Deciding which version of Microsoft Office to use for your company’s computers may be challenging, especially since Office 365 and Office 2016 come with just about the same applications. But, there are distinctions between the two that may help you choose the best program for your business.

Cost: Office 2016, like previous Office programs, has an up-front cost and one-time fee. It is only good for the life of the computer.  On the other hand, Office 365 is subscription based with a small monthly fee, and you can save money by buying a full-year package.

Office Applications: With Office 2016, you get Office applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and Outlook, but the applications won’t be updated when new features are released. Office 365 also comes with the typical Office applications, but they are updated when new versions come out. Right now, the most updated version is Office 2016, but your software will only continue to receive new feature updates on Office 365.

Feature Updates: Security updates and patches are included in Office 2016, but you won’t get any of the new features that are added. Additionally, upgrades to major releases aren’t included. With Office 365, your version of Office will always be improving with new updates and features from Microsoft. Unlike the standard Office 2016, Office 365 will include major upgrades to future versions of the software.

Office Installs: The Office 2016 one-time purchase is usually for a single operating system and can only be installed and used on one PC or Mac. Office 365 allows Office applications to be installed on up to 5 computers (which can be a combination of PC’s and Macs).

Advanced Office Features on tablets and phones: Office 2016 gives you basic editing features only your tablet or phone, while Office 365 gives you extra features when you sign in to Office apps on up to 5 tablets and 5 smartphones.

Extra Online Storage: Office 2016 gives you no online storage, while Office 365 allows you to securely store your files in the cloud and access them from anywhere using OneDrive.

Tech Support: Office 2016 includes only initial tech support while installing the application on your computer. Office 365 includes tech support with your subscription.

Neither option is better or worse than the other, it depends on your company’s specific needs. At Right Click, we support both applications, so call us if you have more questions about which one to choose for your company.