

Get Office apps such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Compare Office 2021 Suites to an Office 365 Subscription For example, you can create a document using Word for Mac, save it to your OneDrive, then continue working on it using Word Online. The online apps and desktop apps work with each other, too. In addition, you can access an array of online services, like the web version of Outlook, Office Online (versions of Word, Excel, and so on that you can use in your web browser), and OneDrive. This is the case with Office 365.ĭepending on your Office 365 plan, you can access Office apps that you can install on up to five devices, including your computers and mobile devices. Many subscriptions offer both cloud (web) versions of products and installed versions that work seamlessly when you have connectivity.

Paid services usually operate as subscriptions - you can use them for as long as you pay. These services are sometimes free, but they'll often come in paid versions as well. Webmail services are one example - you use them exclusively through the web browser as opposed to installing an additional piece of software. The cloud can also refer to apps and services that live entirely online. You typically get all software updates - from small bug fixes and security patches all the way up to major new releases - for as long as you subscribe. As long as you pay your subscription fee, you get to use that software in accordance with the license terms. The cloud or subscription version of a product refers to software as a service (SaaS), which is essentially software licenses that you purchase and use on a subscription basis. Traditional Microsoft Office products, like Office 2021, fall under the on-premises umbrella.

You install the software according to the license terms - in the case of Office, you have to purchase a license for each computer you want to install the software on.

It's the traditional approach to software: You buy a license and you get a disc to install the software (or, more likely, you get directed to a place to download the software). In general, "on-premises" refers to software purchased on a per-license basis and installed on individual computers. What Do the Terms "On-Premises" and "Cloud" Mean, Anyway? In this article, we'll provide an overview of these two offerings to help you determine which is the right option for your organisation. Microsoft offers two flavours of its Office productivity suite: the subscription-based Office 365 and the on-premises editions of Office 2021. This article first appeared on the TechSoup Global website - thanks to them for sharing!
