You may run Microsoft Workplace, together with Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook on a Mac (and in your iPad or iPhone). Nevertheless it’s not a easy case of putting in the applying you want and beginning to sort. It is advisable select whether or not to enroll to a subscription or purchase the total model outright. It is advisable resolve whether or not you want only one utility or all of them. And, in case you are selecting a subscription bundle, you want to decide what sort of subscription applies to you.
There are a number of methods through which you will get the Workplace apps in your Mac. We’ll assist you determine which model of Workplace for Mac is the suitable one for you in our full information to purchasing Microsoft Workplace for Mac.
For those who aren’t certain whether or not to decide on the Microsoft Workplace apps or some free, or cheaper options check out our Best Word Processors for Mac and Best Email apps for Mac articles.
How one can purchase Microsoft Workplace for Mac: Subscription vs outright
There may be a couple of means to purchase Microsoft Workplace for Mac. You may subscribe to Microsoft 365 on a month-to-month or yearly foundation, or you should purchase the software program outright.
The most recent model of Workplace for Mac is obtainable by way of a Microsoft 365 subscription which prices from $69.99/£59.99 per yr or $6.99/£5.99 per 30 days). For those who subscribe you profit from the truth that you at all times obtain the most recent updates to the software program, repeatedly, with out the necessity of getting to purchase the entire program or suite once more. The service, beforehand referred to as Workplace 365, rebranded as Microsoft 365 in April 2020. Regardless of the title change and a bunch of upgrades at the moment, the costs stay the identical.
For those who don’t need to join a subscription and would somewhat personal the software program outright, you may be glad to listen to that Microsoft continues to promote and replace the Workplace 2021 suite. The most recent model of Workplace for Mac for residence customers is Office Home & Student 2021 ($149.99/£119.99). It consists of Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint. Outlook isn’t included on this model, however since March 2023 Microsoft has started offering Outlook for free, and you’ll download that on the Mac App Store.
There may be additionally Office Home & Business 2021 ($249.99/£249.99) which is designed for households and small companies who need the workplace apps Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Examine Microsoft Office for Mac 2021 in our information to the most recent model of Workplace.
Microsoft additionally affords Workplace LTSC (Lengthy Time period Servicing Channel). Particulars of how you can improve to which are on Microsoft’s site here. Microsoft 365 subscribers get updates each month (although organizational subscriptions can choose to improve person accounts both semi-annually, each January and July).
What’s the newest model of Workplace for Mac?
For those who purchase the software program outright the most recent model is Workplace 2021.
For those who subscribe your model of Microsoft 365 your model of Workplace can be recurrently up to date with new options. You may test which model is essentially the most present and the most recent options on Microsoft’s website here.
Each variations obtain safety and efficiency updates. You will discover particulars of the most recent model on Microsoft’s web site:
Worth Comparability: Microsoft 365 vs Workplace 2021 for Mac
With so many choices round, the pricing varies relying on the kind of license you need and the way you wish to pay. We’ve damaged all of it down in our desk beneath.
Microsoft 365 costs: subscribe here
|
Subscription sort |
Annual price |
Month-to-month price |
Max variety of customers |
|
Microsoft 365 Private |
$69.99/yr (£59.99/yr) |
$6.99/month (£5.99/month) |
One particular person |
|
Microsoft 365 Household |
$99.99/yr (£79.99/yr) |
$9.99/month (£7.99/month) |
As much as six folks |
|
Microsoft 365 Enterprise Primary |
– |
$5 per person month (£3.80 per person per 30 days) for a yr |
Per person |
|
Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise |
– |
$8.25 per person per 30 days (£7.90 per person per 30 days) for a yr) |
Per person |
|
Workplace 365 Enterprise Customary |
– |
$12.50 per person per 30 days (£9.40 per person per 30 days) for a yr |
Per person |
|
Microsoft 365 Enterprise Premium |
|
$20 per person per 30 days (£15.10 per person month) for a yr) |
Per person |
Workplace 2021 costs
If you’re a PC person there’s additionally Workplace Skilled 2021 for $439/£419, however there isn’t any Mac model of this suite. Extra data here.
What’s the distinction between Microsoft 365 and Workplace 2021?
