Utter Confusion

They are related, but not the same thing.

• Microsoft 365 is the subscription/service.
• Word is one of the apps included in that ecosystem.

On an iPad, the free Office apps let basic tasks like viewing, creating, and editing files. A Microsoft 365 subscription is needed in these cases:

1. The mobile device is larger than 10.1".
2. Files are being created, edited, or saved to business storage services such as OneDrive for Business, Dropbox for Business, Google Drive, or Box.
3. The goal is to unlock the full Office experience and extra features.

For Word specifically, a subscription unlocks features such as:

• inserting page and section breaks
• enabling columns in page layout
• customizing headers and footers for different pages
• changing page orientation
• tracking and reviewing changes
• highlighting table cells with color shading

If the account shows a Free badge at Microsoft365.com, only the free web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are available. If it shows Subscribed, the account already has a Microsoft 365 subscription and can use subscription benefits.

So if usage is basically only Word on iPad:

• Word is the app being used.
• Microsoft 365 is what pays for the broader subscription benefits and any premium Word features on that device.

• When do I need a Microsoft 365 subscription?
• What's the difference between a Microsoft 365 subscription and free web apps
• What's the difference between a paid Microsoft 365 subscription and the free web apps?