Word processing for mac os

What Makes the Best Word Processor for Mac?

Word processors and other writing apps have been around for decades now. There are very few bad ones left! Most writing apps will work for most things, but they sometimes won’t be very good at it. Microsoft Word is a really powerful word processor, but it’s overkill if you’re using it to write a blog post. 

This means that the number one thing that makes a good writing app is how well it fits your needs.

I write a 1000 word article every day of the week. I also work on longer, more heavily researched projects at the same time. This means that I’ve got some very specific needs. If you only need to write occasionally, your needs are going to be very different.

Besides that, there are a few key features that any of the best word processors for Mac should have to be a good writing app:

• They need to be able to open and export many file types.
• Whatever file formats they use have to be open or widely supported.
• They need to offer some way for you to style your text.
• They need to allow you to work on more than one document at once.
• They need to be stable, bug-free, and still supported on your Mac.

While this is hardly an exciting feature list, it does exclude a surprising number of apps. You can’t have a crucial app, such as your word processor, crash because of lack of support. 

The 12 Best Writing Apps for Mac

Now, let’s start digging into the best writing apps for your Mac. This list isn’t in order of best, but rather moves from most popular, most easily available, down to niche apps designed for specific purposes.

Full Word Processors for Mac

Full word processors are applications that do anything you could imagine with text. They’re things like Microsoft Word (and all of Microsoft Word’s main competitors). If you work in an office, you probably need a full word processor, but for some, they can be a bit over the top. Let’s look in detail at what makes these apps powerful options to work with:

1. Microsoft Word — Word Software for Mac

While Microsoft Word isn’t as dominant as it once was, it’s still used in millions of offices around the world. If you work in any big company, the odds are this is the app you’ll want to use. It might not be anyone’s favorite writing app, but it can do pretty much everything. 

Its deep feature set is almost a problem; for most people, there’s too much going on. If you’ve got to use Word, then there’s nothing you can do about it. But, given the price and quality of some of the other options, I’d recommend looking elsewhere if you can. 

• Microsoft Word software for Mac is available for $9.99 a month as part of an Office 365 Personal subscription.
• It’s the most popular word processor in business so widely supported everywhere. 
• There’s also a companion iOS Word app so you can work on your documents from anywhere.

2. Google Docs — Accessible With Your Mac

Google Docs is the leading competitor in reach, if not necessarily in quality or features, to Word. It’s an online, collaborative word processor. While its feature set is more limited, for most uses, it’s possible to use Docs over Word.

• Google Docs is free writing software for Mac and for anyone with a Google account to use. 
• The biggest issue is that you can only make the most of Docs when you’re connected to the internet.
• Docs’ greatest strength is how seamless collaboration is. It’s simple for multiple people to work on a single document at the same time. 

3. Apple Pages — Mac Word Processor App

Pages is Apple’s Mac-native answer to Word. It takes full use of all the Mac’s native technologies and has a companion iOS app. It’s a decent app with all the features you’d expect a professional word processor to have and is broadly considered one of the best word processors for Mac. You can even collaborate with PC users through Pages for iCloud.

• Pages is free writing software for macOS and iOS users. PC users can also use the iCloud version for free.
• Pages is the best looking, and has the best looking templates, of all the full word processing suites available on Mac. 
• Unfortunately, Pages just isn’t as popular as the other apps, so you might have a hard time convincing the people you want to collaborate with to use it as well.

General Writing Apps for Mac

These writing apps are less fully featured than a full word processor. Some are more suited to specific kinds of writing, like blogging, but they’re all pretty flexible. For most people, one of these apps will give you the best balance between form, features, and price. They’re all a lot easier to get to grips with than a behemoth like Word.

4. TextEdit

TextEdit is getting a reference for completeness’ sake rather than its features. It comes with macOS and can create, edit and style simple text files. If you only need a very basic scratchpad for writing quick text documents, it’s perfect. But, if you need something more fully featured, there are better options.

6. Ulysses — Pro Writing Software for Mac

I’m writing this article using Ulysses. It’s the app that, by far, best fits my needs.

