Alternative word for professional

Microsoft Office Word is undoubtedly the most widely-used text editor. It allows you to create documents easily. So finding Microsoft Word alternatives can feel like a short list of options.

Why would anyone want to choose something else?

Well, this dominant word processor does have its drawbacks. There’s no free version, and it only works on a limited number of operating systems. Also, many think it’s a bit too complicated and unusable for today’s needs. 

Although MS Word has fans, some people prefer to use a different program with similar capabilities. We’ve got you covered if you’re looking for text editors that work across various operating systems and don’t want to pay for Microsoft Word premium features you don’t use.

Here’s our review of the 10 best free Microsoft Word alternatives, features, pricing, and ratings for all!

What is Microsoft Word? 

Microsoft Word, or MS Word, is a document processor published by Microsoft and is one of the productivity apps included in the Microsoft Office suite. First released in 1983, the program is the brainchild of Richard Brodie and Charles Simonyi. It is available for MS Windows, Android, Apple iOS, and Apple macOS and is compatible with the Linux OS using WINE. Notable Microsoft Word features include: 

• Allows users to create professional-quality documents
• Allows font and text formatting
• HTML and image support
• Advanced page layout
• Grammar check

If you’re fed up with the unnecessary features you pay for with an MS Office subscription, there are several word processors you can use instead. These document editors can get downloaded for free and are excellent for those who only need a word processor and not the other features from Microsoft Office. 

Microsoft Word benefits vs. limitations

Undoubtedly, the most notable MS Word benefit is its ability to help you produce documents in different formats. It’s also easy to work with and can integrate your documents with other media within the Microsoft Office suite, including worksheets, presentations, flowcharts, and graphs. Its ability to track edits and changes in your documents ensures easy collaboration when working in a team.

Nonetheless, Microsoft Word can get expensive because users often purchase additional tools they’ll never need or use. Furthermore, the program may not always be intuitive. For example, you may encounter downtimes when incorporating pictures into your documents or aligning text around the images. 

10 best Microsoft Word alternatives

1. ClickUp Docs

If you’re looking for a free but feature-rich MS Word alternative, the Docs feature in ClickUp is just what you need. The document editor helps you create eye-catching and functional documents, wikis, and more in one user-friendly platform.

You can add tables, embed bookmarks, and more while formatting your documents. ClickUp is more than merely a text editor. It’s a hub where teams come together to plan, organize, and collaborate on work using tasks, Docs, Chat, Goals, Whiteboards, and more. Tag team members through comments, assign action items, and convert plain text into tasks.

Users working on one project can conveniently add widgets to change product statuses, assign tasks, update workflows, and more within one editor. It’s easy to keep your work organized because ClickUp categorizes your documents for quick access and searchability. Critical resources can also get managed and added to any section of your Workspace. 

🔑 ClickUp Docs key features

• Create Docs with rich formatting options
• Create relationships to link Docs and tasks
• Easily assign tasks and update workflows
• Compatible with various file formats

✅ ClickUp Docs pros

• Unmatched customization capabilities
• Top-notch team collaboration
• Categorizes your work
• Real-time reporting

❌ ClickUp Docs cons

• Not all ClickUp views are available on the mobile app (yet!)

💸 ClickUp Docs pricing

• ClickUp offers a Free Forever Plan and paid plans starting at $5/user per month

💬 ClickUp Docs customer ratings

• G2: 4.7/5 (3,880+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.7/5 (2,480+ reviews)

2. Google Docs

Arguably, Google Docs is a powerful word processor and among the better-known alternatives to Microsoft Word. It mirrors Microsoft Word in terms of functionality. It allows users to create files and share them in various formats. The functionality of Google Docs can get extended using different add-ons. Although Google Docs is a web-based text editor, it allows you to work on documents offline. 

You can continue to edit your documents even without an internet connection. Since it’s a file-sharing service, Google Docs is excellent for real-time collaboration. It provides G Suite integration and is compatible with multiple file formats, including PDF. 

