The Definitive Guide to Microsoft Office 365

Reviewed 29 October 2026 by Esmail, Technical Support Advisor at Nerdused. Nerdused prices checked on the same date.

Microsoft Office 365, now sold as Microsoft 365, is Microsoft's subscription productivity suite: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams and OneDrive cloud storage, with automatic updates. The most popular business-grade tier is Office 365 Pro Plus. At Nerdused, a genuine 1-year Office 365 Pro Plus subscription for 5 devices (PC, Mac, iOS and Android) costs $29.99, with a 30-day refund promise if the key doesn't activate.

Modern work environments rely heavily on digital collaboration, cloud storage, and seamless productivity tools. Over the past decade, Microsoft has transformed its traditional Office suite into a powerful cloud-based ecosystem known as Microsoft Office 365. This platform allows individuals and organisations to create documents, analyse data, communicate with teams, and manage workflows from virtually anywhere.

Unlike earlier versions of Microsoft Office, which required a one-time purchase and installation on a single device, Microsoft Office 365 operates on a subscription-based model. As a Microsoft Office 365 user, you receive updates, improved security features, and access to various cloud-based services.

The most popular plan within the ecosystem is Office 365 Pro Plus. It provides advanced features such as desktop applications and enterprise-level productivity features, which are quite critical for your professional and business needs. So whether you have a small store or are a part of a large corporation, Microsoft Office 365 provides you with all the tools you need to work in the modern work environment.

What Is Microsoft Office 365?

Microsoft Office 365 is a cloud-based suite offered by Microsoft as a bunch of applications and services to help users at different enterprise levels. The purpose of the suite is to ensure that users are able to create, collaborate, and communicate in an effective manner. Instead of installing software permanently on a device, users subscribe to the service and gain access to regularly updated applications and cloud services.

The platform integrates well-known tools such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook with cloud-based storage and collaboration services like OneDrive and Microsoft Teams.

Key Features of Microsoft Office 365

Cloud Storage and Accessibility

Office 365 integrates with OneDrive cloud storage so you can save documents to the cloud and retrieve them from any connected device. Your data is backed up off the local machine, which reduces the risk of losing files to hardware failure.

Real-Time Collaboration

More than one person can work on a file at once, with edits tracked and synced through Microsoft Teams, which supports meetings within the same ecosystem.

Regular Updates and Security

There is no manual upgrade to install. As a subscription, Office 365 always delivers the latest version, features and security updates automatically.

Applications Included in Microsoft Office 365

The Microsoft Office 365 ecosystem includes a variety of productivity tools: Word for document creation and editing, Excel for spreadsheets and data analysis, PowerPoint for presentations, Outlook for email and calendar management, and Teams for messaging, video meetings and file sharing.

What Is Office 365 Pro Plus?

Office 365 Pro Plus is the business-grade tier of the subscription. Even though it is designed for business and enterprise users, students, academics and home users buy it too. The plan includes the full desktop versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, which are the applications most people actually need day to day. At Nerdused it is sold as a 1-year subscription account covering 5 devices across PC, Mac, iOS and Android for $29.99.

Microsoft Office 365 vs Traditional Microsoft Office

See our Office lifetime licence vs Microsoft 365 cost comparison for the three- and five-year numbers.

Who Should Use Microsoft Office 365?

Microsoft Office 365 suits anyone who wants the latest Office apps kept current automatically and real-time collaboration built in: small and large businesses, remote teams, freelancers and students. If you would rather pay once and keep the same version indefinitely, a one-time licence such as Office 2024 Professional Plus is usually the cheaper route over several years.

Microsoft 365 FAQs

How much is the Microsoft 365 family plan?

Microsoft's own Microsoft 365 Family plan covers up to 6 people with 1TB of cloud storage each. Nerdused's stocked Microsoft 365 product is the Office 365 Pro Plus 1-year account for 5 devices ($29.99); we don't currently stock a 6-user Family subscription, so check Microsoft's pricing page for that specific plan.

What is included in Microsoft 365 Personal?

Microsoft 365 Personal (sold directly by Microsoft) is a single-user plan with 1TB of OneDrive storage and the full desktop apps. Nerdused's equivalent in stock is Office 365 Pro Plus, a 1-year, 5-device account for $29.99 — more devices for a similar price.

Can I use one Microsoft 365 subscription on multiple devices?

Yes. The Office 365 Pro Plus account we sell covers 5 devices on one subscription, across PC, Mac, iOS and Android, so one $29.99 purchase can cover a laptop, a phone and a tablet at once.

Is Microsoft 365 Basic worth it?

Microsoft 365 Basic is a low-cost, storage-only tier (100GB OneDrive, ad-free Outlook) with no desktop Office apps. If you need Word, Excel and PowerPoint installed on your device, Office 365 Pro Plus or a one-time Office licence both include them; Basic does not.

What's the best place to buy an Office 365 key online?

Buy from a named, accountable seller with a written refund policy. Nerdused Ltd is a UK company (no. 16876657) and a Microsoft Partner (ID 6467441); our Office 365 Pro Plus account comes with a 30-day refund promise if it doesn't activate.

Sources checked 29 October 2026: Microsoft, Compare Microsoft 365 plans and Microsoft 365 and Office 365 plans.