Microsoft Office Home & Business 2024 License: Is It Worth It?
The Microsoft Office Home & Business 2024 license sits in the middle of Microsoft’s Office…
The Microsoft Office Home & Business 2024 license sits in the middle of Microsoft’s Office 2024 lineup — more than Home, less than Professional Plus. Its defining feature is Outlook, which the cheaper Home edition does not include.
At $189.99 from The Software City (vs Microsoft’s $249.99), this is a one-time purchase with no subscription. But is it the right edition for you? This guide compares every Office 2024 edition, breaks down exactly what Home & Business includes, and tells you who should buy it — and who should save money with a different option.
Key Takeaways:
- Office Home & Business 2024 costs $189.99 at The Software City — $60 less than Microsoft’s $249.99 MSRP. It includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook.
- The only difference from Office Home 2024 ($139.99) is Outlook and commercial use rights. If you do not need Outlook or business licensing, Home saves $50.
- Office 2024 Professional Plus ($199.99) adds Publisher and Access for just $10 more — making it the better value if you are on Windows.
What Does Office Home & Business 2024 Include?
| App | Included | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Word | Yes | Document creation, editing, formatting |
| Microsoft Excel | Yes | Spreadsheets, formulas, data analysis |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Yes | Presentations, slide design |
| Microsoft OneNote | Yes | Note-taking, organization |
| Microsoft Outlook | Yes | Email, calendar, contacts |
| Publisher | No (Pro Plus only) | Desktop publishing — Windows only |
| Access | No (Pro Plus only) | Database management — Windows only |
Commercial use rights: Unlike Office Home 2024, the Home & Business edition legally permits use for business and commercial purposes. If you are a freelancer, small business owner, or use Office professionally, this is the edition you need.
How Does It Compare to Other Office 2024 Editions?
| Feature | Office Home 2024 | Office Home & Business 2024 | Office 2024 Professional Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Outlook | No | Yes | Yes |
| Publisher, Access | No | No | Yes |
| Commercial use rights | No | Yes | Yes |
| Windows price (TSC) | $139.99 | $189.99 | $199.99 |
| Mac price (TSC) | $149.99 | $189.99 | Not available for Mac |
| Microsoft MSRP | $149.99 | $249.99 | $249.99 |
| Platform | Windows or Mac | Windows or Mac | Windows only |
The key insight: On Windows, Professional Plus costs just $10 more than Home & Business ($199.99 vs $189.99) and adds Publisher and Access. If you are on Windows, Professional Plus is objectively the better deal.
On Mac, Home & Business is the highest available edition — Professional Plus does not exist for Mac. So for Mac users who need Outlook, Home & Business at $189.99 is the right choice.
Who Should Buy Office Home & Business 2024?
Buy Home & Business if: – You need Outlook for email management and are on Mac (highest Mac edition available) – You need commercial use rights for business purposes on Mac – You want a one-time purchase with no recurring subscription fees
Buy Professional Plus instead if: – You are on Windows and need Outlook — it costs only $10 more and adds Publisher + Access – You want the most complete Office suite available
Buy Home instead if: – You do not need Outlook (you use Gmail, Apple Mail, or web-based email) – You use Office only for personal, non-commercial purposes – You want to save $50 ($139.99 vs $189.99 on Windows)
Buy Microsoft 365 instead if: – You need Office on multiple devices (M365 covers up to 5) – You need 1 TB OneDrive cloud storage – You share with family (M365 Family covers 6 users for $129.99/year)
For a full comparison of perpetual vs subscription, see our Office 2024 perpetual license vs subscription guide.
How Much Does Office Home & Business 2024 Cost?
| Source | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| The Software City | $189.99 | $189.99 |
| Microsoft Store | $249.99 | $249.99 |
| Amazon | $200–$250 | $200–$250 |
The Software City saves you $60 versus Microsoft’s direct price. Both are genuine lifetime licenses from a verified Microsoft Partner with instant digital delivery.
For a broader Office pricing overview, see our Office 2024 lifetime license guide.
How to Buy and Activate Office Home & Business 2024
- Purchase from The Software City — receive your 25-character product key via email (15–45 minutes)
- Go to setup.office.com
- Sign in with your Microsoft account
- Enter the product key and click Next
- Click Install Office to download
- Run the installer — Office apps download and install automatically
- Open any Office app and sign in — activation completes
The entire process takes under 10 minutes from key to working apps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Microsoft Office Home & Business 2024 worth it?
Yes, if you need Outlook and commercial use rights. At $189.99 from The Software City, it pays for itself in under 2 years vs a Microsoft 365 subscription. On Windows, consider Professional Plus ($199.99) for $10 more — it adds Publisher and Access.
What is the difference between Office Home and Home & Business 2024?
Home & Business adds Outlook (email, calendar, contacts) and commercial use rights. Office Home 2024 includes only Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote for personal use. The price difference is $50 ($139.99 vs $189.99 on Windows at The Software City).
Can I use Office Home & Business 2024 for my business?
Yes. Home & Business 2024 includes a commercial use license, allowing legal use for freelance, small business, and professional purposes. The Home edition does not include this right.
Does Office Home & Business 2024 include Teams?
No. Microsoft Teams is not included with any Office 2024 perpetual license. Teams is available as a free standalone app or bundled with Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
Can I install Office Home & Business 2024 on multiple computers?
No. Each license covers one PC or one Mac. If you need Office on multiple devices, purchase a separate license for each or consider Microsoft 365 (up to 5 devices per user).
Is there a Professional Plus for Mac?
No. Office 2024 Professional Plus is Windows only. The highest Mac edition is Home & Business 2024, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook. See our Office 2024 for Mac guide for details.
Get Office Home & Business 2024 — $189.99 for Windows or $189.99 for Mac at The Software City. One-time purchase, includes Outlook, authorized Microsoft Partner.
by Editorial Team
Updated on April 4, 2026
by Editorial Team
Updated on April 4, 2026
ON THIS PAGE
