Microsoft 365 Subscription Help!

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FlaMariner

Recycles dryer sheets
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So I currently pay Apple $70 a year for a Microsoft 365 subscription.

I've got an offer to buy Microsoft 365 for a one time fee of $40 from our local "daily deals" site...the place you get two for one restaurant offers.

This seems like the good ole days when you paid for the software once.

Questions:

Why would I not do this?
Is if difficult to switch?

(I'm on a MacBook Air)
 
After purchase you probably get a key code that can be entered on your Microsoft account.

You could turn off your Apple subscription for the next year.

You can also stack up to 3 years the last time I checked.

Probably a minor hassle factor, but $30 is $30.
 
There is no one-time fee for Microsoft 365, you pay per month or per year. As far as I know, the last version of Office you could buy with a perpetual license was Office 2021.
 
Last edited:
prudent_one said:
There is no one-time fee for Microsoft 365, you pay per month or per year. As far as I know, the last version of Office you could buy with a perpetual license was Office 2021.
Click to expand...

There is an Office product that you can buy with a one time fee but it’s not Microsoft 365. It’s a limited version with only Excel, Word and PowerPoint. That might be what is being sold. Otherwise, it’s probably just a one year subscription being sold using dubious wording.
 
Here is the info.....seems it is like the old versions w/out the annual fee......


Microsoft Office for Mac - Lifetime License

Save 82% on this great deal! This bundle is for families, students, and small businesses who want classic MS Office apps and email. It includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote. A one-time purchase installed for lifetime Microsoft Office use at home or work. Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 includes: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft OneNote!

Want to know more? Check it out here.

Offer begins: On Sale NOW
Quantity available: Limited
$39.99 $219.99
 
FlaMariner said:
Here is the info.....seems it is like the old versions w/out the annual fee......


Microsoft Office for Mac - Lifetime License

Save 82% on this great deal! This bundle is for families, students, and small businesses who want classic MS Office apps and email. It includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote. A one-time purchase installed for lifetime Microsoft Office use at home or work. Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 includes: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft OneNote!

Want to know more? Check it out here.

Offer begins: On Sale NOW
Quantity available: Limited
$39.99 $219.99
Click to expand...
For me the value of Microsoft 365 is the cloud storage. 1tb for personal accounts and 6 account with 1tb each for family. Cheap reliable cloud storage. The applications are just a bonus.
 
Office 365 yearly fee isn't suited for my uses. So I buy the licensed Office suite with a one time fee. I am currently running Office home and Business 2021. That may or may not be the offer you got

You can even find these on ebay

I entered the License key into my Microsoft account and downloaded it from there. Free updates and no more cost
 
Apache Open Office. I avoid subscription fees like the plague.
 
Is perhaps the storage the only difference between the subscription experience vs the one time license?

If that is the case, I should be good to go with bailing on the subscription.

All I am after is excel, word and outlook. Outlook is my calendar & email. No interest or need for cloud storage.
 
FlaMariner said:
Is perhaps the storage the only difference between the subscription experience vs the one time license?

If that is the case, I should be good to go with bailing on the subscription.

All I am after is excel, word and outlook. Outlook is my calendar & email. No interest or need for cloud storage.
Click to expand...

For the most part, that's the difference. The other difference MS365 is available mobile/web and then across multiple devices. The lifetime is apps on one computer and no upgrade options, so next major release you have to buy again (not the end of the world for sure).

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...ice-2021-ed447ebf-6060-46f9-9e90-a239bd27eb96
 
the family plan for Microsoft 365 is well worth $99/year as it gives everyone on the family plan their own 1TB of OneDrive space...
 
bobandsherry said:
See my post above, you can get that for $65.
Click to expand...

Yes you can, for an individual account where you can have the software on up to 5 devices, with a total of 1 TB cloud storage. Family Plan is $99 and expands storage to each user (1 TB each) on the family plan (2 - 6 people).

The original question was what's the value of a subscription vs a one-time download. 1) with an one-time download you'll need to upgrade at some point - you need to do the math on that one for a breakeven. 2) you won't get any updates to the software with a one-time download, but you get updates with a subscription. 3) while cloud storage isn't important for the OP it could be to someone else.

- Rita
 
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Gotadimple said:
Yes you can, for an individual account where you can have the software on up to 5 devices, with a total of 1 TB cloud storage. Family Plan is $99 and expands storage to each user (1 TB each) on the family plan (2 - 6 people).