Workplace 2021 for Mac was launched in September 2021 (three years after Workplace 2019 launched). Nevertheless, among the new options had already been out there as a part of the Microsoft 365 (beforehand Workplace 365) subscription.
With Microsoft 365, prospects pay month-to-month or yearly to at all times have the freshest model of the software program. There are numerous packages relying on whether or not you may be the one particular person utilizing the software program, if you may be sharing the subscription with family and friends, or in case you are a small enterprise or a bigger enterprise.
The subscription system fits some customers, however others choose to pay for software program outright and know that they are going to personal it for eternity. Therefore, Microsoft additionally means that you can purchase the total Workplace 2021 suite for a one-off fee. That licence won’t ever run out, though Microsoft would possibly finally cease assist for that model.
So far as stand-alone software program go, you may both choose up Office Home & Student 2021 ($149.99/£119.99), Office Home & Business 2021 ($249.99/£249.99) or go for the Workplace LTSC in case you are shopping for for a enterprise or to make use of commercially (through which case you will see that particulars on Microsoft’s site here.
It’s also possible to purchase the apps individually, extra on that beneath.
There may be additionally a free cloud-based version of Office that you may entry on-line by way of an internet browser. Consider it as a Lite model of the paid variations of the app. You continue to have to sign up for a Microsoft Account.
Dwelling/small enterprise use: Workplace 2021 vs Microsoft 365
|
Workplace Dwelling & Pupil 2021 and Workplace Dwelling & Enterprise 2021 |
Microsoft 365 (Household or Private) |
|
| Fee plan |
Pay as soon as |
Pay month-to-month or yearly. Cease paying and also you lose the license. |
| Included | Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint. (Works with Microsoft Groups). Workplace Dwelling & Enterprise 2021 additionally embrace Outlook. | Freshest model of Excel, Phrase, PowerPoint, and Outlook. |
| Extra companies | No companies included. | Skype and One Drive included. Household: 6TB (1TB for every particular person); Private: 1TB. OneDrive Private Vault safety. |
| Updates | Contains safety updates, however no function updates. | Microsoft will replace the apps with new options. |
| Units | Runs on one Mac or one PC. Set up on one Mac or PC. | Runs on Mac, PC, iOS & Android. Set up on all of your gadgets (iPad, iPhone, Mac). Relying in your subscription bundle you could possibly share your subscription with 5 others. |
| Customers | One particular person. | Private: One particular person; Household: Six folks. |
| Cellular | You get primary variations of the cellular apps that can be utilized on iPhones and iPads (so long as the iPad is below 10.1in – so iPad mini solely). | You get free variations of the cellular apps with further options that aren’t out there within the primary variations. |
| Storage | No on-line storage. | 1TB of cloud storage in OneDrive, for use by as much as 6 customers relying in your subscription bundle. |
| Help | Set up assist. Help for first 60 days at no further price. | Ongoing technical assist. |
Enterprise use: Microsoft 365 for Enterprise vs Workplace LTSC
If you’re a enterprise person you want to contemplate a model designed for deploying to companies. With the 2021 model of Workplace Microsoft has added Workplace LTSC as an possibility.
Workplace LTSC
This model of Workplace 2021 is obtainable to quantity licence prospects who simply wish to make a one-time buy, somewhat than subscribing to Microsoft 365. It consists of the identical apps because the Dwelling & Enterprise model of Workplace Dwelling & Enterprise 2021, however, Mac customers additionally get Outlook LTSC (PC customers additionally get Entry and Writer LTSC variations).
The worth is 10% greater than the Workplace Dwelling & Enterprise 2021 model, and can rely on what number of Macs or PCs are being deployed to.
Microsoft 365 for Enterprise
There are additionally Microsoft 365 subscription packages for businesses and enterprises. Every is charged per person/per 30 days and there are decrease month-to-month costs in case you join an annual dedication.
Microsoft 365 Enterprise Primary (previously Workplace 365 Enterprise Necessities) is the most cost effective possibility at £3.80/$5 per person per 30 days. It consists of solely internet and cellular variations of the Workplace apps. Subscribers additionally get entry to OneDrive, Trade, SharePoint and Groups.
Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise offers app entry solely and entry to OneDrive. You get the desktop variations as effectively however not the added companies across the software program akin to Groups or menace safety. It prices $8.25/£7.90 per person per 30 days.
