Either form of Office is great, but each one has some unique advantages.
Office 2016 and Office 2019 are each sold as a one-time purchase, which means you pay a single, up-front cost. However, there are no feature upgrades, only security patches, which means you’ll eventually have to buy a newer version at some point and at full price.
In addition, you can only install this stand-alone version on one machine. And it also offers few collaborative tools. In the long run, though, this is usually the cheaper option.
Microsoft 365 is a subscription that includes up-to-date features, extra online storage and cloud-connection features that let you collaborate on files in real-time. You also get all the latest features, fixes and security updates, along with ongoing tech support at no extra cost. You can choose to pay for your subscription on a monthly or yearly basis.
One disadvantage is that you would still need to create your own backups, as Microsoft do not guarantee data protection. For one thing, rollbacks are very limited. And accidental/malicious deletions often cannot be undone if committed by a member with elevated privileges.
Also bear in mind the regulatory compliance you need to comply with. If you are required to store data for long periods of time (e.g. 2+ years), then you would definitely need additional archiving in place, as Microsoft does not supply that. Over time, 365 costs more, but many people prefer this due to the additional features.
Comparing Office to Office 365
The comparison chart below shows Office (either 2016 or 2019) vs 365, in contrast. But please bear in mind that the Office supplied by Venom IT is part of the hosted desktop service, which gives you certain advantages over one-time Office purchases. For example, we offer indefinite archiving of all your emails and documents, full system rollback in case of disaster and full UK telephone support for the duration of your contract. Also, you don’t get these options with either Office standalone or 365.