The UK prices for Microsoft Office 2010 have finally been released, with a boxed version of the Home and Student version costing £109.99 and the Professional version priced at £429.99.
With the June 2010 arrival of Office drawing ever closer, the UK pricing announcement has now told us what we'll be forking out for Microsoft's ubiquitous applications, and that - like the US - we won't be handed an upgrade option.
From the bottom up, the boxed version will cost: £109.99 for the Office Home and Student version, £239 for Office Home and Business and £429.99 for Office Professional.
Included programs
The Home and Student version brings Word 2010, Excel 2010, PowerPoint 2010, OneNote 2010 and Office Web Apps – the Home and Business adds Outlook 2010 (for an extra £130!) and the Professional version brings Publisher 2010, Access 2010 and Premium technical support to round out the package.
So why the huge disparity between the Home and Student and Home and Business? Microsoft told us: "Office Home & Business 2010 includes the addition of Outlook and is licenced for commercial use are which are not available in Home & Student.
"Office Home & Business 2010 represents a substantial savings over comparative Office Standard 2007 suite while including an additional application (OneNote) and Office Web Apps.]"
Product Key Cards
There are cheaper Product Key Card pricings as well, which are available to people who buy new computers.
"As announced back in October, the release of Office 2010 will see the introduction of Product Key Cards, which will be available to consumers who purchase a new PC from Microsoft's retail partners," explains Microsoft.
"With most consumers and small businesses typically purchasing Office with a new PC, the majority of users will immediately benefit from the greater value and simplified setup experience offered by Product Key Cards.
"The key number contained on the card will unlock Office 2010 software that has been pre-loaded by the PC manufacturers onto the new PC, and will enable a simpler and faster path for consumers to begin using any one of three full versions of Microsoft Office."
For the record, the Product Key Card prices are: £89.99 for the Home and Student, £189.99 for Home and Business and £299 for Office Professional.
Microsoft will not be offering upgrades as with previous versions of Office.
Your comments (10) Click to add a new comment
mobius
February 17th 2010
10. @tech89 and also the other thing with MS Office for businesses is that there's an awful lot of other software (specifically business oriented and otherwise) that integrates specifically with MS Office. So never mind extra training there's lost workflow and capability in many cases as well.
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tech89
February 17th 2010
9. If your a business with many employees then surely you would go for MS office which is what most of us are familiar with? You may have a fair few training days (at expense) if you switch office software to free software.
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tech89
February 17th 2010
8. Software 4 students is the place to buy:
All you need is: to be a student, or a parent of a student or know someone who is a student.
Bought office 2007 enterprise just over a year ago from software 4 students at £35.
My advice:
For people who are really spooked out on making a one time expenditure on office software, use open office or google docs.
For people who are prepared to pay good money for office software and are already familiar with MS office, use Microsoft office or Apple iWork (or other).
Office software is only something you need to buy once in a lifetime. My dad is still using office 2000 which he bought a decade ago.
Why on earth do people see the need to upgrade every time an office package comes out I will never understand - These people deserve to be ripped off.
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nitrofan
February 17th 2010
7. Nice one MS you just made my decision as whether I go fully web based applications of stick with local programs.
Anyone got Google's number?
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amit290
February 17th 2010
6. @jack1993 - This is not an option for businesses. If you primarily use Office in business you need to have a business license. If the big men at Microsoft come around to your business and find you have a student license key (for Office), they'll throw you in the same hell hole as the ones who have the pirated version.
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jack1993
February 17th 2010
5. I'm sure they'll sell it at software4students. You don't even have to be a student - you can just be a parent or get someone to order it for you who is. I got office professional plus 2007 for £45 and the site's Microsoft certified as well.
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mobius
February 17th 2010
4. I've got 2007 Ultimate. So looks like not only is there no upgrade but no package that will directly replace it available to me.
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budo
February 17th 2010
3. Is it a race between Microsoft and Apple to see who's capable of the highest level of extortion?
Try Open Office.
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awire
February 17th 2010
2. And they wonder why people resort to piracy. lol
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rimscar
February 17th 2010
1. no upgrade path.....!!!!?????
obviously still flushed from the success of Win7....
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