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November 1, 2022, 9:00 AM PDT
6 free alternatives to Microsoft Word
If you’re tired of paying for Microsoft Office features you don’t use, here are free alternatives to Word you can download and start using today.
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Google Docs
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Apache OpenOffice Writer
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Zoho Writer
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LibreOffice Writer
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WPS Office Writer
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Microsoft Office Word Online
Microsoft Word has its devotees, but find one person who loves it, and you’ll probably find several who don’t. From redesigns that hide familiar menu items to overly complicated and often unused features, there’s a lot to be desired in a simple word processor that Microsoft Word doesn’t deliver due to its complex nature.
Microsoft Word and the rest of Microsoft Office is expensive–for instance, Microsoft 365 Business Premium costs $22 a user per month. There are also some details about the pricing for the home edition of Microsoft Office, including such information as the number of users and cloud storage.
If you don’t need all the features that Microsoft Word offers, it can be hard to justify paying that price, especially in a small business environment where you just need a word processor. Don’t pay for what you aren’t going to use–take a look at one of these six free Microsoft Word alternatives instead.
Google Docs
Google Docs, which is easily the most popular Microsoft Word alternative on this list, is free to everyone with a Google account.
If you want the basic features of Microsoft Word, you don’t need to look any further than Google Docs–it does all your basic word processing needs, and it is tightly integrated with Google Drive and other products. Since everything is saved in Google’s cloud, you don’t need to worry about losing your work–Docs autosaves after every single keystroke, so in the event of a crash you should be able to pick up right where you left off, down to the letter. Google Docs also supports Microsoft Word’s .doc and .docx formats, so you shouldn’t have any problems importing and editing those.
One of its best features for business users is real-time collaboration. If you share a document with another Google user, both of you can be in the document at the same time, see the other user’s cursor position, watch what they’re typing, and chat to each other as well. It’s a great collaboration tool that stands out among word processors.
Advanced users may find the features lacking–it really is a bare-bones word processor.
Apache OpenOffice Writer
If you hate Microsoft Word because of the invention of the ribbon, then Apache’s OpenOffice Writer is the 2003 throwback you want. It has a classic interface that, while it can look a bit cluttered, mimics the menus that Microsoft tossed out when Office 2007 was released. It will definitely feel familiar to Office 2003 users, with the added perk of still receiving updates and security patches, which is important for a business software suite.
OpenOffice Writer has its own document format, but it also supports .doc and .docx files, and it does a great job of maintaining formatting when importing those types of files. Many of the advanced features of Microsoft Word are included in OpenOffice Writer as well, so editing complex Word documents won’t be an issue.
If online collaboration or native cloud support is a selling point, then you may want to pass on OpenOffice Writer because it includes neither. It is possible to store files in a cloud drive and access them using OpenOffice, but you’ll need to have the desktop client of Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive or Apple iCloud installed, so you can open your cloud storage like a local computer folder.
Zoho Writer
Zoho Writer is a free document creation tool with a clean writing interface and powerful built-in capabilities. Writing documents in Writer is largely distraction-free, while important text tools are still within reach.
The native features of Writer, many of which leverage the capabilities of other Zoho apps, really set it apart from the bunch. Use the built-in AI tool, Zia, for better quality content, fast grammar fixes and insight into the document’s readability for different audiences. The Document Sign tool puts e-signature tools right in the doc, so teams can go from draft to approval to signature all in the same space. Document Fillable tools also put forms right in your documents, giving them a professional feel that’s ready for embedding anywhere you need a form.
Not to be outdone by Google Docs or Microsoft Word, Zoho Writer’s real-time collaboration has granular controls including comments, suggestions, text masking to hide some items from collaborators and even content locks for blocks of text. Zoho Writer is built for corporate collaboration, legal approvals and creative teams.
LibreOffice Writer
The Document Foundation’s LibreOffice Writer, like OpenOffice, is a completely free and open-source product that offers word processing, support for .doc and .docx file formats, and all the tools the average Microsoft Word user will need in a word processor. LibreOffice Writer and OpenOffice Writer are similar in a lot of ways: Interface style, file format support, lack of cloud integration and real-time collaboration, and general word processing features. Both are solid choices for those looking for a free alternative to Microsoft Word, and selecting one over the other largely comes down to preference.
