Do I Have To Pay for Microsoft Office 365 Every Year? | ACUTEC (2024)

  • Craig Langman
  • April 3, 2023

Are you confused about Microsoft Office 365’s subscription model? You’re not alone! Thanks to a collection of easy to use apps and powerful cloud solutions, Microsoft 365 is trusted by millions of individuals and businesses all over the world. Have you ever wondered whether you need to pay for Microsoft Office 365 every year? Or what happens if you forget to renew your subscription?

We’re here to help. We’ll guide you through everything you need to know about Office 365’s pricing and how to choose the right Microsoft Office package.

Do you have to pay an annual fee for Microsoft Office 365?

The short answer is, yes. Microsoft Office 365 requires an annual or monthly subscription fee. There are different subscription plans available to choose from, depending on your needs and budget. Here are the current subscription options available for Office 365:

  • Microsoft 365 Personal: This plan is designed for individuals. It includes premium versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote, as well as 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage and 50 GB of email storage.
  • Microsoft 365 Family: This plan is ideal for families with up to six users. It includes all the features of Microsoft 365 Personal, plus access to premium features in Microsoft Teams and advanced security features.
  • Microsoft 365 Business Basic: This plan is geared towards small businesses. It includes web and mobile versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as Exchange, SharePoint, and Teams for communication and collaboration.
  • Microsoft 365 Business Standard: This plan is also for small businesses. It includes all the features of Business Basic, plus desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

It’s worth noting that these subscription fees are subject to change, and Microsoft may offer promotions or discounts from time to time. Additionally, some schools and universities may offer Office 365 for free or at a discounted rate to their students and faculty members.

What is the difference between free Office and Office 365?

If you’re on a budget or just looking for a basic office suite, you might be wondering if the free version of Microsoft Office is enough for your needs. Here’s what you need to know about the differences between free Office and Office 365:

Free Office

Free Office, also known as Office Online, is a web-based version of Microsoft Office that allows you to create and edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in your web browser. It includes web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, and it’s available to anyone with a Microsoft account. You don’t need to download or install anything, and unsurprisingly, it’s completely free.

While Free Office is convenient and accessible, there are some limitations. You need an internet connection to use it, and the web versions of the apps don’t have all the features you find in desktop apps. Additionally, you only get 5 GB of OneDrive storage, which may not be enough for some users.

Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365, on the other hand, is a subscription-based service that includes the full desktop and mobile versions of Microsoft Office apps, as well as other productivity and collaboration tools. It also comes with OneDrive cloud storage and other features depending on the plan you choose.

Microsoft 365 is continually updated with new features and security patches, so you always have access to the latest version of the apps. The free version of Office may not be updated as often.

So, in summary, the main difference between free Office and Office 365 is that the latter offers more features, functionality, and flexibility. However, if you only need basic office functionality and don’t want to pay for a subscription, the free Office may be a good option for you.

Does Office 365 expire?

Yes, Office 365 does expire if you don’t renew your subscription. If you don’t renew your subscription, you will lose access to all the Office apps and services that are included in your subscription. This includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more.

What happens if you don’t renew Office 365?

If you don’t renew your Office 365 subscription, you’ll lose access to all the Office apps and services that are included in your subscription. This means you won’t be able to create new documents, edit existing ones, or access any online storage that’s included in your subscription.

Additionally, if you have an Office 365 for business subscription, your employees will lose access to email and other services that are provided through your subscription. This can have a significant impact on your organization’s productivity and can even lead to loss of important data.

It’s worth noting that Microsoft does provide a grace period after your subscription expires, during which you can still renew your subscription and regain access to your Office apps and services. This grace period varies depending on the type of subscription and can range from a few days to a few months.

If you don’t renew your subscription during the grace period, your account will be deactivated and all your data will be deleted. This means you’ll lose access to all your files, emails, and other data that’s stored in Office 365.

To avoid losing access to your Office 365 apps and services, it’s important to renew your subscription before it expires. Microsoft will send you reminders when your subscription is about to expire, so make sure to keep an eye out for those emails.

If you’re not sure when your subscription expires, you can check by logging into your Microsoft account and going to the Services & subscriptions page. This page will show you all the subscriptions that are associated with your account, including the expiration dates.

