Office 2021 vs Office 2024
Both are one-time perpetual purchases tied to a single device, with no cloud services and no feature updates after release. Office 2024 extends support to October 2029 (Office 2021 ends October 2026), is 64-bit by default, and drops Publisher, which Microsoft retires in 2026. If your users need OneDrive, Teams or multi-device installs, Microsoft 365 Apps is the correct product instead of either perpetual release.
Last reviewed by MSLicenseHub Licensing Desk on 2026-08-24.
Office 2021 vs Office 2024: full comparison
Which one should you buy?
Choose Office 2024 if
You need a perpetual licence for an offline, regulated or air-gapped device and want the longest remaining support period.
Office 2021 only makes sense if
You are buying remaining stock at a steep discount and accept that security updates stop on 13 October 2026 — less than the typical PC refresh cycle.
Choose Microsoft 365 Apps if
Users work across several devices, need OneDrive/Teams/Exchange integration, or you prefer monthly feature updates and per-user rather than per-device licensing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Office 2024 worth the upgrade from Office 2021?
Mainly for the support lifecycle. Office 2021 loses security updates in October 2026 while Office 2024 is supported to October 2029; the feature gap between them is modest — refreshed UI, improved dark mode and performance work.
Can I install Office 2021 or 2024 on more than one PC?
No. Each perpetual licence covers a single device. Multi-device installs require a Microsoft 365 subscription, which allows five PCs or Macs, five tablets and five phones per user.
What is the difference between Office 2024 and Office LTSC 2024?
Office LTSC 2024 is the volume-licensing edition intended for managed and offline environments; the retail Office Home 2024 / Home & Business 2024 SKUs are for individual devices. Both are perpetual and frozen at the release feature set.
Does Office 2024 include Teams or OneDrive storage?
No. Perpetual Office includes the desktop applications only. Cloud storage, Exchange mailboxes and Teams require a Microsoft 365 subscription.