It is impossible to imagine using a computer for free without an office package. The most popular, of course, is Microsoft Office, which includes the popular programs Word, Excel, and Outlook. This suite has been available as a Microsoft 365 service for some time and is available as a one-time purchase or monthly subscription. Through January 2023, customers can choose a cheaper version of Microsoft 365 Basic.
Microsoft 365 Basic plan price
The Microsoft 365 Basic subscription replaces the existing OneDrive Basic service. It joins other personal user plans: MS 365 Family and 365 Personal. The base will be the cheapest.
On January 30, 2023, Microsoft 365 Basic will replace the basic OneDrive plan that currently costs 5.99 per month or 59.99 per year.
Prices for currently available Microsoft 365 plans:
- Microsoft 365 Family costs 9.99 per month or 99.99 per year
- Microsoft 365 Personal costs 6.99 per month or 69.99 per year
What do we get with Microsoft 365 Essentials?
In addition to access to OneDrive, we have access to Outlook (the ad-free version), as well as the browser (online) and mobile devices (via the app). We cannot access the Office suite in the desktop version.
The Microsoft 365 Basic plan gives you 100 GB of OneDrive cloud storage. We also have access to ad-free Outlook email.
The content of Microsoft 365 Essentials includes:
- OneDrive – 100 GB data storage,
- Calendar and Outlook are ad-free (online and mobile apps),
- MS Office productivity apps: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote (browser versions and mobile apps),
- Microsoft technical support (via chat and phone),
- 1 subscriber,
- Available for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.
What is the competition for Microsoft 365 Basic?
If you want the same amount of cloud storage, you can choose the Google One plan. There we offer 100 GB of storage for 89.99 per year. Free access to Google’s productivity suite (Google Docs) without purchasing the service. Gmail is also free. However, without a subscription, we only have 15 GB of file storage (documents, photos, etc.).
An alternative to the Office Suite that can be changed for free is Office Libra. However, we cannot access the cloud drive.
Can you download Microsoft office 365 for free?
This question is asked by everyone who needs to use the free download package Microsoft Office 365. From non-official sources downloading software for free is possible, but you must remember that these are copies made to infect your computer, which may result in the loss of sensitive data, including passwords to our online accounts. Therefore, extreme caution should be exercised when inciting such an act. You should always download software from the manufacturer’s website in order to avoid unpleasant situations that may occur after your computer is infected. The manufacturer’s website is one of the trusted websites that should be used. It is also possible to install a demo version, which we can use for a short time, then all the functions of the program become obsolete and the program becomes useless, which is intended to encourage the user to buy a license. Another way to reduce costs is to purchase a license key outside Microsoft, e.g. on auction sites. This is a safe way in terms of the security of our computer and probably the only way to minimize the cost of a legal license. Microsoft Office 365 is one of the most popular programs that are most often downloaded due to its capabilities. One of the target groups are people who have started their studies. Microsoft provides students with a special version of its software, but before accessing such a solution, you must certify that you are a student.