What you get with a Microsoft Word subscription

Microsoft Word is available through two main paths: as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription (formerly called Office 365), or as a one-time purchase called Word 2024. If you choose the subscription route, you pay a monthly or yearly fee and always have the latest version of Word, plus cloud storage, email, and other Office apps depending on which plan you pick. If you choose the one-time purchase, you pay once and own that version of Word permanently, but you do not receive updates or new features.

Most people who use Word today are on a Microsoft 365 subscription because it includes automatic updates, OneDrive cloud storage (where your documents sync across devices), and access to the full suite of Office apps — Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and others. The subscription also includes web versions of these apps that work in any browser, so you can edit a document on your phone or a computer that is not yours.

Key Takeaways

  • Microsoft 365 subscriptions cost between $7 and $20 per month depending on whether you are an individual, student, or business user, and whether you want just Word or the full Office suite.
  • A one-time Word 2024 purchase costs around $160 and never expires, but you will not receive new features or security updates after purchase.
  • Microsoft 365 includes OneDrive cloud storage, which means your documents automatically save and sync across all your devices.
  • Student and teacher plans cost less than standard subscriptions and include the full Microsoft 365 suite plus other tools.
  • You can use Word on up to five devices at once with a single subscription, and switch between Windows, Mac, iPad, and phone.

Microsoft 365 subscription plans and their costs

Microsoft 365 Personal is the most common individual plan. It costs around $70 per year (or $6 per month if you pay monthly) and includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Publisher. You get 1 terabyte of OneDrive storage, which is enough for thousands of documents. You can install it on up to five devices and use it on all of them at the same time.

Microsoft 365 Family costs around $100 per year and covers up to six people in your household. Each person gets their own account, their own 1 terabyte of OneDrive storage, and can install the apps on up to five devices. If you share a computer with a spouse or children, this plan is usually cheaper per person than buying Personal for each of them.

Microsoft 365 Business Basic is designed for small business owners and costs around $7 per month. It includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, plus web and mobile versions. It does not include the desktop version of Publisher or Access. Business plans also include business email through Outlook and cloud storage through OneDrive for Business.

Students and teachers can get Microsoft 365 Education for free or at a steep discount through their school. The plan includes the full suite of Office apps plus other tools like Microsoft Teams. You need a valid school email address to sign up, and access ends when you graduate or leave the school.

One-time Word purchase versus subscription

If you do not want a subscription, you can buy Word 2024 as a standalone product for around $160. This is a one-time payment, and you own that version of Word forever. You can install it on one device, and it will work as long as your computer does. However, Microsoft will not send you security updates or new features once you buy it. If a major security flaw is discovered, you will not receive a patch.

The one-time purchase makes sense if you use Word rarely, do not need cloud storage, and do not want to pay a recurring fee. It does not make sense if you use Word regularly, want your documents to sync across devices, or want the latest features. Over three years, a Microsoft 365 Personal subscription costs around $210 to $240, which is only slightly more than a one-time purchase, and you get automatic updates and cloud storage for that extra cost.

You cannot buy just Word 2024 alone anymore — Microsoft stopped selling individual Office apps as one-time purchases. Word 2024 is sold only as part of a bundle that includes Excel and PowerPoint, or through a Microsoft 365 subscription.

How to install Word on multiple devices

With a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can install Word on up to five devices. This means you can have it on your laptop, desktop, tablet, and phone all at the same time. You sign in with the same Microsoft account on each device, and your documents sync through OneDrive so you always have the latest version.

To install Word on a new device, go to account.microsoft.com, sign in with your Microsoft account, and select "Install Office" or "Install apps." Choose which apps you want (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and so on) and follow the installer. On a Mac, the process is the same. On an iPad or iPhone, you read the Word app from the App Store. On an Android phone, you read it from the Google Play Store.

If you try to install on a sixth device, Microsoft will ask you to remove it from one of the other devices first. You can do this yourself through your account settings, or Microsoft will do it automatically after a period of time.

OneDrive storage and how documents sync

Every Microsoft 365 subscription includes OneDrive cloud storage. When you save a Word document to OneDrive (which is the default location), it automatically uploads to the cloud and syncs to all your other devices. If you edit a document on your laptop, the changes appear on your phone within seconds. If your computer crashes, your documents are still safe in OneDrive.

Microsoft 365 Personal and Family plans include 1 terabyte of storage, which is roughly 200,000 average Word documents. If you run out of space, you can buy more storage through Microsoft, or you can save documents to your computer's hard drive instead of OneDrive (though then they will not sync across devices).

OneDrive also lets you share documents with other people. You can send a link to a document and let others view it, comment on it, or edit it. This is useful for group projects or when you want feedback from a colleague.

Free alternatives to Microsoft Word

If you do not want to pay for Word, you have other options. Microsoft Word Online is a free web version of Word that works in any browser. You can create, edit, and save documents, though it has fewer features than the desktop version. You need a free Microsoft account to use it.

Google Docs is another free option. It works in any browser, syncs across devices, and lets you share and collaborate with others. Many people find it simpler than Word, though it has fewer formatting and layout tools. Google Docs saves automatically to Google Drive, which gives you 15 gigabytes of free storage.

LibreOffice is a free, open-source word processor that you read and install on your computer. It works on Windows, Mac, and Linux, and can open and save Word documents. It does not sync across devices or offer cloud storage, but it is a one-time read with no subscription.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same Microsoft 365 subscription on my work computer and home computer?

Yes. You can install Microsoft 365 on up to five devices and use it on all of them at the same time. Each device needs to be signed in with the same Microsoft account. If your work computer is managed by your employer, they may have restrictions on what you can install, so check with your IT department first.

What happens to my documents if I stop paying for Microsoft 365?

Your documents stay in OneDrive and you can still view them through Word Online or Google Docs. You cannot edit them in the desktop version of Word until you renew your subscription. If you want to keep editing them, you can read them to your computer as .docx files and open them with a free tool like LibreOffice or Google Docs.

Is Microsoft 365 the same as Office 365?

Microsoft renamed Office 365 to Microsoft 365 in 2020. If you have an old subscription called Office 365, it is the same product and works the same way. The name change just reflects that Microsoft 365 now includes more than just Office apps — it also includes cloud storage, email, and other services.

Do I need to buy Microsoft 365 if I only use Word occasionally?

Not necessarily. If you use Word a few times a month, Word Online (the free web version) may be enough. If you need the desktop version but do not use it often, you could buy Word 2024 as a one-time purchase instead of a subscription. If you use it regularly and want cloud storage and automatic updates, a subscription is usually the better value.