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In the United States, the current mainstream choices are Microsoft 365 subscriptions and the one-time-purchase Office Home 2024 and Office Home & Business 2024. Neither Office 2024 edition includes Publisher. Microsoft 365 still offers Publisher temporarily, but Microsoft says subscribers will lose the ability to install, open, or edit Publisher files in Publisher after October 1, 2026. The prices below are U.S. Microsoft Store observations checked August 18, 2026; prices and availability can change.
Which Office products can you buy in 2026?
For consumers, the practical choice is between a Microsoft 365 subscription and Office 2024, which is licensed with a one-time payment. Microsoft also sells business and enterprise subscriptions, while Office LTSC 2024 is a commercial volume-licensing product rather than a normal retail edition.
| Product | License | What it is for | Publisher | U.S. price observed August 18, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 Personal | Subscription for one person | Office apps and services across the subscriber’s devices | Available only until October 1, 2026 | $99.99 per year or $9.99 per month |
| Microsoft 365 Family | Subscription for up to six people | Households sharing apps and individual storage | Available only until October 1, 2026 | $129.99 per year or $12.99 per month |
| Microsoft 365 Premium | Subscription for up to six people | Microsoft 365 apps and expanded Copilot and AI benefits | Available only until October 1, 2026 | $199.99 per year or $19.99 per month |
| Office Home 2024 | One-time purchase for one PC or Mac | Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, without Outlook | No | $179.99 |
| Office Home & Business 2024 | One-time purchase for one PC or Mac | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote; includes commercial-use rights | No | $249.99 |
| Microsoft 365 business and enterprise plans | Subscription; features vary by plan | Organizations needing some combination of apps, email, cloud services, administration and security | No current Publisher future | Not stated; check the current plan comparison |
| Office LTSC 2024 | Commercial volume license | Organizations needing an on-premises, fixed-feature Office deployment | No | Not stated; commercial licensing applies |
Microsoft’s consumer plan comparison and Office Home & Business 2024 product page are the relevant U.S. buying references. Business plans are not interchangeable: some emphasize web and mobile apps, while others include installed desktop apps. Check the specific plan’s current inclusions in Microsoft’s business plan comparison before purchasing.
Can you still buy Office with Publisher?
Not as a new perpetual Office 2024 license. Publisher is absent from Office Home 2024, Office Home & Business 2024 and Office LTSC 2024. As of August 18, 2026, Microsoft’s comparison material still listed Publisher among the PC apps in Microsoft 365, but that access is close to ending: Microsoft says Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to install, open or edit Publisher files in Publisher after October 1, 2026. Its broader end-of-life notice places Publisher’s retirement in October 2026. See Microsoft’s Publisher retirement notice.
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That makes a new Microsoft 365 subscription a temporary bridge, not a durable Publisher purchase. Microsoft does not present Publisher as a current standalone retail product. Older perpetual Publisher installations may remain installable and usable after support ends, but they will be unsupported; an old key or reseller listing does not create a supported long-term option.
Office Home 2024 or Home & Business 2024?
Both consumer editions are one-time purchases for one PC or Mac and include classic desktop apps. Neither includes Access or Publisher. The key distinction is Outlook and the commercial-use positioning of Home & Business.
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| App or feature | Office Home 2024 | Office Home & Business 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote | Included | Included |
| Outlook | Not included | Included |
| Access | Not included | Not included |
| Publisher | Not included | Not included |
| OneDrive storage as a Microsoft 365 suite benefit | Not included | Not included |
| Device entitlement | One PC or Mac | One PC or Mac |
| Major-version upgrades | Not included | Not included |
| Commercial-use rights | Not the edition positioned for business use | Included for home or business use |
Microsoft’s Office 2024 and Office LTSC 2024 FAQ describes Office Home 2024 as a one-time purchase with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote for one PC or Mac. Home & Business adds Outlook and is the edition intended for home or business use. A one-time license avoids recurring subscription billing, but it does not include future major-version upgrades or perpetual support.
Microsoft 365 versus Office 2024
| Consideration | Office 2024 | Microsoft 365 |
|---|---|---|
| Payment | One-time purchase | Monthly or annual subscription |
| Major feature upgrades | Not included | Included while subscribed |
| Consumer device use | One PC or Mac | Multiple devices, subject to plan limits |
| Cloud storage | No suite storage benefit | Included with consumer plans |
| Outlook | Home & Business only | Included in desktop-app plans |
| Access | Not included in consumer Office 2024 suites | Available on PC in eligible plans |
| Publisher | Not included | Scheduled to become unavailable after October 1, 2026 |
| Offline use | Installed apps can be used offline after activation | Installed apps can generally be used offline, but subscription validation and updates require internet access |
Office 2024 still needs internet for redemption and activation, and Microsoft says it needs regular internet access for updates. Microsoft 365 also needs internet for installation, activation, account management and updates, even though installed apps generally work offline. The Microsoft 365 versus Office 2024 comparison explains the broader differences. Access is PC-only and plan-dependent.
