Office 365 vs Office 2019 – the Main Differences

Office 365 vs Office 2019 as on-premises purchase version. What are the differences and what are the advantages of each version? This blog post will tell you all about Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) and Office 2019!

Subscription vs one-off purchase

It should be said at the outset that Office 365 is no longer called Office 365, but Microsoft 365. The main difference between Office 365 (Microsoft 365) and Office 2019 is that Microsoft 365 involves a subscription and Office 2019 is a one-off purchase. That means customers will always receive the current version through their subscription to Microsoft 365, whereas Office 2019 will not provide users with any major function updates until the next version (Office 2022) is launched. In addition, if customers want to update Office 2019 to the new version, they will have to buy it again. So, you must be satisfied with the current range of functions if you opt for the one-off purchase version.

Hybrid cloud model for cost reasons

Many companies increasingly rely on a hybrid cloud model where, for cost or strategic reasons, Microsoft 365 is combined with the purchase of on-premises licences. There are a lot of approaches here, such as buying Office 2019 as an on-premises purchase version and a cheap package of Microsoft 365 to be able to use Microsoft Teams, Exchange, SharePoint, etc. Talk to our licencing experts to find the most suitable solution for your company.

Users and additional online storage

After buying the Office 2019 version, you can install it on a PC or Mac. You are more independent with Microsoft 365 packages for large companies and SMEs. Here, the apps can be used on up to 10 different devices (5 mobile devices and 5 tablets).

Another difference is that Office 2019 does not include additional online storage. On the other hand, you get a terabyte of online storage in the cloud with Microsoft 365. You can access it from anywhere and also share it with up to 5 other users.

Microsoft 365 vs Office 2019 – technical support

Microsoft 365 offers free support throughout its lifetime, while updates for Office 2019 will only be offered until 14 October 2025. Main support runs for 5 years. After that, you get two more years of “extended support”, which only includes major security updates.

Office 2019 only works with Windows 10

Yes, you read that right. Microsoft Office 2019 is the first version that is now only compatible with Windows 10. Users still on Windows 7 or 8.1 will have to update their versions or use a different version of Office.

Our conclusion on the duel between Office (Microsoft) 365 and Office 2019

The Office (Microsoft) 365 vs Office 2019 duel is not easy to resolve. Which version is the right one depends largely on the needs of your company. If you prefer more features and independent use by means of the cloud and if you would also like to share your apps, then we recommend Microsoft 365, but this is often the most expensive solution for businesses.

Buying used Office licences can certainly be much cheaper. If necessary, these can also be combined with packages from Microsoft 365 for a so-called “hybrid cloud” solution. Here, desired features can be added which can only be rented, such as Microsoft Teams. However, there are many other hybrid cloud models. The licencing experts at Software ReUse will be happy to advise you without obligation.

So, if you have any questions, please contact us!