You could be completely happy simply utilizing Apple’s free Pages, Numbers and Keynote apps in your Mac, however there are occasions when solely the Microsoft Workplace apps, together with Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint, will do. Maybe that you must collaborate with folks utilizing the Workplace apps and have had sufficient of changing your Pages paperwork in order that they’ll edit them in Phrase. Possibly you’re the one who must edit a Phrase doc and are hoping that getting a duplicate of Phrase (or Excel or PowerPoint) gained’t be costly (or perhaps gained’t value you in any respect).
On this information to Microsoft Workplace for Mac we’ll clarify what your choices are, whether or not you should buy the Workplace apps individually or have to purchase them collectively, whether or not you may subscribe or purchase a lifetime model, and we’ll clarify precisely what the distinction between Microsoft Workplace and Microsoft 365 (beforehand Workplace 365) is. We additionally included recommendation about learn how to get the apps free of charge, and the most effective costs proper now.
Ought to I purchase Workplace for Mac?
It positively isn’t the case that it’s important to purchase Workplace for Mac, or Phrase, PowerPoint, Excel or every other Workplace apps. Apple has a set of ‘iWork’ workplace apps of its personal which can be obtainable free of charge: Pages (like Phrase), Numbers (like Excel), and Keynote (like PowerPoint), plus there are numerous alternate options to Microsoft Workplace. Check out our Finest Phrase Processors for Mac, Finest Keynote or PowerPoint alternate options, Finest Mac spreadsheet apps, and Finest E-mail apps for Mac articles.
One more reason you might need to purchase Workplace for Mac 2024 or subscribe to Microsoft 365 is that Microsoft will cease mainstream assist for the older Workplace House & Pupil 2021 and House & Enterprise 2021 in October 2026. Which means in case you are working both of these variations you’ll now not obtain safety updates after that point.
Questioning whether or not Workplace for Mac 2024 is any good? Once we reviewed Phrase 2024, Excel 2024 and PowerPoint 2024 we have been impressed. Right here’s a abstract of what we thought with hyperlinks to our full critiques.
1. Microsoft Phrase for Mac
Worth When Reviewed:
Lifetime license, Workplace House 2024, one machine: $149.99; Lifetime license Phrase, one machine: $179.99; Microsoft 265 Private, one machine: $99.99 a 12 months ($9.99 a month)
Lifetime license, one machine$179.99Lifetime license, Workplace House 2024$149.99
Microsoft Phrase stays king of the phrase processors, and whereas it positively has some stylistic decisions that will push some away, its mixture of affordability and suppleness makes it powerful to beat.
Learn our full
Microsoft Phrase for Mac assessment
2. Microsoft Excel for Mac
Worth When Reviewed:
Lifetime license, Workplace House 2024, one machine: $149.99; Lifetime license, Excel, one machine: $179.99; Microsoft 265 Private, one machine: $99.99 a 12 months ($9.99 a month)
Lifetime license, one machine$179.99Lifetime license, Workplace House 2024$149.99
Excel is a implausible spreadsheet app, able to processing massive portions of information with ease. It’s completely filled with options and is good for anybody already utilizing Workplace apps and OneDrive.
Learn our full
Microsoft Excel for Mac assessment
3. Microsoft PowerPoint for Mac
Worth When Reviewed:
Lifetime license, Workplace House 2024, one machine: $149.99; Lifetime license, PowerPoint, one machine: $179.99; Microsoft 265 Private, one machine: $99.99 a 12 months ($9.99 a month)
Lifetime license, one machine$179.99Lifetime license, Workplace House 2024$149.99
PowerPoint is a implausible technique to construct a presentation, and whereas there are new rivals to its throne, it stays surprisingly versatile and straightforward to make use of because of a sturdy function set.
Learn our full
Microsoft PowerPoint for Mac assessment
The way to get Workplace on the Mac
You may run Microsoft Workplace, together with Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, on a Mac (and in your iPad or iPhone). However it’s not a easy case of putting in the appliance you want and beginning to sort.
