Office 365 vs. Office 2019 – The Biggest Differences

Office 365 vs. Office 2019 as an on-premises purchase—what are the differences between these two Microsoft products, and what are the advantages of each version? In this blog post, you’ll learn everything there is to know about Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) and Office 2019!

Subscription vs. One-Time Purchase

First of all, it’s worth noting that Office 365 is no longer called Office 365, but Microsoft 365. The biggest difference between Office 365 (or Microsoft 365) and Office 2019 is that Microsoft 365 is a subscription, while Office 2019 is a one-time purchase. With a Microsoft 365 subscription, customers always receive the latest version of Office, whereas Office 2019 does not provide users with any major feature updates until the next version, Office 2022, is released. Furthermore, if customers want to upgrade Office 2019 to the new version, they must purchase it again as a one-time purchase. This means you’ll have to make do with the current feature set if you opt for the one-time purchase version.

The monthly cost of Microsoft 365 for businesses is €4.20 for “Microsoft 365 Business Basic” and €10.50 for “Microsoft 365 Business Standard” (official Microsoft retail prices as of November 2021). The cost of a one-time purchase varies depending on the selected plan and Office version.

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Hybrid Cloud Model for Cost Reasons

Many companies are increasingly turning to a hybrid cloud model, where—for cost or strategic reasons—Microsoft 365 is optimally combined with the purchase of on-premises licenses. There are many different approaches here, such as purchasing Office 2019 as an on-premises version and a cost-effective Microsoft 365 package to enable the use of Microsoft Teams, Exchange, SharePoint, and more. Talk to our licensing experts to find the most cost-effective solution for your company.

Users and Additional Online Storage

After purchasing the Office 2019 version, you can install it on a PC or Mac. The Microsoft 365 packages for large enterprises and SMBs offer greater flexibility. With these packages, you can use the apps on up to 10 different devices (5 mobile devices and 5 tablets).

Another difference is that Office 2019 does not include any additional online storage. With Microsoft 365, however, you get one terabyte of online storage that you can access from anywhere and share with up to five other users.

Microsoft 365 vs. Office 2019 – Technical Support

Microsoft 365 offers free support for the entire term, while updates for Office 2019 will be provided through October 14, 2025. Main support lasts for 5 years, followed by two additional years of “extended support,” which includes only critical security updates.

Office 2019 works only with Windows 10

Yes, you read that correctly. Microsoft Office 2019 is the first version that is compatible only with Windows 10. Users who are still running Windows 7 or 8.1 will need to update their operating systems or use a different version of Office.

Our Conclusion on the Office 365 vs. Office 2019 Showdown

The comparison between Office 365 and Office 2019—which, by the way, should now be called Microsoft 365 vs. Office 2019—is not an easy one to resolve. Which version is right for you depends largely on your company’s needs. If you prefer more features and the flexibility of cloud-based use, and if you want to share your applications, then we recommend Microsoft 365. However, this is often the most expensive solution for businesses.

In any case, purchasing used Office licenses can be significantly more cost-effective. If necessary, these can also be combined with Microsoft 365 packages to create a so-called “hybrid cloud” solution. This allows you to add desired features that are only available on a subscription basis, such as the collaboration and communication software Microsoft Teams. However, there are many other hybrid cloud models—the licensing experts at Software ReUse would be happy to advise you with no obligation!

So if you have any questions, please contact us!