Do I Have To Pay for Microsoft Office 365 Every Year? | ACUTEC (1)

Craig Langman

With 27 years’ experience in the IT and Technology industry, Craig oversees the Technical team and helpdesk. Self-confessed ‘Geek’ Craig – who’s motto is Love, Live, Learn Technology – enjoys helping people, talking to clients and learning new things in the industry.

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Do I Have To Pay for Microsoft Office 365 Every Year? | ACUTEC (2024)

FAQs

Do I Have To Pay for Microsoft Office 365 Every Year? | ACUTEC? ›

Yes, Office 365 does expire if you don't renew your subscription. If you don't renew your subscription, you will lose access to all the Office apps and services that are included in your subscription. This includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more.

Do I have to pay to renew Microsoft 365 every year? ›

If you don't renew your Microsoft 365 subscription, you will lose access to all the Microsoft 365 apps including OneDrive storage. You back up your files from OneDrive. In the meantime, you can use Office Online for free in your web browser.

Do you have to pay for 365 every year? ›

You can choose to pay for your subscription on a monthly or yearly basis, and the Microsoft 365 Family plan lets you share your subscription with your family for up to six people, and use your apps on multiple PCs, Macs, tablets and phones.

What happens if I stop paying for Office 365? ›

If you decide not to buy Microsoft 365, you can turn off recurring billing and let your trial expire or cancel it. Before your trial ends, back up any data that you want to keep. After the 30-day Expired status ends, your trial account information and data are permanently deleted.

How much does Office 365 cost per year? ›

Overview of Microsoft 365 for Home
PlanPrice (Annual Subscription)
Microsoft 365 Family$99.99
Microsoft 365 Personal$69.99
Oct 3, 2022

How much is Office 365 annual renewal? ›

$69.99 per year

Subscription automatically renews. Cancel anytime to stop future charges. Already have a subscription? Renew now.

What happens after 1 year subscription of Office 365? ›

If you don't renew your Office 365 subscription, you'll lose access to all the Office apps and services that are included in your subscription. This means you won't be able to create new documents, edit existing ones, or access any online storage that's included in your subscription.

Is Office 365 a one time payment? ›

Microsoft offers a one-time purchase version and subscription-based software. Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based version, whereas Office 2021 is a one-time purchase. However, Office 2021 updates are paid. This article will guide you on whether you should purchase Office 2021 or subscribe to Microsoft 365.

What is the difference between Office 365 and Microsoft 365? ›

While Office 365 primarily focuses on productivity applications (like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook), Microsoft 365 includes these applications along with additional features such as device management, security, and collaboration tools.

Will I lose my files if I cancel Office 365? ›

Cancelling your Microsoft 365 account means that all data and files associated with your subscription will be deleted after 90 days at the latest. Directly following cancellation, you won't be able to edit or create files and documents, and your Office services will only be available in the read-only mode.

How long can I use Office 365 for free? ›

Sign up for free.

You'll be asked to provide a method of payment so there's no interruption in your service after 30 days. You won't be charged before your trial ends. After that, Microsoft 365 Family is $99.99 per year.

Do I really need Microsoft 365? ›

If you're in a position where your document edits require formatting consistency across organizations or more sophisticated tools, you'll need Microsoft Office. A Microsoft 365 subscription unlocks access to the full versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more across the web, mobile, and desktop.

Can I still get Microsoft Office for free? ›

Start now at Microsoft365.com

It's free.

Is there a free version of Microsoft Word? ›

Yes, Microsoft Word for the web is free for anyone to use online. Sign up or sign in using any email address.

Do I need to purchase Microsoft Office for new laptop? ›

Yes. Unless you have specifically bought a computer where you have options to add that in it will not have a working Microsoft Office installed on it. The files for Office are pre-installed on most all computers but then you have to purchase and activate it.

Does Office 365 renew automatically? ›

When you have recurring billing on for your Microsoft 365 for business plan, your subscription will automatically renew each month or year.

Do I need to renew my Microsoft Office 365? ›

To keep using your Microsoft 365 applications, you need to reactivate the subscription.

Does Microsoft 365 license expire? ›

If you see a circle arrow, then your subscription is set up for recurring billing, unless you turn recurring billing off or cancel it beforehand. The next charge info shows you when you'll be charged next, and for how much. If you see Expires on [date], then your subscription will expire on that date, unless you renew.

Why am I being asked to renew my Microsoft subscription? ›

This message is often triggered by a problem with your Microsoft 365 subscription payment. For example, if your payment was declined due to an expired or cancelled credit card, your subscription may become expired or suspended.

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