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Introduction
Microsoft Office has captured the world of software like no other. Almost all computers you will see have one type of Microsoft Office suite or another. As such, when you want to buy this software for personal use or business, you might be confused about which one to buy. On one hand, you have the Microsoft Office 2016 professional suite, and on the other is the Office 365 suite. What do these mean for a layman? Which version should you buy and why?
In short, Office 2016 refers to an Office productivity suite version. It includes popular applications like MS Word, MS Excel, and Publisher, to mention but a few. On the other hand, Office 365 refers to a cloud-based subscription suite that contains all Microsoft programs, including Office 2016 professional plus. That means that you basically have two options when you want to purchase this product. You can either buy it as part of the Office 365 subscription or as a standalone program. And you can pass your Microsoft certification exams easily at Certbolt.
In this article, we take you through the differences between these two popular software programs, and what you get when you buy each one of them. Read on to learn more.
Stand Alone Office 2016
About the standalone Office 2016 options, you have two methods you can purchase your program. They include the following:
Office Home & Business 2016
This suite includes the usual programs that make up a Microsoft office suite. It includes applications like MS Excel., MS PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, and MS Word. This option usually costs $230 for a single user.
Office 2016 Professional
When you opt for this form of Office, you get everything in the Business and Home 2016, as well as Access and Publisher. A single-user installation costs $399.99.
With the standalone version, you are allowed to save your files remotely on the cloud. This enables easier collaboration and is especially important where there are teams that don’t necessarily work in the same geographical location.
Office 2016 Professional as part of Office 365
Purchasing the Office 2016 version as an element of the Office 365 suite gives you more features and benefits. All of the Office 365 plans offer the following:
- Online versions of the Office suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
- One terra bite of file storage per user
- Sway presentation creator
- Encrypted data security
- 99% uptime guaranteed
- Active Directory Integration for making user permissions.
The upper you go with Office 365 plans, the more benefits you will be able to unlock. They include the following:
- Full Office desktop versions that include Word, Excel Plus, PowerPoint, Publisher, and OneNote on as many as five computers
- Office on mobile or tablet that’s compatible with most phones and tablets
- Outlook with 50 GB inbox memory per user
- Skype for Business instant messenger
- SharePoint
- Compliance Protection (Data Loss Protection and Encrypted Email etc)
Which is the better option?
When you want to decide between the Office 365 and 2016 versions, you will need to consider several factors. They include the following:
What programs and features do you desire?
You should think about the features and programs most important to you. If your only need is to get the basic Office applications like Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, a lower-level subscription to Office 365 or a standalone version will work fine for you. In case you want something that has access to special programs like SharePoint, your best bet is to go with Office 365.
Office 2016- the standalone version of this program is similar to the Office that doesn’t give you access to the latest features until a new version of Office has been installed.
Office 365- Because it’s a subscription service, it gives you access to the latest features anytime they become available. Also, you will unlock more nice features with this option.
Accessibility
This refers to the manner you would like to access your files and folders. Do you need to get access to them on multiple devices? If so, Office 365 might just be the option you need. However, you can save Office 2016 files to the cloud and access them from any location you are without necessarily having your laptop. But the Office 365 version offers more access options, plus the capability of installing the application on a variety of devices. You are also able to access online Office programs from any device provided you have an internet connection.
Scalability
Do you wish to upgrade your plans in the future?
Office 2016- because it’s standalone software, anytime you need to upgrade or add new features, you must purchase as well as install new licenses for every user.
Office 365– Users of this suite switch between plans any time without waiting for updates.
Price
The pricing plans for these two options differ. One is paid on a per-user basis, while the other one attracts a fixed monthly or yearly fee. Read on for more information.
Office 2016- You will pay a one-time price per user for the standalone version. So, while it’s a sizeable expense that you have to pay upfront, you are spared from paying monthly fees.
Office 365- Office 365 is essentially a subscription plan, which means that there is no upfront payment required. However, expect to pay a monthly fee per month per user. However, buying a longer-term plan might be cheaper.
Conclusion
As you have seen, the two versions of the Microsoft Office programs have several differences. They are dissimilar in price, ease of upgrade, accessibility, and programs and features.
However, whether you want to buy Microsoft Office Suite or the Office 365 plan, one thing that remains constant is that you must purchase from the right vendor. BeekTrade is one certified vendor that offers tested and licensed Office suites. At the moment, the company offers mouthwatering discounts that will save you a considerable amount of money. It’s fast, secure, and convenient.
