Comparison: Office Pro Plus 2024 vs Office Pro Plus 2021

Microsoft Office is synonymous with productivity in personal, academic, and professional environments. With the release of Office Professional Plus 2024, many users are wondering how it compares to the previous version, Office Professional Plus 2021, and which one suits them best. In this informal and accessible blog, we’ll break down the key differences between Office Pro Plus 2024 and Office Pro Plus 2021, highlighting new features, performance, compatibility, and other practical details. We’ll also show you how to purchase either suite at a great price safely on Licendi, a trusted site to buy original licenses. Let’s dive in!

What’s New in Office 2024

Office Pro Plus 2024 brings a range of upgrades and new features designed to enhance user experience and productivity compared to its predecessor. Below is a summary of the main innovations introduced in the 2024 edition:

AI-Powered Features

One of the standout additions in Office 2024 is the integration of artificial intelligence across its applications. This includes smarter grammar suggestions in Word, data analysis tools in Excel, and automatic design recommendations in PowerPoint. These features were not present in Office 2021 and help automate repetitive tasks and enable smarter work. For example, Word 2024 can suggest more contextual rewrites, Excel can detect patterns in your data for assistance with calculations, and PowerPoint can recommend slide designs based on content.

Improved Collaboration and Cloud Integration

Office 2024 is far more focused on modern collaborative work. While Office 2021 already allowed basic co-authoring and saving to OneDrive, the new version takes it further with smoother real-time co-authoring and deeper integration with cloud services like OneDrive and SharePoint. This means multiple people can edit a Word document or Excel sheet simultaneously with fewer hiccups and instant updates. Integration with Microsoft Teams has also improved, allowing you to start chats or meetings directly from Office 2024 apps. In short, the 2024 suite is designed for hybrid and remote work environments where online collaboration is essential.

Updated Interface and Modern Design

Microsoft gave Office 2024 a visual refresh. The interface adopts the Fluent Design style of Windows 11, with cleaner looks, updated iconography, and a more consistent experience across applications. Toolbars (Ribbon) are now more customizable and optimized to highlight frequently used functions. Overall, Office 2024 looks more modern and streamlined than Office 2021, which, while functional, feels more traditional. This visual update isn’t just aesthetic—it’s aimed at improving usability, reducing distractions, and keeping the focus on your content (documents, spreadsheets, or presentations).

New Features Across Applications

Each major program in the suite has received enhancements in Office 2024. In Excel 2024, for instance, more than a dozen new functions for handling text and arrays have been added, making data analysis easier. Dynamic charts that update automatically when source data changes have also been introduced—perfect for handling variable data sets. Word 2024 has improved session recovery (it’s harder to lose data if the app crashes) and enhanced accessibility tools for creating more inclusive documents. PowerPoint 2024 now makes it easier to embed videos and add subtitles to multimedia content, resulting in more interactive and accessible presentations. Outlook 2024 features smarter search (to find emails or contacts faster) and intelligent scheduling tools like automatic buffer times between meetings. Even Access 2024 (the database tool) includes new capabilities for developers. All in all, Office 2024 expands the familiar toolkit with fresh features in each app to speed up everyday tasks.

As we can see, the 2024 version is full of improvements. Many of these upgrades are driven by recent technological advances and user feedback. Microsoft designed Office 2024 to feel like a suite fully updated for today’s needs, without losing the strong foundation that made Office 2021 reliable and popular.

Key Differences with Office 2021

After reviewing the new features, it's time to directly compare Office Pro Plus 2024 vs Office Pro Plus 2021. Both packages include the essential applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Access, among others) and are one-time purchase licenses (not subscriptions). However, there are key differences to consider when placing them side by side:

AI Integration and Automation

Office 2021 offers traditional and proven Office features but does not include built-in AI capabilities. In contrast, Office 2024 introduces intelligent tools across all apps (as mentioned earlier: better autocorrect in Word, suggested data analysis in Excel, etc.). This can make a big difference for users looking for smart assistance while working—something Office 2021 lacks.

Collaboration and Teamwork

If collaboration is your priority, Office 2024 takes the lead. While Office 2021 allows file saving to OneDrive and offers basic co-authoring, Office 2024 enhances this experience with smoother real-time editing and faster cloud syncing. Additionally, integration with Teams and other services is more native in Office 2024, making it easier to communicate and share without switching apps. In a world where remote work and collaborative projects are the norm, these improvements in Office 2024 make a significant difference compared to 2021.

User Interface

Office 2021 keeps a familiar interface from previous versions: known menus and a classic layout. Office 2024, however, features a more modern and refined design aligned with Windows 11, offering unified icons and visual themes. The Office 2024 interface feels lighter and more customizable, allowing users to rearrange commands to their preference. For users used to the older style, this may come down to personal taste—but objectively, the 2024 version delivers a more updated experience. If you value modern aesthetics and improved usability, 2024 has the edge.

