Office Professional Plus 2024 is Microsoft’s most complete perpetual productivity suite — a one-time purchase that includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Access, with five years of security support and no ongoing fees. This guide covers everything you need to know before buying: what’s in the suite, what’s genuinely new, how it compares to Microsoft 365 and Office 2021, and who it’s right for.
What’s Included in Office Professional Plus 2024
Every application in the suite, and one important note
Office Professional Plus 2024 is the most comprehensive edition of Microsoft’s perpetual Office suite, including every major application in a single licence. Here’s what you get and what each application is for.
Publisher is not included in this edition of Office Professional Plus 2024. This aligns with Microsoft’s decision to retire Publisher entirely — it will no longer be supported after October 2026 and has already been removed from the enterprise LTSC edition. If your workflow currently depends on Publisher for brochures, newsletters, or print materials, now is the time to plan a migration to an alternative tool. See Microsoft’s official Publisher retirement notice for details.
Note that Microsoft Teams is not preinstalled with Office Professional Plus 2024. Teams is available as a separate free download from Microsoft. This is a change from earlier Office versions where Teams shipped as part of the installer. For most users it makes little practical difference — Teams can be downloaded in minutes — but it’s worth knowing if you’re deploying across multiple machines.
What’s New in Office 2024 vs Office 2021
The genuine improvements, application by application
Office 2024 inherits the foundational feature set of Office 2021 and adds a layer of improvements that were previously exclusive to Microsoft 365 subscribers. None of these are individually transformative — this is an evolutionary update, not a revolution. But in combination, particularly in Excel, they represent a meaningful productivity improvement for regular users.
| Application | What’s new in 2024 | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Excel | 14 new text and array functions — including TEXTSPLIT, TEXTBEFORE, TEXTAFTER, VSTACK, HSTACK, TOROW, TOCOL, and more. Dynamic charts that auto-update when array data changes. Improved workbook load times and multi-workbook performance. ODF 1.4 format support. | High — especially for data-heavy users |
| PowerPoint | Record entire presentation as video with voice, ink, and camera. Cameo feature — insert a live camera feed directly onto a slide. Closed captions for embedded video and audio. Microsoft Stream (SharePoint) video embedding. Expanded template library with contemporary designs. | Medium — significant for presenters and educators |
| Word | Improved session recovery — automatic document reopen after unexpected shutdown. Enhanced Editor suggestions for clarity, conciseness, and inclusive language. Better accessibility tools including upgraded screen reader support. Like button for comments across collaborative sessions. | Medium — most useful in collaborative contexts |
| Outlook | Faster search indexing across messages, contacts, and calendar entries. Intelligent scheduling with automatic buffer time suggestions between meetings. Improved focused inbox behaviour. Insert pictures directly from Android device. | Medium — meaningful daily quality-of-life improvements |
| OneNote | Updated ink tools and drawing capabilities. Improved stylus responsiveness. | Low–Medium — primarily benefits tablet users |
| Access | Faster database query performance. Streamlined data import tools. More intuitive database creation workflows. | Medium — valuable for Access-dependent workflows |
| All apps | OpenDocument Format (ODF) 1.4 support — improved compatibility with LibreOffice, Google Docs, and other non-Microsoft tools. Updated interface with improved colour options and accessibility. Dark mode improvements. | Medium–High — cross-platform compatibility improvement |
“Excel’s 14 new functions are the single strongest reason to upgrade — if you use spreadsheets seriously, the gap matters.“
If you’re on Office 2019 or older, the upgrade to 2024 is straightforward — there are meaningful improvements across every application. If you’re on Office 2021 and use Excel heavily, the new functions and dynamic charts make a real difference. If you’re on 2021 and primarily use Word for documents and Outlook for email, the improvements are real but incremental — consider whether the upgrade cost is justified by your specific workflow before buying.
