Windows 11 Pro vs Home: Which Edition Do You Actually Need?

Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 Home share 95% of their features — but the 5% that differs can matter a great deal, depending on how you use your PC. If you are deciding between the two editions, this guide breaks down every meaningful difference so you can choose the right one — and save up to 90% compared to Microsoft's retail price.

Short answer: Windows 11 Home (from EUR 17.35 at Licendi) is perfect for most personal users. Windows 11 Pro (from EUR 20.65 at Licendi) is worth the extra EUR 3 if you need BitLocker encryption, Remote Desktop, Hyper-V virtualisation, or plan to join a business domain.

Table of Contents

• Feature Comparison Table
• What Both Editions Share
• Pro-Exclusive Features Explained
• Security Differences
• Hardware Limits
• Pricing: Retail vs Licendi
• Who Needs Pro? Who Needs Home?
• How to Upgrade from Home to Pro
• Frequently Asked Questions

Windows 11 Pro vs Home: Full Feature Comparison

What Both Editions Share

Before diving into the differences, it is worth noting that Windows 11 Home and Pro are built on the same codebase. The everyday user experience is identical:

• Interface: Centred Start menu, rounded corners, Snap Layouts for multitasking, virtual desktops, widgets panel
• Performance: Same kernel, same drivers, same gaming performance. Pro does not run faster than Home.
• Security baseline: Both require TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and include Microsoft Defender, Smart App Control, and Windows Hello
• Gaming: DirectX 12 Ultimate, Auto HDR, DirectStorage, and Xbox Game Pass integration are identical across both editions
• Apps: Microsoft Store, Copilot AI assistant, Phone Link, Clipchamp video editor — all the same

If your main activities are web browsing, streaming, gaming, or office work with Microsoft Office, you will not notice any difference between the two editions.

Pro-Exclusive Features Explained

Windows 11 Pro adds a set of features aimed at professionals, IT administrators, and power users. Here is what each one does and why it matters:

BitLocker Full-Disk Encryption

BitLocker encrypts your entire hard drive so that if your laptop is lost or stolen, nobody can read your files without your password or recovery key. This is essential for anyone who travels with sensitive data — client files, financial records, or personal documents. Windows 11 Home offers basic "device encryption" on supported hardware, but BitLocker in Pro gives you full control over encryption settings and recovery options.

Remote Desktop (Host)

Both editions can connect to another PC via Remote Desktop. However, only Pro can be connected to remotely. If you want to access your office PC from home — or your home PC while travelling — you need Pro on the machine you are connecting to.

Hyper-V Virtualisation

Hyper-V lets you run virtual machines directly on your PC. Developers use it to test software in isolated environments. IT professionals use it to run Linux alongside Windows. If you work with Docker on Windows, Hyper-V is the backend that makes it work.

Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)

The Group Policy Editor gives you granular control over Windows settings — disable Cortana, control Windows Update behaviour, enforce password policies, restrict USB access, and hundreds more. IT admins rely on it heavily. Power users appreciate the control it offers over the operating system.

Windows Sandbox

Windows Sandbox creates a lightweight, disposable virtual desktop where you can safely run untrusted applications. When you close the sandbox, everything is deleted. It is perfect for testing downloaded software without risking your main system.

Domain Join & Azure AD / Entra ID

If your organisation uses Active Directory or Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), you need Pro to join the domain. This enables centralised user management, single sign-on, and IT policy enforcement. Home users who work from personal PCs for an employer that requires domain join must upgrade to Pro.

Security: Home vs Pro

Bottom line: Both editions are secure for everyday use. Pro adds enterprise-grade security features that matter most for business laptops and PCs handling sensitive data.

Hardware Limits

For the vast majority of users, these limits are irrelevant — most consumer PCs have 8-32 GB of RAM. However, if you are building a high-end workstation for video editing, 3D rendering, or data analysis, Pro's higher limits may be necessary.

Pricing: Microsoft Retail vs Licendi

At Licendi, the difference between Home and Pro is just EUR 3.30. At Microsoft's retail prices, the gap is EUR 114. This makes the upgrade decision easy: for less than the price of a coffee, you get BitLocker, Remote Desktop, Hyper-V, and every other Pro feature.

All Licendi licences are 100% legal in the EU under the UsedSoft ruling (CJEU C-128/11), come with a lifetime warranty, and are delivered instantly by email. We are a Microsoft Partner with a 4.8-star rating on Trustpilot from 220+ reviews.

Buy Windows 11 Pro for EUR 20.65 | Buy Windows 11 Home for EUR 17.35

Who Needs Pro? Who Needs Home?

Choose Windows 11 Home if you:

• Use your PC primarily for browsing, streaming, and gaming
• Work with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, or web-based tools
• Do not need to encrypt your entire drive with BitLocker
• Have no need to connect to your PC remotely as a host
• Are a student or casual user on a budget

Choose Windows 11 Pro if you:

• Handle sensitive or confidential data (BitLocker is essential)
• Need Remote Desktop to access your PC from another location
• Work with virtual machines (Hyper-V, Docker, WSL2 with advanced features)
• Your employer requires domain join or Azure AD / Entra ID
• Want granular control over Windows settings via Group Policy
• Run a small business and need to manage multiple PCs

Our recommendation: At Licendi's prices, the EUR 3.30 difference makes Windows 11 Pro the better value for almost everyone. Even if you do not need the Pro features today, having BitLocker and Hyper-V available gives you flexibility for the future.

Get Windows 11 Pro — EUR 20.65 (save 92%)

How to Upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Pro

If you already have Windows 11 Home installed, upgrading to Pro is straightforward:

1. Purchase a Windows 11 Pro licence key from Licendi (EUR 20.65)
2. Open Settings > System > Activation
3. Click "Change product key"
4. Enter your new Pro licence key and click Next
5. Windows will verify the key and upgrade your edition — no reinstallation required

The upgrade process takes just a few minutes and preserves all your files, apps, and settings. You will gain access to all Pro features immediately after restarting.

Frequently Asked Questions

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