There was a chance that we could never see another office pakket Microsoft 365 release following the company's decision to go all-in on its Microsoft 365 subscription package. However, Microsoft has confirmed that it will provide users with access to the most recent versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other programs for a single cost.

The Office 2021 bundle was delivered on the same day that Windows 11 was released to the company. It has the same pricing structure as the previous version.

This article provides everything you need about MS office 2021 from the date of release and availability, to pricing and the new features.

Let's get to the point

What exactly is it? The most recent version of Microsoft's suite software for office.

When is it available? 5 October 2021

What is the cost of this? Office Home and Student 2021 is $149.99/PS119.99, Office Home and Business 2021 - $249.99/PS249.99

Who is the ideal customer for this product? Office users who would rather buy a one-time purchase rather than subscribe to a monthly subscription

What exactly is it?

Office 2021 is Microsoft's newest version of its famous suite of office software available for Mac as well as PC. It features popular programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook along with newer offerings such as Teams.

Although the competition with Google Workspace has become increasingly intense, microsoft office 2021 is still widely considered the most powerful bundle of productivity tools currently available.

Prices and availability

Microsoft Office 2021 comes in two flavors: Office Home and Student 2021 and Office Home and Business 2021.

The first is less expensive at $149.99/PS119.99. It includes Word, Excel PowerPoint, OneNote, as well as Microsoft Teams available for Mac and PC.

Office Home and Business 2021 costs $249.99/PS249.99. Other than price, the only difference between this option and the cheaper option is the inclusion of the email service Outlook and the legal right to utilize the applications in commercial situations.

Features

As you might expect, the latest version of Microsoft's Office package comes with several new features. They are described in detail here.

In addition to performance enhancements Highlights include OpenDocument format (ODF 1.3) support and new Excel functions and a new PowerPoint presentation recording feature. Additionally, Outlook has updated translation capabilities.

At the top of all Microsoft Office apps, users will also find a new intelligent search box which is designed to help locate documents, commands and certain textual elements more easily.

Each app received a visual revamp that aligns their user interface to Microsoft's latest operating platform, Windows 11. This includes rounded corners, a new color palette, and the ribbon interface has been updated.

Microsoft Office 2021 vs Microsoft 365: What's the difference?

The primary distinction between Office 2021 and Microsoft 365 is the method by how customers pay for services.

Microsoft 365 follows the software as a serviceMicrosoft 365 follows the software program as a solution (SaaS) business model, whereby customers pay a regular subscription fee for access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook etc. Meanwhile, office kopen customers pay a single upfront fee to purchase a lifetime license.

Microsoft Office 2021 is likely to be more affordable in the long-term but the applications have the same tools for online collaboration available as Microsoft 365.

The disadvantage of opting for Microsoft Office 2021 over Microsoft 365, however, is that the features is only available for a limited amount of time (i.e. until the next version is released), whereas Microsoft 365 users will always have the most up-to-date new features and updates.