The best prices for Microsoft 365 in August 2024

Back-to-school season is here, meaning millions of people need to get or renew a Microsoft 365 subscription. While there aren't any major deals yet, there are some ways to save a few dollars on one of the world's most popular productivity suites. Microsoft 365 is essential for many students and workers, so saving some cash each time you get a subscription can add up over time.

In addition to Microsoft improving its most familiar apps, such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, the tech giant also adds new services to its subscription on a regular basis without increasing the cost. For example, subscribers get OneDrive cloud storage and Microsoft Defender. You can also enhance your subscription with a Copilot Pro, though that costs an additional $20 per month.

Microsoft 365 Personal

As its name suggests, Microsoft 365 Personal is for individuals who want access to Microsoft's ever-growing suite of productivity applications and services. A Microsoft 365 Personal subscription provides a single person access to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Subscribers can also use Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Editor. Some apps and services, such as Outlook and Clipchamp are available for free to anyone but have an enhanced experience for Microsoft 365 subscribers.

Microsoft 365 Personal usually costs $69.99 per year or $6.99 per month. There are occasional deals on a subscription, which I recommend picking up when you spot a good deal.

Microsoft 365 Personal | $69.99 for 15 months at Antonline

For the same price as you usally have to pay for 12 months of Microsoft 365, you can get a 15-month subscription. That's three free months for anyone who already planned to get Microsoft 365 for a year.

Microsoft 365 Personal | $69.99 for 12 months at Best Buy

This is the same subscription as when you buy through Microsoft, so you'll get access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, and ad-free Outlook. You also get access to Microsoft Editor, some bonus Clipchamp features, and Microsoft Defender.

Microsoft 365 Personal | $69.99 for 12 months at Amazon

A Microsoft 365 Personal subscription gets one person access to a range of apps and services across five devices. With it, you can use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, and ad-free Outlook. You also get access to Microsoft Editor, some bonus Clipchamp features, and Microsoft Defender. While Amazon often has discounts on Microsoft 365, the service is full price at the retailer right now.

Microsoft 365 Personal | $69.99 for 12 months at Microsoft

You can, of course, buy your subscription directly from Microsoft. The Personal version is limited to just one person, but other than that you get all the other benefits the program has to offer including regular updates and such. The subscription will cost you $69.99 a year, or $6.99 a month if you'd rather the short-term commitment.

Microsoft 365 Personal | $69.99 for 12 months at Target

Target often has sales on Microsoft 365 Personal. Unfortunately, now is not one of those times. But if you have a RedCard, you can save 5% on a Microsoft 365 Personal subscription through Target. If you purchase through Amazon, note that it will be set to renew annually by default. You can cancel that if you'd like, however.

Microsoft 365 Family

Microsoft 365 Family provides the same access, apps, and services as Microsoft 365 Personal, but up to six people can use the subscription. That means a plan gets you up to 6TB of OneDrive storage (1TB each for up to six users). Up to six people can use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the growing list of other Microsoft apps and services.

Given that Microsoft 365 Family normally costs $99.99 per year or $9.99 per month, it becomes the most financially wise move for any family or household with two or more people who need to use Microsoft's productivity suite.

Like its personal sibling, Microsoft 365 Family isn't on sale right now from what I've been able to find. You can, however, pick up 15 months of Microsoft 365 Family for $99.99 right now. That's the same price as what a 12-month subscription normally costs.

Microsoft 365 Family | $99.99 per year for 15 months at Newegg

This is an excellent deal if you know your family needs Microsoft 365 for a long time. Right now, you can get 15 months of Microsoft 365 Family for the same price that would normally get you 12 months ($69.99).

Microsoft 365 Family | $99.99 per year for 12 months at Target

Target doesn't have a discount on the Right now on Microsoft 365 Family, but you can save 5% if you have a RedCard. That card gets you 5% at Target and Target.com across the board, so it's not an exclusive deal to this subscription.

Microsoft 365 Family | $99.99 per year for 12 months at Microsoft

Microsoft 365 Family has the benefit of a free trial month so you can see if it's right for you and your brood. Once the 30 days are up, it will cost $99.99 a year, or $9.99 a month. With Microsoft 365 Family you can share amongst up to 6 people, so for multiple users this really is the better value subscription. 