It’s great for writing long form content as well as keeping dozens of shorter articles organised. I know quite a few other writers who use Ulysses as well, and that’s the key. Ulysses is perfect for writers. If you’re banging out hundreds of words on a daily basis, it’ll make your life easier. If, however, you only need something for occasional report writing, it’ll be a poor fit.

• Ulysses costs $49.99 for the Mac version or $5.99 per month.
• Ulysses has full Markdown support.
• Ulysses is designed for writers so offers a lot of features to make it easy to outline, draft, write, edit, and rearrange longer works. 
• You can also publish directly to your WordPress site or Medium account from Ulysses.

7. Byword — Simple Mac Writing Software

Before Ulysses, I used Byword. It’s a simple, beautiful text editor. If you just want to write a letter, a diary entry, or a blog post, and not worry about much else, it’s great. 

• Byword costs $10.99 on Mac and $5.99 on iOS.
• Byword is designed to be used with Markdown. It’s the app I used in my introduction to Markdown tutorial.
• With Byword, you can export your files to text, HTML, or PDF files. You can also publish them directly to Medium, WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr, and Evernote.

8. iA Writer — Minimalist Writing App for Mac

iA Writer is a similar style of app to Byword: a simple, minimalist Markdown writer. Where Byword prioritises publishing to elsewhere, iA Writer offers better file exporting: you can use custom templates and even export to Microsoft Word files. 

• iA Writer costs $29.99 on Mac and $29.99 on iOS.

8. Craft Docs — Collaborative Writing App For Mac

Craft Docs is a young and new writing app for Mac that puts great emphasis on collaborative features. It was built to be a native Mac app. The app lets you create beautiful documents and notes. You can link notes together to create structured documents as well as collaborate easily with your team. 

• The app is available on the web and Mac and iOS devices
• Has a limited free plan
• Paid plans start at $5.99/mo 
• You can export documents as markdown documents, PDF files, and text files. 

Specific Writing Software for Mac

Word, Ulysses, or Byword are versatile but also have a very general application. Jacks of all trades but masters of none. If you want to, say, write a book or a screenplay, you’ll need a writing app that can handle special formatting.  

9. Scrivener — Long Form Mac Writing Software

Scrivener is designed for writing long-form documents. Things like novels and theses. If you’re writing something that’s less than 20,000 words, Scrivener is complete overkill. On the other hand, if you’re writing the next great American novel, then Scrivener is perfect.

• Scrivener is $49 for the macOS app and $19.99 for the iOS app.
• It’s a “complete writing studio”. You can outline and organize your ideas, rearrange segments, and more. Here’s our guide to getting started with Scrivener to help you find your way.
• Scrivener takes a non-linear approach. You can just start writing anywhere and move it into place later. Want to jump from working on chapter 15 to chapter 22? Go right ahead.
• Scrivener also has a file browser/research tab so you can keep all your research in the app as well.

10. Storyist 4 — Robust Mac Book Writing App

Storyist 4, like Scrivener, is designed for writing books. The biggest difference isn’t in the feature set but in the interface. There’s very little one can do that the other can’t. Both have free trials so, if you’re writing a book, the best thing to do is try them both out before settling on one.

• Storyist 4 is $59 on Mac and $19 on iOS.
• Storyist 4 has a more modern and cleaner interface than Scrivener. 

11. Final Draft 12 — Powerful Screenwriting Mac Writing App

Final Draft 12 is the industry standard for screenwriting. The developers claim it’s used in 95% of film and television productions. 

Screenplays have very strict formatting conventions. Everything is written in 12pt Courier on US letter paper with everything laid out in a certain way. Fail to stick to these conventions and you’ll just look like an amateur. Final Draft 12 makes it easy to write your next screenplay professionally. 

• Final Draft 12 is $199.99 for Mac.

12. Slugline 2 — Simple Screenwriting Writing App for Mac

Final Draft is undeniably a professional app with a professional price tag. If you’re just looking to get to work on your first screenplay, you might want something less expensive. This is where Slugline comes in. 

