Windows 11 Home vs Pro: Every Difference, Prices and Which to Buy (2026)

Reviewed 2 October 2026 by Justine, Technical Support Advisor at Nerdused. Nerdused prices checked on the same date.

Windows 11 vs Windows 11 Pro is really Windows 11 Home vs Pro, because "Windows 11" on a new PC almost always means Home. The difference comes down to a handful of business and power-user features: BitLocker drive encryption, Remote Desktop hosting, Hyper-V virtual machines, Group Policy, and joining a company domain. Everything you see on screen, every game, every driver and every security update is the same in both. Most people at home are fine with Home. You want Pro if any of those five features matters to you. At Nerdused a genuine Pro key costs the same as a Home key ($29.99 each for one PC), so if you are buying a key anyway there is little reason to choose Home.

Below is every difference that matters, what is identical, how the two compare for gaming and for updates, what Windows 11 Pro N and the other editions are, and what upgrading costs. All four Windows editions we sell are compared side by side on the Windows licence keys collection page.

Windows 11 vs Windows 11 Pro: Home vs Pro comparison table

Feature	Windows 11 Home	Windows 11 Pro
BitLocker drive encryption	Basic "device encryption" only, needs a Microsoft account and supported hardware	Full BitLocker, any drive, BitLocker To Go for USB drives, managed recovery keys
Remote Desktop	Can connect out to other PCs	Can connect out and be connected to (host)
Hyper-V virtual machines	No	Yes
Windows Sandbox	No	Yes
Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)	No	Yes
Join a domain / Microsoft Entra ID	No	Yes
Local account during setup	Microsoft account required	Microsoft account required for personal setup; local or work accounts via domain or Entra join
Windows Update for Business (defer feature updates)	No	Yes
Assigned Access / kiosk mode	No	Yes
Maximum RAM	128 GB	2 TB
Maximum physical CPUs	1	2
Gaming, DirectX 12 Ultimate, Auto HDR	Same	Same
Windows Defender, Secure Boot, TPM 2.0 requirement	Same	Same
Microsoft Store price	$139.99	$199.99
Nerdused price (1 PC)	$29.99	$29.99

Windows 11 Pro vs Home: the five differences that actually matter

1. BitLocker

Home gets a simplified "device encryption" that only switches on when you sign in with a Microsoft account on hardware that supports it, and gives you no control beyond on or off. Pro gets full BitLocker: encrypt any drive including external USB drives (BitLocker To Go), choose where recovery keys are stored, and set policy. If a laptop ever leaves the house with client files, tax records or anything you would not want a thief to read, this one feature justifies Pro.

2. Remote Desktop hosting

Both editions include the Remote Desktop client, so either can connect to another machine. Only Pro can be the machine you connect to. If you want to reach your home or office PC from a laptop elsewhere, without a third-party tool such as TeamViewer or AnyDesk, the PC you are dialling into must run Pro.

3. Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox

Pro includes Microsoft's virtualisation. Hyper-V runs full virtual machines, so you can test Linux, keep an old Windows 10 install for one stubborn program, or isolate risky software. Windows Sandbox starts a throw-away clean copy of Windows in a few seconds and destroys it when you close the window, which is the right way to open an attachment you do not trust. Developers and IT people use these daily; most home users never will.

4. Group Policy Editor

gpedit.msc gives fine control over thousands of Windows behaviours: when updates install, what telemetry is sent, what appears on the lock screen, which apps users can run. On Home the same changes need registry edits, which are harder to find and easier to get wrong.

5. Domain join and Entra ID

If your PC needs to join a company network, use company log-ins or be managed by IT (Intune, Group Policy from a server), it must be Pro. Home cannot join a domain at all. This is why every business laptop ships with Pro and why a Home PC brought into an office usually needs an upgrade key on day one.

What is identical in Home and Pro

Performance, first of all: there is no speed difference, and Pro is not faster for games. Both editions share the same interface, the same Start menu, Copilot, Snap layouts and widgets, the same Microsoft Defender antivirus and firewall, the same hardware requirements (TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, a supported CPU), the same drivers, and the same monthly security updates on the same day. Windows 11 Home and Pro also have the same lifecycle: Microsoft supports each annual version for 24 months on Home and Pro alike (36 months only applies to Enterprise and Education).

Windows 11 Pro vs Home for gaming and everyday speed

For gaming, Windows 11 Pro and Home perform the same. Both use the same kernel, graphics stack and drivers, and both support DirectX 12 Ultimate and Auto HDR, so frame rates, load times and game compatibility match on identical hardware. Pro is not a "faster" Windows, and Home is not a cut-down one. The only performance-related differences are the hardware ceilings in the table above (128 GB of RAM and one physical CPU on Home, 2 TB and two on Pro), which a gaming PC or normal laptop never gets near. Pro's extra background features, such as Hyper-V, are off until you switch them on, so they do not cost you anything day to day. If you play games and nothing else on your PC needs Pro, Home does the job; if the price is the same, take Pro and keep the options open.

