Microsoft Office 2024 versions comparison chart showing features pricing and best Microsoft Office 2024 version for businesses

Guide: best Microsoft Office 2024 version for businesses

Microsoft Office 2024 Versions Compared: Which One Is Right for You?

Microsoft Office 2024 is the latest one-time purchase edition of Microsoft’s popular productivity suite. Unlike Microsoft 365 (the subscription model), Office 2024 requires only a single upfront payment, making it ideal for users who prefer a perpetual license without monthly or yearly fees.

But with multiple editions—Home, Home & Business, and LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel)—it’s important to know which version best fits your needs. Let’s compare them side by side.

Office 2024 Home

✅ Includes: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote
🚫 No Outlook, no commercial license

Best for:

  • Students

  • Families

  • Personal projects

This edition delivers the essentials: creating documents in Word, analyzing data in Excel, and building presentations in PowerPoint. It’s affordable and straightforward, but not intended for business or professional email management.

Office 2024 Home & Business

✅ Includes: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook
✅ Licensed for commercial use

Best for:

  • Freelancers

  • Small business owners

  • Professionals who need email + calendar integration

Adding Outlook makes this edition ideal for work-related communication and scheduling. If you rely on email, this is the smarter choice over the Home version.

Office LTSC 2024 (Long-Term Servicing Channel)

✅ Includes: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access (PC only)
✅ Stable release with no feature updates
✅ Available via volume licensing

Best for:

  • Large organizations

  • Government agencies

  • Businesses requiring long-term stability

This version doesn’t get new features like Microsoft 365 does, but it’s designed for enterprise environments that prioritize stability over frequent updates.

Key New Features in Office 2024

  • Modern Fluent design for a cleaner, consistent look

  • Excel upgrades: new array functions, formula, better charts

  • PowerPoint Cameo: embed your webcam feed directly into slides

  • Word: support for ODF 1.4 and improved auto-recovery

  • Outlook: faster search, smarter scheduling

Pricing

  • Office 2024 Home – $149.99 (one-time)

  • Office 2024 Home & Business – $249.99 (one-time)

  • LTSC pricing varies (volume licenses for enterprises)

Each purchase includes five years of security updates (until ~October 2029).

Office 2024 vs. Microsoft 365 – Which Should You Choose?

Feature Office 2024 Microsoft 365
Payment One-time purchase Subscription (monthly/annual)
Updates Security only Continuous new features
Apps Core apps only Extra apps (Publisher, Access, Teams, etc.)
Devices 1 device Up to 5 devices/user
Cloud Storage None 1 TB OneDrive included

👉 If you want no subscriptions and use just one PC or Mac, Office 2024 is for you.
👉 If you need multi-device access, AI tools like Copilot, and cloud storage, Microsoft 365 offers better value.

Conclusion

Choosing the right Office 2024 edition depends on your needs:

  • Home if you just need the basics.

  • Home & Business if you rely on Outlook and work commercially.

  • LTSC 2024 if you’re an enterprise needing stability.

For users who want cutting-edge AI tools and cloud features, Microsoft 365 remains the top pick. But if you prefer a simple, one-time purchase, Office 2024 delivers exactly what you need.

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