You get a beautiful screenwriting app that’s designed just for the Mac. A printed screenplay written in Slugline 2 will look identical to one written in Final Draft. It might not have as wide use in the film industry, but it’s being used in more and more productions. There’s also an iOS version available for $19.99.

Start Writing Your Next Masterpiece with a Mac Word Processor!

As I said at the start, the biggest factor you need to consider when choosing a writing app is what you need. Slugline 2 is awesome if you’re writing a movie, but it’s not very useful if you just want to publish an occasional blog post.

Word is still the de facto standard, but Google Docs and Pages are decent, free writing software for Mac competitors.

Look at what you want to do and pick the app that suits you best. Many also offer free trials, so don’t be afraid to download a few different ones before you buy. 

Editorial Note: This post has been updated with contributions from Brenda Barron. Brenda is a freelance instructor for Envato Tuts+.

Word processing is part of our day to day activities while on the PC. No doubt, there are thousands of word processing apps for Apple Mac OS, but only few are really worth the effort.

Today, we are going to take a look at the top 11 best word processor for Mac, so for those Macintosh Operating System (Mac OS)  users there, take note with the following pointers for you to know what the best word processor is for your Mac machine.

1. Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is hands down the best word processing software out there in the market, the app isn’t only easy too use but also very versatile in features and possibilities.

The most common and basic to pro needs of a writer can be found in this powerful word processing app. Every feature you need, styles that you want are all packed up with this one monster software. It is priced at around $139.99.

2. Openoffice.org

openoffice.org Word Processor for Mac is one monster software you should have in your computer already. In my humble opinion, I’ll like to affirm that it is the best free Word Processor for Mac.

You can’t have a complete list of top 5 best Word Processors for Mac without mentioning openoffice.org Word Processor, let alone a top 11 list.

It lets you create rich text files (RTF), PDFs and professional documents in other popular file formats. For years, it was my favorite free PDF editor for MacOS as it lets me add comments, highlights and quality images.

To have a feel of the openoffice.org’s Word Processor for Mac, download a copy from their official website here.

3. Scrivener

A powerful word processing application that gives you the ability to write, sort, manage, and polish all your writing works, all the features for the price of $44.99.

In my opinion, it the best word processor for story writers.

4. Storylist

While it is almost the same with the scrivener, both share the same features, but Storylist has a friendlier user interface.

It is priced at around $59.00.

5. Simplenote

Almost the same with iA Writer and ByWord, but disregards the price tags of both applications since it is downloadable free at the Apple app store. Best for draft writings, can’t be compared to Microsoft word though.

6. Pages

You will love this application for your Mac, as this is a great replacement for the Microsoft word application. But the latest updates removed some of its useful functions such as duplicate, delete, export/import, use bookmarks, and manage pages. But still can’t stand the fact that it’s one of the best.

It is priced at around $19.99.

7. Evernote

Evernote is another free program suitable for your daily writing needs, just a single repository is all it needs to contain and organize all your thoughts per project.

Evernote makes your work easier by saving them in the cloud which you can get access to from any other device that you own.

8. Write Room

The first writing app for Mac users, and its ability to cater the most needs of Mac users makes this app at our spot number 8.

It is priced at around $9.99 and allows background color editing and many other awesome features.

9. iA Writer

This word processing application is somehow similar to ByWord since both have minimal designs, handy, lightweight and fast, and not to mention that it also has the price tag of $9.99.

What makes this app better than ByWord is the other features like Focus and Markdown.

10. ByWord

It is downloadable and can be purchased from Apple’s Mac app store for the price of $9.99, and it is best for some geeks there that always loves to write since it is handy, lightweight, beautiful but with minimal designs making it a fast word processing application.

11. Google Docs

What makes the Google Docs as a compelling word processor is that it has a non-existent price tag and by its well-known service accessibility, some few clicks away to get access to their cloud service “Google Drive” makes it a top word processing app option to go with.

What More?

The ball is now in your court to read and choose what works best for you from our list of top 11 best word processor for Mac.

Feel free to list other word processing apps you can recommend in the comments.