One aspect of LibreOffice stands out, and it isn’t what’s in the app–it’s the community-driven nature of the platform. Collaborating with users and developers to improve the product is front and center on LibreOffice’s website, and that focus has grown LibreOffice into a thriving community of users and coders that keep making it better.
WPS Office Writer
If you want a word processor that’s just as feature packed as Word, but you don’t want to pay a premium, check out WPS Office Writer. It is a full-featured application suite that feels premium.
WPS Office Writer does most of the same things as Microsoft Word, and it includes native cloud support to make storing documents online a snap; however, it does lack real-time collaboration. Look at any review of WPS Office Writer, and you’ll find statements that attest how much it’s like Word. With its inclusion of more features than other free suites like OpenOffice, this might be the one to go for–especially considering you don’t have to pay for it.
With anything free and high quality, there’s a catch, and you might be able to guess what it is in our modern age of “freemium” apps: Ads. Don’t let that dissuade you from trying WPS Writer–you might not see an ad. There’s no banner across the top of the app–ads only appear when you want to use select features like printing or exporting to PDF. If you need to do one of those things, you’ll have to sit through a roughly 10-second ad, which unlocks the feature for 30 minutes. If you like what WPS Writer has to offer, you can opt to eliminate ads by paying a yearly subscription fee of $29.99, or you can fork over $119.99 for a lifetime license.
Microsoft Office Word Online
Don’t overlook Microsoft’s free alternative to the paid version of Word: Office Online. Like Google Docs, Microsoft Word Online is a simplified, cloud-based version of Word. It lacks a lot of the advanced features of a locally-installed version of Word, but for users who want a free version of Word, this is as close as you can get.
Similarities between Google Docs and Word Online are present all the way down to the interface, but with a few tweaks to make it feel more like the Microsoft ribbon instead of the drop-down menus Google Docs users are used to. Documents created in Word Online are saved in Microsoft OneDrive, and real-time collaboration features like those in Google Docs are available as well. One big plus in Word Online’s favor is formatting: If you create a document in Word Online and then import it to a local version of Microsoft Word, it’s going to retain the formatting way better than if it’s made in Google Docs.
Check out our other articles that can save you money, with a look at 6 free alternatives to Microsoft Excel and 5 alternatives to Office 365 that you’ve never considered.
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Cloud
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Software
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!
Microsoft’s titan of a word processor is used almost everywhere by almost everyone, but what if you don’t want to spend seven bucks a month? Here are our favorite alternatives to Word. They’re all free, they’re all capable of working with the ubiquitous .docx format, and they all offer some very useful features on top as well.
Microsoft does offer a stripped-down online version of Word free of charge with your OneDrive account, so if you’re committed to Office that should be your first stop. If you’re looking outside the blue box, though, here are five alternatives worth your time:
1. LibreOffice (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux)
If you’re looking for a solid, dependable desktop tool in the mold of Word then LibreOffice is one of your best bets. Its Writer component is a more-than-capable replacement for Microsoft’s program despite a slightly old-fashioned appearance, and it comes with all of the features you’re going to need such as auto-save, change tracking and a commenting. Word users will feel at home right away, particularly if they’re familiar with older versions of the Microsoft product.
The look of the software is fresh and clean, and the quick access toolbars make editing and formatting straightforward. Importing and exporting Word documents works fine—though it’s not perfect all of the time—and there’s also the option to export your documents as PDFs. All of the usual word processor mainstays, from spelling and grammar checks to header and footer support, can be found in LibreOffice.
There are some basic wizards you can play around with to create standard letters, agendas and so on, and the autocomplete feature is something a lot of users will find helpful. More complicated document layouts are handled with aplomb, or at least as well as they’re handled in Word, while the only significant feature you might miss is the format painter functionality that’s built into Microsoft Office.
LibreOffice split from OpenOffice four years ago, with the latter suite of products eventually taken over by the Apache Software Foundation. OpenOffice has got plenty going for it too, and is very similar in look and feel to LibreOffice thanks to their shared history; give OpenOffice Writer a whirl if LibreOffice doesn’t grab you. A lot of the differences between the two packages are minor.
2. Google Drive (Web)
Google Drive/Docs is improving all the time, and Microsoft is feeling the heat, forced into releasing its own free-to-use Web-based suite of products. But Google’s effort feels more intuitive and comfortable on the Web than Microsoft’s app, perhaps as it’s been built from the ground up as an online tool rather than an adaptation of existing software. Now that QuickOffice has been merged with Google Docs, opening and editing Word files is more seamless than ever before, and you shouldn’t run into problems working with contacts who are using Word.