Microsoft 365 Home & Student

You don't need to pay a monthly or yearly fee to use Microsoft 365 applications. Students can pick up the 2021 versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for a one-off payment of $149.99. Office Home & Student 2021 is compatible with Windows 11, Windows 10, or macOS. It also supports non-commercial use of Microsoft Teams. If you just need to use the basic Office apps and don't want to have to use web versions of Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, Office Home & Student 2021 for $149.99 is a solid option.

Microsoft Office Home and Student | $149.99 at Microsoft

Office Home and Student gets you the basic Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. It doesn't get you the full Microsoft 365 experience, but it is a solid choice for those who only need the core Office apps.

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Microsoft Office Home and Student | $149.99 at Microsoft

If the idea of another subscription fills you with dread, you still have options. Microsoft Office Home and Student will get you all of the basic Office apps in one payment of $149.99. You won't get the full benefits of a Microsoft 365 subscription such as use over multiple devices, cloud storage and regular updates. For some, the trade-off is worth it for a simple one-off payment. 

Microsoft 365 Business

Microsoft 365 is the standard productivity suite for many organizations. Professional users have several options when it comes to plans and pricing. If you need to use the web and mobile versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint as well as use Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Exchange, your best option is a Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan for $6 per user per month. If you need the desktop Office apps and some combination of Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, Clipchamp, and Microsoft Loop, a Microsoft 365 Business Standard plan for $12.50 per user per month is best.

Microsoft 365 Business Basic | $6 per month per user at Microsoft

The Microsoft 365 Business Basic subscription is designed for small businesses. With it, you get access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook on the web. It also gets you a custom business email, business apps like Bookings, Planner, and Forms, and phone and web support at any time. The entry-level Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan costs $6 per month per user.

Microsoft 365 Business Basic | $12.50 per month per user at Microsoft

As the name suggests, Microsoft 365 Business Standard is the standard subscription for many business users. It comes with everything you get in the Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan but also gets you access to the desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. The Business Standard subscription also comes with Loop, additional Clipchamp features, and the option to get Copilot for Microsoft 365 as a paid add-on.

Office 365 Education

Students and teachers with an eligible email address can get access to the Office apps for free. Office 365 Education comes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and other classroom tools. Microsoft's Office 365 Education website has instructions on how to register and get started. Office 365 Education effectively saves you $69.99 per year compared to Microsoft 365 Personal.

Speaking of Microsoft 365 Personal, college students with an eligible email address can get Microsoft 365 Personal for $2.99 per month.

Office Online is free

Don't forget that you can use all of Microsoft's Office apps online, completely free. They are web-based but you can create and edit documents, workbooks and design presentations using just your browser. Simply sign into the Microsoft Office website to get started. No installation is required; you can collaborate with others online and get 5GB of free cloud storage on OneDrive.

The free service does have its limitations, the most obvious being you cannot use the programs offline and will need a reliable internet connection. You also won't get all the features a subscription to Microsoft 365 provides on some apps, such as using macros or advanced formatting.

Office 2021 vs Microsoft 365

While it's not the same as a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can use the Office apps on your PC by buying Office 365. Our guide on Office 2021 vs Microsoft 365 breaks down all of the differences to help you pick which is right for you. Generally, Office 365 is for people who only need access to the core Office apps and don't want to pay a subscription.

Choosing the best version for you

With Microsoft 365, it really comes down to what you want to use it for and who is likely to need access. If it's just for your own use but you want to use across multiple devices, a Microsoft 365 Personal subscription will be the best option. My whole family uses Word, Excel, and other Microsoft apps and services, so a Microsoft 365 Family subscription makes the most sense.

I used Microsoft's Office apps all throughout school and university, so I didn't have to pay for access to the apps for years. Many students and teachers are unaware of the fact that they can get Microsoft Office apps for free, so it's worth a friendly reminder to your fellow students and educators.

Microsoft 365 and its apps and services are standard among business and enterprise users. Since Microsoft has a variety of plans for business users, it's worth shopping around a bit, particularly if you're looking to purchase hundreds of licenses.