Office Professional Plus 2024 vs Microsoft 365
Buy once vs subscribe — the honest cost and capability comparison
This is the question most people are really asking when they research Office Professional Plus 2024. Microsoft would prefer you subscribed to Microsoft 365 — it generates recurring revenue and gives them more control over your relationship with the software. That doesn’t mean it’s the wrong choice for you. Here’s the honest comparison.
| Factor | Office Pro Plus 2024 | Microsoft 365 |
|---|---|---|
| Payment model | One-time purchase. Own it permanently, no recurring fees. | Monthly or annual subscription. Cancel and you lose access. |
| Apps included | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access — all installed locally. | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Teams (no Access or Publisher on most plans). Web and mobile versions included. |
| Feature updates | Fixed at purchase. Security updates only for 5 years. No new features added after release. | Continuous — new features added regularly as Microsoft develops them. |
| Copilot / AI | Not included. Copilot is a Microsoft 365 feature and is not available in the perpetual licence. | Included on qualifying plans (Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Business). AI writing, summarisation, and data analysis tools across all apps. |
| Cloud storage | No bundled storage. Save to OneDrive optionally — requires a separate OneDrive plan if you need cloud storage. | 1 TB OneDrive per user. Documents sync automatically across devices. |
| Multi-device access | One PC only. | Install on multiple devices. Access via web and mobile apps on any device. |
| Offline use | Fully offline after activation. No periodic internet check-in required. | Works offline, but requires internet check-in at least monthly or apps enter reduced functionality mode. |
| Data sovereignty | Data stays on your device. No mandatory cloud component. Strong choice for regulated industries and privacy-conscious users. | Cloud-connected by design. File sync and features depend on Microsoft’s cloud services. |
| Support lifecycle | 5 years mainstream support (until October 2029). Security updates only — no new features. | Continuously supported as long as subscription is active. |
| Long-term cost | Cheaper after approximately 2–3 years for a single user with no need for cloud storage. | More expensive long-term for single users. Better value for families and multi-device users. |
Note: M365 Personal approximately £60/year. Office Pro Plus 2024 from Software Supplies UK. Pricing indicative — see product pages for current prices.
Microsoft Copilot — the AI assistant built into Word, Excel, and PowerPoint — is not available in Office Professional Plus 2024. This is a deliberate Microsoft decision to drive subscriptions. If AI-assisted writing, spreadsheet analysis, or presentation generation is important to your workflow, Microsoft 365 is currently the only way to get it. If you don’t use or want AI features, this is not a relevant consideration — but it’s worth knowing before you buy.
See Microsoft’s official comparison of Microsoft 365 and Office 2024 for the full breakdown from the source.
Office Professional Plus 2024 vs Office Professional Plus 2021
Is the upgrade from 2021 worth it?
If you’re currently on Office 2021 Professional Plus and weighing whether to upgrade, the decision is more nuanced than simply “newer is better.” Both are capable suites. The question is whether the improvements in 2024 justify the cost of a new licence for your specific use case.
Office Professional Plus 2021 reaches end of mainstream support in October 2026. After that date, Microsoft will no longer issue security patches. Running unsupported Office software creates real security exposure — particularly in Outlook, which is a common attack surface. If you’re still on 2021, the end-of-support timeline alone is a strong argument for upgrading to 2024 before that date. Office 2024 is supported until October 2029.
| Factor | Office Pro Plus 2021 | Office Pro Plus 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Support ends | October 2026 | October 2029 |
| Publisher included | Yes — the last Pro Plus version to include it | No — removed ahead of Publisher’s October 2026 retirement |
| Excel functions | XLOOKUP, dynamic arrays, LET function | All 2021 functions + 14 new text/array functions including TEXTSPLIT, VSTACK, HSTACK, TOROW, TOCOL |
| Dynamic charts | Static only — must be updated manually | Auto-update when array data changes |
| PowerPoint recording | Basic slide recording | Full presentation video export with voice, ink, and Cameo live camera |
| Outlook search | Standard search | Faster indexing, intelligent scheduling suggestions |
| ODF compatibility | ODF 1.3 | ODF 1.4 — better compatibility with LibreOffice and Google Docs |
| Price | Higher (original RRP; now typically discounted) | Lower than 2021 was at launch — currently the better value |
The pricing point is worth emphasising: Office Professional Plus 2024 from Software Supplies UK is currently priced lower than Office 2021 Professional Plus was at an equivalent point in its lifecycle. You get a newer, more capable suite with three additional years of security support, at a lower price. For anyone still on 2021, this is a straightforward upgrade decision.