There are all the usual benefits of using a cloud app as well: access to your files from anywhere, no need to save your documents, and the ability to collaborate on work with other people in real-time. It’s more lightweight in terms of features than the desktop edition of Word, so don’t expect to be able to pull off advanced layouts or mail merges using the online app.
That lightweight approach has its advantages though: Drive’s word processor is quick and simple to use, and some of its best features—such as the option to research topics on the Web in a separate sidebar—leave Microsoft’s word processor feeling a bit out of date. For those who’ve grown up on the Web, Google’s software feels much more natural, but power Word users will bump up against limitations.
3. AbiWord (Windows, Linux)
One of the very few word processors you can get hold of without an attached office suite, AbiWord might look like it was last updated in 2004 but it’s got everything you’re going to need from a desktop word processor. It recently added an online component called AbiCollab to make it easier to store documents on the Web and collaborate with other users.
AbiWord’s list of features reads like a checklist for the definitive word processor program: spelling and grammar checking, headers and footers, table and column support, templates, footnotes and so on. All of the standard character and paragraph formatting options are here too so you can get your documents looking the way you want them too.
The application itself is compact and lightweight—worth considering on older, slower systems—and there are a pile of plug-ins available on the Web to enhance the software even further (by adding in auto-translation capabilities, for example). The ability to add annotations is one of the newer features added to the AbiWord code.
If you’re after a capable and free word processor but don’t want the hassle of a bundled office suite then AbiWord is ideal. It’s perhaps not as slick and modern-looking as some of the other options, but it gets the job done with the minimum of fuss.
4. Zoho Docs (Web)
Zoho Docs may not be as well known as Google’s online office suite, but it’s actually far more comprehensive in some areas. As well as the word processor, you get finance, HR, and customer support tools, making it an all-in-one business solution you can run through a browser. Personal users are welcome too, and get 5GB of storage space for free.
The word processor itself has a clear and friendly interface, managed via a Word-style tabbed menu along the top of the screen—it feels more like a desktop program than Drive does. Unfortunately it doesn’t have the extensive pile of Google Web Fonts offered by its competitor, but there’s an adequate selection that will meet most people’s needs.
You can import and export documents saved in the .docx format, while collaborating on documents and reviewing changes is intuitive and painless. If mail merge is an important feature for you then Zoho Docs can handle that too. Images, tables, symbols, shapes, links, YouTube clips and document metadata can all be neatly dropped into your text as required.
The integration with other Google products and its polished mobile apps make Google Drive a convenient choice for online word processing, but Zoho Docs has plenty to offer, particularly if you’re running a small business and want access to a full suite of complementary tools. There’s also a desktop sync tool available to install on Mac or Windows for getting your files into the cloud more easily.
5. Scribus (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux)
Scribus is officially a desktop publishing package but we’re including it here as a free option for those who need a Word replacement for more advanced layouts: think posters, flyers, newsletters and the like. It does a decent job of packing in a lot of features without being too overwhelming, though it might take you some time to adapt from the standard Word workflow.
Once you get into the DTP mindset—as in, you need to create a text box before you start doing any typing—the strengths of Scribus soon become apparent. The application has no problems with tables, oddly shaped selection boxes and flowing text around objects, but you won’t get some of the standard word processor features like the ability to create outlines and a table of contents.
As we’ve said, this is a Word alternative specifically for those looking to get creative with their layouts. You can use it as a standard word processor but you’ll need to launch the Story Editor module to apply most of your formatting and paragraph style effects. If you don’t mind this way of working then Scribus has a lot to offer wordsmiths.
Scribus was first released more than 10 years ago, so there’s a wealth of features and expertise to fall back on. It can punch above its weight in terms of a direct comparison with Adobe InDesign or QuarkXpress too. While text can be imported from Microsoft Word, you can’t export it back in the other direction, so it’s not suitable for situations where you’re sending documents back and forth between people.
These free word processors can be a great alternative to Microsoft Word. Many have very similar characteristics to Word and since they’re free, you’ll be saving hundreds of dollars by using one of them.
All of the free word processors below can create, edit, and print documents. Many of them can open and edit Word documents, automatically check your spelling, use a wide selection of free MS Word templates, create tables and columns, and much more.
Our top picks for a free word processor are the first ones on the list. These have the most features and we suggest checking them out first to see if they’ll fit your word processing needs. You should find that most of them can handle just about everything Microsoft Word can.
Free Word Processors Alternatives to MS Word
If you’re looking for a free word processor that doesn’t require a download, check out this list of free online word processors that you can access from anywhere you have an internet connection.
All of these word processor programs are 100 percent freeware, which means that you won’t ever have to purchase the program, uninstall it after so-many days, donate a small fee, purchase add-ons for basic functionality, etc. The word processor tools below are free to download at no cost.
WPS Office Writer
What We Like
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Features a tabbed interface for better document management.
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Includes 1 GB of cloud storage.
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Free templates built in.
What We Don’t Like
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The whole suite has to be downloaded to use Writer.
Our Review of WPS Office Writer
WPS Office (previously called Kingsoft Office) is a suite that includes a word processor, called Writer, that’s easy to use because of its tabbed interface, clean design, and uncluttered menu.
Spell check is performed automatically as you would expect to be done in a good word processor. You can easily toggle spell check on and off from the menu at the bottom.
Writer supports full-screen mode, dual page layout, and the option to hide the menus, which makes for a perfect distraction-free writing experience. There’s even a viewing mode to protect against eye damage, turning the background of the page into a greenish color.
You can also add custom dictionaries, read/write to popular file types, create a cover page and table of contents, use built-in templates, encrypt documents, and easily view all the pages of a document from a side pane.
Writer is part of the WPS Office software, so you have to download the whole suite to get the Writer portion. It runs on Windows, Linux, Mac, and mobile devices (iOS and Android).
Download WPS Office
FreeOffice from SoftMaker
What We Like
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Several neat features.
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Opens and saves to common file formats.
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Great for making eBooks.
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Automatic spell check is included.
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Free for home and business use.
What We Don’t Like
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Relatively large download size.
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Must download the whole suite of programs even if you’ll just install the word processor.
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Hasn’t updated in a while.
Our Review of SoftMaker FreeOffice
SoftMaker FreeOffice is a suite of office programs, and one of the included tools is a free word processor called TextMaker.
Immediately after opening this word processor for the first time, you’re given the option to choose a classic menu style or use a ribbon menu you might already be familiar with. The choice is yours, and there’s even a touch mode option you can turn on.
Menu options are organized logically, and beyond the normal word processor features are ones for eBook-making, like PDF and EPUB exporting, chapter creation, and footnotes.
This free word processor can also preview documents before opening them, track changes, insert comments, add objects such as Excel charts and PowerPoint slides, and use shapes, among many other things.
TextMaker can open a huge variety of document file types, including ones from Microsoft Word, OpenDocument files types, plain text, WRI, WPD, SXW, PWD, and others. When you’re ready to save, this word processor exports to popular formats like DOCX, DOTX, HTML, and TXT, as well as file formats specific to this program (e.g., TMDX and TMD).
TextMaker has to be downloaded as part of FreeOffice, but during installation, you can choose to install the whole suite or just the free word processor program. It runs on Windows 10, 8, 7, or Windows Server 2008. Mac 10.10 and higher is supported, too, as well as Linux and Android.
Download FreeOffice
OpenOffice Writer
What We Like
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Works with lots of file formats.
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Extensions and templates are supported.
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Checks for spelling errors automatically.
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Includes advanced and basic formatting options.
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There’s a portable option available.
What We Don’t Like
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You have to download the whole program suite even to use just Writer.
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Might take a while to download on slow internet connections.
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The interface and menus are dull and cluttered.
Our Review of OpenOffice Writer
OpenOffice Writer has all the necessary features to make it on any list of good word processors. Plus, there’s a portable option so you can use the program on the go with a flash drive.
Automatic spell check is included, as well as support for a huge variety of popular file types, the ability to add notes to the side of any document, and easy-to-use wizards for creating letters, faxes, and agendas.
A side menu pane lets you quickly switch between editing page properties, styles, and formatting to adding images from the gallery. You can even undock these settings so that you can have more room for writing but still have simple access to important tools.
Similar to WPS Office that tops this list, you must download the whole OpenOffice suite to your computer even if you’re just installing Writer. With the portable option, you have to actually extract the entire office suite even if you just want to use the Writer tool.
Download OpenOffice
WordGraph
What We Like
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Includes unique advanced features.
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Has a spell check.
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You can download it apart from its whole suite.
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Downloads and installs quickly.
What We Don’t Like
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Spell check doesn’t work automatically.
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The interface can be distracting.
WordGraph includes most of the standard features you’d find in any word processor, but it also has some unique tools.
In addition to adding things like graphics, charts, tables, and illustrations to a document, WordGraph can also produce PDFs, create a table of contents and index, and access files stored on cloud storage services like Dropbox.
While a spell check utility is included, it doesn’t work in live mode, which means you must manually run it to check for spelling mistakes.
Unlike some of these other word processors, you can download WordGraph on its own without having to also download the SSuite Office software that it belongs to.
WordGraph works on Windows computers but can be used on a Mac or Linux machine with extra software.
Download WordGraph
AbleWord
What We Like
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Easy to use with a clean and uncluttered UI.
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Lets you find spelling errors in your writing.
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Popular formatting options are supported.
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Can open and save to popular file formats.
What We Don’t Like
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Hasn’t been updated since 2015.
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Spell check isn’t automatic.
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Limited open/save file format options.
Our Review of AbleWord
AbleWord opens documents quickly, has a really simple design, and supports editing and saving to popular file types. It’s very easy to use and looks really nice.
There isn’t much that makes AbleWord stand out among similar software except that it’s not bogged down with unnecessary buttons or confusing features and settings, and you can use it to import PDF text into the document.
Spell check is built-in but you have to run it manually because it doesn’t find errors automatically.
This program hasn’t been updated since 2015, so it probably won’t be updated again any time soon, or ever, but it’s still fully usable today as a free word processor.
You can use AbleWord if you have Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP.
Download AbleWord
AbiWord
What We Like
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Spell check is automatic.
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Supports automatic saving.
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Lets you collaborate with others in real time.
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Works with lots of file types.
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Supports plugins.
What We Don’t Like
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Print preview isn’t as easy to use as it is in similar programs.
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Doesn’t have a modern interface.
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No longer gets updated.
AbiWord is a free word processor with automatic spell check and common formatting options. The menus and settings are organized well and aren’t cluttered or confusing to use.
You can share documents with others and have the changes reflected automatically, making live, real-time collaboration possible.
Common file types work with AbiWord, like ODT, DOCM, DOCX, and RTF.
During setup, you can enable or disable all sorts of extra features, like an equation editor, grammar checker, web dictionary, Google Search and Wikipedia integrator, translators, and file format support for DocBook, OPML, ClarisWorks, and others.
One downside to this program is that the print preview feature isn’t like most programs in that you have to open the preview as an image in a photo viewer, which isn’t supplied with AbiWord.
AbiWord works on Windows, but only through the download link below because it’s no longer available for Windows users from their official website. It also works on Linux but only through Flathub.
Download AbiWord
Jarte
What We Like
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Customize the layout a number of ways.
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Can be set up to auto-save every so often.
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Opens documents in tabs.
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Supports common document formats.
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Small setup file.
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There’s a portable option available.
What We Don’t Like
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Must run spell check manually.
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Could be hard to use.
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No update since 2018.
Jarte is another free word processor that has a tabbed interface to keep all open documents easily accessible on one screen.
Common file types are supported, you can set Jarte to automatically save a document from every minute to every 20 minutes, and you can install several spell check dictionaries during setup.
Jarte can be configured to automatically open the last file you were using upon launching the program, which is a nice option that most of the other software from this list doesn’t allow.
Unfortunately, the spell check feature isn’t automatic, and the program itself is sometimes confusing to grasp.
You can download Jarte for Windows 10 down through Windows XP.
Download Jarte
WriteMonkey
What We Like
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Completely portable (no installation necessary).
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Features a very minimal interface.
What We Don’t Like
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No spell check.
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Large download file.
WriteMonkey is a portable word processor that’s centered around providing an interface with the least number of distractions as possible so that you can focus on writing and nothing else.
Every menu option in WriteMonkey is only shown if you right-click the document. From there, you can do everything from open a new document or project to toggle focus mode, copy all the text, open dev tools, and more.
WriteMonkey is a free word processor for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Download WriteMonkey
RoughDraft
What We Like
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Supports automatic spell check.
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Tabbed browsing helps organize open documents.
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Lets you use shortcut keys.
What We Don’t Like
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Very outdated; no longer gets updated.
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Supports a limited number of file formats.
Another free word processor, this one advertised for creative writers, is RoughDraft. It works with RTF, TXT, and DOC (from Word 2010–97) files, provides automatic spell check, allows shortcut keys for nearly every command, and lets you switch between various writing modes—Normal, Screenplay, Stage/Radio Play, and Prose.
It’s simple to open and edit files from your computer because of the file browser that’s open on the side of the program window. New documents appear in their own tab so that you can keep up to 100 files open in RoughDraft at the same time.
One of the downsides to this word processor is that the last version came out in 2005 and the developer is no longer working on it, so it won’t get new features in the future. Also, while the DOC file format is supported, the file has to have been created in Word 2010 or older.
Download RoughDraft
FocusWriter
What We Like
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Provides multiple ways to create a distraction-free interface.
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Colors and layouts can be customized.
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Goals can be created to stay on task.
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There’s a portable option.
What We Don’t Like
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Can’t open documents with rich text formatting.
FocusWriter is similar to WriteMonkey in that it’s portable and has a minimal interface. The program automatically hides the menus and any buttons from being viewed, and you can run it in full-screen mode so that you don’t see any other program windows.
Basic formatting is allowed in FocusWriter, like bold, strikethrough, and aligning text. You can also edit the foreground and background text, page margins, color, and line spacing to produce custom themes.
You can open and save documents to popular formats like DOCX, ODT, RTF, and TXT. However, documents with rich text formatting might import into FocusWriter in plain text and become completely unusable.
FocusWriter includes an alarm and lets you set goals regarding your typing, like to type a particular number of words or to type for a certain number of minutes per day.
Another advantage this program has over some of the other free word processors in this list is that it gets updated far more often, so you can be sure that new features and/or security updates are released as frequently as they need to be.
FocusWriter runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Download FocusWriter
Judoom
What We Like
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Supports tabbed browsing.
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Makes project tracking easy.
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Works with the two most popular MS Word file formats.
What We Don’t Like
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It’s missing several features common in a Word processor.
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Word counter doesn’t update automatically as you type.
Judoom has a similar look and feel to Microsoft Word, and you can even use some of the same file types, like DOC and DOCX.
It’s easy to keep track of projects because you can add up to two at a time and easily browse through local files and folders from a side menu. Any new documents that are opened are kept in their own tabs to keep everything closely together but organized at the same time.
While it’s easy to use and has a clean look to it, Judoom doesn’t include common features that you’ll normally find in a word processor, like spell check, headers/footers, and page numbers.
You can download Judoom on Windows only.
Download Judoom
AEdit
What We Like
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Protect documents with a password.
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Spell check is included.
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Lets you edit unique document file formats.
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Installs in seconds.
What We Don’t Like
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Doesn’t open DOCX files.
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Saves to just a few basic file formats.
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Spell check isn’t automatic.
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Very outdated.
AEdit has a bit of an outdated interface since the development team abandoned the software and haven’t released an update since 2001, but it still works just fine for a word processor.
AEdit lets you password protect documents and provides a spell check function, though it doesn’t check for errors automatically.
The free AEdit word processor works with files in Microsoft’s popular DOC format but not their newer DOCX format. You can also open 123, BAT, ECO, HTML, RTF, TXT, and XLS files.
However, when you save a document with AEdit, your options are limited to ECO, RTF, TXT, and BAT.
AEdit is for Windows computers.
Download AEdit
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The best free office software makes it simple and easy to use office documents and spreadsheets without needing paid-for Microsoft apps such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
For most users, Microsoft 365 (formerly known as Microsoft Office and Office 365) remains the original and best office suite. Microsoft Word (opens in new tab), Excel (opens in new tab), Publisher (opens in new tab), Access (opens in new tab), PowerPoint (opens in new tab), and Outlook (opens in new tab) still remain key office apps.
However, over the years other companies have released rival office suites to help with productivity (opens in new tab), some of which is paid-for and some of which is free — sometimes with the same company offering both.
All of these alternatives to Microsoft Office (opens in new tab) offer a similar range of software applications, mainly based on creating and editing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations (opens in new tab).
However, while most offer the ability to work with traditional Microsoft Office documents, do be aware that not all will preserve formatting when exporting from or into Microsoft Office, which can be a problem when sending documents between different programs.
