Windows or Mac?
Do you need Outlook for email?
Will the software be used for commercial work?
How many devices need covering?
Our recommendation
Answer the questions above to see your recommendation.
Free tool
Which Microsoft Office Do I Need?
Five short questions, then the right edition plus every year we stock, cheapest first.
About this tool
Home & Student, Home & Business, Professional, Professional Plus — the differences between Office editions are mostly about which applications are included and what you are licensed to do with them. This wizard asks five short questions and recommends the edition and year that fits, then shows the matching licence with a live price and stock status.
How to use the Which Microsoft Office Do I Need?
- Say whether you need Outlook for email.
- Say whether you need Access for databases (Windows only).
- Tell us whether the software will be used for commercial work.
- Choose how many PCs or Macs you need to cover.
- Pick Windows or Mac, then read your recommendation and the reasoning behind it.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between Home & Student and Home & Business?
- Home & Student includes Word, Excel and PowerPoint and is licensed for non-commercial use. Home & Business adds Outlook and permits commercial use.
- Which editions include Access?
- Access ships with Professional and Professional Plus on Windows. It is not available on Mac, and can also be bought as a standalone licence.
- Do these licences cover more than one PC?
- Each licence covers one device. For several machines, buy one licence per machine — the wizard multiplies this out for you.
- Is Office for Mac different?
- Yes. Mac editions exclude Access and Publisher, so on Mac the choice is between Home & Student and Home & Business.