Nab a Lifetime License for Microsoft Office 2021 for Just $40 [CNET]

Do away with monthly fees and just pay once for lifetime access to Microsoft Office Professional 2021.

A lot of us use Microsoft Office daily, whether at work or at home. Whether you’re studying, doing spreadsheets or just trying to be more organized, the programs the package offers are essential for many. While you can pay for it monthly now, you can also choose to get Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows for just $40 instead, which is a huge saving. 

Note that this deal is for Windows users, so if that’s you this deal is for you. If you’re an Apple user, the savings aren’t as significant. You can, however, get a lifetime license for Microsoft Office Home and Business 2021 for Mac for $80 on StackSocial right now. While it’s not as dramatic of a deal, this still saves you $140 off the regular price. 

StackSocial’s deal is a great bargain when compared with the online Microsoft 365 subscription suite, which starts at $7 a month or $70 a year for individuals. There’s a free online version of Microsoft Office that you can use as well, but it isn’t nearly as feature-complete. (Separately — and notably — Apple users should be aware that Outlook is now a free app for the Mac.)

Apart from the above, this deal comes with some additional caveats. First, the code provided can be used one time for a single computer, so you won’t be able to install it on multiple machines in your home, and if your current computer happens to die, you could run into a snag when trying to transfer it. Likewise, you’re passing up on other benefits you’d get as a 365 subscriber. You won’t get any OneDrive Cloud Storage, nor will you get the fancy new cloud-based AI features like Microsoft Copilot. While the apps should continue to work as long as your computer does, Microsoft’s support for this version of Office ends on Oct. 13, 2026. 

To that last point: Though this is listed as a “lifetime license” — that is, the lifetime of the computer you installed it on — it’s worth noting there’s always a risk that Microsoft could terminate the license. Versions of StackSocial’s deal have been running for more than a year; the one we bought in early 2022, for instance, still works fine.