Office 2024 or Office 2021: Is the extra cost worth it?
Office 2024 Professional Plus costs €153 more than Office 2021. We calculate what the extra cost per month for security updates means – and when the older version is still the better choice.
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Short answer: Office 2024 Professional Plus costs €327.99 at Firstsoft, Office 2021 Professional Plus costs €174.99. The price difference is €153. It's worth it primarily because of the support period: Office 2021 will only receive security updates until October 13, 2026, while Office 2024 will receive them until October 2029. If you plan to use the license for several years, Office 2024 will cost significantly less per month with security updates.
What functional improvements does Office 2024 bring over Office 2021?
The functional leap between the two generations is smaller than the price difference might suggest. The most noticeable changes are:
- Excel: Office 2024 calculates large spreadsheets noticeably faster and adds new text functions like TEXTSPLIT. Dynamic arrays and XLOOKUP were already available in Office 2021.
- Interface: Office 2024 adopts the modernized Ribbon design and integrates better with Windows 11.
- PowerPoint: Improved recording tools and new transitions.
- Outlook: Faster search in large mailboxes.
Users who primarily use Word and Excel for standard tasks will hardly notice any difference in everyday use. The real reason for Office 2024 lies elsewhere.
The support period is the decisive argument
Microsoft will end support for Office 2021 on October 13, 2026. After that, the software will continue to function but will no longer receive security updates. For computers with internet access and for companies with compliance requirements, this poses a real risk because newly discovered security vulnerabilities will no longer be patched.
Office 2024 will receive security updates until October 2029 – three years longer.
Example calculation: Cost per month with security updates
Hardly anyone performs this calculation, but it is the most honest basis for decision-making. As of September 2026, Office 2021 will still be supported for approximately one month, while Office 2024 will be supported for approximately 37 months.
- Office 2021 Professional Plus: €174.99 ÷ 1 month ≈ €175 per month with updates
- Office 2024 Professional Plus: €327.99 ÷ 37 months ≈ €8.86 per month with updates
Important clarification: The license does not expire after the end of support. You can continue to use Office 2021 indefinitely – just without security patches. So the calculation does not show the value of the software, but the price of security. And this price now speaks very clearly in favor of Office 2024.
“When I converted the €153 surcharge to the remaining support months, the decision was clear for me." This is how an IT buyer from a small company put it after comparing the cost per month with security updates for both versions.
When Office 2021 is still the right choice
There are still clear cases for the older generation:
- The computer has no internet access, for example in manufacturing or in the laboratory.
- You need a temporary solution for a few weeks.
- The budget is tight and the data is non-critical.
In all other cases, Office 2024 is the more economical decision – especially for commercial use.
Our recommendation
For freelancers and businesses that do not need Access and Publisher, Office 2024 Home & Business at €236.99 is the best compromise between price and support period. Those who work with databases should choose Office 2024 Professional Plus for €327.99. For multiple workstations in a company, Office 2024 Standard for €286.99 is the appropriate volume license.
Unsure? The comparison calculator will show you the right edition in 30 seconds. All background information on license types, legal certainty, and support can be found in the Office guide. An overview of all editions is available on the Office 2024 page.
