While most of us have been caught up in the launch of Office 2013 and the new Office 365 subscription packages, Microsoft has sneakily increased the price of Office 2011 for Mac without introducing any new features at all. Office for Mac Home & Student used to cost $120, but Microsoft has recently increased the price to $139 (a 17% increase) to bring the suite in-line with the equivalent Office for Windows package (2013 Home & Student), which costs the same.
Home & Student isn"t the only SKU affected, as Home & Business for Mac also sees a rise from $200 to $219 (a 10% increase), again bringing the price to the same level as the equivalent Windows package. At one point Microsoft also offered multi-license editions of Office for Mac, such as a three-license Home & Student bundle costing $150, however these have disappeared in favor of Office 365 with a $99 yearly subscription for five licenses.
It"s not quite clear when Microsoft quietly raised the price for Mac Office purchasers - it could be either September last year when prices were announced, or late January when Office 365 Home Premium launched - but it definitely seems like Mac users are getting the raw end of the stick here. The good news is that you can still get Office 2011 for the old pricing through some retailers, such as Amazon, but don"t expect it to last.
Source: Computerworld