Office 2024 comes in four editions, and the names don’t make the differences obvious. Professional Plus sounds like the “best” one, Standard sounds like the cheap one, and Home & Business sounds like it’s for, well, a home business. None of that is quite right.
The differences come down to three things: which apps you get, whether you’re allowed to use them for work, and whether they run on a Mac. Once you know those, picking the right one takes about a minute.
The four Office 2024 editions side by side
| App or right | Home 2024 | Home & Business 2024 | LTSC Standard 2024 | LTSC Professional Plus 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Word, Excel, PowerPoint | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| OneNote | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Outlook | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Access | No | No | No | Yes |
| Commercial use allowed | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mac | Yes | Yes | No* | No |
| Microsoft list price | $149.99 | $249.99 | Volume licensing | Volume licensing |
*Microsoft offers a separate LTSC Standard 2024 for Mac through volume licensing. The Windows Standard key doesn’t activate it.
Microsoft’s own launch announcement confirms the consumer prices and contents: Office Home 2024 at $149.99 with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, and Office Home & Business 2024 at $249.99, which adds Outlook and the right to use the apps for business. The two LTSC editions are aimed at organizations and are normally sold through volume licensing.
What none of them include
Two things trip people up:
- No Publisher. Microsoft is retiring Publisher, with support ending in October 2026, and it isn’t part of any Office 2024 edition. If you need Publisher for existing files, Office 2021 Professional Plus still includes it, but Office 2021 support ends on 13 October 2026.
- No Teams. Teams isn’t bundled with Office 2024. The free version of Teams downloads separately and works fine alongside it.
And none of the editions include Microsoft 365 extras like 1 TB of OneDrive storage or the Copilot features in the subscription apps. Office 2024 is a one-time purchase that you own, so it’s the classic desktop apps and nothing on a meter. If you’re still deciding between the two models, our one-time purchase vs Microsoft 365 guide lays out the costs over five years.
Office 2024 Professional Plus: for people who need Access
Professional Plus is the full desktop set: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and Access. Access is the only reason it exists as a separate tier, so the question is simple. Do you, or does anyone you send files to, use Access databases?
If yes, buy Office 2024 Professional Plus. Small businesses that track stock, customers or jobs in an Access database are the classic buyers. Not sure what Access is for? Here is what people actually use Microsoft Access for, and when Excel is enough.
Professional Plus is Windows only. For several PCs, the Office 2024 Professional Plus 5-PC pack brings the cost per machine down a lot. If you also need diagrams or project plans, the Office 2024 + Visio + Project bundle covers all three.
Office 2024 Standard: everything most offices use
Standard is Professional Plus without Access. You still get Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote, with business use allowed. For a typical office PC, which is email, documents, spreadsheets and the odd presentation, that’s all you’ll ever open.
Office 2024 Standard is the sensible default for a business on Windows that doesn’t touch databases. Like Professional Plus, it’s for Windows only.
Office Home & Business 2024: the one that works on a Mac
Home & Business has the same core apps as Standard, including Outlook and commercial use rights, but it’s sold as a consumer product tied to your Microsoft account, and it installs on either a PC or a Mac. Microsoft notes that the consumer editions need a Microsoft account and an internet connection to set up.
If you work on a MacBook, or you might switch between Mac and Windows, Office 2024 Home & Business for PC/Mac is the edition to get. Mac users comparing older versions can read our Office for MacBook guide.
Office Home 2024: personal use only
Home (the edition that used to be called Home & Student) has Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, with no Outlook and no commercial rights. It’s fine for students and family PCs. The licence terms say non-commercial use, so if you invoice clients from that PC, choose one of the business editions instead. Our Office for students guide covers the free and discounted options too.
Quick decision guide
| If you… | Buy |
|---|---|
| Use or receive Access databases | Professional Plus 2024 |
| Run a business on Windows, no Access | Standard 2024 |
| Work on a Mac, or want PC/Mac flexibility | Home & Business 2024 |
| Need Office on five PCs | Professional Plus 5-PC pack |
| Are setting up a new Windows PC from scratch | Windows 11 Pro + Office 2024 Pro Plus bundle |
| Need Office plus Visio and Project | Office 2024 + Visio + Project bundle |
Only need one app? You can buy Word 2024 or Excel 2024 on its own, or browse everything in Office 2024.
How long will Office 2024 be supported?
All Office 2024 editions, including the LTSC versions, get security updates until 9 October 2029. That’s three years longer than Office 2021, which leaves support on 13 October 2026. If you’re choosing between the two today, 2024 is the safer purchase, and our Office 2021 vs 2024 comparison shows what else changed. For a look at what’s new in the apps themselves, see Office 2024 new features.
Installing your key
Every Kymakers key arrives by email within minutes with the official Microsoft download link and step-by-step instructions. The guides for each edition are here: Professional Plus, Standard and Home & Business. Kymakers is run by Makers Unity LLC, a Microsoft partner. If a key ever stops working through no fault of yours, we replace it free. Keys that haven’t been redeemed come with a 180-day refund.
Office 2024 editions: FAQ
What’s the difference between Office 2024 Standard and Professional Plus?
Professional Plus adds Access. Everything else, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote, is the same.
Is Office LTSC 2024 the same as Office 2024?
They’re the same generation of apps with the same support end date. LTSC is the business, volume-licensed version (Standard and Professional Plus). “Office 2024” usually means the consumer editions, Home and Home & Business.
Does Office 2024 Professional Plus work on a Mac?
No. It’s Windows only. On a Mac, choose Home & Business 2024.
Can I use Office Home 2024 for my business?
Not under the licence terms. Home is for non-commercial use. Home & Business, Standard and Professional Plus all allow business use.
Does Office 2024 include Publisher?
No. Publisher isn’t included in any Office 2024 edition.
Is Office 2024 a subscription?
No. You pay once and keep using it. It doesn’t upgrade to future versions, and security updates run until October 2029.
