What are the differences between Office 365 and Office 2019?

At times, you may see some similarities in Microsoft’s cloud services, like Office 365 and Office 2019, but they are actually quite different.

From licensing and pricing to features, it’s time to explore what makes Office 365 and Office 2019 different.

The main reason why users are confused is that Office 365 and Office 2019 look the same but they are not. To start with Office 365 is a subscription product which is included in the Office 365 subscription that you pay for. When you download the latest version of Office 2019 you have to install the Office 2019 program which is different from the installation process of Office 365.

Office 365 and Office 2019

Office 365 and Office 2019 seem to be quite comparable on paper, and that is because they are. Indeed, for most of you, the decision over which one to purchase will likely come down to whatever price model you prefer. This leads us to the first, and for most people, the most important, the distinction between the two. Office 2019 is only available as a one-time purchase. You purchase it; you own it, and you may use it in perpetuity.

Of course, this does not imply you can upgrade to the next edition. If you want Office 2022 or Office 2025, you’ll have to pay again. Assuming Software Assurance does not protect you. On the other hand, Office 365 is more akin to a leasing arrangement. You pay a monthly or annual subscription fee and are always licenced for the most recent version, but you lose access to the programme if you stop paying at any time.

Consider this: Office 2019 is comparable to purchasing a vehicle entirely, whereas Office 365 is comparable to leasing a very identical automobile. The updates are the next major distinction. Office 365 is constantly evolving, and new features are added as they are finished. On the other hand, when Office 2019 was launched, its feature set was corrected. Thus, it performs its functions, but you should not anticipate any additional features until Office 2022.

Office 365 is unquestionably Microsoft’s flagship product, and it will always have more features than Office 2019. Indeed, by the time Office 365 was offered for purchase in 2019, it already had additional capabilities. Both now get updates, but Office 2019’s upgrades place a higher premium on stability and security. It is Microsoft Office.

It’s not as if anything has changed fundamentally in a meaningful manner in a very long time. As a result, I do not anticipate Office 365’s new features to be revolutionary. Indeed, if you presented Office 2013, 2016, 2019, and 365 to the typical user, most of them would likely be unable to identify the difference. The new capabilities in the Office 365 client apps will mainly be client-side integrations for the cloud services in Office 365. It will not be a rethinking of word processing.

If you’re an early adopter who wants to take advantage of new cloud capabilities as soon as possible, you’re likely to favour Office 365 over Office 2019. However, for most people, “Office” is “Office.” Numerous updates have a detrimental effect on dependability.

The same concept applies in this instance, but it is thankfully far less severe than it is with cloud services. Microsoft seems to have a Gung-ho attitude about upgrades to its cloud services. Does the attitude seem to be that who cares if they violate it? It is at their disposal. They may simply roll it back as soon as they determine which update caused the problem.

This similar technique does not apply to the Office 365 client applications. Yes, Microsoft is capable of repairing the code; however, it is installed on your machine. As a result, they still have to provide the patch to you.

And that is much more difficult. Microsoft is likely far more cautious with changes to the Office 365 client apps due to this lack of control. Consider Exchange Online, which receives a fresh build every week. On the other hand, Office 365 client apps get a monthly feature upgrade at most. For the majority of individuals, this occurs once every six months.

I use both Office 2019 and Office 365 daily. On average, I’ve seen fewer difficulties with Office 2019, suggesting that it’s a tiny bit more reliable; however, those issues are so rare that I could count them on the one hand. I am being nitpicky here. Overall, I’d say Microsoft did an excellent job balancing features and dependability with Office 365.

That is not something about cloud apps but client applications… I believe it is justified. Therefore, which one should you purchase? To be sure, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Otherwise, there would be just one choice. Allow me to assist you with a few situations. As a general rule, and save in a few limited situations, you cannot go wrong with either.

If you’re considering something for personal use rather than corporate usage, it generally doesn’t matter. Simply choose the version with the least unpleasant price structure for you. Do you want to pay everything in advance and own it in perpetuity? Microsoft Office 2019. Do you like to pay monthly, on a consistent basis, but always have access to the most recent version? Microsoft Office 365. The same counsel applies to a large number of companies as well. Again, if you utilise Office 365 cloud services, any choice is acceptable. However, in this instance, I would prefer Office 365 over Office 2019.

There is a natural fit there, and you often purchase them as part of the same subscription. If you’ve selected Office 365 cloud services, you’ve already chosen the route of regular upgrades and are comfortable with the associated benefits and drawbacks. In such a situation, I recommend increasing the frequency of updates. Utilise the Office 365 client to get faster access to new features and begin using them. If you’re in charge of a highly regulated workplace – the kind that moves slowly and meticulously and tests each change – Office 2019 may be a better fit. In this manner, you can thoroughly test every modification before they are distributed. That is not to imply that you will not get the chance to try Office 365. There are several update channels, so you may choose certain individuals to get updates ahead of the others, but updates will continue to arrive regardless of whether you want them to.

If you did not have access to the Internet, you would almost certainly have to select Office 2019 over Office 365. That, of course, does not apply to the majority of us; after all, you’re viewing this on YouTube, correct? However, there will be exceptions, such as if you work aboard a submarine. In this scenario, 2019 is the preferable year. Office 365 is a subscription-based service, and as such, it must check in with you every 30 days to ensure you have been paying your fees. If it cannot locate a licence or do an online check, it will deactivate.

Both are excellent goods, so you shouldn’t go wrong.