Do I Need Microsoft 365 or Is a One-Time Purchase Enough?

Created by Matthew Keysell, Modified on Thu, 2 Apr at 12:34 PM by Matthew Keysell

Short Answer

No, you do not need Microsoft 365. The one-time purchase versions of Microsoft Office (such as Office 2021 or Office 2024) include all the core applications you need and do not require a subscription.

What's the Difference?

	One-Time Purchase (e.g. Office 2021 / 2024)	Microsoft 365 (Subscription)
Payment	Single payment — you own it outright	Monthly or yearly recurring fee
Licence Duration	Permanent — never expires	Active only while you keep paying
Apps Included	Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook (and more depending on edition)	Same core apps, plus OneDrive cloud storage and ongoing updates
Updates	Security updates included; no major feature upgrades	Continuous feature updates for the life of the subscription
Cloud Storage	Not included (you can still use free OneDrive)	1 TB OneDrive storage included
Internet Required?	Only for initial activation; works fully offline after that	Periodic internet connection required to verify subscription

Which Should I Choose?

Choose a one-time purchase if:

You want to pay once and own the software permanently
You don't need cloud storage or the very latest feature updates
You prefer not to have a recurring monthly or yearly charge
You mainly work offline

Choose Microsoft 365 if:

You want the latest features and updates as they are released
You need 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage
You want to install Office on multiple devices simultaneously
You are comfortable with an ongoing subscription cost

Will My One-Time Purchase Stop Working?

No. A one-time purchase licence is permanent. Once activated, your copy of Office will continue to work indefinitely. Microsoft will provide security updates for the supported lifecycle of the product (typically 5+ years), but the software itself will never stop working or lock you out.

What We Sell

At Get Renewed Tech, we sell one-time purchase licences — not subscriptions. This means you pay once and the licence is yours to keep with no recurring charges.

Questions?

If you are unsure which option is right for you, contact us at support@lmautoparts.co.uk and we will help you choose.