One of the most common mistakes IT procurement managers make is defaulting to “Professional Plus” for everyone.
“We want the best version, just to be safe,” they say.
This safety net costs money. A lot of money. The price difference between Office LTSC Standard 2024 and Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024 is significant (often ~30-40% higher per license). If you are buying for 500 users, that mistake could cost your budget $50,000+.
This guide cuts through the marketing fluff to tell you exactly what you are paying for, so you can buy the right mix.
The Short Answer
- Buy Standard 2024 if: Your users just need Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote. (This covers 90% of knowledge workers).
- Buy Professional Plus 2024 if: You specifically need Microsoft Access (databases) or are still using on-premise Skype for Business servers.
Detailed Comparison Table
| Feature | Office LTSC Standard 2024 | Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Word, Excel, PowerPoint | \u2705 Yes | \u2705 Yes |
| Outlook, OneNote | \u2705 Yes | \u2705 Yes |
| Microsoft Publisher | \u274C No (Retired) | \u274C No (Retired) |
| Microsoft Access | \u274C No | \u2705 YES |
| Skype for Business | \u274C No | \u2705 YES |
| Group Policy Support | \u2705 Yes | \u2705 Yes |
| Terminal Services (RDS) | \u2705 Yes | \u2705 Yes |
| Volume Activation | KMS / MAK | KMS / MAK |
The “Hidden” Differences
Beyond the app list, there are subtle technical differences that often catch admins off guard.
1. The “Inquire” Plugin for Excel
This is the hidden gem of Pro Plus. The Inquire add-in allows you to compare two workbooks cell-by-cell and audit workbook relationships.
* Scenario: Developing mission-critical financial models.
* Verdict: If you have Auditors or CFOs who need to diff heavy spreadsheets, they need Pro Plus. Standard does not include Spreadsheet Compare.
2. Legal Discovery & Archiving
While both versions support basic archiving, Pro Plus often integrates deeper with advanced Exchange Server retention policies (In-Place Archive triggers). If you are in a highly litigious industry, check your Exchange requirements.
3. Remote Desktop Services (RDS) / VDI
Critically Important: Both versions support installation on a Terminal Server (RDS) or VDI usage.
In older versions (2010/2013), this was sometimes restricted. In 2024, if you license the connecting device properly, you can run Standard or Pro Plus on your Citrix farm.
Optimizing Your Spend: The “Split-SKU” Strategy
You do not need to buy one type for everyone.
The “80/20” Rule Plan:
1. General Staff (80%): Deploy Office LTSC Standard 2024.
* Who: HR, Marketing, Sales, Frontline.
* Why: They will never open Microsoft Access. They use Teams, not Skype.
2. Power Users (20%): Deploy Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024.
* Who: Finance (for Excel Inquire), Developers (for Access), Legacy Ops (for Skype).
Installation Management
“But won’t managing two images be hard?”
No. You use the same Office Deployment Tool (ODT).
- Config 1 (
Standard.xml):<Product ID="Standard2024Volume"> - Config 2 (
ProPlus.xml):<Product ID="ProPlus2024Volume">
Just target the right XML to the right Active Directory group. The savings will pay for your time 100x over.