Updated: January 10, 2022 (August 7, 2017)

Office Technical Differences

As managing vice president, Rob Helm covers Microsoft collaboration and content management. His 25-plus years of experience analyzing Microsoft’s technology... more

Office 2016 Professional Plus offers more control over configuration, deployment, and updating than Office 365 ProPlus, but Microsoft will maintain Office 365 ProPlus for compatibility with Office 365 services and deliver new features to it first.

	Office 365 ProPlus	Office 2016 Professional Plus
Media	Click-to-Run (C2R/CTR)	Windows Installer (MSI)
Activation	Office Licensing Service (OLS) per user or Shared Computer configuration	Key Management Service (KMS), Multiple Activation Key (MAK), Active Directory
Version release pattern and support	Twice per year, 18-month supported life	Every two to three years, 10-year supported life
Compatibility with Office 365 services	While version supported	While version in Mainstream support (ends Oct. 2020)
Features	Latest features and protocols	No new features or protocols since Oct. 2015 release
Install customization	Office Deployment Tool

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