What type of Microsoft Office licence is most economical for businesses?

Basically, every company needs the usual office applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. Microsoft mainly promotes its 365 subscription model and also offers the Office 2019 version - for which companies have to dig deep into their pockets.

But there is also a cheaper variant, because the software is also available second-hand. Not only Office 2019 is significantly cheaper on the second-hand software market, the previous versions Office 2016 and 2013 are also still available. In the following lines, we explain how to choose the right version for you and your company.

The software must offer all the necessary functions, fit into the existing IT environment and, of course, be as cost-effective as possible. This does not mean that you need the latest version on the market.

And indeed, it is also worth taking a look at the older versions. After all, the best version is the one that best suits you and your company's needs. In three steps you can find out which version of Office is the right one:

Buy or subscribe? So you can decide

Nowadays, software can be purchased in different ways: new or used, rented or subscribed. Which type of purchase is best for you depends mainly on your budget. Used software is often cheaper than new software, even if the product is of the same quality. After all, software does not wear out!

On the second-hand market you can save up to 50 % compared to the new price.

Subscriptions can also tempt you with low prices. However, subscriptions are more expensive for you or your company in the long run, because if you do the math, you'll find that the cheapest Office option with desktop applications costs about €10.5 per month, or €126 per year (click here to check).

A used licence is now available for as little as 29 €, and the best thing is that it is also valid indefinitely, in addition to all the other benefits. You can find the same one, for example, by clicking here. And we repeat: they are identical to new licences purchased from Microsoft, because the software does not wear out!

So you should ask yourself whether you want to save the ongoing costs of €126 per year per user or whether you want to make a one-off purchase of €29 (in the case of Office 2019 Pro Plus).

Office 2013, 2016 or 2019?

If you decide to purchase a perpetual Office licence, you can also choose between the 2013, 2016 and 2019 versions.

Office 2019: New features for your business

Compared to the previous versions, Office 2019 has some improved features. If you want to know what these are in detail, you can find another article explaining them here. These include, for example:

• New types of animations in PowerPoint
• New charts for data analysis in Excel

You should always check and think if you need the new functions and how much you want to pay for them. (If you prefer Office 2019, please note that this version can only be installed on a Windows 10 computer).

Office 2016: The first choice for many

The system requirements are lower than those of the Office 2019 version. The Office 2016 version is significantly cheaper than Office 2019 and still offers you a wide range of functions that fully cover the needs of most companies. For this reason, the Office 2016 version is the most popular among many users.

Both Office 2016 and Office 2019 will be supported until at least 14 October 2025, another reason why many businesses prefer Office 2016.

Office 2013: cheap and secure

The cheapest version is Office 2013, which is sufficient for you and your company if you mainly use the basic functions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Your company's IT managers should ensure that all available service packs, patches and updates are installed. This not only fixes any compatibility problems, but also closes security gaps. By the way, this applies to all versions of Office .

Office 2010: The clock is ticking!

If you and your company are still using Office 2010, it is time to upgrade, because as of 13 October 2020, Microsoft will discontinue support and updates for this version. As a result, there is a risk of real security breaches.

Standard or Professional Plus - how to choose the right edition?

All versions of Office are offered in different editions that contain different components.

The "Standard" package offers a comprehensive set of basic programmes. In addition to Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Office 2019 Standard also includes the publishing and layout programme Publisher and access to the digital notepad OneNote. That is more than enough for most companies.

The "Professional Plus" edition also includes the Access database application. A Skype for Business client for video conferencing is also included. You can use it together with a corresponding server or online service. Other functions include the add-ons Inquire and Power Pivot for Excel. If you want to read more about the differences between these two versions, you can do so on our blog by clicking here.

Our conclusion: It pays to compare

It is worthwhile for you or your company to compare all available Office options. Fortunately, there are many bargains on the used software market and you can find a solution that is both affordable and suitable for your needs. There's also a lot of used software you didn't even know you could buy that can save you a lot of money. Take a look at the entire range here.

Microsoft Office 365 Business Standard (Basic) includes all the programmes you'll also find in the Office 2019 Pro Plus package, plus a few other things.
If you are interested in finding the best price for Office 365 Basic Business, you can find all the offers by clicking here. And if you choose Licendi, you'll be buying Office 2019 permanently, which means it's a perpetual licence!

If you already have a licence to activate your version of Office, you can download Office 2019 Professional Plus by clicking on the link.

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Greetings,

Your Licendi Team