The Question: One-time Purchase or Subscription?
Microsoft offers two ways to acquire Office. The choice between Office 2024 (one-time purchase) and Microsoft 365 (subscription) depends on your budget and needs. Here's a detailed calculation.
Pricing at RDS Hub
Office 2024 Pro Plus
Price: 25,000 FCFA (one-time purchase)
Duration: Lifetime, no additional fees
Installs: 1 PC
Includes: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Access
Microsoft 365 Family
Price: 5,000 FCFA/month (60,000 FCFA/year)
Duration: As long as you pay
Installs: 6 users, 5 devices each
Includes: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive 1 TB, Teams, Copilot AI
5-Year Cost Calculation
| Period | Office 2024 | Microsoft 365 | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 25,000 FCFA | 60,000 FCFA | 35,000 FCFA |
| 3 years | 25,000 FCFA | 180,000 FCFA | 155,000 FCFA |
| 5 years | 25,000 FCFA | 300,000 FCFA | 275,000 FCFA |
Over 5 years, Office 2024 saves you 275,000 FCFA compared to Microsoft 365.
When to Choose Microsoft 365?
- You need OneDrive (1 TB cloud storage)
- You use Teams for collaboration
- You want Copilot AI integrated in Office
- You need to install on multiple devices
When to Choose Office 2024?
- You use Office on one PC
- You want a one-time purchase without recurring fees
- You don't need OneDrive or Teams
- You want to save money long-term
Conclusion
For most users in Africa, Office 2024 is the most economical choice: 25,000 FCFA once vs 300,000 FCFA over 5 years with Microsoft 365.