Microsoft Office has been the gold standard for productivity tools for decades. With the release of Microsoft Office 2021 Professional Plus, many users are wondering how it compares to Office 2019 and Office 365 (Microsoft 365). Whether you're an individual, a small business, or a large enterprise, choosing the right version of Office can impact your productivity and cost-effectiveness.
In this blog, we’ll explore the key differences between these three Office versions, helping you decide which one suits your needs best.
Key Differences: Microsoft Office 2021 vs. Office 2019 vs. Office 365
Feature | Office 2021 Professional Plus | Office 2019 | Office 365 (Microsoft 365) |
License Type | One-time purchase | One-time purchase | Subscription-based (monthly/yearly) |
Updates & Upgrades | No feature updates, only security patches | No feature updates, only security patches | Regular updates and new features |
Cloud Integration | Limited (OneDrive sync available) | Limited | Full cloud integration with OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint |
Collaboration Features | Co-authoring, improved commenting | Basic features, no real-time collaboration | Full real-time collaboration with Teams and SharePoint |
AI & Automation | AI-powered Excel functions, Dynamic Arrays, XLOOKUP, OpenDocument Format (ODF) 1.3 | Basic AI functions | Advanced AI tools like Editor, Designer, and Smart Assistance |
Support | Mainstream support until 2026 | Mainstream support ended in 2023 | Ongoing support as long as subscription is active |
Cloud Storage | No free cloud storage | No free cloud storage | 1TB OneDrive per user |
Pricing | One-time payment, higher upfront cost | One-time payment, lower upfront cost | Monthly or yearly subscription |
Detailed Comparison
1. Licensing and Cost
- Office 2021 Professional Plus and Office 2019 are available as a one-time purchase, meaning you pay once and own the software forever. However, they do not receive new feature updates—only security patches.
- Office 365 (now Microsoft 365) follows a subscription model, offering continuous updates and cloud-based services.
2. Updates and New Features
- Office 2021 Professional Plus includes several feature improvements over Office 2019, such as:
- XLOOKUP in Excel
- Dark Mode support in Word
- Performance enhancements across all apps
- Office 365 (Microsoft 365), being a cloud-based service, gets regular updates with the latest AI-driven features, security patches, and collaboration tools.
3. Collaboration & Cloud Features
- Office 2021 Professional Plus allows co-authoring and improved commenting but lacks deep cloud integration.
- Office 2019 offers only basic document sharing without real-time collaboration.
- Office 365 is the best for teamwork, integrating Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint for seamless document sharing and real-time editing.
4. Security & Support
- Office 2021 Professional Plus and Office 2019 receive only essential security updates.
- Office 365 has advanced security features like email encryption, real-time malware protection, and compliance tools, making it ideal for businesses handling sensitive data.
Conclusion: Which One Should You Choose?
- If you prefer a one-time purchase and don’t need frequent updates, Microsoft Office 2021 Professional Plus is a great choice for long-term use.
- If you are using Office 2019, upgrading to Office 2021 can provide better features and improved performance.
- If you need the latest features, cloud storage, and real-time collaboration, Microsoft 365 (Office 365) is the best option.
For those looking for a reliable, cost-effective solution, Microsoft Office 2021 Professional Plus from DirectDeals is the perfect choice.
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