While Microsoft Phrase boasts a loyal following, delve deeper and you’ll likely find an equal number of detractors. Microsoft Word’s reputation for delivering feature-rich functionality can sometimes lead to a convoluted interface with familiar menu items alongside obscure, rarely utilized options?
While Microsoft’s premium offerings are certainly comprehensive, the cost can be steep – take Microsoft 365 Enterprise Premium, which charges users $22 or £18.10 per month.
For those who don’t need all the features Microsoft Word offers, justifying the cost becomes challenging, especially in a small business context where a simple word processor is sufficient. Don’t waste money on tools you won’t utilize; instead, explore one of these six free Microsoft Word alternatives:
Options to Microsoft Phrase comparability
This table provides a fundamental summary of the features of each Microsoft Word version.
| Google Docs | Apache OpenOffice Author | Zoho Author | LibreOffice Author | WPS Workplace Author | Microsoft Workplace Phrase On-line | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platform | Internet-based | Home windows, macOS, Linux | Internet-based | Linux, Unix-like operating systems including FreeBSD and macOS, and Windows | Home windows, macOS, Linux | Internet-based |
| Collaboration | Glorious | No | Glorious | No | Restricted | Glorious |
| Offline entry | Restricted | Sure | Restricted | Sure | Sure | Restricted |
| Doc templates | Sure | Sure | Sure | Sure | Sure | Sure |
| Superior formatting | Restricted | Sure | Sure | Sure | Sure | Sure |
| Cloud storage integration | Google Drive | Numerous | Zoho WorkDrive | Sure | Numerous | OneDrive |
Google Docs: A Game-Changer for Seamless Sharing and Real-Time Collaboration
Google Docs, distinct from its Microsoft Word counterpart, is freely accessible to anyone possessing a Google account.
Microsoft Word’s core features can be easily accessed without looking further than Google Docs, which meets all your fundamental word-processing needs and seamlessly integrates with Google Drive and other products. Since everything is securely stored in Google’s cloud, you no longer have to worry about losing your work. Documents are automatically saved with every individual key press, ensuring that in the event of a system failure, users can seamlessly pick up where they left off, even at the exact point of their typing. Google Docs also seamlessly supports importing and editing files from Microsoft Word’s popular .doc and .docx formats, eliminating compatibility concerns.
One of its greatest features for business clients is real-time collaboration capabilities. When collaborating on a Google Doc, if you share it with just one other user, both of you can simultaneously work on the document together, observing each other’s cursor movements and seeing exactly what the other person is typing, while also engaging in real-time discussions. This collaborative tool truly excels among word processing applications.
While superior Phrase users may find the features lacking, this minimalist word processor remains a viable option nonetheless. What’s more, many of Google Drive’s innovative AI-driven features, including the introduction of, are exclusively available to subscribers holding Google One AI Premium accounts or utilizing the Gemini add-on for Google Workspace.
Standout options
- Actual-time collaboration functionality.
- Pageless view.
- Dropdowns.
- Desk templates.
- Watermarks.
- Doc abstract.
- Google Meet integration.
- Quick Action Panel: A convenient menu shortcut that enables you to assign tags, add components, and perform various tasks with ease?
- Commenting, notes, and ideas.
- Assembly notes.
- Electronic mail draft.
- Checklists.
- Customizable templates.
- In-doc chat functionality.
- Desk of contents sidebar.
- Discover and change functionality.
| Execs | Cons |
| Effortlessly intuitive, with a straightforward approach to learning and application. | Restricted offline functionality. |
| Simple sharing and collaboration. | Several customers have expressed concerns that the software lacks advanced formatting and editing features. |
| Simple observe adjustments. | Collaboration issues often arise when multiple users simultaneously access the same document, leading to system crashes. |
Apache OpenOffice: A Top Choice for Complex Document Creation
For those who abhor Microsoft Word’s innovative ribbon interface, a nostalgic escape awaits in the form of Apache’s OpenOffice Writer, a faithful 2003 throwback that eschews modernity for familiar comfort. The app’s traditional interface, while potentially appearing cluttered, faithfully replicates the classic menu layout abandoned by Microsoft with the release of Office 2007. The interface will likely feel familiar to users of Office 2003, offering the advantage of ongoing support, including security updates and patches, courtesy of an active community dedicated to maintaining this business-grade software suite.
While OpenOffice Author maintains its own proprietary document format, it also accommodates Microsoft’s .doc and .docx file types with impressive results, preserving formatting integrity upon import. Many advanced features of Microsoft Word are also available in OpenOffice Writer, making it easy to modify complex documents without any issues.