Windows 11 vs Windows 11 Pro: support and updates

Both editions get the same monthly security updates on the same day and the same 24-month support period per annual version. Microsoft's regular support channels, including the Get Help app and online support articles, are the same for both. What Pro adds is control: Windows Update for Business lets you defer feature updates, and Group Policy lets an IT admin set when updates install. Home installs updates on Microsoft's schedule, with only a temporary pause option. Neither edition includes a business support contract or service-level agreement; that comes with a separate volume-licensing or support agreement.

Windows 11 Pro vs Pro N (and the other editions)

Windows 11 Pro N is Pro without the media features: no Windows Media Player, no Movies & TV, no Voice Recorder, and some codecs missing. It exists because of a European Commission ruling and is sold in the EU. It is otherwise identical to Pro, and Microsoft's free Media Feature Pack restores the missing pieces, but there is no reason to choose N if you have the option of plain Pro. The same goes for Home N. Our Windows 11 Pro vs Pro N guide lists what is missing and how the Media Feature Pack restores it.

Pro for Workstations adds support for 4 CPUs and 6 TB of RAM, the ReFS file system and persistent memory; it is for dual-socket workstations, not laptops. Enterprise and Education add security and management features (Credential Guard, AppLocker, longer servicing) and are only sold through volume licensing to organisations. For an individual or a small business, the choice is Home or Pro.

Windows 11 Home or Pro: which should you buy?

You...	Buy
Browse, stream, game and run Office at home	Home is enough (though Pro costs the same here)
Carry a laptop with work or client files	Pro, for BitLocker
Want to reach your PC from elsewhere	Pro, for Remote Desktop hosting
Run virtual machines, test software, develop	Pro, for Hyper-V and Sandbox
Use the PC in a business, or IT manages it	Pro, for domain join
Want to defer feature updates or manage updates by policy	Pro
Have more than 128 GB of RAM or two CPUs	Pro

The honest summary: buy Home if you know you will never use the five features above and the key is cheaper where you are buying it. Otherwise buy Pro. At Microsoft's prices the $60 gap makes Home a reasonable saving; at Nerdused both editions are $29.99 for one PC, so Pro is the default recommendation. Not sure what kind of key you are buying? Our guide to OEM vs retail Windows keys explains the difference.

How much does it cost to upgrade Windows 11 Home to Pro?

Microsoft charges $99 for the Home-to-Pro upgrade through the Microsoft Store (Settings > System > Activation > Upgrade your edition of Windows). A genuine Windows 11 Pro key from Nerdused is $29.99 and does the same job: enter it under Change product key and Windows switches edition in place, keeping your files, apps and settings, with one restart and no reinstall. The full walkthrough is in our Windows 11 Home to Pro upgrade guide. Still on Windows 10? See how to upgrade to Windows 11 first.

FAQs

What is the difference between Windows 11 and Windows 11 Pro?

"Windows 11" on a new PC almost always means Windows 11 Home. Pro adds BitLocker, Remote Desktop hosting, Hyper-V, Group Policy, domain join and higher hardware limits. Everything else is the same.

Is Windows 11 Pro faster than Home?

No. Both editions use the same kernel, drivers and scheduler, so games and benchmarks run at the same speed on the same hardware.

Is Windows 11 Pro worth it over Home?

Yes if you need any of the five Pro features: BitLocker, Remote Desktop hosting, Hyper-V, Group Policy or domain join. If you need none of them, the two editions feel identical, so the answer comes down to price. At Microsoft's prices the $60 gap is real; at Nerdused both cost $29.99 for one PC.

Is Windows 11 Pro good for gaming?

Yes, but no better than Home. Gaming performance, DirectX 12 Ultimate and Auto HDR are the same in both editions.

Can I go back from Pro to Home?

Not in place. A Home key cannot be entered on a Pro install, so going back means a clean reinstall of Home with a Home key. That is one more reason to buy Pro if the price is the same.

Does Windows 11 Pro come with Office?

No. Neither Home nor Pro includes Word, Excel or PowerPoint. Office is a separate purchase: a one-time Office 2024 licence or a Microsoft 365 subscription. Our Office 2024 editions guide explains the options.

Can I upgrade from Home to Pro without reinstalling?

Yes. Enter a Pro product key in Settings > System > Activation > Change product key. Windows downloads the Pro components, restarts once, and your files and programs are untouched. See the Windows 11 activation guide if the key is not accepted.

Do Home and Pro get the same updates?

Yes, on the same schedule. Pro adds the ability to pause or defer feature updates for longer.

Which edition do I have?

Settings > System > About, under "Windows specifications". Or press Windows + R, type winver and press Enter.

Are the Windows 11 keys sold by Nerdused genuine?

Yes. Every key activates directly against Microsoft's activation servers, which is the definitive test. If a key will not activate, you get a replacement or a full refund under our 30-day refund promise.