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For a single computer and stable app set, Office 2024 may suit someone who prefers one upfront payment. Microsoft 365 is a better fit when several devices, cloud storage, ongoing feature updates or shared household access matter. Premium is worth considering only if its expanded Copilot and AI benefits justify its higher price; usage limits and sharing rules can differ from those for the traditional Office apps.
What should different users buy?
- Student or single home user: Choose Office Home 2024 if Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote on one computer are enough and avoiding a subscription matters. Choose Microsoft 365 Personal if multiple devices, cloud storage or ongoing features are more valuable.
- Household with several users: Compare Microsoft 365 Family with separate licenses. Family covers up to six people, each with their own apps and storage allocation.
- Small-business user who needs Outlook: Office Home & Business 2024 is the one-time-purchase option for one PC or Mac. If the business also needs hosted email, collaboration, administration or security tools, compare business subscriptions and confirm desktop apps are included.
- Mac owner: Office 2024 and Microsoft 365 are available for Mac, but app availability differs by platform. Access is Windows-only, and Publisher’s retirement leaves no lasting Mac route through a Microsoft 365 subscription.
- Low-connectivity user: Installed Office apps can work offline after activation, but neither license model eliminates internet needs for initial setup and ongoing account or update requirements.
- Publisher-dependent business: Use any remaining access only as a short migration window. Do not commit to a new subscription on the assumption Publisher will remain available.
- Organization with fixed deployment needs: Evaluate Office LTSC 2024 through commercial licensing, not as a retail consumer edition. Microsoft says its support ends October 9, 2029.
What happens to Office 2021?
Office 2021 reaches end of support on October 13, 2026. Microsoft says there will be no extension or extended security updates. The applications may continue to open, but Microsoft will no longer provide security fixes, bug fixes or technical support. That leaves little supported life for a new 2021 purchase in 2026, even if a reseller still has keys. See Microsoft’s Office 2021 end-of-support guidance.
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Microsoft 365 apps are no longer supported on Windows 10 under Microsoft’s normal support position, while Office 2024 may list Windows 10 compatibility. Those are separate claims: Windows 10 itself left support on October 14, 2025. For a new purchase, use a supported Windows 11 system where possible. See Microsoft’s explanation of Windows end of support and Office.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to preserve Publisher files before October 1, 2026
- Search your PC, OneDrive and SharePoint for files ending in
.pub. Make an inventory of important documents, including their linked images and fonts. - Open each priority file in Publisher while you still can. Check whether it relies on linked objects, specialty fonts, print settings or layouts that may need manual rebuilding.
- Export finished documents to PDF when preserving their appearance for viewing or printing is the priority. A PDF preserves the finished look better than it preserves editability.
- For documents that must remain editable, recreate or convert the content in Word or PowerPoint where practical, then inspect the result carefully. Microsoft’s suggested tools and templates are useful for some tasks, but they are not one-for-one replacements for Publisher’s page-layout workflow.
- Keep an untouched copy of each original
.pubfile, along with separate copies of linked images, logos, fonts and print specifications. - If you have a large archive, Microsoft provides a PowerShell bulk-export example. Test it on copies and verify the output before using it on production files.
Microsoft’s retirement guidance recommends converting files before the cutoff. Do not assume a file can simply be renamed or opened in Word; Publisher’s layout model and embedded or linked elements may not transfer cleanly.
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What can replace Publisher?
Microsoft tools for simpler projects
- Word: A reasonable fit for text-heavy flyers, letters and straightforward brochures.
- PowerPoint: Often more flexible for free-form page composition and visual layouts.
- Microsoft Create: Templates can help with calendars, business cards, flyers and related projects.
- PDF: Useful for preserving a completed design for viewing and printing, but not a full editable source-file replacement.
Third-party layout options
These are alternatives to evaluate, not guaranteed converters for Publisher files. Check current licensing, platform support and import compatibility with copies of your own documents.
Quick Recap
- Canva is a browser-based design platform with templates and collaborative graphics; its cloud-based workflow may not suit someone seeking a traditional offline desktop-publishing application.
- Affinity Publisher is desktop-publishing software for brochures, books, marketing materials and print layouts.
- Adobe InDesign is professional publishing software with a subscription model, more appropriate to complex publication workflows than casual projects.
- LibreOffice Draw and Writer can handle some basic layouts, but are not direct Publisher replacements and may be weaker for advanced commercial print work.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