Even still, for home users and new businesses, the idea of being able to create, edit, manage, and organize office documents without incurring immediate subscription costs can be very welcome.
Here then are the best free office software apps currently available.
We’ve also featured the best free software for SMB’s.
The best free office software of 2023 in full:
Why you can trust TechRadar
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Slimmed-down versions of office, available to use free online
Reasons to buy
+
Fully compatible with desktop apps
+
Works with OneDrive
Reasons to avoid
—
Lacks some advanced tools
Thought you had to pay to use Microsoft Office? Yes, you do, if you want all the full features. But noting the threat from free rivals, especially Google Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) Microsoft has created its own set of free Microsoft Office online apps.
Microsoft 365 Online looks and works just like its desktop equivalent, and although advanced tools like pivot tables aren’t available, though they aren’t offered by Google either.
If you generally use Microsoft document formats, Office Online is a brilliant choice. Unlike Google’s free office suite, it doesn’t need to convert your files before you can work on them, and you can share them easily through your Microsoft OneDrive account. Just log in using your Microsoft account (the same one you use to log into Windows 10) and you’re ready to go.
There’s a version of Office Online for Chrome, plus mobile editions of Office for iOS and Android.
Read our full Microsoft Office 365 review.
A genuinely exciting alternative to Google Docs
Reasons to buy
+
Well-presented
+
Better than rivals
+
Site creation tool
Reasons to avoid
—
Some tools are too simple
Zoho Workplace is very good in its own right. It’s certainly closer to a desktop office package, and it’s strong enough to have attracted businesses like the BBC and Nike as regular users.
Zoho’s new-look word processor (which ditches the classic Word-style interface in favor of a formatting sidebar) is very well-presented and capable of producing professional-looking docs, and it has a sterling spreadsheet and reasonable presentation package alongside it.
They’re just the tip of the iceberg, however – Zoho Workplace includes a powerful site creation tool, a file management solution and many collaborative tools. Some are on the simplistic side, so they’ll likely not replace anything you might already have in place, but if you’re starting out as a small business Zoho is probably a good jumping-off point.
If you want to signup for the free version of Zoho Workplace you need to search the pricing page for the «Forever free» plan. However, there’s no one-click set up or access, and instead you have to go through a sign up process that begins by providing details of an existing business domain.
Read our full Zoho Workplace review.
A cross-platform office suite that keeps your work in the cloud
Reasons to buy
+
Available for desktop and mobile
+
Includes 1GB cloud storage
Reasons to avoid
—
Bundled extra software
If you own a Samsung phone, you might already be familiar with the mobile version of Polaris Office. This cross-platform free office software is available for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, and comes pre-installed on some Samsung handsets. It’s compatible with all Microsoft document formats, and offers a slick ribbon-based interface with some basic customization options.
Take care if you choose to install Windows version, you’ll see various additional pieces of bundled software, which could potentially include a browser extension from McAfee called WebAdvisor, a market research tool called PremierOpinion, and antivirus software (opens in new tab). You can decline all of these – just keep an eye out.
You’ll then need to sign in with Facebook or Google, or create an account. This is necessary because Polaris Office is a cloud-based service. Your free Polaris account comes with 60MB monthly data transfer, 1GB cloud storage, and can be used across three devices (one desktop and two mobile). If that’s not enough space, you can connect Polaris Office to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, Microsoft OneDrive and Amazon Cloud Drive – or save work locally to your device.
Upgrading to a premium Polaris account gives you access to extra features including a PDF editor, removes ads, and the ability to search within a document.
Read our full Polaris Office review.
Everything you could want from an office suite, fully compatible with Microsoft formats and totally free to use – even commercially
Reasons to buy
+
Huge software suite
+
Full MS Office compatibility
+
Completely free
LibreOffice is compatible with all Microsoft document formats, and has almost every feature you’ll find in the latest versions of Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
The suite contains six programs to cover every common office task: Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Math and Base. The last three are tools you won’t find in many other free office suites, and are designed for vector diagrams, mathematical functions and databases, respectively. The latter is particularly useful; free alternatives to Microsoft Access are hard to find.
LibreOffice is an open source project maintained by a huge and enthusiastic community of volunteers constantly working to improve stability and add new features. There’s a great selection of extensions and templates to make it even more flexible, and it’s free for businesses as well as home users.