New Features vs. “Sufficient” Features

In terms of tools and capabilities, Office 2024 naturally includes all the features already present in Office 2021 and adds the new ones (new formulas in Excel, enhancements in PowerPoint, etc.). Office 2021, on the other hand, sticks to the basics: it is perfectly capable for document creation, spreadsheets, and presentations, but lacks the added functionality of 2024. For example, you won’t find functions like XLOOKUP in Excel or automatic subtitles in PowerPoint within Office 2021, as those came later and are part of 2024. Likewise, Outlook 2021 doesn't include the search and scheduling improvements found in Outlook 2024—features professionals may greatly appreciate. In summary, 2024 expands the feature set, while 2021 provides all the tools available up until its release.

Performance and Optimization

Although we’ll go into performance in more detail later, it’s worth noting that Office 2024 has been optimized to run faster and more smoothly on modern devices. Microsoft refined its code to improve file opening and saving times, as well as overall responsiveness. In internal tests, Office 2024 opened large files noticeably faster than Office 2021. That said, Office 2021 performs well in most scenarios, but may feel a bit slower in heavy workloads. This difference is minor for small documents, but for large projects or databases, 2024 shows its edge in optimization.

Support and Lifecycle

One factor to consider is how long each version will receive updates. Office 2021, released in 2021, has official support ending in October 2026 (five years of support, with no extended period). This means no security patches after that date. Office 2024, being newer, is expected to be supported until around 2029 (five years from launch). For someone wanting to use Office for many years without worrying about obsolescence, the 2024 version offers a longer lifecycle. However, if 2026 seems distant enough or you plan to move to Microsoft 365 before then, this point may not be as decisive.

File and Hardware Compatibility

The differences here are minor but worth mentioning. Both use the same file formats (.docx for documents, .xlsx for spreadsheets, .pptx for presentations), making them fully interchangeable between Office 2021 and 2024. However, if you use a new function exclusive to Office 2024 (say, a new Excel formula), that file may not work properly in Office 2021. As for hardware, both Office 2021 and 2024 require a relatively modern device: Windows 10 or Windows 11 as the operating system. The difference is that Office 2024 is better optimized for Windows 11 and newer technologies. Microsoft recommends at least 4 GB of RAM (preferably 8 GB) for optimal performance in Office 2024, whereas Office 2021 runs decently with 4 GB. Both are 64-bit software (with 32-bit installers available if needed), and neither supports Windows 7 or 8.1. So, in terms of basic compatibility, there’s no difference (if your PC runs Office 2021, it can run Office 2024), but to fully benefit from 2024’s improvements, a slightly more powerful or updated device helps.

In summary, Office Pro Plus 2024 delivers a more polished experience with expanded features, geared toward collaboration and taking full advantage of modern environments and hardware. Office Pro Plus 2021, by contrast, offers a solid set of classic tools without the bells and whistles, but remains highly effective for users seeking stability and the essentials. There is no absolute “winner”—the right choice depends on the priorities of each user or organization, as we’ll explore next.

Performance and Compatibility

Let’s take a closer look at how Office 2024 and 2021 perform and what compatibility they offer—these practical aspects matter a lot when making a decision.

Performance

Microsoft has optimized the Office 2024 suite for better efficiency. What does this mean? Mainly that Office 2024 feels faster in everyday tasks. For example, when opening a large Word document or Excel workbook, load times are shorter in the 2024 version compared to 2021. Saving large files also takes less time thanks to improvements in data handling. Additionally, the interface responds more instantly to clicks and typing, giving a smoother experience.

Office 2021 already performs well, but on newer devices you might not be taking full advantage of your hardware. Office 2024 is better equipped to leverage modern multicore processors and graphics acceleration where available, resulting in smoother animations (e.g., transitioning between slides in PowerPoint) and faster calculations in Excel.

System Compatibility

As mentioned earlier, Windows 10 or Windows 11 is required to install either suite on PC—this is a shared requirement. You cannot officially install them on Windows 8 or earlier. On Mac, there are equivalent editions (Office 2021 for Mac and presumably Office 2024 for Mac) that require recent versions of macOS, but here we’re focusing on the Windows (Professional Plus) variant. Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions are available, though 64-bit is recommended—especially for Office 2024—to fully use over 4 GB of memory if available.

File and Software Compatibility

You’ll have no trouble exchanging documents between Office 2021 and 2024, as both use the same standard formats (Office Open XML for Office documents). A file created in Word 2024 (.docx) will open perfectly in Word 2021 and vice versa. The same applies to Excel (.xlsx) and PowerPoint (.pptx). As mentioned earlier, the only caveat is when using new features or elements exclusive to Office 2024—Office 2021 won’t be able to display or process those.

Integration with Other Services

Both Office 2021 and 2024 work well with Microsoft services like OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams. However, Office 2024 is better integrated with the cloud. For example, the OneDrive app is included/visible in Office 2024, making it easier to save and open files directly from the cloud (in Office 2021, you need to configure this manually, though it’s still possible). Being built for the cloud era, Office 2024 supports new APIs and technologies to connect with other services. This means third-party tools or add-ins may use features available only in Office 2024. That said, most traditional add-ins and macros will work the same in both versions—Microsoft ensures strong backward compatibility. If you have Excel macros or Word templates developed in Office 2016/2019/2021, they will likely run fine in Office 2024 (and vice versa).