Microsoft Word is a word processing application that first came onto the productivity markets in 1983. Its design was ambitious and feature-rich to provide a superior alternative to existing word processors like WordPerfect and MultiMate. Microsoft Word is still very popular among Windows users.

However, there are several alternatives to Microsoft Word on the market today. Pages, ClickUp Docs, Google Docs can all be used in place of Word.

Though the best Microsoft Word alternative for Mac is LibreOffice. You get complete office suite for free. The best part of LibreOffice is that it’s open-source, meaning users have more freedom to use documents the way they want.

More about Microsoft Word

As Microsoft competed with Apple to gain market share in the late 1980s, they released a series of new applications, bundling them within their operating systems. MS Word was one of these applications, and it quickly became the dominant word processor on the market.

However, its hegemony declines as the computer hardware and software industries innovate under increasingly diverse brands. The monopolistic tendencies of product bundling by Microsoft continue unraveling. Consequently, alternatives to MS Word are increasingly becoming popular.

Users have more options as platforms like macOS become more user-friendly and compatible with office productivity applications. Hence, other word processors on MacOS like Pages and Keynote are slowly eating into MS Word’s market dominance.

As the industry leader, MS Word still has the most features and is compatible with the greatest number of hardware platforms and software programs.

It’s still the best option for users who need a feature-rich word processor, but it’s expensive. Thus, its market dominance is waning, and it may not be the best option for users in the future.

Also Read: Is Microsoft Word An Example Of System Software?

The Switch to Mac

Most folks use Windows for years before switching to Mac. They’re either unaware of the benefits of using a Mac or have used Windows for so long that they’re comfortable with it and don’t want to change.

Still, you’ve got many reasons to switch from Windows to Mac. The following are some of the most compelling:

• Macs are much less likely to get viruses and malware than Windows computers.
• Macs are easier to use and have a more intuitive interface than Windows computers.
• Macs are more reliable and durable than Windows computers.
• Macs retain their value better than Windows computers.

When you finally make the switch, you’ll need to know the various alternatives for Microsoft Word.

Though Microsoft is a classic for Windows, it doesn’t have the same ubiquity on Mac. Here are some of the best options for MS Word for Mac:

1. LibreOffice

LibreOffice is a free and open-source office suite that includes a word processor, spreadsheet application, presentation program, and more. LibreOffice is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux.

LibreOffice is an empowering alternative to Microsoft Office because of its cost-benefit implications. It has as many features as Microsoft Word, but it’s free and open source.

The open-source nature of LibreOffice allows talented and diverse developers globally to contribute innovations and debug code.

Thus, users can customize LibreOffice and share their innovations for free or through sales.

LibreOffice is a great example of how free and open-source software can compete with or beat expensive proprietary software.

Some of the innovations that make LibreOffice Writer tool better than MS Word include:

A More Intuitive User Interface

The LibreOffice Writer user interface is more intuitive than that of Microsoft Word, as the menus and toolbars are organized more logically.

For example, the Formatting toolbar is next to the Styles and Formatting window, which contains all the available formatting options.

Access to More Fonts

LibreOffice Writer includes a wider range of fonts than Microsoft Word. Such a range of options is crucial as the fonts you use can significantly affect the look and feel of your document.

For example, if you’re creating a flier, you’ll want to use a font that’s easy to read from a distance.

Ability to Save as PDF

When you save a document as a PDF, it retains all the formatting and layout of the original document.

Just imagine how this feature is helpful when you’re sending the document to someone who doesn’t have access to the original software that created it.

LibreOffice Writer can also password protect your PDFs.

Better Compatibility with Microsoft Office Formats

LibreOffice has much better compatibility with Microsoft Office formats than earlier versions of LibreOffice.

For example, if you save a document in Microsoft Word format, it’ll look similar when you open it in LibreOffice.

Thus, you can transfer all your MS Word docs to LibreOffice without formatting issues.

Better Support for Collaborative Editing

LibreOffice has better support for collaborative editing than Microsoft Word. For example, you can track all the changes made to a document and see who made them.

You can also add comments to specific parts of the document. Both features are essential when you’re working on a project with multiple people.

Comprehensive Extensions and Templates Library

LibreOffice has a comprehensive extensions and templates library that includes tools for creating diagrams, mathematical formulas, and more.

This library is constantly expanding as new extensions and templates are created by the community.

2. Pages

Pages is a word processing software developed by Apple Inc. that comes pre-installed on Mac computers. It offers several features unavailable in Microsoft Word, like the ability to create and edit documents collaboratively in real-time.

Pages is also more tightly integrated with other Apple software applications, including Keynote and Numbers. Thus, you can create more complex documents.

You can simultaneously create stunning documents from your iPad, iPhone, Mac, and iCloud.com. Apple designed Pages for ease of use, with powerful features and tools that allow you to create stunning documents quickly and easily.

Microsoft Word is available for both Mac and Windows computers, while Pages is only available for Macs.

Pages is a good option if you’re a Mac user and are looking for an alternative to Microsoft Word. However, Pages does not have all the features of Microsoft Word, so if you need those features, you may want to stick with Microsoft Word.

You can start with something beautiful and track every change from your collaborative team members.

Pages for iCloud is free on the web. You don’t need a Mac, and you don’t even need an Apple ID. Just visit pages.icloud.com in any web browser and start creating beautiful documents.

3. ClickUp Docs

ClickUp specializes in project management, but it also offers a word processor that you can use on Mac devices. ClickUp Docs is a great alternative to Microsoft Word, especially if you need to collaborate with others on a project.

You can easily create and share documents with your team, and the app offers many features that make it easy to work on projects together. Plus, ClickUp Docs is free to use!

Microsoft Word is not free, and it can be expensive if you need to use the full version of the software. If you’re looking for an affordable alternative to Microsoft Word, ClickUp Docs is a great option.

Some of the highlights of ClickUp Docs for Mac users include:

• A wide range of formatting options
• Collaborative features, so you can work with others on projects
• The ability to track changes and feedback
• A simple interface that is easy to use

The paid version of ClickUp Docs offers even more features, such as:

• Unlimited document storage
• Advanced security features
• The ability to create custom templates

ClickUp Docs are compatible with Microsoft Word files, so you can easily work with others using MS Word.

Cover images and page icons are available in the text formatting options, and a wide range of add-ons empowers you to customize the app.

4. Google Docs

Google is giving Microsoft a run for its money, and it’s banking on cloud-based document collaboration tools to do it. In addition to its popular email and calendar applications, Google offers a comprehensive set of online tools for creating and sharing:

• Documents
• Spreadsheets
• Presentations

The most popular of these is Google Docs, a suitable alternative for Microsoft Word on a Mac.

Google Docs is also free. It works in your web browser and offers most of the features that you’re likely to need from a word processor.

You can create a document with a generous selection of fonts while uploading images and embedding links.

You can also collaborate in real-time with other people, whether they’re co-workers or friends. Changes are automatically saved as you work.

One downside is Google Docs doesn’t support complex formattings, such as footnotes and endnotes. If you need those features, you might better stick with Microsoft Word.

Check out the best Google doc alternatives in this post.

5. Calligra

Calligra Words is a feature among the Calligra Suite that has been designed to compete with Microsoft Word in the market. It’s a word processing application that allows users to create and edit text documents.

Many features make Calligra Words stand out among its competitors, including:

• Support for various document formats such as .doc, .docx, .odt, and more
• Advanced text formatting options
• Collaborative editing tools
• Spell checker and grammar checker
• Templates for creating various types of documents

The company behind Calligra is KDE, a free and open-source software community that creates desktop applications and services.

KDE is popular for its user-friendly designs and its strong focus on collaboration. Naturally, Calligra Word is an excellent choice for users who want an application that is powerful and easy to use.

You can effortlessly add charts and images to your text documents. This free-to-download alternative for Word also supports export to Open Document Format and PDF publishing.

Thus, you can share your documents with others without worrying about compatibility issues.

6. Polaris Office

This Korean paid office suite offers an interesting alternative for Microsoft Word on Mac. It’s available for Mac, Android, iOS, Windows, and even Linux.

There’s an APK version and the online version. The features of the subscription versions are similar except for a few things.

The Polaris office product subscription categories are smart or pro. Some of the notable features of Polaris Office include:

Compress PowerPoint and Word files to PDF

Polaris Office can open and compress Microsoft PowerPoint (PPTX) and Word (DOCX) files to PDF. Thus, you can save space on your device or computer.

Add Watermarks to PDFs

You can add watermarks to your PDFs with Polaris Office, an effective way to protect your documents from being copied without your permission.

Convert PDFs to Editable Files

Polaris Office can convert PDFs to various Microsoft Office formats for you to edit them.

Organize Files by Projects

This feature helps you to better organize your files and work on them more efficiently.

Share Files with a Link

You can share your Polaris Office files with anyone by sending them a link. The recipient will be able to view, edit, or comment on the document without signing up for a Polaris Office account.

Security Features

Polaris Office takes security and privacy seriously. You can decide to encrypt all files and make them only accessible through passwords.

7. Mellel

This word processor is among the best for Mac users. Since 2002, Mellel has branded itself as the go-to tool for technical and academic writing with its many features for long document support.

Mellel has excellent support for working with different languages, allowing writers to work in their native language or switch between languages easily.

It also has powerful features for citations and bibliographies that make it a good choice for students and scholars.

Mellel Palettes vs MS Word Toolbar

Mellel did a much better job at simplifying the interface than Microsoft Word. The Mellel palettes are much more intuitive and user-friendly.

Ultimately, there are fewer options and features hidden behind menus in Mellel. The ton of features that MS Word tries to offer at the fingertip of the user is overwhelming, and it makes the average person not want to use any of them.

Thus, Mellel is a suitable alternative for Mac users looking for a word processor that is more straightforward than Microsoft Word.

8. Nisus Writer

Do you have an Apple Macintosh? And do you want to find an alternative for Microsoft Word? Look no further than Nisus Writer!

Nisus Writer is a powerful yet easy-to-use word processor for students, writers, business professionals, and anyone who needs to produce great-looking documents.

Nisus Writer has been in the game for 25 years, and it has a strong multilingual support system to bring together team members from different language communities.

Nisus Writer is also fully compatible with Microsoft Word, so you can easily share documents between the two programs.

The newest version of Nisus Writer, 3.2, offers a range of new features and enhancements. These include:

• Native support for Apple Silicon (M1) and Dark Mode
• Compatible with macOS Big Sur and Monterey
• Numerous enhancements to an extensive set of features

Nisus Writer Express vs Nisus Writer Pro

The main difference is that Nisus Writer Pro offers more advanced features, including:

• Support for macros
• Stylesheets
• Conditional text

If you frequently work with complex documents or need to create custom formatting, then Nisus Writer Pro is the right choice for you.

Otherwise, Nisus Writer Express will suit your needs just fine.

Give Nisus Writer a try and see for yourself how easy it is to create beautiful documents on your Macintosh!

9. Growly Write

This word processor allows you to create a staggering range of documents for free. Growly Write makes the process simple and easy, whether you need to produce a business report, a school assignment, or a letter.

Growly Write is compatible with:

• Apple Silicon (M1)
• Dark Mode
• macOS Big Sur
• Monterey

It’s also more compatible with other elements of the iWork suite.

It also has many features that make it stand out among its competitors. These features include:

• A wide range of templates to choose from
• The ability to track changes
• Advanced grammar and spell check
• Integration with iCloud Drive
• Export options for PDF, DOCX, and HTML

10. Office Online

Office Online is the only option for enjoying free access to Word on a Mac. However, it isn’t as full-featured as the Microsoft Word for Mac that you would buy.

It’s still a convenient way of creating and editing text documents. Plus, it offers most of the features users need daily.

One significant advantage of using Office Online instead of Microsoft Word for Mac is its compatibility with any operating system or browser.

So, if you need to use Word on a Mac but don’t want to spend the money on the full version, Office Online is a great alternative.

11. Apache OpenOffice

OpenOffice is available in about 121 languages, and it dates way before 1999. It is compatible with many file formats and can work on Windows, Linux, and Mac.

Interestingly enough, Apache OpenOffice was created by the same people who made StarOffice. Oracle then bought and held it for the longest time.

Oracle and Apache have come a long way with OpenOffice, making it the closest free alternative to the feature-packed MS Word.

OpenOffice has all the features present in MS Word, and developers constantly update it with new features. There are some drawbacks of using this tool, but they are not deal-breakers.

For instance, the software does not always save documents in the same format like MS Word, which can be a problem if you’re working with team members who aren’t using OpenOffice.

However, OpenOffice is still an empowering choice for those who want to avoid paying for software licenses. It’s worth noting that Apache OpenOffice is free and open-source software.

Thus, it is constantly under improvement by a community of self-motivated developers.

12. NeoOffice

This office suite for Mac has its design swiveled from LibreOffice and OpenOffice. This word processor is native to Mac’s OS, and it was developed in 2003. Hence, it’s accumulated 19 years of frequent innovation, tweaks, and new feature releases.

NeoOffice has most of the features that Microsoft Word offers, and its file format support is also impressive. You can open, edit, and save files in .docx, .pptx, and .xlsx formats.

You can navigate floating windows, icons, and menus effortlessly. The user interface might feel a bit familiar if you’ve used Microsoft Office in the past.

Another added advantage is its native support for Mac Services and the dark mode in macOS Mojave.

The only thing that might be a problem is the lack of online collaboration features, but it shouldn’t be an issue if you’re not working in a team.

13. Dropbox

Dropbox is a file sharing and storage service that allows users to access their files from any location. The service is available for:

• Mac
• Windows
• Linux
• iOS
• Android

Dropbox offers 2 GB of free storage space with the option to upgrade to a paid account for more storage. The company also has a partnership with Microsoft, allowing Office 365 users to receive 1 TB of storage space.

You can edit your office documents with DropBox if you have a Mac. Just open the document in Dropbox, make your changes, and save it.

Your changes will be automatically saved to Dropbox, and you can access them from any device. You can also create and share new documents with other people using Dropbox.

Check out this post to explore the best open-source alternatives to Dropbox.

14. Markdown

Are you tech-savvy, nerdy, or geeky? Do you like to be in control of your writing environment? Are you looking for a more lightweight, faster, and distraction-free way to write?

Markdown may be the right tool for you if you answered yes to any of these questions. Markdown is a text-to-HTML conversion tool created by John Gruber in 2004.

It allows you to write in a more natural and relaxed way, without worrying about formatting your document for the web. Markdown is not only for writers though.

It can be used by anyone who wants a simple and easy way to format their text. For example, you can use markdown to create:

• Email signatures
• To-do lists
• Random text for a website

One of the best things about markdown is that it’s compatible with many different platforms. It can be used on:

• Mac
• Windows
• Linux
• GitHub
• Stack Overflow

15. Bean

Is MS Word too convoluted and cluttered for your style? Are you the type that likes lean and straightforward apps? You’re in luck!

Bean is a stripped-down word processor that gives you the basic features you need to get your work done without all of the extra baggage. It also has an impressively user-friendly interface, so you can start typing away right away.

What’s even better? This minimalist word processor is free and works seamlessly on Mac.

Wrapping It Up: What Is The Best Microsoft Word Alternative for Mac?

It depends on your objectives, but LibreOffice offers the best features for a free office suite. If you’re looking for a native app with an Office-like interface, NeoOffice is a suitable option.

Markdown is the way to go if you want a distraction-free and lightweight word processor.

Happy writing!

The Mac is not lacking in word processing apps, and many aim to serve a specific niche. Nonetheless, Write 2 handles most everything you’d need out of a word processor with simplicity and ease without any of the bloat.

Note: If we were including web apps, Google Docs would likely be the winner. It has the simplicity and straightforward operation that we like, but offers fantastic collaboration and sharing features. If you don’t mind working in the browser, or even prefer it, be sure to consider Google Docs among your options as well.

