If you’re looking for productivity tools, it’s hard to match the Microsoft Office suite of apps. Office is the industry standard when it comes to word processing, spreadsheets, mail and more — and it’s used by businesses, schools and individuals around the world, making it an integral part of most people’s lives. person at one time or another. You’ve probably used Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook before, but Office apps aren’t always included with computer purchases, and accessing them yourself can carry a hefty price tag.
There’s a barebones freebie version of Office out there, but assuming the basic version of Office doesn’t work for you (see below), your options really come down to paying a rolling monthly or annual pay for a subscription to Microsoft 365 or choose instead. for a one-time license of Office with the full panoply of apps, which is a typical cost up to $430. But until June 1, StackSocial is offering a Microsoft Office 2021 license for only $30. That’s around 86% off its usual price. Even better, this license, available for Windows or Mac, is a one-time purchase that gives you unlimited access without recurring fees.
The StackSocial deal is a great bargain compared to online Microsoft 365 subscription suite which starts at $7 a month or $70 a year for individuals. There is one free online version of Microsoft Office which you can also use, but it is not as complete a feature. (Separately – and especially – Apple users should note that Outlook is now a free app for Mac.)
Now, a deal this good comes with some caveats. First, this key is only good for one a computer, so you can’t install it on different machines in your house, and if your current computer dies, you could be in trouble trying to move it. Also, you’re passing on other benefits you get as a 365 subscriber. You don’t get any OneDrive Cloud Storage, nor do you get the new cloud-based AI features like Microsoft Copilot. And while the apps should continue to work as long as your computer is running, Microsoft’s support for this version of Office will end on October 13, 2026.
On the last point: Although it is listed as a “lifetime license” — that is, the lifetime of the computer you install it on — it is worth remembering that there is always a risk that Microsoft will terminate the license. But versions of the Stack deal have been running for more than a year — the one we bought in early 2022, for example, is still good. At this cost, it takes less than four months to get a full return on investment compared to buying a subscription, so the risk factor is not that high here.
