- #Do i have to buy microsoft office every year for free#
- #Do i have to buy microsoft office every year software license#
After they buy Office 365, they'll get the iPad app.
#Do i have to buy microsoft office every year software license#
Businesses buy Office 365 directly from Microsoft as part of big software license deals. That’s pretty much the case with most desktop software from now on - while there are still performance gains, it’s not really noticeable for this type of software since it’s already fast enough that a user can’t see a speed. It sounds like a bad business decision, but that is exactly what Microsoft attempts to do with a series of videos that highlights why customers should not buy the companys new Office version Office 2019 but subscribe to the companys Office 365 product instead. And the lower price also means less revenue shared with Apple.īut by far, the biggest money-maker for Office for iPad will be businesses, and Apple won't see a cut of those contracts. The only reason to buy a new copy would be if you replace your computer and can’t transfer the license. It is rare that a company advises its customers to avoid a product that they produce. This lower-cost version will likely be the most popular with iPad users who buy Office through the iPad app. Microsoft will soon release a cheaper $70/year personal account that covers two devices. Microsoft says it has already signed on 3.5 million consumers for Office 365, before the iPad app became available. Given that Office 365 is software that you install directly on your PC or Mac and that the $99 version covers five devices, many users will buy it first for their PC or Mac, and then get the iPad app. If users download the freebie iPad app first and then they upgrade to the full app from the iPad app, Microsoft will have to pay Apple the 30%.īut if Microsoft sells them the Office 365 account first and then they get the iPad app, Microsoft doesn't have to pay Apple. To get an Office 365 account, you have to have one of the subscription options: $99/year for a family account (works on up to five devices) $80 for a student account that lasts four years and covers two devices.īut the only subscription that can be bought from within the iPad app is the $99/year option.īy giving the app away for free, Microsoft gets a shot at completely side-stepping revenue-sharing with Apple, reports Computerworld's Gregg Kiezer. If you want to edit them, you have to sign in with an Office 365 account. You automatically purchase the current version of Office when you first subscribe and then you can choose to upgrade to the latest version (or not) whenever it is released. This normally means that you buy a licence for a year at a time, although you can choose to pay monthly.
#Do i have to buy microsoft office every year for free#
The deal is, you can download the app for free and this lets you view Office apps. Office 365 is the subscription version of Office.