Using Excel on my laptop

Question

Using Excel on my laptop

Mary Ann Sowers 0

How come excel is not included like word is in the microsoft basic account. Is there a teacher price? I use excel as much if not more than word and need to be able to design my own spreadsheets. How much will it cost to: a. purchase the full office for my laptop? or b. Just purchase excel? I really only use these during the ten months of school.

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2 answers

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Answer 1

Dear @Mary Ann Sowers,

Good day! Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum!

Based on your description, I understand that you're using Excel on your laptop and would like to know why Excel is not included in the Microsoft Basic plan like Word. You're also asking whether there is a teacher discount available and what the costs would be to either purchase the full Microsoft Office suite or Excel separately for use during the school year.

To better assist you, could you please confirm the following information:

Are you using a personal Microsoft account or a school-issued account?
Do you currently have a Microsoft 365 Basic subscription, or are you evaluating plans before purchasing?
Which version of Excel are you looking to use: the desktop application on your laptop or the web version?
Is your school participating in Microsoft Education licensing programs?

Your confirmation would be very helpful in ensuring you receive the most suitable support!

If you’re able to share a bit more about your situation, I might be able to suggest some helpful next steps.

Kindly let me know when there are updates or if you need further assistance. Any updates you’re able to share would be really helpful. I appreciate your time and look forward to hearing how things are going!

Thank you for your time and patience.

Julie Huynh 3,080 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-08-28T13:54:01.5966667+00:00

Dear @Mary Ann Sowers,

Good day! I hope everything is going well on your end.

It’s been a little while, so I just wanted to follow up and see how things are progressing with your concern. If you've run into any challenges or if there's anything further that I can help with, please don’t hesitate to let me know. Any updates you’re able to share would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again for your time and attention! I look forward to hearing from you.

Answer 2

Microsoft 365 Basic does not include Word or Excel. See the description of Microsoft 365 Basic here on Microsoft's website. Here is an excerpt from that description:

Screenshot 2026-08-27 112517

Microsoft 365 Personal includes Word, Excel and all the other Microsoft 365 apps. It is described here on Microsoft's website. Here is an excerpt:

Screenshot 2026-08-27 112800

Teachers can be eligible for certain education discounts, but Microsoft 365 subscriptions are excluded from the products that are eligible for the education discount offer. The education discount mainly applies to select Surface devices, PCs, and accessories, not to Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

Standalone Microsoft Excel is described here on Microsoft's website. Here is an excerpt:

Screenshot 2026-08-27 113650

In addition, you should know that Microsoft 365 Online is free for everyone. It includes all the apps, but with a reduced feature set.