As for future compatibility, keep in mind that Office 2021 support ends in 2026, which could eventually mean incompatibility with future Windows versions or services—though this is speculative. For now, both are fully compatible with Windows 11 (Office 2024 is even marketed as specifically optimized for Windows 11).

Technical Requirements Summary

To give you a concrete idea: Microsoft recommends at least a dual-core processor at 1.6 GHz (or higher) and 4 GB of RAM for Office 2021. For Office 2024, a quad-core at 2 GHz and 8 GB of RAM are suggested for optimal performance, though 4 GB remains the official minimum. Both require around 4 to 10 GB of disk space for installation and temporary files. As you can see, Office 2024 demands more power to shine, but that doesn’t mean Office 2021 is lightweight—in general, if your PC can run one, it can run the other.

Which One to Choose?

The decision between Office 2021 and Office 2024 depends on your needs and budget. Here's a quick guide based on different user profiles:

• If you want the latest and most future-proof version:
  Choose Office Pro Plus 2024. It includes more modern features, better AI integration, and advanced collaboration tools. Ideal for those who want to stay ahead or for businesses working in the cloud or remotely.
• If you're looking for stability and a good price:
  Office Pro Plus 2021 remains a great option. It’s reliable, proven, and sufficient for everyday tasks. Plus, it’s usually cheaper—especially on sites like Licendi—making it ideal for tight budgets.
• For students and personal use:
  Both versions work well. If you can get Office 2021 at a good price, it will be more than enough. But if you want long-term compatibility and modern features for your entire academic career, consider Office 2024.
• For businesses:
  If your company values stability, Office 2021 is a perfect fit. But if you need efficient collaboration and long-term support, Office 2024 could be the better investment.
• Already have Office 2021?
  There’s no rush to upgrade. Assess whether you really need the new features in 2024. Both are perpetual licenses, so you can wait for a better deal or a specific need.

In summary: If you want the newest features, go with Office 2024. If you prefer saving money and are fine with a classic setup, Office 2021 is an excellent choice.

How to Buy on Licendi

Whether you go for Office 2021 or Office 2024, once you've made your decision, you'll want to get the license safely, quickly, and at the best price. This is where Licendi comes in—a trusted online store for software licenses known for reliability and great deals. Below, we’ll explain how to buy on Licendi step-by-step, along with the benefits of doing so:

Step-by-step purchase process:

1. Visit Licendi’s website: Go to the official page at Licendi.com. From the homepage, you can browse by the Microsoft Office category or use the internal search bar to look for "Office 2021 Professional Plus" or "Office 2024 Professional Plus", depending on your preference.
2. Choose your desired Office version: Click on the product in the results. You’ll see the product page with detailed info (language, compatibility, license type, etc.) and the price. For example, Office Pro Plus 2021 is usually priced lower than Office Pro Plus 2024, reflecting the version difference. Both are typically heavily discounted compared to Microsoft’s official store.
3. Add to cart and proceed to payment: Select the number of licenses you need (Licendi even applies small volume discounts if you buy more than one at a time, ideal for businesses or groups). Then click “Add to Cart”. When ready, go to the cart and proceed to checkout. Licendi offers secure payment methods (credit card, PayPal, etc.). Fill in the required details (email, etc.). Tip: Register or provide a valid email, as that’s where you’ll receive your license.
4. Receive your license and download the software: After completing your payment, within minutes you’ll receive an email from Licendi with your Office license key, activation instructions, and an official Microsoft download link (or directions to download the installer). Delivery is usually instant or same-day in most cases—so you won’t have to wait long.
5. Install Office and activate with your key: Download the installer provided. Run the installation on your PC. Once Office is installed, open it and enter the key you received via email when prompted. Your Office suite will then be activated and ready to use. Licendi offers a 1-month activation guarantee, which means if your key has any issues activating, they will help you resolve it or replace it at no additional cost.

Conclusion

Both Office Professional Plus 2021 and Office Professional Plus 2024 are powerful productivity suites that provide Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more essential tools for your daily tasks. The difference lies in the fact that Office 2024 is the latest evolution, featuring performance improvements, cloud integrations, and smart features that reflect today’s needs for collaboration and efficiency. Meanwhile, Office 2021 remains a solid and reliable foundation, without the newest additions but fully capable of meeting standard needs at home, school, or work.

In this blog, we’ve compared both versions in detail: we covered the new features in Office 2024 (from AI to Fluent Design interface), the key differences versus 2021 (collaboration, added features, support), and reviewed performance and compatibility, confirming that Office 2024 is optimized for modern environments, while Office 2021 demands fewer system resources. Choosing one or the other depends on your priorities: if you need the latest in Office technology, 2024 is for you; if you prefer a proven option and want to save money, 2021 will still serve you very well.

The best part is that whichever option you choose, you can get your license safely through Licendi, avoiding unnecessary expenses. We’ve explained how to buy on Licendi and the benefits it offers – essentially, it allows you to get original Office 2021 or 2024 at a great price, with instant delivery and support from a trusted team. So, making an informed decision means not only choosing the right product, but also the right place to buy it.