Microsoft is selling a lifetime Office 2024 license for $49.97, no subscription required.
The deal, running through Oct. 4, covers Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook for either Windows or Mac. It's a one-time purchase tied to a Microsoft account rather than a single device, so there's no recurring fee once you've paid. The bundle adds a few upgrades over older Office versions: Excel handles bigger spreadsheets more smoothly, PowerPoint can record presentations with audio and video, and Outlook gets better search and accessibility tools. Word gets a new Focus Mode for distraction-free writing, and the sales copy also touts 'Smart Compose' - a name Google has used for Gmail's autocomplete since 2018, so that particular claim is worth a raised eyebrow.
A permanent license is the pitch against subscription fatigue: pay once, keep the software, skip a monthly Microsoft 365 bill. It's also aimed at the gap Google Workspace leaves for people who need full offline access or heavier spreadsheet work than Sheets handles well.
Whether that's worth $50 to you comes down to how often you actually need Office's muscle, versus just a place to type.