🔑 Google Docs key features

• Add-ons such as MLA, DocuSign, and LucidChart
• Offers real-time collaboration
• Works like MS Word

✅ Google Docs pros

• Speech recognition and ability to translate files from various foreign languages
• Saves work automatically
• Allows offline editing

❌ Google Docs cons

• Formatting issues may arise when importing content from formats such as PDF or RTF
• It has a restricted selection of templates

💸 Google Docs pricing

• Google Docs is a free text editor, but pricing plans in the Google Workspace suite start at $6 per user per month

💬 Google Docs customer ratings

• Capterra: 4.7/5 (25,928+ reviews)
• G2: 4.6/5 ‎(39,800+ reviews)

3. LibreOffice Writer

Dubbed the all-inclusive word processor for all types of text-based work, LibreOffice Writer is among the most impressive alternatives to Microsoft Word. It’s compatible with Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems. LibreOffice Writer is considered a feature-packed analog version of MS Word and comes with all the tools you need for text-based work.

The text editor is available in two versions, and both feature templates and wizards for creating all document types. It also supports different file formats and allows you to export documents to PDF without additional software. So if you’re looking for a text editor that stands in for Microsoft Word, you won’t go wrong with LibreOffice. 

🔑 LibreOffice Writer key features

• Excellent format compatibility
• Available in two versions to suit your needs
• Downloadable without providing your information

✅ LibreOffice Writer pros

• Document template galleries
• No ads and paywalls
• Supports multiple plugins

❌ LibreOffice Writer cons

• Technical support isn’t provided
• Slow and takes a lot of memory because it’s a Java program

💸 LibreOffice Writer pricing

• The Collabora version is free for up to 20 users but can get upgraded to a paid plan for up to 99 users at $18 per user yearly
• The CIB version costs $14.99 per user yearly and can get installed on up to 10 devices

💬 LibreOffice Writer customer ratings

• G2: 4.1/5 ‎(59 reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/5 (1,370+ reviews)

4. WPS Office Free Writer

Anyone who has used the newer versions of Microsoft Word but didn’t like the complexity should consider switching to WPS Office Writer. The free text editor looks and works almost like Microsoft Word and even features its equivalent of OneDrive, which offers 1GB of free cloud storage. 

WPS Office Free Writer comes with templates to help you create multiple document tasks. It’s compatible with most text file formats, including current MS Word versions. Discrete ads support the free version of WPS Office Writer, but you can remove them by choosing the premium versions. This is an impressive word processor and one of the best alternatives to Microsoft Word. 

🔑 WPS Office Free Writer key features

• The WPS PDF to Word converter allows you to work on multiple document formats
• The free version provides basic editing tools needed to work on your documents
• Cloud storage offers a secure space for your documents
• Designed to mirror Microsoft Word

✅ WPS Office Free Writer pros

• Provides impressive file format support
• The nested interface mimics Microsoft Word
• Free cloud storage

❌ WPS Office Free Writer cons

• May contain pop-up ads

💸 WPS Office Free Writer pricing 

• WPS Office Premium subscription costs $3.99 monthly, $18.99 for six months, and $29.99 annually

💬 WPS Office Free Writer customer ratings

• G2: 4.4/5 (‎232 reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/5 (841 reviews)

5. FocusWriter

This MS Word alternative is touted as the ideal text editor for fast drafts, thanks to the relative ease of formatting docs. It’s compatible with Linux, macOS, and Windows OS. It’s excellent for those who want to type out a page or two without worrying about formatting. 

FocusWriter features a suite of clever tools designed to optimize productivity. As the name suggests, the text editor blocks out all distractions so that you focus on your drafts. When you open the text editor, a blank page is all you’ll see. 

🔑 FocusWriter key features

• Features alerts that get triggered at specified times
• Designed to minimize distractions as you work

✅ FocusWriter pros

• The timers and alarms come in handy when working against time
• The fading features allow you to focus on your work
• Your work gets saved automatically

❌ FocusWriter cons

• Excellent for productivity but not ideal for editing documents

💸 FocusWriter pricing

• Free for life

💬 FocusWriter customer ratings

• Capterra: 4.6/5 (68 reviews)
• G2: 4.6/5 (12 reviews)

6. Zoho Docs

Few text editors are better suited for educational and business tasks than Zoho Docs. The web-based software can be used in your favorite browser and comes with a user-friendly UI that can easily get managed via tabbed menus. In addition, Zoho Docs allows users to upload and download documents in DOCX format. It also supports collaboration, enabling you to work in real-time with your colleagues. 

🔑 Zoho Docs key features

• Two-way synchronization, recovery, and file encryption
• Blends with other text editors seamlessly
• Can serve as an email marketing solution
• Provides cloud storage for your docs

✅ Zoho Docs pros

• Document management and visibility
• Saves your docs automatically
• Robust password security

❌ Zoho Docs cons

• The free version has limited space, making it unsuitable for editing large documents

💸 Zoho Docs pricing

• $5 per month per user when you upgrade your subscription

💬 Zoho Docs customer ratings

• G2: 4.4/5 (206 reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/5 (151 reviews)

7. AbiWord

This Microsoft Word alternative has features to help you create documents in multiple formats and collaborate with your team in real-time. With this text editor, you can create documents and tables, embed graphics, and more. It also has an in-built Mail Merge tool that allows you to fill out your email fields automatically. 

🔑 AbiWord key features

• Fitted with multiple plugins and features that make it highly functional
• Compatibility with various platforms and text formats
• Saves your documents automatically
• HTML support

✅ AbiWord pros

• The plugin architecture can be expanded
• Saves your files in DOCX format
• Available in multiple languages

❌ AbiWord cons

• You can’t export PDF files

💸 AbiWord pricing

• Inquire with AbiWord for pricing

💬 AbiWord customer ratings

• G2: 4.1/5 (15 reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/5 (1,378 reviews)

8. FreeOffice TextMaker

This impressive Microsoft Word alternative comes with handy templates for creating everyday documents. FreeOffice TextMaker has all the features to expect from a modern text editor, including advanced formatting options, change-tracking, and the ability to create databases for managing footnotes and bibliographies. 

🔑 FreeOffice TextMaker key features

• Ability to track changes when collaborating on text editing projects
• You can create your templates and save them for future use
• Neat and easy-to-navigate intuitive user interface

✅ FreeOffice TextMaker pros

• Can print multiple pages per worksheet
• It Opens password-secured files
• Can export files to EPUB format

❌ FreeOffice TextMaker cons

• Doesn’t support DOCX files

💸 FreeOffice TextMaker pricing

• Free for life

💬 FreeOffice TextMaker customer ratings

• G2: 4.3/5 (110 reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/5 (235 reviews)

9. Write Monkey

This productivity-focused program comes equipped with quick shortcuts to make word processing easier. It’s only compatible with Windows OS and is designed to optimize your output without worrying about formatting or editing. Although Write Monkey may not be ideal for creating documents such as CVs or letters, it’s excellent for committing ideas to paper or later development. It’s only compatible with TXT files, and therefore, you must convert different formats before working on them. 

🔑 Write Monkey key features

• Productivity-focused
• Only works with TXT format
• Designed to help you commit ideas to memory
• Available as a portable app

✅ Write Monkey pros

• Distraction-free interface optimizes productivity
• Handy keyboard shortcut
• Supports markup

❌ Write Monkey cons

• Not suitable for creating large files

💸 Write Monkey pricing

• Free for life

💬 Write Monkey customer ratings

• G2: 4.4/5 (27 reviews)
• Capterra: 4.9/5 (179 reviews)

10. iWork Pages

If you want an MS Office alternative with multiple templates that allow the creation of various document types such as resumes, books, newsletters, and reports, you’ll love iWork Pages. The convenient text editor allows you to make changes to your documents in one click and provides robust password protection and the ability to work with files in different formats. 