There are a number of methods during which you will get the Workplace apps in your Mac. You have to select whether or not to enroll to a subscription or purchase the total model outright. You have to determine whether or not you want only one utility or all of them. And, in case you are selecting a subscription bundle, that you must decide what sort of subscription applies to you.
We’ll assist you determine which model of Workplace for Mac is the fitting one for you on this full information to purchasing Microsoft Workplace for Mac. Learn on to seek out out what the distinction between Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Workplace 2024 is and be taught in regards to the other ways you will get Phrase, Excel and PowerPoint in your Mac.
How a lot is Microsoft Workplace for Mac?
There are a number of methods to purchase Microsoft Workplace for Mac. You may both subscribe to Microsoft 360, or you should buy Workplace for Mac 2024, or simply buy the app you require. There are additionally free variations that you could be discover are adequate on your wants.
Examine the bins beneath as now we have seen Amazon discounting the Microsoft 365 costs. For instance, in January 2025 the Microsoft Household Plan is £98.99 at Amazon.
Microsoft 365 for Mac: Worth
Microsoft 365 (beforehand known as Workplace 365) is Microsoft’s subscription plan that bundles Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint and different apps like Outlook and OneDrive. There are some extra apps included for Home windows customers that aren’t obtainable on the Mac.
Costs begin at $99.99/£84.99 a 12 months (or $9.99/£8.49 a month) for Microsoft 365 Private. This contains one license for Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and extra, that can be utilized on as much as 5 units together with Macs, iPhones and iPads in addition to PCs and different telephones and tablets. You get 1TB of cloud storage. There’s a free one month trial.
For those who select the annual deal it’s higher worth, basically providing the equal of two free months, however in case you join the 12 months you gained’t be capable of finish your contract early.
There’s additionally a $129.99/£104.99 a 12 months (or $12.99/£10.49 per thirty days) Microsoft 365 Household plan, which incorporates as much as six licenses for Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and so forth. You may check in on as much as 5 units (Macs, iPhones and iPads, PCs, telephones and tablets). There’s 1TB of cloud storage per particular person.
As with the Private plan above, you select the annual deal it’s higher worth, basically providing the equal of two free months, however in case you join the 12 months you gained’t be capable of finish your contract early.
There are additionally enterprise bundles on provide. In case you are on the lookout for a Microsoft 365 plan for a enterprise the main points are right here.
Workplace for Mac 2024: Worth
What in case you don’t need to pay a month-to-month or annual charge for the Workplace apps? Subscription plans aren’t for everybody and are sometimes unpopular as a result of folks really feel trapped by them. Fortunately there are different choices and you should buy the Microsoft Workplace apps up entrance.
One possibility is to purchase Workplace House 2024, which embody the 2024 variations of Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote and is designed for non-commercial use (so households and college students). You don’t get Outlook with this feature, however that doubtless gained’t matter as a result of in March 2023 Microsoft made Outlook for Mac free, and you may obtain that on the Mac App Retailer and iOS App Retailer. Nor do you get upgrades, so when the subsequent replace comes out in a couple of years time you would need to purchase the brand new software program. However it’s a one-time buy, so that you gained’t be caught in a loop paying for it each month. You personal it for all times. You may solely set up it on one Mac (or PC). It prices $149.99 within the U.S. or £119.99 within the U.Ok.
There’s additionally an possibility to purchase Workplace House and Enterprise 2024. This prices $249.99/£249.99 and the primary variations is it contains Outlook and, clearly, permits industrial use.
Phrase, Excel and PowerPoint 2024: Costs
There are additionally choices to purchase the person apps individually. Nonetheless, at $179.99/£159.99 per app, it really prices extra to purchase it this manner than in case you bought Workplace House 2024 (above).
Microsoft sells a lifetime license of Phrase for $179.99/£159.99 (one machine).
Microsoft additionally sells a lifetime license of Excel for $179.99/£159.99 (one machine).
Microsoft additionally sells a lifetime license of PowerPoint for $179.99/£159.99 (one machine).
