How to Get Microsoft Office for Free (or Very Cheap) in 2026

Microsoft Office can cost $150 for a one-time purchase or $100/year for Microsoft 365. But you can use Microsoft Office—or an alternative like Google Docs—for free in your browser. If you need to work offline, you can earn the funds with Earnne and get Microsoft Office for free or very cheap.

Whether you need Word for documents, Excel for spreadsheets, or PowerPoint for presentations, there are multiple paths to access these tools without paying full price. This guide covers free trials, education discounts, browser-based options, and how to earn enough online to buy Office without touching your main income.

Key takeaways: Use the free 1-month trial, Office.com browser version, or Office 365 Education (students). Earn with Earnne to buy Office without spending your own money. Google Docs and LibreOffice are free alternatives.

How to get Microsoft Office for free

There are several ways to access Microsoft Office without spending your own money—either for a limited time, through your institution, or by earning funds online. Each method has pros and cons depending on how long you need Office and whether you require advanced features like macros or Power Query.

1-Month Trial

You can access Microsoft 365 for free with the 1-month trial (Microsoft 365 Family or Personal). You'll need a payment method to start, but you can cancel before the trial ends. This works well if you only need Office for a short project.

Set a calendar reminder to cancel a few days before the trial ends so you're not charged. The trial includes the full desktop apps, OneDrive storage, and Microsoft Defender. If you've used a trial before, try with a different Microsoft account or wait for promotional offers.

Office 365 Education

If you are a student or educator, you may be able to access Office 365 Education with your school or college email. Contact your IT department if you don't have access—Microsoft donates Office 365 to eligible institutions. This version is identical to the paid one, but note: your institution has full access to your data when using Office 365 Education.

Use Office.com

There is a free, official version of Office that you can use through your browser on Office.com. You get free access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more with a Microsoft account. It lacks some features of the paid, downloadable version, but it's enough for casual use.

Earn Office with Earnne

Earnne is a platform that connects you with paid opportunities—surveys, product testing, and games. Sign up (or log in with Google or Facebook), pick tasks to complete, and get paid. You can withdraw via PayPal, bank transfer, or gift cards.

You can earn enough to buy Microsoft Office by completing tasks on Earnne—for example, in-game tasks as a player-tester—and then use that money to buy a cheap copy from a third-party seller.

How to buy Microsoft Office for a lower price

If you want to buy a copy of Microsoft Office, you can often pay less than the full retail price.

Microsoft Workplace Discount Program

You might be able to subscribe to Microsoft 365 with a 30% discount using the Microsoft Workplace Discount Program. This program is offered to veterans, government workers, and employees in companies that have spent over $250,000 in the last 12 months on Microsoft products, or that have activated at least 2,000 licenses.

Third-party sellers

If you're comfortable buying software from a third-party seller, you can often find copies of Office 365 for less than $30. Search "buy Office 365" and you'll find many offers. On most sites, you buy Office 365 and receive a code to redeem at microsoft365.com/setup. This is legal and safe—and it's a great option if you've earned money on Earnne to cover the cost.

Free alternatives to Microsoft Office

Several free alternatives offer similar functionality and work with Office file formats.

Google Docs, Sheets & Slides

Google's suite is just as capable as Microsoft's for many users. With a Google account, you get access to Docs, Sheets, and Slides in your browser, plus 15 GB of cloud storage. This is ideal if you work online. If you need offline access, this may not be enough.

LibreOffice

LibreOffice is a free alternative maintained by a non-profit. Download it for Windows, Mac, or Linux and enjoy similar functionality to Microsoft Office (Writer, Calc, Impress). It gets updates, though less frequently than Office.

MacOS Pages, Numbers & Keynote

If you have a Mac, you can use Apple's Office-like apps for free. Pages, Numbers, and Keynote come pre-installed or can be downloaded from the App Store. They open and save Office formats (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) so you can share files with others easily.

Summary: best options for free Microsoft Office

For most users, the free Office.com browser version or Google Docs is enough. Students and educators should check Office 365 Education first. If you need the full desktop version and don't qualify for discounts, earning with Earnne and buying from a third-party seller is a practical way to get Office cheap. Combine methods—e.g. use the trial for a project, then switch to LibreOffice—to stretch your options further.

Get started on Earnne

Ready to earn money for Microsoft Office? Sign up to Earnne, complete offers that suit you, and cash out to PayPal or gift cards. Check our payment and payout guides for more details.

Explore more ways to get free stuff in our Freebies section—from free gift cards to food and streaming deals.