Microsoft Office Excel
- Microsoft Office PowerPoint
- Microsoft Office Outlook
- Microsoft Office Teams (Basic Only)
- Microsoft Office OneNote
Is Microsoft Office 2024 For Mac a One Time Purchase?
In March 2024, Microsoft announced that Microsoft Office 2024 for Mac will be released as a one time purchase later in the year.
Office 2024 will be released on the LTSC (Long Term Servicing Channel) which will be supported for up to 5 years.
What’s The Difference Between Microsoft Office For Mac & Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 is effectively the new name given to Microsoft Office For Mac 2021 and Office 365 by Microsoft.
Microsoft 365 is completely Cloud based however and works in a browser plus it requires a subscription to use.
Microsoft Office For Mac 2021 is still desktop based and requires downloading MS Office onto your Mac.
If you’re wondering whether you should buy Microsoft Office For Mac or Microsoft 365 can find out more about the difference between Microsoft Office For Mac vs Microsoft 365 here.
You can also check the comparison table below to see a summary of the key differences between the two products.
| Microsoft Office For Mac 2021 Desktop | Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) | |
|---|---|---|
| Works on a Mac | ||
| Compatible with latest versions of macOS | ||
| Works on M1 Macs | ||
| Works Online | No | |
| Online Storage | No | 1TB of online OneDrive storage per user. |
| Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote | Classic Versions | Premium Versions |
| Install on more than one Mac | No | Up to 5 different Macs on one subscription with Microsoft 365 Family subscription. |
| Mobile app | Free mobile apps but only basic editing features on screens under 10.1 inches. | Extra features included in Microsoft 365 mobile apps. |
| Microsoft Teams | Only Basic version | |
| Outlook | Only Home & Business | |
| Family Safety App | No | Family version only |
| Advanced Security | Security updates included but no new features or upgrades to major updates included. | |
| Ongoing Technical Support | Initial technical support for 60 days only | |
| Pricing | $149.99 Home & Student / $249.99 Home & Business | $69.99 Personal / $99.99 Family |
Buy Now | Free Trial |
What Are The Best Alternatives To Microsoft Office For Mac?
If you don’t want to buy Microsoft Office For Mac then you could consider using an alternative.
We’ve looked at the best Microsoft Office For Mac alternatives many of which can open and edit Microsoft Office files.
However, none of them can preserve the formatting as well as Microsoft Office itself or offer the same level of integration with Microsoft Office.
If you’re dealing with Office files on a regular basis, we recommend biting the bullet and either buying Microsoft Office For Mac or getting a Microsoft 365 subscription.