If you’ve been keeping up with industry reports, you might be forgiven for thinking Office 19 is about to disappear altogether. The reality, however, is that perpetual Office licensing (i.e. pay for once then use for as long as you want) isn’t going anywhere just yet, even though Microsoft would happily stop selling it in a heartbeat.
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Why Doesn’t Microsoft Like Perpetual Office?
Quite simply because they have a more profitable option they’d like people to use instead – namely Office 365. Office 365 is a subscription service, whereby rather than paying for a software license just once, you pay monthly for the privilege of using it. This is definitely a better option as far as Microsoft is concerned because it turns occasional customers into regular monthly subscribers – but what about the users?
The reality is that owning your software licensing outright still makes much better financial sense, no matter the implementation.
So, Is Perpetual Office Licensing Going To Go Away?
No, certainly not yet. Despite Microsoft heavily promoting Office 365 and not really wanting to sell perpetual Office licensing, it is far too popular to simply stop supporting it and offering it, (though if you speak to one of their resellers, they will probably only want to talk subscription) having already confirmed that the new version due out later this year will be available to own outright.
Why don’t users want to use Office 365? Mainly because it’s actually a lot more expensive in the long run. Subscription models offer a compelling proposition by seeming much more accessibly priced in the short term, and indeed they are. But most users don’t use software for just two months – software becomes a part of the way the business operates and is often in use for years. Over that time period, the subscription cost eclipses the outright purchase price considerably.
Then there’s the ongoing security of the cloud to consider; Microsoft is one of the biggest software providers in the world so is a magnet for data thieves and hackers to constantly attempt to break down their defences. Many business owners prefer the prospect of handling their own data security internally, and on-premises software allows a much easier path to that. Your data and documents are stored on your premises, rather than on a server somewhere you don’t even know.
The Future Is Still Bright For Office
That means Office Standard and Professional Plus, as well as other on-premises software, are still highly popular and will continue to be so for a long time yet to come. Browse the range at Discount Licensing today, to make even more savings against the cost of buying brand new software licences, with costs very favourable compared to many of the subscription plans. A cost comparison between Office 365 and pre-owned licensing is available to download from Discount-Licensing’s website.
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