🔑 iWork Pages key features

• Easy to export and import Microsoft docs
• Available as part of the iWork suite
• Navigable, user-friendly intuitive interface

✅ iWork Pages pros

• Offers limitless document creation options on one page
• Advanced features are offered by Apple’s graphic
• Saves your work in multiple formats as you prefer

❌ iWork Pages cons

• Only compatible with iOS and macOS

💸 iWork Pages pricing

• 50GB: $0.99 per month
• 200GB: $2.99 per month
• 2TB: $9.99 per month

💬 iWork Pages customer ratings

• G2: 4.6/5 (13 reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/5 (71 reviews)

Get more done with time-saving Docs in ClickUp

There are many options for Microsoft Word alternatives. Nonetheless, few offer the flexibility and functionality of ClickUp Docs. One thing that stands out about ClickUp is that it’s a collaboration-driven platform focused on helping you to team up in real-time.

Sign up for ClickUp Docs for free today to enjoy unlimited text editing!

While many people believe that they are «locked» into using Microsoft Word for all their document creation needs, it simply isn’t true. Over the past few years, there have been many Microsoft Word and Office alternatives that were released and that have gained traction. Now, there are alternatives to the costly application from Microsoft, many of which are free.

Today we’re going to explore ten alternatives to Microsoft Word that you can quickly and easily start using today. Some will be online and some will be downloadable applications that can be installed on your local computer, but all will enable you to wean yourself off of Microsoft Word and still be productive.

This is because they can all work in conjunction with the applications you already use with MS Word. Take your everyday PDF converter tool, for instance. Working with PDF documents is difficult and you may think it even harder if you swap out an application in your usual software lineup. This simply isn’t true, though. Able2Extract Professional, for instance, lets you work easily with any MS Word alternative there is. Simply convert your PDF to Word and then import or upload your converted results into any one of the Word processors in this list. You won’t miss a single beat!

So if you need a good list of free alternatives to MS Word, look no further. Let’s get started on our tour of ten free alternatives to Microsoft Word.

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Online Microsoft Word Alternatives

Sometimes it’s easier to create and collaborate online in real-time than by editing and managing multiple versions on your local hard drive and sending the files via email. The web-based word processing applications below will not only let you create the documents online but also quickly and easily share them with others.

Dropbox Paper

Dropbox Paper is a free online word processor offered by the online cloud storage provider. To start using it, you will need a Dropbox account. Once logged in, you get full access to the online suite. The minimalist interface is very intuitive and its simplicity allows you to focus on your content. You can also do a number of things that go beyond creating a textual document. You can add rich media, such as audio, video and images. Dropbox Paper also allows you to access apps that let you embed Trello cards, Youtube videos or SlideShare decks. Other collaborative features include document link-sharing, creating and assigning checklist items to members or embedding one of your Dropbox documents. Dropbox Paper, overall, does an excellent job at creating dynamic documents you can share and access online.

Office Online

For Microsoft Word and Office aficionados, the best possible free online alternative for their document editing needs is definitely Word online, which comes as part of the
Office Online suite. Although free MS Word web app is not a full-fledged version of its paid counterpart, it allows you to open, create and edit Word documents online. Also, it offers some additional benefits of online software tools. For example, the ability to access and see updates from co-authors to your docs literally from anywhere in real time with only an Internet connection and the latest 2016 version. You can share and collaborate on documents. An equally alluring feature of Office Online is its cross-platform compatibility. So, if you’re a Chromebook or Linux OS user, MS Word web app is the most elegant way to get access to Microsoft’s document editing features — for free!

Google Docs

Google Docs allows you to create, collaborate and share documents, spreadsheets, presentations, drawings and even forms. Google Docs is packed with features, which can be further extended with various add-ons. While it will automatically save the file online and store it there, you can also have the documents published as a web page, downloaded or emailed as an attachment in Word, ODT, PDF, plain text or RTF formats. You can invite collaborators to work on the document with you or only allow others to view it without the ability to edit. And if you are apprehensive of having to depend on the Internet connection for document processing, don’t worry. You can enable Google Docs offline access and keep editing your documents even when you are disconnected from Internet. All it takes is a free Google account.