If online collaboration and seamless cloud integration are crucial features for you, then OpenOffice Writer might not be the best choice, given its lack of such capabilities. You can store files in a cloud drive and access them using OpenOffice, but you’ll need to install the desktop client of Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive as a means to open your cloud storage like a local computer folder.
Standout options
- Desk of contents and references.
- AutoCorrect dictionary.
- AutoComplete functionality.
- Multi-page show.
- HTML, PDF, and MediaWiki codecs.
- Over 900 templates.
| Helps .docx and .doc. | It doesn’t have cellular apps. |
| Acquainted, Microsoft-like interface. | The consumer interface isn’t intuitive. |
Zoho Author: Greatest for automation
Zoho Author is a complimentary document creation tool boasting a user-friendly writing interface and robust in-built features. With no distractions to impede your workflow, you can focus on crafting essential documents while keeping valuable text tools conveniently within reach. Unlike the rest, many native Author options take advantage of diverse Zoho app features, setting them apart from the others.
Utilize the integrated AI tool, Zia, to generate premium-quality content, expedite grammatical refinements, and gain insight into the document’s readability for diverse target audiences. The tool would likely also investigate for plagiarized and duplicated content. AI instruments being occasionally offered as a paid add-on underscores the value of Zia’s freeness, making it an attractive bonus.
The DocuSign instrument enables seamless integration of electronic signature capabilities directly within documents, streamlining processes for teams by facilitating progression from draft to approval to signature within a single, centralized environment. Doc Fillable instruments enable seamless integration of customizable forms into your documents, elevating their professional appearance and making it simple to embed them anywhere needed.
To stay ahead of the game, Zoho Authors boasts a real-time collaboration feature with granular control over feedback, ideas, text masking capabilities that safeguard sensitive information from collaborators, and content locks for secure block-level protection. Zoho Author enables seamless collaboration within organizations, facilitates streamlined approvals, and fosters creative endeavors among group members.
Standout options
- WordPress integration.
- Zia AI.
- Feedback and notes.
- Lock or masks delicate data.
- Published
- Phrase doc import.
- Export to .docx and .pdf.
- Doc automation.
- Doc fillable.
- Enhanced image discovery through seamless integrations with Unsplash and Pexels extensions for effortless embedding of royalty-free photographs.
- The desktop application empowers users to craft and modify indigenous documents with ease.
| Actual-time collaboration. | While customers report that the editor becomes more proficient over time when handling extensive documentation. |
| Offline modifying functionality. | The Zoho Author spell checker could potentially be enhanced. |
LibreOffice Author: Greatest for personalisation
The Doc Basis’s LibreOffice Author, similar to OpenOffice, is an extremely versatile and open-source software program that offers phrase processing capabilities, supports .doc and .docx file formats, and encompasses all the tools a typical Microsoft Phrase user would require in a phrase processor. LibreOffice Author and OpenOffice Author share several similarities: they share an identical user interface, utilize the same file formats, lack seamless cloud integration and real-time collaborative features, and provide fundamental paragraph processing capabilities. The quest for an alternative to Microsoft Word is a personal decision, and ultimately depends on individual preferences.
LibreOffice’s unique strength lies in its thriving community-driven ecosystem, which is seamlessly integrated into the application itself. Collaborative efforts between customers, builders, and developers have become the core emphasis of LibreOffice’s online presence, further solidifying its commitment.
Standout options
- Desktop publishing.
- Built-in calculation perform.
- Drawing instruments.
- Spellchecker, thesaurus, AutoCorrect, and hyphenation.
- Drag-and-drop supported.
| Execs | Cons |
| Operates seamlessly with Microsoft Workplace files. | Several customers have noted that the instrument typically exhibits a gradual quality. |
| Available for installation on Windows, Linux, and macOS platforms. | Restricted documentation. |
What’s the best way to boost collaboration? WPS Workplace Author offers top-notch features that take your teamwork to new heights.
Discover the power of WPS Workplace Author, a phrase processor rivaling Phrase in features yet doesn’t require a premium price tag. This comprehensive utility suite exudes a sense of luxury and refinement.
WPS Workplace Author presents comparable capabilities to Microsoft Phrase, bolstered by native cloud support that simplifies online storage of documents. One evaluation of WPS Workplace Author reveals striking similarities with Microsoft Word, with numerous reviewers acknowledging its strong resemblance to the iconic software. While its comprehensive feature set surpasses that of free suites like OpenOffice, LibreOffice stands out as a top contender – especially given its zero-cost pricing.
