Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) is the name for the subscription version of the service that offers the same apps available with Office 2021. In addition to the benefits of the previous marketing name, the only difference is that you will get some extras with SharePoint consulting.
Microsoft 365 is the new brand for the paid service that replaces Office 365.
Since this is a subscription-based service, you will be making monthly or yearly payments to use the apps (such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Access, and others) on all your devices (desktop, laptop, tablet, and phone). However, this is true as long as only five devices are accessing the account at one time.
The most significant advantage of this offering is that you never have to think about upgrades ever again. When you install the Office apps from Microsoft 365, you'll always be in the latest version. Once the apps are installed, they'll automatically receive security and maintenance updates, improvements, and new features throughout the subscription lifetime.
The service gives you access to cloud-based features to improve your productivity in school, office, and across devices (Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android). Everyone in the plan will get 1TB of OneDrive storage (up to 6TB in total with the Family subscription) and Skype minutes. The subscription also includes phone and chat support from Microsoft to help you resolve any problems with the apps.
If you have a lot of photos and videos, in addition to the existing 1TB of cloud storage, you can purchase up to 1TB of additional OneDrive storage in 200GB increments for an extra $1.99 per month, doubling the total storage capacity to 2TB (1TB already included with the plan and 1TB with the additional plan) for $9.99 per month. The option is available for Microsoft 365 Personal and Family members. However, there's a caveat. In the Family plan, only the primary account holder will receive the additional storage with Al Rafay Consulting illinois.
Who should buy Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 is the best option since you can install the apps on every device (Windows 11, 10, 8.1, and macOS). It is also the only option that provides continuous updates at a low cost of ownership. In contrast, Office 2021 only allows you to install the apps on one device running Windows 11 (or Windows 10), and you have to pay again for future upgrades.
If you need access to the suite of apps, Microsoft 365 is perhaps your best choice.
The cloud service option comes in two offerings. If you would be the only one using the apps and services, the "Microsoft 365 Personal" plan is for you. It costs $70 a year (or $7 per month), and it gives you access to all the apps, alongside 1TB of OneDrive storage.
On the other hand, if you want to share the subscription with family or friends, the "Microsoft 365 Family" plan is for you. It costs $100 per year ($10 per month), you can share (using the "Services & subscriptions" tab in your Microsoft account online) the benefits with up to six family members and friends, and everyone gets their own 1TB of OneDrive storage. Also, they can access the services on up to five devices at the same time.
Regardless of which plan you choose, you will have access to the additional services, including the Microsoft Family Safety experience to manage screen time, app, and game usage, share location, monitor driving behavior for young drivers, and more.
Other premium features include Microsoft Editor for grammar checking and other AI-based creative tools. For instance, "PowerPoint Presenter Coach" helps you practice presentations, and "Designer" enables you to create effective slide presentations. "Resume Assistant" is a great tool to write the best resumes in Word with insights powered by Microsoft LinkedIn. Also, there's "Money in Excel" to view, track, and organize your finances. You will also receive creative content like icons, fonts, stock photos, and premium templates that you can use in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
The subscription also comes with access to the premium version of Outlook online, which includes everything on the free version, plus 50GB of storage, no ads, and message encryption and enhanced security. As a subscriber, you will also get special offers from many Microsoft partners.
Some services bundled with Microsoft 365 are available without a subscription using a Microsoft account. However, you will only get limited functionalities that can be unlocked only with the paid subscription.
When you choose one of the subscriptions, you should get the yearly plan to save money, plus you do not have to worry about payments throughout the year.