Microsoft Word Cost

Microsoft Word is a relatively inexpensive program. Anyone can purchase Microsoft Word for a one-time fee of $80. Students and employees may find copies of Microsoft Word or the entire Microsoft Suite available for purchase for their home computer at a discount. Outdated versions of Microsoft Word and Microsoft Office may be found from online sellers, though the price is often comparable to the latest version. 

What is Microsoft Word?

Microsoft Word is a powerful word-processing software that offers tons of flexibility when it comes to creating professional reports, letters, contracts, and other documents. Its features are more robust than other word processors, allowing it to become an industry standard used by companies and entrepreneurs worldwide. These advanced features include mail marges, spellchecker, text formatting, tables, and page layout, among many others. Microsoft Word can also produce documents in various file types, making it compatible with many other programs. Its popularity means it’s also compatible with nearly any computer. 

Since its release in 1983, Microsoft Word has continued to evolve to the needs of its users. Modern integrations have allowed the use of Microsoft Word over mobile, the web, and the Cloud for collaborative document creation. Cloud-based sharing and permissions make it easy for colleagues to collaborate and maintain security. Though Microsoft Word has faced many competitors over the decades, it continues to stand the test of time. 

Read more about what Microsoft Word is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with Microsoft Word?

Microsoft Word is primarily used as a word-processing program for creating professional-looking documents and reports. Authors use it to write novels, job seekers create resumes, and students write essays. In the workplace, Microsoft Word is used to create a host of documents, including letterheads, reports, templates, training manuals, calendars, invoices, and promotional materials, among others. Businesses also use the mail merge feature that outputs created documents to a mailing list or newsletter.

But Microsoft Word is more than a typing software. The program includes interactive elements such as fillable forms, checkboxes, and dropdown menus. It can easily convert documents into fillable PDFs or vice versa. Plain text documents are made more visually appealing with images, animations, or WordArt. Tables are also easily converted into visual graphs and charts. Microsoft Word can even transcribe audio files, transcribe live speech into text, and translate documents.

A particularly valuable feature of Microsoft Word is its collaboration tools for group projects. Professionals can easily share documents with others to work on. Changes such as comments and edits are tracked so the original owner of the document can decide what suggestions to make official. A history of changes to a document is also saved and can be reverted to at any time. Microsoft Word is a powerful tool for any business’ communications needs, whether internally or with customers or clients.

In-Depth Review of the Cost

Microsoft Word is available as a free trial for one month. Once your trial is complete, you can purchase Microsoft Word for a one-time fee of $80. Alternatively, you can purchase the entire Microsoft Suite, including Microsoft Word for a yearly subscription of $70. If you have multiple people needing Microsoft Word, an entire family of up to six people can purchase the Microsoft Suite for $100 per year. 

The monthly payment plan is available for $6.99 for a singular subscription or $9.99 for a family. The subscription plan allows Microsoft Suite to be downloaded to up to five different devices. A singular plan comes with one TB of cloud storage, while a family plan comes with six TB. 

Students in college can get Microsoft Suite for $2.99 a month. This is the equivalent of a personal subscription plan. To qualify, students must provide their information to verify that they are actively enrolled in a college or university. 

Free alternatives to Microsoft Word and Microsoft Suite include Office Online, OneDrive, and the Microsoft Office mobile app. These applications are run by Microsoft and are free to use. However, none of these applications possess the full features of Microsoft Office software. While most basic tasks and file sharing should operate perfectly on these applications, more complex tasks may prove tricky or impossible.

If you want the full features of Microsoft Office but are still looking for a discount, Microsoft Office releases a new version of its software every year. Older versions of Microsoft Office may not have the latest and greatest but will still possess the more robust features that other applications lack. You can find older releases of Microsoft Suite sold by third-party retailers.

Why Learn Microsoft Word?

There are many benefits to learning Microsoft Word. Microsoft Word provides grammar and spell-check tools that allow job seekers and established professionals to write professionally and more efficiently. Easy-to-read charts and graphs are also simple to build, enabling the creation of professional reports and documentation.

Job seekers especially can benefit from Microsoft Word, through which they can create professional-looking resumes. As an industry standard, many office workers are expected to know how to use the program to create documents or, at the very least, for spell check. Several communication-heavy professions, such as Lawyer, Administrator, and Copywriter, require Microsoft Word as a skill. Writing and editing teams in any business will also likely use Word for collaboration. Thus, Microsoft Word is essential for any job seeker or professional whose position requires communication skills.

Read more about why you should learn Microsoft Word. 

Free Introductory Microsoft Word Course Online 

If you aren’t ready to dive into a full Microsoft Word course, you can look for an online introduction to Microsoft Word through Youtube, Coursera, or Udemy. In these free courses, you can learn a variety of basic skills, including Microsoft Word fundamentals and how to create simple documents such as fliers, brochures, and resumes. Some courses even teach advanced and expert Microsoft Word tips and tricks. 

However, many of these courses teach older versions of the Microsoft Word software. While most of Microsoft Word’s features are consistent through subsequent iterations, newer versions of the program may possess previously unseen features or place features in different locations. It can also be impossible to verify if the information taught in these courses is quality or correct. While these free online classes can be valuable and cost-effective for pure beginners, they aren’t ideal for professionals looking to learn comprehensive Microsoft Word skills to advance their careers. 

Read about more free Microsoft Word videos and online tutorials.

Learn Microsoft Word with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

In today’s busy world, live online learning can be a fast, engaging, and comprehensive alternative to in-person classes. Noble Desktop offers live online classes in Microsoft Word that are hands-on and open to beginners. Classes are small, taught by expert instructors, and include free retake options.

Microsoft Word Level I is a one-day course that teaches all the Microsoft Word essentials. You’ll learn how to avoid common page formatting errors and prepare and send mass emails, letters, and labels with one click. You’ll also learn all the necessary shortcuts to shave hours off your time. Students who want to increase their Microsoft Word skills can attend the Microsoft Word Level II course.

Microsoft Word Level II is an advanced class that teaches next-level Microsoft Word skills. You’ll learn how to use automation to speed up your workflow, create custom document templates, use advanced formatting techniques, and build long documents. This is the ideal course for individuals wanting to become Microsoft Word experts. 

Noble Desktop also provides additional Microsoft Office classes, including Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook.