Microsoft Office 2021 license drops to $30 for a limited time

If you’re looking for productivity tools, the Microsoft Office suite of apps is hard to match. Office is the industry standard for word processing, spreadsheets, mail and more – and it’s used by businesses, schools and individuals around the world, making it an essential part of most people’s lives at one time or another. You’ve probably used Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook before, but Office apps aren’t always included with computer purchases, and accessing it on your own can come at a steep price.

There is technically a free free version of Office, but assuming the basic version of Office won’t work for you (see below), your options basically boil down to paying a monthly or yearly fee for a Microsoft subscription. 365 or to opt instead for a single Office license with the full suite of applications, which usually costs up to $430. But right now, StackSocial offers a Microsoft Office 2021 license for only $30. That’s about 86% off its regular price. Best of all, this license, available for Windows or Mac, is a one-time purchase that gives you unlimited access with no recurring fees.

StackSocial’s offer is a great deal compared to selling online Microsoft 365 subscription suite which starts at $7 per month or $70 per year for individuals. There is a free online version of Microsoft Office which you can also use, but it’s not as comprehensive. (Separately – and in particular – Apple users should note that Outlook is now a free application for Mac.)

Now, a deal this good comes with a few caveats. First of all, this key is only good for one 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, or the new cloud-based AI features like Microsoft co-pilot. And while the apps should continue to work as long as your computer lasts, Microsoft’s support for this version of Office ends on October 13, 2026.

On that last point: although this is a “lifetime license” – i.e. the lifetime of the computer you installed it on – it should be noted that there is always a risk that Microsoft will terminate the license. But Stack’s versions of the deal have been working for over a year – the one we bought in early 2022, for example, is still working fine. At this price, it takes you just over four months to get a full ROI from buying the subscription, so the risk factor isn’t very high here.