Microsoft 365 Enterprise Customary (previously Workplace 365 Enterprise Premium) consists of Excel, Phrase, PowerPoint, and Outlook (plus Entry on a PC), together with enterprise electronic mail, Microsoft Groups entry and cloud storage by way of OneDrive. This tier prices $12.50/£9.40 per person per 30 days.
Workplace 365 Enterprise Premium (previously Microsoft 365 Enterprise) consists of all the pieces you get within the Enterprise Customary possibility plus cyber-threat safety. That is the most costly at $20/£15.10 per person per 30 days.
Head to Microsoft now to compare its plans for business.
Microsoft
Least expensive option to get Microsoft Workplace
As you may see from the above, there are numerous methods to get Workplace, or single packages from the Workplace suite, in your Mac. You might subscribe for the time you want entry to the software program after which cancel your subscription. That means you would get the fundamental model of Workplace for Mac for $6.99/£5.99 a month and cancel after 30 days. Beware that you could be lose entry to your information although. After you cancel, you may nonetheless use Workplace in View Solely mode.
Talking of View Solely mode, this mode is helpful in case you simply need to have the ability to learn Phrase paperwork or PowerPoint slides. On this mode you may view, however not edit. That could be all you want to do, through which case that is the most cost effective possibility – as a result of it’s free.
For those who do want to have the ability to edit paperwork another choice is to open them in Apple’s iWork apps. Apple has a phrase processor referred to as Pages that may open Phrase paperwork, Keynote for PowerPoint displays, and Numbers for Excel. These choices will allow you to open and edit the Workplace paperwork and save them within the Workplace format, with out ever having to open Workplace. Typically the formatting may be out barely, but it surely’s an important answer. And crucially it received’t price you something as a result of these apps are free for Mac customers.
If all you want is Phrase, for instance, you don’t have to purchase all of the Workplace apps. As you may see from the desk above, it’s attainable to purchase Phrase, Excel and PowerPoint individually. At round $150/£150 every, it may very well be an excellent answer in case you don’t wish to pay extra to get the opposite apps which are included within the suite.
We even have this text about how to get Microsoft Word for free.
Foundry
Compatibility: Will my Mac run Microsoft 365 or Workplace 2021 for Mac?
When it comes to system necessities, each Microsoft 365 and Workplace 2021 will function on macOS Monterey, Large Sur, Catalina, Mojave and Excessive Sierra (Microsoft will at all times endeavour to assist the present and two earlier variations of macOS). Mac customers will want not less than 10GB of disk house.
One factor to notice is that older, 32-bit variations of Workplace, akin to Workplace 2011, won’t work on Macs operating Catalina or later. To search out out whether or not your model is 64 bit click on on the Apple icon in your menu and select About This Mac, then System Report. Scroll all the way down to Software program and select Functions. If any of your apps are 32-bit you will notice that data right here.
One other compatibility concern is with M-series Macs. Quickly after the arrival of the M1 Macs in November 2020 Microsoft made certain that Workplace labored natively on the M1 Chip. Phrase, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote all work on the M1 Macs. Microsoft 365 customers would have had the brand new model of the software program replace mechanically. Ought to compatibility points come up once more sooner or later you could have to attend longer for an replace in case you aren’t a Microsoft subscriber. See all Microsoft Office and Office 2019 system requirements.
Verdict: Ought to I purchase Workplace 365 or Workplace 2021?
For those who subscribe to Microsoft 365 Private for 2 years you’d spend $139.98/£119.98. That’s basically the identical outlay as shopping for the software program outright.
After all, there are many disadvantages on this state of affairs too. Workplace 365 subscribers will profit from new function updates all through these two years, that means that you’ll miss out on some nice new instruments. You might profit from technical assist that you just get with a 365 subscription. Maybe you want to have entry to the iOS and Android variations of the software program. We now have this text about getting Office apps for free on iPad.
One other issue which will sway your resolution is that Microsoft will cease mainstream assist for Mac variations of Workplace Dwelling & Pupil 2021 in addition to Dwelling & Enterprise 2021 in October 2026 (which suggests Microsoft is simply supporting it for 5 years, somewhat than the same old ten). Because of this it would not obtain safety or non-security updates, akin to adjustments to options or design. If that’s a priority for you, you would possibly choose a subscription.