In the era of freemium apps, where top-quality offerings often come with an unexpected cost, there’s usually a hidden caveat waiting to pounce – namely, advertisements. Despite the initial skepticism, do not let it deter you from giving WPS Author a try – there’s a chance you won’t encounter any advertisements. The user interface remains uncluttered, with no persistent banners throughout; advertisements appear only when specific actions are taken, such as printing or exporting to PDF. To access specific features, you’ll need to watch a brief 10-second advertisement, granting you access to the functionality for a 30-minute period. If you’re satisfied with the features and functionality of WPS Author, consider upgrading to a paid plan for enhanced capabilities and priority support. Options include an annual subscription at $29.99 or £33.49, or a three-month package for $9.99 or £16.49.
Key options
- Supports compatibility with 47 prevalent document formats, alongside PDF.
- File format conversion.
- PDF to Phrase conversion.
- Doc to image export.
- Image to textual content conversion.
- Skins and design customization.
- Supports translation in 13 languages on desktop computers and 46 languages on mobile devices.
| Execs | Cons |
| Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS devices. | The free model accommodates adverts. |
| 20GB of cloud storage. | While some users find our app’s pace of development to be somewhat slow. |
Microsoft Workplace Online: Ideal for users who prefer Microsoft Word’s intuitive interface and seamless collaboration capabilities.
Microsoft offers a complimentary alternative to Phrase’s paid model in the form of Office Online’s collaborative workspace. Microsoft Phrase Online is a streamlined, cloud-based version of Phrase (), offering a simplified way to create and edit documents. While a free version of Phrase offers some advantages over its online counterpart, it still lacks many premium features typically found in locally-installed models, including advanced tools like tips and rulers, bibliographies, and autosave capabilities – albeit this is the closest you’ll get to a full-fledged version for customers seeking a no-cost option.
Despite bearing striking similarities to Google Docs, Phrase Online’s design extends to its interface, with subtle differences that can be refined further to evoke a sense reminiscent of Microsoft’s ribbon layout over the traditional dropdown menus employed by Google Docs. Documents crafted within Phrase Online are securely stored in Microsoft OneDrive, offering seamless integration with cloud-based storage solutions. Additionally, the platform features robust real-time collaboration capabilities akin to those found in Google Docs. A significant advantage of Phrase Online is its formatting capabilities: when creating a document and then importing it into a local version of Microsoft Word, it retains the formatting far better than a Google Docs file does.
Key options
- Actual-time collaboration.
- These file types are commonly associated with Microsoft Office applications: .docm (Word), .docx (Word), .pptm (PowerPoint), .pptx (PowerPoint), .xlsm (Excel). xlsx assist.
- 5GB of cloud storage.
- Templates, fonts, icons and stickers.
- Spelling and grammar.
| Execs | Cons |
| Auto-save perform. | Limited choices compared to the offline version. |
| Dictation and voice command functionality. | It might comprise adverts. |
When seeking out cost-effective alternatives to Microsoft Word, consider software that offers a range of features and tools to suit your writing needs.
When selecting suitable free alternatives to Microsoft Word, several crucial factors come into play.
- Determine personal requirements to specify desired features in word processing tools? This innovative solution seamlessly integrates document formatting options, facilitating seamless collaboration, ensuring cross-platform compatibility with diverse file formats, and providing easily accessible templates for streamlined workflows.
- Which options for collaborative document editing best align with industry standards: Google Docs, LibreOffice Author, Apache OpenOffice Author, Zoho Author, or WPS Office Author?
- Gather insights from consumer reviews, thoroughly assess available alternatives, and scrutinize the software’s features to determine its compatibility with your specific requirements.
- Considering components such as seamless compatibility with Microsoft Word formats, effortless integration with cloud storage services, and reliable ongoing support and update features?
By evaluating these standards, you’ll also make an informed decision and choose the option that best aligns with your needs.
Evaluate methodology
We evaluated each Microsoft Phrase option based on five essential criteria: compatibility with Microsoft Phrase format, support for offline access, template availability, and ability to meet specific needs. All instruments within our reference set meet these precise criteria. We assessed each software’s ability to meet customer demands by evaluating its performance, usability, formatting options, and other pertinent features. This criterion assists in evaluating the overall fitness of the instrument for diverse types of customers and their unique requirements.
