Search this question anywhere else and you get the same answer: technically yes, but do not bother, because the suite costs about the same as one app. That answer is correct for Microsoft’s own store. It is not correct here.
The Short Answer
Yes. You can buy Microsoft Word on its own as a genuine, one-time-purchase license with no subscription. At Indigo, Word 2024 on its own is $69.99, while the four-app Office 2024 Home suite is $178.99. Buying one or two apps individually is genuinely cheaper here. From three apps upward, the suite is the better deal.
Why Every Other Buying Guide Says Do Not Bother
At Microsoft’s own store, a single Office app costs roughly the same as the entire Office Home 2024 suite, and in some cases more. Under that pricing there is only one sensible answer to “can I buy Word only”: sure, but you would be paying suite money for a quarter of the apps, so just take the suite.
That advice is accurate for Microsoft. It stops being accurate the moment individual apps are actually priced as individual apps.
Why the Answer Is Different Here
Indigo sells the same 2024 desktop apps as genuine one-time-purchase licenses, priced individually rather than pegged to the suite:
| App | One-time price here |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Word 2024 | $69.99 |
| Microsoft Excel 2024 | $99.99 |
| Microsoft PowerPoint 2024 | $69.99 |
| Microsoft Outlook 2024 | $59.99 |
| Microsoft Access 2024 | $99.99 |
| Office 2024 Home (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote) | $178.99 |
Live pricing and availability for each app:
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Word on its own is $69.99, which is $110 below its $179.99 list price. Word and Excel together come to $169.98, still under the $178.99 suite. Add PowerPoint and you are at $239.97, which is where the suite takes over. The breakeven is worth stating plainly: one or two apps, buy individually; three or more, buy the suite.
What You Are Actually Buying
These are the same 2024 desktop applications Microsoft sells, full retail versions with a genuine license key, delivered as an instant download. One-time purchase, no subscription, no recurring charge, no forced upgrade to a version you did not ask for. The license is yours for as long as the software runs.
This is not a stripped-down or trial build. It is the identical application you would get buying direct, at a price that reflects what a single app should cost.
Real-World Buying Scenarios
A freelance writer who only opens Word. No spreadsheets, no presentations, just a word processor for manuscripts and client documents. At $69.99 that is the right tool at a fair price, $110 below the $179.99 list price for the same single app, and $109 less than buying a four-app suite to use one of them.
A small business that needs Word and Excel but never touches PowerPoint. Two apps individually come to $169.98 against $178.99 for the suite. Individually still wins, though only by about $9, so if anyone on the team would ever open PowerPoint or OneNote, the suite is the better buy at that point.
A student or parent setting up a home computer for schoolwork. Usually Word, and sometimes Excel for a budget spreadsheet. Word alone at $69.99 is the clearest saving on this list, and there is no subscription to remember to cancel later.
A consultant who needs Word, Excel, and Outlook for client work. That combination is $229.97 individually. Office 2024 Home does not include Outlook, and the Home and Business edition that does is currently out of stock, so buying the three apps individually is the practical route for this setup.
The pattern across all four: price out exactly what you will use, not what a bundle assumes you will use.
When Buying the Full Suite Still Makes Sense
From three apps upward the suite wins. Office 2024 Home covers Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote for $178.99, which is $60.98 less than buying those first three individually. If your list runs to three or more of the apps in that bundle, take the suite.
The honest way to decide: write down the apps you will actually open in a typical month, price them individually using the table above, and compare against $178.99. Whichever number is lower is your answer. There is no rule beyond that.
Why Buy From Indigo Instead of the Cheapest Key Site You Can Find
Individual Office app licenses show up all over the internet at low prices, and many of those listings are not what they claim to be: gray-market keys, volume-license keys sold to individuals in violation of their terms, or keys that get revoked months later when the source is audited. That risk is real, and it is part of why the “just buy the suite” advice persists. Buyers assume anyone selling single apps cheaply is cutting a corner somewhere.
Indigo Software has sold genuine Microsoft licenses since 2016 as a US veteran and family-owned business, with over 100,000 customers and a 4.9 out of 5.0 rating across more than 500 Trustpilot reviews. Every license is genuine and tied to a real, traceable purchase, not a stripped volume key repackaged for individual sale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to buy Microsoft Word without the rest of Office?
Yes. Microsoft sells Word as a standalone product, and Indigo sells genuine, individually licensed copies. There is nothing unusual or restricted about buying a single Office app.
How much is Microsoft Word on its own?
Word 2024 as a one-time purchase is $69.99 here, against a $179.99 list price. There is no subscription and no recurring charge.
Is it cheaper to buy Word alone or the whole Office suite?
Word alone at $69.99 is cheaper than the $178.99 Office 2024 Home suite. Word and Excel together at $169.98 are still cheaper. Once you need three or more apps, the suite is the better value.
Does the individually purchased version get updates?
Yes, standard security and feature updates for that version, the same as buying it as part of a suite.
Can I add more apps later if I need them?
Yes. Buy each app as you need it. There is no requirement to commit to the full suite up front, and no penalty for buying Word today and Excel next month.
Is a $69.99 one-time purchase really better than a Microsoft 365 subscription?
If you need one or two apps and do not need the cloud storage and collaboration features bundled into a 365 subscription, yes. A one-time purchase pays for itself against a subscription inside the first year and keeps working with no further payment.
What if I need Visio or Project too?
Both are sold individually as well. See our Visio Professional 2024 price guide for how that pricing compares to Microsoft’s list price.
Is this the same as Office 2021 or Office 2019?
No, this is the current 2024 release. Older perpetual versions such as 2021, 2019, and 2016 are also sold individually where available, but the pricing and feature set in this guide are specifically for the 2024 apps.
Does it work on both Windows and Mac?
Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2024 are licensed for either Windows 10/11 or Mac on a single device. Check the specific product page for each app to confirm compatibility with your setup before buying.
How is the license delivered?
Instantly by email after purchase, with a genuine license key and download link. No physical media and no waiting on shipping.
Buy Individual Office 2024 Apps
Genuine one-time-purchase licenses, instant download, no subscription:
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Not sure whether individual apps or the suite makes more sense for you? Contact us and we will help you work out the cheaper path based on what you actually use. If you are still weighing subscription against one-time purchase, see our comparison of Microsoft 365 vs Office 2024 perpetual licenses.
We are a US veteran and family-owned business selling genuine Microsoft licenses since 2016, with 100,000+ customers and a 4.9 out of 5.0 rating from over 500 Trustpilot reviews.
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