Etherpad

Etherpad is an online document editor primarily intended for collaborative editing in, as the site claims, «really real time». It’s an open source, highly customizable tool for online document collaboration with friends, fellow students and classmates, or colleagues at work. One of its advantages, especially appealing to users who are reluctant to use services which require email registration, is that there is no sign up with Etherpad. All you need to do is start a new pad and share the link to it with your collaborators. You can also invite them by email if you prefer. After that, you can start working on the planned writing project together, in real-time, even if you are miles apart.

Zoho

Zoho offers around 20 free online applications including Writer for word processing. You can link your Zoho account to your Google and Yahoo accounts, as well. The Writer’s interface shouldn’t cause anyone problems as it is comfortably familiar. When working online there’s always the risk of losing data due to a lost network connection, accidentally closing your browser or having your browser crash. Luckily Zoho automatically saves your documents for you, as you finish typing. Zoho Writer is well-equipped with features that allow you to work easily online: two-way desktop sync, large file transfer, encryption, file recovery, two-step authentication, in-app chat, and more. You can import and work with MS Word documents, allowing you to insert images, and edit content as needed. Zoho Writer offers all the standard text formatting and document creation features and can export to DOCX, ODF, PDF, Latex, RTF, TXT and even HTML. It can plug into Echosign for digital signatures, publish the document to a blog or make it public for all to see. Zoho Docs is completely free to use.

Downloadable Microsoft Word Alternatives

Some people are reluctant to cut the ties to their local computer and put all their work and business documents online. If you’re one of them and don’t want to rely on an Internet connection, here are several free word processing applications to round out our list. These you can download and install on your local computer. Take advantage of all the desktop features of MS Word without the hefty price tag!

Apache OpenOffice

The Apache OpenOffice package actually includes six programs that all use the same engine making them inherently the same and extremely easy to learn and use. The 6 applications included in the Apache OpenOffice suite are: Writer (word processor), Calc (spreadsheets), Impress (presentations), Draw (diagrams and illustrations) and Base (database manipulation) and Math (mathematical equations). Writer can even natively do some things that Word cannot, like open PDF files without the addition of a plug-in or commercial add-on. As the software is open source it is maintained by a large community meaning help and bug fixes are freely available and quickly created. The downside to Writer is that it can only open DOCX files without the ability to edit and save them. You can install this suite on Windows XP to Windows 10, macOS and Linux.

LibreOffice

LibreOffice is another open source Microsoft Office alternative and a successor of the OpenOffice.org project (in 2010, Oracle/Apache OpenOffice and LibreOffice projects went separate ways). LibreOffice is distributed as a “monolithic software” consisting of seven components: Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, Math, and Charts. LibreOffice Writer is a free and powerful word processor available for Windows, Linux, and Mac. This Microsoft Word alternative can edit and save DOCX file format meaning that if you often collaborate on documents with Microsoft Office users, LibreOffice Writer is your best choice. It offers multi-language support, a spelling and grammar checker, ability to export in PDF and EPUB ebook format, AutoCorrect and AutoComplete features, a lot of extensions and document templates, and more regular updates and major and minor releases than Apache OpenOffice.

Jarte

Jarte is based on Microsoft WordPad Engine, but is still free. There is a paid version of the software that adds on some extra functionality, but the free version is more than adequate and fully compatible with Word and WordPad documents. Features include an ergonomic tabbed interface, small resource requirements, portability, support for touchscreens, and quick loading time. It also has built-in spell checking and can export to HTML and PDF files. Jarte allows you to insert images, tables, hyperlinks and everything else that you have come to expect from Word. Jarte contains no ads, trial periods or crippled features and is funded through user purchases of the Jarte Plus version.

WPS Office

WPS Office is a free document processing suite whose WPS Writer app will serve you well as a Microsoft Word alternative. WPS Office 2016 Free can open and save to a long list of popular file formats native to those applications like docx, doc, and more. You can get the application in languages other than English: French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish and Russian. The suite has the same familiar look and feel of MS Office with one exception—it has a tabbed viewing window, so you can open more than one document at a time. And also worth mentioning is WPS Cloud, the company’s cloud document storage service that offers up to 1GB of free storage that you can use. This is perfect if you’re trying to find a free Word alternative that’s not only scalable for teams, but can also be as collaborative and seamless as its Microsoft counterpart.

