Apple has its own office suite, with programs such as iWork, Pages, Keynote or Number. However, there are many who prefer to use another more commonly used package: Microsoft Office.

This set of computer applications mainly includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Although at first they were only available for PC, luckily for years they have also been compatible with macOS.

What is the latest version of Office for Mac?

The latest version of Office for Mac is Office 2019. This can be enjoyed through a one-time payment (pay once to have the program for life) or through a monthly or annual subscription to Office 365.

Thus, if you opt for Office 2019 , you will only have to worry about paying once, but you will not have access to the latest features that Office 365 subscribers receive on a regular basis.

Subscribers to Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) receive updates twice a year. In November 2019, PowerPoint for iOS became able to convert sketches into math shapes, text, and symbols.

Of course, with one option and another you can receive security and performance updates (to fix technical errors), such as the one that arrived in November with Office 16.31.

Differences between Microsoft 365 and Office 2019

Microsoft released Office 2019 for Mac in September 2018 as an update to Office 2016 for Mac. However, some of its new features were already available in the Microsoft 365 subscription.

With Office 365, Microsoft switched to a subscription system with which users can pay a monthly or annual fee to always have the most up-to-date version of the  software .

There are several packages designed for one type of user or another. Some options also allow you to share the subscription with friends and family, while others are ideal for small and large companies.

This subscription-based system is perfect for some users, but others will prefer to pay for  software once and know they will have it for life. The latter will want to opt for the one-time payment plan of Office 2019.

You can also purchase Office for Mac applications individually, which will interest you if you only need to use Microsoft Word or some other program. On the other hand, you can access all of them for free in their web version .

Comparison between Office 2019 and Microsoft 365

There are also several types of Microsoft 365 subscription for small businesses and companies. Each one has a price per user per month, although there is also a fixed fee if you opt for the annual subscription.

The cheapest option is Microsoft 365 Essentials and it includes web and mobile versions of the Office applications. Your subscribers also have access to OneDrive, Exchange, SharePoint, and Microsoft Teams.

On the other hand, there is Microsoft 365 Business, which includes desktop versions of Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook (Access and Publisher for PC only). Subscribers also have access to OneDrive.

Third, Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes access to desktop versions of Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook  (Access and Publisher for PC only). Subscribers have access to OneDrive, Exchange, SharePoint, and Teams.

Which to buy: Microsoft 365 or Office 2019?

If you subscribe to Microsoft 365 Personal for two years, you will pay € 138 (annual subscription) or € 168 (annual subscription). That’s pretty much the same as the one-time payment plans, but you won’t have the  software when you stop paying.

Obviously, there are some drawbacks to the one-time payment plan, such as not having access to new feature updates and not having technical support for Office 365 subscriptions.

On the other hand, you should take into account whether or not you need to access the iOS and Android versions of the  software . In Office 2019 you will only have simple versions, while in Microsoft 365 you will have unique features.

In any case, keep in mind that Microsoft has announced that, as of next October 2020, it will no longer offer support for those who use its Office 2016 cloud programs from Mac.

How much does Office 2019 for Mac cost?

The price of Office for Mac depends on the payment method you choose, whether it is a subscription with a monthly or annual fee (Office 365) or a one-time payment (Office 2019 or individual applications).

Office Home and Student 2019 for Mac

Price: € 149
Programs included: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote
Devices: 1 Mac
OneDrive storage: 15 GB
Skype: N / A  
Buy from Microsoft | Buy from Apple

Office Home and Business 2019 for Mac

Price: € 299
Programs included: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook
Devices: Up to 6 people
OneDrive Storage: 15 GB
Skype: N / A
Buy from Microsoft | Buy from Apple

How much does Microsoft 365 cost in 2020?

If you are one of those who prefer to pay a monthly or annual subscription to use the Office suite, your solution is called Office 365, available for Mac in five different versions. 

One of the great virtues of this package is that you can have all the software updates at your fingertips . In addition, Office 365 allows you to install it on more than one device, something that undoubtedly makes it an option to consider.

Microsoft 365 Family

Price: € 99 per year / € 10 per month
Programs included: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Access (PC), Publisher (PC)
Devices: 5 Macs or 5 PCs, 5 tablets and 5 smartphones
OneDrive storage: 1 TB
Skype: 60 minutes per month per user  
Buy from Microsoft | Buy from Apple

Microsoft 365 Personal

Price: € 69 per year / € 7 per month
Programs included: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Access (PC), Publisher (PC)
Devices: 1 Mac or 1 PC, 1 tablet and 1 smartphone
OneDrive storage: 1 TB
Skype: 60 minutes per month per user
Buy from Microsoft | Buy from Apple

Microsoft 365 Business

Price: € 8.80 per month (annual subscription) / € 10.60 (monthly subscription)
Programs that include: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Access (PC), Publisher (PC)
Devices: 5 Macs or 5 PCs, 5 tablets and 5 smartphones
OneDrive storage: 1 TB
Skype: HD video conferencing not included
Buy from Microsoft

Office 365 Business Premium

Price: € 10.50 per month (annual subscription) / € 12.60 (monthly subscription)
Programs included: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Access (PC), Publisher (PC)
Devices: 5 Macs or 5 PCs, 5 tablets and 5 smartphones
OneDrive storage: 1 TB
Skype: HD video conferencing included
Buy from Microsoft

Office 2019 for Mac compatibility

Although there are those who still do not know, obviously Microsoft Office can also be used for Mac. However, not all Apple computers and laptops are compatible with Office 2019.

In this sense, you must have a Mac compatible with macOS Catalina, macOS Mojave or macOS High Sierra. Microsoft always makes its latest update compatible with the current version of macOS and the two previous ones.

When will Microsoft release a new version of Office for Mac?

Microsoft released Office 2019 for Mac in September 2018, which means it’s only been a year and a half. However, you may already be wondering if there will be Office 2020 for Mac or Office 2021 for Mac.

For now, Microsoft has not said anything about it, but most likely it will not arrive until 2021 if we take into account that updates to the office suite usually arrive every three years.