LibreOffice is a fork of Apache OpenOffice, and the two are extremely similar, but LibreOffice is the better overall product and properly supports file conversion that preserves existing formatting — so your Word .doc files should look the same in LibreOffice as they do in Word, and vice versa.
LibreOffice is available for Windows, Mac and Linux, but there are no official mobile versions available except for a document viewer for Android. It has some editing features, but they’re experimental and we wouldn’t advise relying on them.
Read our full LibreOffice review.
A feature-packed free office suite for Windows, Linux and Android
Reasons to buy
+
Supports Microsoft file formats
+
Cross-platform
Reasons to avoid
—
Contains some ads
WPS Office Free is a slimmed down version of a premium office suite, but you’d hardly know it. Each of its three programs looks just as slick as the latest versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and is packed with just as many features.
File format support is excellent, and you can save your work in native Microsoft formats for easy sharing with Office users. There’s no database software, but WPS Office comes with an excellent free PDF reader that’s a great replacement for Windows’ built-in app.
There’s the occasional ad, but these are few and far between. They certainly won’t get in the way of your work, and you’ll easily forget that everything in this suite is completely free.
There are versions of WPS Office Free for Windows and Linux systems, as well as apps for Android devices, but Apple device users will need to look elsewhere.
Read our full WPS Office Free review.
A free version of a premium suite, with most pro features intact
Reasons to buy
+
Supports Microsoft formats
+
Includes PDF reader
Reasons to avoid
—
No thesaurus
Like WPS Office Free, SoftMaker FreeOffice provides analogs for Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint (TextMaker, PlanMaker and Presentations respectively).
As with all the free office suites in this roundup, there’s support for Microsoft file formats from 1997 onwards. It also offers effortless conversion to both PDF and Epub formats, which is a welcome addition.
Unfortunately, some key features are exclusive to the premium version of the software. Some of these (like tabbed browsing) are nice to have but non-essential, but the lack of a thesaurus is a real drawback for anyone who writes on a regular basis.
FreeOffice doesn’t look quite as smart as WPS Office, but if you dislike the Microsoft ribbon and find it unintuitive then you’ll prefer the slightly more old fashioned approach to navigation.
Read our full FreeOffice review.
For working across platforms and sharing documents
Reasons to buy
+
Cross-platform
+
Integrates with Google Drive
+
Mobile apps available
Reasons to avoid
—
Formatting issues
—
Quirky
If you work collaboratively, or switch between a PC and a Mac, Google Docs, Sheets and Slides could be your first port of call.
For anyone who’s already deep into the Android/Google ecosystem, this suite will be a natural choice. The three key tools run happily in any web browser, and are available as mobile apps for Apple and Android devices.
Google’s free office suite doesn’t offer the advanced tools you’ll find in desktop software like LibreOffice (there are no pivot tables, for example, and there’s no database tool) but everything is laid out in a clear, logical way and all your files will be saved and synced automatically so you don’t have to worry about transfers and backups.
The chief disadvantage of Docs, Sheets and Slides is that opening files created using other office software is a cumbersome process and file formatting isn’t is always converted properly. This is partly because Google’s office tools use web fonts rather than ones stored locally on your device, and partly because Google doesn’t support some of the features built into Microsoft software.
Additionally, there are some quirks with Google Docs that make it less user-friendly than other office software. As free software it does the job fine, but as a paid product it still lags far behind the features and functionality of Microsoft 365.
Read our full Google Docs review.
We’ve also featured the best document editing and management software.
Which free office software is best for you?
When deciding which free office software to download and use, first consider what your actual needs are, as sometimes free platforms will only give you access to a basic set of tools, so you may find a paid subscription is much more worthwhile. Additionally, budget software options can sometimes prove limited when it comes to the variety of tools available, while higher-end software can really cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may need.
How we tested the best free office software
To test for the best free office software we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a download or as an online service. We then tested the service to see how the office software could be used for different purposes and in different situations, such as syncing between devices and backing up to the cloud. We also looked at import/export features, as well as different user tools that might be expected in any office software platform, from basic to advanced, to see how well they functioned.
Read more on how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar (opens in new tab).
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Brian has over 30 years publishing experience as a writer and editor across a range of computing, technology, and marketing titles. He has been interviewed multiple times for the BBC and been a speaker at international conferences. His specialty on techradar is Software as a Service (SaaS) applications, covering everything from office suites to IT service tools. He is also a science fiction and fantasy author, published as Brian G Turner.