SoftMaker FreeOffice

SoftMaker FreeOffice is another great free suite that offers a full featured Microsoft Word alternative. The suite’s TextMaker application allows you to focus on creating documents just as you would in MS Word. This suite offers up essential editing features and even a handful of basic templates for creating and editing documents. Tables, charts, shapes and graphics are available along with standard text formatting options. This application provides you with everything you need. The entire suite is available for Windows, Linux, and Android, so you can keep your document processing tasks going even while away from your desktop.

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Whether you are looking for a free locally installed Microsoft Word alternative or an online one for easier collaboration and online file storage, there are many available. The ten that are covered in this article are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg, but should give you a good starting point. The obvious giants in the arena are Google Docs and Openoffice.org which are probably also the most popular, though Zoho does offer a wider selection of applications. In the end, the one that best suits you will be the one that offers the features you need the most.

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Word processor is one piece of software that is prevalent everywhere—no matter which sector you are in. Almost since a decade, Microsoft has been locking us up with its Word processor, primarily because most of the office programs come pre-loaded on Windows, and they seem to be the logical preference. There are good reasons for opting Microsoft Word over the others, apart from just using it for its industrial standard value. The program supports a wide range of formats and is packed with professional features. However, Microsoft products don’t come cheap. And even if you buy Microsoft Word as a stand-alone program, it costs between $120 and $500, depending on your commitment. That’s a lot of money for a Word processor and that’s exactly why it is important to explore some alternatives to Microsoft Word.

We all need a word processor that supports mainstream formats of documents, integrates with other apps, and most importantly, one that comes with high-quality professional tools. Here in this article, we will explore some of the Word alternatives that fulfill most of these expectations. It’s almost surprising how some of these programs deliver as much as Microsoft Word but cost nothing. The open-source world has opened gates that didn’t exist a few years ago, and at this point of time, the free programs are much comparable to their commercial competitor. Here is the list.

1. LibreOffice Writer

LibreOffice Writer reminds us of Microsoft 2007 when it wasn’t too flashy and smooth looking. Maybe that gives it the stability of a rock. We have personally used the program for more than a year, and it hardly ever crashed. Compare that to the Microsoft Word, which trips to ‘Not Responding’ every time we paste an extra link to it. Its menus and icons are kept simple and intuitive. That means, if you are familiar with the old interface of Word, Libre Office would do the job for you and the switch wouldn’t give you a hangover either.

Furthermore, its tuned down appearance shouldn’t be mistaken for the lack of features. LibreOffice Writer is by far the most feature-packed word processor we have reviewed. The saying goes that if you have a feature on Word, the chances are that it will be there on LibreOffice as well. The copy of features is so extensive that now it has crossed the original and took on its own life. There are many features on LibreOffice that none of the other Word processors has. Apart from the wide support of formats, Writer also seamlessly integrates with the tools from the LibreOffice suite, which makes it easier to import and export the doc elements between programs.

The other thing that impressed us was the active community around LibreOffice, which has created plugins for every possible task you can imagine. This is coupled with hundreds of professional templates that you can download and use for free. So it makes the best alternative and deserves our first spot.

2. Google Docs

Google Docs is not just a word processor–it’s a feature-packed platform where you can create, collaborate and share documents. It’s a complete office solution offered by Google. If you are already on Google’s ecosystem with their Android OS and Google Web Apps, switching to Docs is probably a logical step. However, it’s worth mentioning that Google Docs, at times, struggle with the formatting when you import files of the other programs, especially Microsoft Word. We don’t think the commotion is intentional, for they are competitors. But one possible reason could be because Word uses offline fonts and features, which Docs fail to support for the obvious reasons–it’s a web app.