The original question was what's the value of a subscription vs a one-time download. 1) with an one-time download you'll need to upgrade at some point - you need to do the math on that one for a breakeven. 2) you won't get any updates to the software with a one-time download, but you get updates with a subscription. 3) while cloud storage isn't important for the OP it could be to someone else.

- Rita
Click to expand...
My post above was Family Subscription for $65.
 
bobandsherry said:
My post above was Family Subscription for $65.
Click to expand...
Well that is a better deal. I'd be concerned it was only for the first year, then you are in the $99 + state sales tax club. But as you said you bought more than one and can stack them for multiple year renewals.

- Rita
 
Gotadimple said:
Well that is a better deal. I'd be concerned it was only for the first year, then you are in the $99 + state sales tax club. But as you said you bought more than one and can stack them for multiple year renewals.

- Rita
Click to expand...
Nope, just need to wait for another deal to pop up. This authorized seller has these specials several times a year. You can have up to 5 years on your subscription.

I started 2 years ago and have been adding along the way while at the discount rate to keep my subscription paid ahead for 5 years.
 
Actively enrolled college students can get the Microsoft 365 Personal for $2.99 per month directly from Microsoft. Just FYI for anyone with children/grandchildren in college and interested.
 
OP here....

Thanks for all the info.....I'm going to forgo the deal on the one time software and keep paying the man the annual fee/tribute....even though I do not like subscriptions.

I want the outlook access on multiple devices and I'd be better served with the auto software updates.....

If I have missed something else, please let me know.
 
I just bought a license for Office 2021 for $14.95 based on someones post on another thread...


It was Joywarp



Product Quantity Price Office 2021 Pro Plus 32/64 Bit Lifetime License Key - For Windows 1 $14.95
 
The only help I can offer is why would one even consider office 365 when LibraOffice is free and overall is a better program ...... just sayin'. Oh, but I use Outlook you might say, then use Thunderbird instead. My only complaint with LibraOffice is that is does not include a mail program.

I thought we were supposed to be thrifty, I read every day how folks here throw their money away on paid software when good open-source software that is actually better than the paid stuff and do not collect and sell your data to 3rd parties, MS office is a prime example. Above are 2 reasons how you may save some of it.
 
Last edited:
ShokWaveRider said:
The only help I can offer is why would you even consider office 365 when LibraOffice is free and overall is a better program ...... just sayin'. Oh, but I use Outlook you might say, then use Thunderbird instead.

I thought we were supposed to be thrifty, I read every day how folks here throw their money away on paid software when good open-source software that is actually better than the paid stuff and do not collect and sell your data to 3rd parties, MS office is a prime example. Above are 2 reasons how you may save some of it.
Click to expand...
With Microsoft 365 I am being thrifty. Split 3 ways with son and daughter, only $23/yr each for our family plan. And then we each get 2 accounts for 1TB each of cloud storage. 2TB cloud storage for $23 is a steal. All family photos from decades stored there. Daughter and son saving photos and videos of their kids. Other important documents all easily and readily available and from anywhere in the world .... And for $23/yr!

Now maybe you don't need or want cloud storage, but many do. And maybe you don't need or want to access documents from mobile devices or anywhere around the world, but many do. Saved to the cloud, run with either the native application or mobile/web. And for $23/yr, wahoo! People spend more than that with 3 or 4 cups of fancy Starbucks coffee. If $23 becomes a struggle for me financially then I have much more severe concerns. Lol

For me, I'd use Google's Docs/Sheets if I were to go the "free" route. They work great but the value for me with MS365 is the cloud storage. They also provide some limited cloud storage for free.
 
bobandsherry said:
With Microsoft 365 I am being thrifty. Split 3 ways with son and daughter, only $23/yr each for our family plan. And then we each get 2 accounts for 1TB each of cloud storage. 2TB cloud storage for $23 is a steal. All family photos from decades stored there. Daughter and son saving photos and videos of their kids. Other important documents all easily and readily available and from anywhere in the world .... And for $23/yr!

Now maybe you don't need or want cloud storage, but many do. And maybe you don't need or want to access documents from mobile devices or anywhere around the world, but many do. Saved to the cloud, run with either the native application or mobile/web. And for $23/yr, wahoo! People spend more than that with 3 or 4 cups of fancy Starbucks coffee. If $23 becomes a struggle for me financially then I have much more severe concerns. Lol

For me, I'd use Google's Docs/Sheets if I were to go the "free" route. They work great but the value for me with MS365 is the cloud storage. They also provide some limited cloud storage for free.
Click to expand...

This is the same logic I have regarding Amazon prime. I like the free shipping, but I could live without it. But DW stores copies of all her photos on their server and that has a lot of value to us beyond the free shipping.
 
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