After years of complaints from customers, Microsoft has finally relented and is now offering a one-time payment option for its popular Office suite. Microsoft Home 2024 will include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote for $149.99 for PC and Mac.

However, there is a catch. Microsoft says that its new one-time payment plan will keep its apps “locked in time,” meaning there will be no updates to them as they improve. Microsoft is famous for multiple updates throughout the year, and missing out on new features like the ever-expanding Microsoft AI named Co-Pilot could be a reason to stick with the subscription cloud-based Office 365.

So, is the one-time payment option for Microsoft Home 2024 worth it? It depends on your needs. If you are looking for a budget-friendly option and don’t need the latest and greatest features, then it could be a good choice. However, if you want to stay up-to-date with the latest Office features, then you may want to stick with Office 365.