Apart from a little hassle with the formatting, we found the platform pretty smooth and stable that syncs your documents across devices. Google Docs probably has transformed the way we shared and collaborated on our documents. With this program, multiple people can come together, and work on the same profile at the same time, which was never possible before in the office suits. The program uses different color cursors to differentiate between the online contributors. While thinking of it feels a bit too complicated but Google has nailed its execution. It’s super simple and intuitive. So, if you have a Google account and all your colleagues are on Google Docs too, then it is a clear choice.

Google Docs comes with Google Drive integration. This helps you pick your projects right from where you left them. During our research, we found that Microsoft also has a stripped version of their office product as a web app, which you can refer if you primarily deal with Doc and Docx files. Both the platforms perform reasonably well, as long as you have consistent internet bandwidth. We give it our second spot.

3. WPS Writer

WPS Writer looks rather like LibreOffice in appearance. It has a simple distraction-free interface that will remind you of the ribbon design from the previous versions of Microsoft Office. The switch between these two programs would be a play if you are already familiar with the Microsoft Office 2007. However, there are specifics that separate WPS writer from its competition. Its tab browsing for multiple documents, its cloud backup, its wide support of the file formats and its free mobile apps for iOS and Android makes it a very comfortable platform to carry documents across your devices. Editing, creating and synching of your files happen on the go. Apart from that, the program is also known for its free professional templates. We found that the platform features templates for every genre of work. It’s impressive.

Coming to its negative side, WPS Writer features advertisements. However, these ads don’t disturb your workflow. Since it’s not an open source, the brand supports itself with occasional ads, and as per us, if the ads don’t come between your work and the word processor, it’s fine. Furthermore, if you are repulsive to ads, you can buy its premium version that apart from taking down ads, gives you some good extra features. Like Pdf tools. While testing it, we were impressed by how WPS Writer has designed a platform around Word Processing. It’s worth your time and dime.

4. Apache OpenOffice Writer

As the name signals, Apache OpenOffice Writer is an open-source word processor. The first thing that impressed us was its open standard document format (ODF) as its default for document exchange. The ODF format is supported by every program on the list and it itself has wide support of all the mainstream formats, including Doc and Docx. Of course, you are also allowed to save your documents in any of the supported formats. This allows people to switch between programs and share files without hesitation. We found that Apache OpenOffice has everything that you would expect from a modern word processor. The program is well equipped for creating complex documents filled with diagrams, images, and indexes. To our surprise, the formatting tools on the program feel decent, and everything made on it looked beautiful.

The platform has a fancy name for templates and calls them Wizards, which help you create a standard form of documents and also allow you to merge emails. Apart from that, you are also allowed to create your own templates and save them for future use. We also found that since it is an open source program, you can customize it as per your workflow, and use it between your teammates. When we compared the program to LibreOffice we found that the number of updates and features on Apache is much lower. It receives about two updates per year. However, it’s a strong alternative to Microsoft Word.

5. Dropbox Paper

Dropbox Paper is quite similar to Google Docs, where people are encouraged to create, share and collaborate. It is an online word processor and currently doesn’t have a downloadable app for either Windows or MacOS. The program uses its own Cloud service to back up your work. However, users are allowed to signup from both their Dropbox and Google account. At the moment, this online suite is completely free. Adding to that, we found its minimalist interface intuitive and filled with applaudable features. Its clean interface allows you to focus on your work. Furthermore, you are allowed to add rich media files on your documents like video, audio, and images. It also successfully integrates with many online apps to expand its feature set, like Trello, YouTube and SlideShare.

We have seen collaborative tools on Google Docs, but Dropbox takes the collaboration to the next level. Apart from link sharing, it features checklist items, commenting, and an ability to assign the task to a team member. All this come together to make a powerful tool to create dynamic documents that you can create, share and access from where you are.

Here in this article, we explored our top 5 Microsoft Word alternatives for professionals and users of any kind. These word processors are designed around the professional needs of today’s world, where people can create, share and collaborate. We would recommend you to visit the official website of the program before you select it for your documentation.

Do you agree with our list, or do you think we have missed one of your favorite word processors? Do let us know in the comments. Also, to get instant tech updates, Follow TechNadu’s Facebook page, and Twitter handle.

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