Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2021–2024 Review | Features, Pros & Cons

Microsoft Office Professional Plus has long been the preferred productivity suite for professionals and businesses that want powerful tools without monthly subscription fees. With the release of Office Professional Plus 2021 and the newer Office Professional Plus 2024 (LTSC), many users are asking whether these standalone versions are still worth choosing over Microsoft 365.

In this review, we’ll break down features, improvements, pros and cons, and help you decide which version is right for your needs.

What Is Microsoft Office Professional Plus?

Microsoft Office Professional Plus is a perpetual (one-time purchase) version of Microsoft Office designed mainly for professional and enterprise use. Unlike Microsoft 365, it does not require a subscription and works fully offline after activation.

Included Applications

• Microsoft Word

• Microsoft Excel

• Microsoft PowerPoint

• Microsoft Outlook

• Microsoft Access

• Microsoft Publisher

• Microsoft OneNote

• Microsoft Teams (availability may vary)

Once purchased, the software can be used indefinitely with security updates during its support lifecycle.

Office Professional Plus 2021 Overview

Office Professional Plus 2021 focuses on stability, performance, and familiar workflows. It introduced several modern features while maintaining the classic Office experience.

Key Features

• Improved Excel functions such as XLOOKUP and Dynamic Arrays

• Dark Mode support across apps

• Better performance and stability

• Basic real-time collaboration tools

• Ideal for users who prefer offline productivity

Office 2021 is reliable, lightweight, and perfect for businesses that value consistency over frequent feature changes.

What’s New in Office Professional Plus 2024?

Office Professional Plus 2024 builds upon the 2021 release with refinements aimed at modern workflows and enterprise environments.

Notable Improvements

• Updated and more responsive user interface

• Improved performance and app optimization

• Enhanced collaboration and Teams integration

• Better security and enterprise-grade controls

• Workflow enhancements for productivity

Although it does not receive continuous feature updates like Microsoft 365, Office 2024 offers a more polished and future-ready experience compared to 2021.

Office 2021 vs Office 2024: Quick Comparison

Pros of Microsoft Office Professional Plus

• No monthly or yearly subscription

• Full offline functionality

• Professional-grade applications

• Stable and predictable performance

• Ideal for businesses and enterprise use

Cons to Consider

• No continuous feature updates

• Limited cloud collaboration compared to Microsoft 365

• New features only arrive with major releases

• Less value for users who need multi-device or cloud-first tools

Who Should Use Office Professional Plus?

Best for:

• Businesses and professionals

• Users who prefer a one-time license

• Offline or restricted environments

• Long-term stable productivity needs

Not ideal for:

• Users who want frequent feature updates

• Heavy cloud collaboration users

• Multi-device subscription users

Final Verdict

Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2021 remains a dependable and stable productivity suite, while Office Professional Plus 2024 offers meaningful refinements in performance, collaboration, and security. Both versions are excellent choices for users who prefer ownership over subscriptions.

If you want modern features without recurring costs, Office Professional Plus 2024 is the better long-term investment.