As a student, Microsoft Office is essential — you need Word for essays, Excel for data assignments, and PowerPoint for presentations. But paying full retail price ($249) is out of the question for most students.
Here's a complete guide to getting genuine Microsoft Office as cheaply as possible in 2025.
The cheapest way to get genuine Microsoft Office is to buy a license key from a reputable reseller. At HelperGadget, you can get:
Keys are delivered instantly to your email and activate directly with Microsoft's servers.
Genuine lifetime license with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and more. Instant email delivery.
Get Office 2021 Now →If your school or university has a Microsoft Education agreement, you may be eligible for free Microsoft 365. Check with your IT department or visit microsoft.com/en-us/education to see if your institution qualifies.
Downsides: Access is tied to your student email and expires when you graduate.
Microsoft offers a discounted Microsoft 365 Personal plan for verified students at around $69.99/year. This is cheaper than the full price but still much more expensive than buying from HelperGadget.
LibreOffice is a free, open-source alternative to Microsoft Office. It handles most Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files well. The main downside is compatibility issues with complex Microsoft Office documents.
For most students, Office 2021 Pro Plus at $14.99 from HelperGadget is the clear winner. You get the full, genuine Microsoft Office suite on your laptop forever, with no recurring fees. At under $15, it costs less than a textbook chapter.