The various Microsoft Office business versions

Thanks to Microsoft 365 Business Standard, you can use the standard Office applications Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook. This suite also includes the business functions Bookings and Outlook Customer Manager. Outlook Customer Manager automatically organizes all client information, such as emails, meetings, phone calls, notes, tasks, deals, and deadlines. Your clients can use Microsoft Bookings to plan and manage any online commitments with you and your business.

Office Home and Business allows you to use all 'regular' Office applications. You can write a report in Word, work on data analyses in Excel, create a presentation in Powerpoint, and send emails via Outlook. Extra business features aren't included in this suite.

If you have your own company and you want extra resources to improve how your employers work together online, choose this suite. This suite also includes business functions, such as Exchange Online, Skype Business, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint online, and 1TB OneDrive. These are complex names for essentially 'simple' functions: business email, online video calls, working together online, sharing knowledge online, and 1TB online storage.

This suite is specifically aimed at freelancers. Functions for working together online aren't included. You probably don't need these when you're self-employed. 1TB via OneDrive also isn't included, but you can buy this separately.

You can use Microsoft 365 Business Standard on 1 PC or Mac at the same time. You can also use it on tablets and mobile devices. You need a separate license per person. The license period is 1 year, which means you have to renew it annually.

Office Home and Business can only be installed on 1 PC or iMac at the same time. The license period is unlimited, which means it isn't linked to a specific time frame. You do have to purchase a new suite eventually, when your version of Office doesn't receive any more updates.

If there are problems with your Office suite, you want help as quickly as possible. The Business Standard suite includes support during your license period. When you experience technical problems, the Microsoft technical staff will support you online or via telephone.

Experience any problems when installing your suite? The Microsoft support team will help you with the installation via phone or online. If you experience problems after installation, Microsoft will no longer provide technical support.