Write 2

Platform: Mac OS X
Price: $7
Download Page

Features

The feature list is best explained by the developer himself:

Write 2 is not designed to replace Word. Period.
But it is fast — very fast — and has a lot nifty features that will
make it your tool of choice for your daily writing tasks:

• iCloud, Auto Save, Versions, Resume (suppressible)
• Paragraph Highlighting, Typewriter scrolling, Zoom View

• Templates, Sophisticated Styles, Annotations, Comments
• Header and Footer (MLA) incl. Templates, Page Numbering
• Word Count and Statistics, Support for Tables, Substitutions
• Read and Write Support for Word and OpenOffice Documents

Where It Excels

Write 2 offers all the important features of a great text editor. It even works with Microsoft Word, though it was never designed to replace it. The idea was to create a very simple yet powerful word processor and that’s precisely what you get. Though plenty of features exist, from templates to styles to gestures to iCloud support, they all stay out of your way until you need them so you can just write.

Where It Falls Short

While creating text documents is a breeze, working with images could be a bit better. The app wasn’t designed for multimedia documents, but we’ve all included a picture or two when necessary. In fact, Write 2’s manual (which pops up the first time you use the app) is full of images. You can insert graphics no problem, but positioning them isn’t as simple and intuitive as the rest of the app. You need to utilize tables in order to get things to work. I feel that if you’re going to offer image support, it ought to come with at least a little flexibility.

The image issues are indicative of what might be a downside for some others: it’s not a super-capable document editor like Word and Pages. The app is designed to be a word processor, not a document Swiss Army knife. If you need something with endless capabilities, this is not the app for you.

The Competition

There are many takes on what a word processing app can or should be, so while TextEdit gets the job done in many ways it may not be the right fit for what you need. While we always include the competition in our app directory posts, it’s especially relevant here.

TextEdit (Free) was our previous top pick, but Write 2 offers more features that make it easier to write. It’s also designed to be a Word Processor rather than a simple TextEditor. We still think TextEdit is great, however, so if you don’t want to pay the measly $7 to purchase Write 2 you already have TextEdit for free. Many of the features are the same, and Write 2’s advantage is partly in its user interface and organization (but that isn’t to say it doesn’t offer additional features as well).

Bean (Free) is very similar to TextEdit in the sense that its goal is to be a simple, no-frills, free word processing app. While we’re pretty fond of Bean, TextEdit is just a little more ahead of the game with a few handy things like autosaving and document versioning.

Microsoft Word ($120-$500, depending on the license you choose) is the obvious big boy in the word processing circle. Some consider it feature-rich, others consider it bloated. Nonetheless, it’s what most people use these days to handle their document creation so it’s definitely worth considering even if it might be a little more than you need.

Pages ($20) is Apple’s the word processing app in their office suite iWork. Strangely, TextEdit feels more like a word processing app than Pages as Pages really excels when it comes to layout. If you’re going to be doing more complex documents with lots of images and styles, Pages is a really great choice. If you’re just typing, it often feels like overkill.

NeoOffice (Free) is the open-source office suite that provides an app called Writer for word processing purposes. It’s a pretty straightforward text editor of which I’ve never been much of a fan, but a lot of people like NeoOffice and it definitely has the cheapest price tag amongst office suites.

FocusWriter (Free) offers full-screen word processing that’s designed to be very simple and distraction-free. It’s goal is to provide you with nothing but the ability to write. While it’s one of our favorites, there are many more word processing apps with the same goal. If you’re looking to ignore everything but the page and your words, this is the kind of word processing app you want to use.

iText Express (Free) is another great, free option. It’s a simple word processor that also provides a side tab to help keep your documents organized and easy to navigate.

There are far too many word processing options to list here, and we’ve probably missed some good ones. If you’ve got a favorite we didn’t mention, be sure to post it in the comments.

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Lifehacker’s App Directory is a new and growing directory of recommendations for the best applications and tools in a number of given categories.