Windows 11 Pro vs Home: Which Key Should You Buy?

Choosing between Windows 11 Pro and Home? The price difference is just a few bucks when buying from discount key sellers, so the real question is: do you actually need Pro features?

What's the Same

Both editions share the same core experience:

• Same interface, Start menu, and Snap Layouts
• Same Windows Security and Defender
• Same Microsoft Store and app support
• Same performance and gaming capabilities

For most people, the day-to-day experience is identical.

What Pro Adds

Windows 11 Pro includes everything in Home, plus:

BitLocker Encryption

Full disk encryption to protect your data. Essential if you travel with a laptop or handle sensitive files.

Remote Desktop (Host)

Connect to your PC from anywhere. Home edition can connect to other PCs, but can't be connected to.

Hyper-V

Run virtual machines natively. Useful for developers, IT pros, or anyone who wants to test software safely.

Group Policy & Business Features

Domain join, assigned access, and enterprise-grade management tools.

Which Should You Buy?

Get Home if you:

• Use your PC for browsing, streaming, and general tasks
• Don't need remote access or encryption
• Want the cheapest option

Get Pro if you:

• Work from home and need Remote Desktop
• Handle sensitive data (BitLocker is a must)
• Do development work (Hyper-V is incredibly useful)
• Want to future-proof your setup

Price Comparison

The price gap between Pro and Home is surprisingly small at discount sellers — often just $3-5 more for Pro. At that price, Pro is almost always the better value.

• Windows 11 Home Key — from around $21
• Windows 11 Pro Key — from around $25
• Windows 10 Pro Key — from around $16 (with free upgrade path to 11)

Our recommendation? Go with Pro. The extra $4 gets you BitLocker, Remote Desktop, and Hyper-V — features that have real value.