The Microsoft Office suite of applications is essential when it comes to productivity. Used by businesses, schools and individuals around the world, Office is the industry standard when it comes to word processing, spreadsheets, mail and more. And while you’ve probably used Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook before, Office applications aren’t always included with your computer purchase, and getting access yourself can cost more than you think.
Assuming that the free online free version of Office won’t work for you (see below), your options essentially boil down to paying an ongoing monthly or annual subscription fee for Microsoft 365 or for a one-time license for Office, which usually worth total $430 with the full suite of applications. But right now StackSocial is offering a chance to grab a Microsoft Office 2021 license for only $30, about 88% off its usual price. Even better, this license, available for Windows or Mac, is a one-time purchase that gives you unlimited access with no recurring fees.
The StackSocial deal is a great deal compared to online Microsoft 365 subscription package which starts at $7 per month or $70 per year for individuals. There is free online version of Microsoft Office which you can use too, but it’s not nearly as feature-packed. (Separately—and especially—Apple users should note that Outlook is now a free app for Mac.)
Now, a deal this good comes with some caveats. First, this key is only good for a single computer, so you won’t be able to install it on different machines in your home, and if your current computer crashes, you might run into a problem trying to transfer it. Likewise, you’re missing out on other benefits you’d get as a 365 subscriber. You won’t get any OneDrive cloud storage, nor will you get the fancy new cloud-based AI features like Microsoft Copilot. And while the apps should continue to work as long as your PC is running, Microsoft’s support for this version of Office ends on October 13, 2026.
On to that last point: Although it’s listed as a “lifetime license”—that is, the life of the computer you’ve installed it on—it’s worth noting that there’s always the risk that Microsoft will terminate the license. But versions of the Stack deal have been running for over a year – the one we bought in early 2022, for example, is still working fine. At this price, it takes you a little more than six months to get a full return on investment compared to buying the subscription, so the risk factor here is not very high.
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