Need to use Microsoft Phrase, Excel and PowerPoint free of charge? We’ve got extra details about how to try this beneath.
What’s the distinction between Microsoft Workplace and Microsoft 365?
One key distinction, as you may see from the costs above, is how a lot it can value you.
With Microsoft 365, clients pay month-to-month or yearly to all the time have essentially the most up-to-date 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 desire 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 2024 suite for a one-off cost. That license won’t ever run out, though Microsoft would possibly ultimately cease assist for that model.
Over the subsequent 5 years Microsoft 365 would value one particular person $599.40/£509.40 in the event that they opted to pay $9.99/£8.49 a month. If that particular person selected to purchase Microsoft Workplace House 2024 as a substitute they’d solely pay $149.99/£119.99 (assuming they didn’t want it for industrial use, during which case they must pay $249.99/£249.99). Nonetheless, paying upfront means they’d miss out on numerous extras that include the subscription, together with subsequent updates, corresponding to Microsoft Workplace 2028 when/if that comes out.
What precisely are you getting on your cash in case you select to subscribe?
Microsoft 365 vs Workplace 2024
The opposite key distinction is the addition of Copilot in subscriber variations. With the arrival of Apple Intelligence very related (arguably higher) AI instruments are included system-wide anyway, so this may increasingly not matter to you.
The one factor that will influence on whether or not or not you select 365 over Workplace 2024 is the truth that solely 365 customers will get function updates. This early within the cycle this most likely gained’t matter a lot as in a couple of years from now when 365 subscribers have a set of will need to have options and Workplace 2024 customers are jealous.
Right here’s how Microsoft 365 and Workplace 2024 evaluate:
Microsoft 365 Private and Microsoft 365 FamilyOffice House 2024 and Workplace House & Enterprise 2024Payment planSubscribe month-to-month or yearly, cease paying and also you lose the licenseOne-time purchaseIncludedWord, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, Outlook and different appsWord, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote (and Outlook in House & Enterprise variations)Cloud storage1TB Cloud storage per particular person with OneDriveNo cloud storage CollaborationCloud-connected options for collaboration in real-timeNo collaboration toolsAIAI options with Copilot (just for subscriber, Apple Intelligence options, together with Writing Instruments, will work)No Copilot AI options (nonetheless, Apple Intelligence options, together with Writing Instruments, will work)UpdatesFeature updatesNo updatesSecurity UpdatesSecurity updates and bug fixesSecurity updates and bug fixes (for 5 years)DevicesMultiple units and platformsOne PC or Mac. Fundamental variations of the cell apps can be utilized on iPhones and iPads.SupportTech supportInstallation assist. Help for first 60 days at no further value.
Can I get Workplace free of charge?
As you may see from the above, there are numerous methods to get Workplace, or single packages from the Workplace suite, in your Mac. However what in case you don’t need to spend some huge cash?
There’s a free trial that means that you can use Microsoft 365 for one month. After the trial you may be charged so ensure you cancel earlier than the trial is up.
One possibility is to subscribe for the time you want entry to the software program after which cancel your subscription. That method you can get the fundamental model of Workplace for Mac for $9.99/£8.49 and cancel after 30 days. Beware that you could be lose entry to your information although.
Or it can save you much more cash and use the free View Solely mode. This mode will allow you to view, however not edit, Phrase paperwork, PowerPoint slides and Excel sheets. That could be all that you must do, however in case you do have to edit the doc you can copy and paste it into an app you may edit in, put it aside and share it from there (in a suitable format).
An alternative choice is to open paperwork within the corresponding Apple iWork app. Apple has a phrase processor known 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, edit them, and save them within the Workplace format, with out ever having to open Workplace. Typically the formatting could be out barely, but it surely’s an excellent answer. And crucially it gained’t value you something as a result of these apps are free for Mac customers.
We even have this text about learn how to get Microsoft Phrase free of charge.
We’ve got this text about getting Workplace apps free of charge on iPad.
