Does it really make a diff. if I buy the homeschool version?

Have you checked to see if you can access it through your library's database?
We can access all of the Rosetta Stone languages from home through the library (along with a lot of other things...like test prep and audiobooks).

I know our library has it. I made a copy of one of them for DH.

Our library system doesn't have it.

To answer your other question, I'd have to answer, "it depends". The teacher tracking software is nice but not a deal-breaker IMO. But what I *do* care about is the student workbook, study guide, and answer book. But then, the students in our family who are doing Rosetta Stone are in 6th grade, 8th grade, and 9th grade. I wanted them to be writing and reading in the language, not just speaking and understanding speech.

Rosetta Stone would be do-able with younger children (my own younger ones like to play with it, using the "guest" setting), and if you only want to do it with youngers, you'd be fine to get the non-homeschool edition. Since there is no tracking software, if it matters to you how they do in each lesson, you'd just need to have your student(s) leave the lesson open on the computer for you to see after the completion of each lesson.