“Office 2021 reaches end of support in October 2026. That deadline is the clearest reason to upgrade.“
Who Office Professional Plus 2024 Is Right For
Scenario by scenario — including who should consider Microsoft 365 instead
The strongest case for Office Professional Plus 2024 is any situation where you want powerful, fully-featured Office applications, you work primarily on one Windows PC, and you don’t want or need a recurring subscription. Here’s how that maps to specific buyer profiles.
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Small business owners and sole traders. A one-time licence cost that sits on the books as a capital purchase rather than an operating expense. Full Access included — relevant for small business database work. No subscription to manage or renew. Five years of security support provides a stable, predictable software baseline.
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Professionals who use Excel seriously. Accountants, analysts, financial professionals, and anyone managing complex spreadsheets will find the 14 new Excel functions and dynamic chart updates genuinely useful. If Excel is central to your work, 2024’s improvements justify the upgrade from 2021 on their own.
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Anyone upgrading from Office 2019 or older. The generational improvement from 2019 to 2024 is substantial — across every application. If you’re still on 2019 or 2016, upgrading to 2024 Professional Plus is a significant capability and security improvement with a straightforward justification.
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Privacy-conscious users and regulated industries. Office Professional Plus 2024 is fully functional offline with no mandatory cloud component. Data stays on your device. For healthcare professionals, legal firms, or anyone with data sovereignty requirements, the absence of forced cloud sync is an advantage, not a limitation.
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Users who need Publisher. Publisher is not included in Office Professional Plus 2024 — it last shipped with Pro Plus 2021 and is being retired by Microsoft in October 2026. If your workflows still depend on Publisher, read our Publisher retirement guide and plan your migration now rather than buying for Publisher access.
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Students who want a permanent licence. Microsoft 365 subscriptions expire when you stop paying. Office Professional Plus 2024 stays with you indefinitely — useful for students who want software that survives graduation and won’t expire mid-dissertation.
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Remote or hybrid teams who co-author documents in real time. Real-time collaborative editing — multiple people working on the same document simultaneously — is a Microsoft 365 cloud feature. Office Professional Plus 2024 supports OneDrive file saving but doesn’t replicate the live co-authoring experience of Microsoft 365.
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Users who specifically want Microsoft Copilot AI. Copilot — Microsoft’s AI assistant for writing, summarising, and data analysis — is exclusive to Microsoft 365 plans. It is not available in Office Professional Plus 2024, and there is no indication Microsoft will change this policy.
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Families or users across multiple devices. Office Professional Plus 2024 licences one PC. Microsoft 365 Family covers up to six people across multiple devices and includes 1 TB of OneDrive storage per person. For households with multiple users and devices, the subscription’s shared economics are often better value.
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Mac users. Office Professional Plus 2024 is Windows-only. If you’re on a Mac, the right product is Office Home and Business 2024 for Mac — a separate perpetual licence that covers Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote for macOS.
Software Supplies UK stocks genuine Office Professional Plus 2024 licence keys with instant email delivery, lifetime warranty, and UK-based support. Every key is 100% authentic. If you need Office for Mac, see our Mac licence range. If you’re comparing versions, our Office Licence Advisor tool walks you through the right choice for your situation.
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Gary Walsh is the Head of Tech Support at Software Supplies, with more than 20 years in the IT industry. Fully Microsoft-certified and experienced across the full business software stack — from Windows and Office to cloud infrastructure and device management — Gary delivers practical, no-nonsense advice that helps users and businesses get the most from their technology.
