You recently switched to a Mac and you couldn’t be happier. Your new computer feels more user-friendly. It’s so intuitive that you immediately got used to it and you made the well-known promise: “I’m never going back to Windows again!”
There’s only one problem: your work depends on Microsoft Office. Maybe you’re a freelance writer whose clients are precise: they want the documents in MS Word. Maybe your team works in MS Excel and they aren’t willing to compromise.
You have an important question, which is common among new macOS users: “Is there a Microsoft Office for Mac 2019?”
Yes; there is. Macs have flexible operative systems with many apps available. Fortunately, the Microsoft Office suite is available as an app in the App Store. We’ll tell you how to start using Microsoft Office for Mac with no complications involved.
First, Know Your Options!
Before you go ahead and subscribe to Microsoft Office for Mac, there’s one main question to answer: do you have to?
Your Mac already has a default suite to replace the Office programs you used before. It’s called iWork, and it contains Pages (the counterpart for Word), Numbers (it replaces Excel), and Keynote (you’ll use it instead of PowerPoint). If you were using any of these programs for your personal needs, you’ll do perfectly fine with Apple’s alternatives.
However, if you need to share files in Office formats, you’ll have to use Office programs.
Have you considered the online version of Office? You can use it for free, and you can share files directly through the online platform. It works in a similar way to Google Docs, so it’s great for collaboration.
If you already considered these alternatives to the paid Microsoft Office suite and you’re absolutely sure that you need it, you can get it for an affordable subscription. Let’s see how you can buy Microsoft Office for Mac.
- Download the Microsoft Office Suite
Microsoft Office for Mac is called Microsoft Office 365. You’ll find the bundle in the App Store. It includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, One Drive, and Outlook. If you only need a single app, you don’t have to install the entire bundle to take up space on your Mac.
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When you install the app, you’ll be asked to subscribe. This is the moment when it’s wise to choose a free one-month trial. If you haven’t used Office 365 before, sign up for the trial! You’ll still get all apps with all their features. You’ll have to provide billing information, though. The first payment will be activated as soon as the trial expires (in exactly 30 days).
You’re surely interested in the prices of Microsoft Office for Mac, right?
You have a few options:
- Office 365 Home for $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year
- Office 365 Personal for $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year
- Office Home & Student for $119.99 as a one-time purchase
- Office 365 Business for $8.25 per user per month
- Office 365 Business Premium for $12.50 per user per month
The Business packages come with a mandatory annual commitment.
If you plan to be using Microsoft Office for Mac for many years to come, you might prefer the Home & Student package. Although the charge is high, it’s a one-time payment and you’ll have your apps forever.
However, that package has serious disadvantages. You’re only getting Word, Excel, and PowerPoint with it. You don’t get OneDrive cloud storage. You don’t get ongoing technical support, so you’ll have to figure out your own solutions if you encounter any problems. The biggest problem is that your app will not update. If you get the Student package for Microsoft Office for Mac 2019, you’ll be stuck with that version of the program.
Home and Personal packages are much better for individual use.
- What about MS Publisher, Visio, and Project?
If you were using these programs on a PC, you already noticed they aren’t available when you install Microsoft Office on Mac.
That’s not a huge problem. There are alternative macOS apps that work even better.
- Merlin Project Express replaces MS Project
If you were using MS projects to plan personal and professional projects, you won’t get it in the bundle when you buy Microsoft Office for Mac. Microsoft hasn’t developed a macOS version of this app, so you’ll have to settle with an alternative.
That’s actually a good thing since Merlin Project Express is a better app. You can design project templates, track progress, create all kinds of tasks, visualize your timeline, and set daily goals.
You can attach notes, budgets, images, and emails in the app, so you’ll keep all important data for the project in one place.
- iThoughtsX replaces Visio
Visio is a cool app for creating organizational tables, diagrams, and flowcharts for work projects. Unfortunately, you don’t get it when you install Microsoft Office on Mac. As an alternative app, iThoughtsX does its job pretty well. All your information will be backed up on the cloud, so you don’t risk losing it.
If you need to share some of your ideas with the team, you can export your iThoughtsX workflow into an MS Word document.
- Swift Publisher replaces MS Publisher
MS Publisher is arguably the best program that Microsoft designed. It’s great for creating high-quality publications, such as brochures, newsletters, service guides, product sheets, proposals, and more. It has hundreds of templates that make your work easy. It’s not included in the Microsoft Office for Mac 2019 bundle, so you might find that disappointing. Don’t worry; Swift Publisher is a decent replacement.
You can use it to design all kinds of projects and layouts. You can draw your own shapes to add personality to your designs. It’s easy to export the files into different formats, so you’ll quickly share them with your team.
Do You Like the Subscription Model?
Although it will cost you more in the long term, the Office 365 subscription model gives you greater value in return. Microsoft is still adjusting to the macOS environment, so you can expect the apps to be getting better. Updates are essential if you want to benefit from full functionality. A one-time purchase doesn’t come with continuous updates, and that’s the greatest disadvantage of the Microsoft Office suite as we used to know it.
If you need to buy Microsoft Office for Mac, we recommend a monthly or yearly subscription. You get two months free when you opt for the yearly charge. However, the monthly charge may be more convenient for many users, since it’s so low. For $5.99 per month, you’ll get full access to the apps you need for your workflow.
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