Microsoft Office has been in the market for as long as most of us remember PC itself. Though MS Office suite came in 2000, individual apps like MS Word have been around since the 1980s. Since then Microsoft Office has been the most popular productivity suite.
However, in the meantime, a lot of MS Office alternatives have made it to the market. Many of these alternatives are quite appealing looking at their price competitiveness and features they offer. We have a list of these 5 Best Alternatives to Microsoft.
NOTE: Changing suites can be a bit of hassle as files created on one suite may pose problems. Because very often, the files created on one suite don’t look as good and refined on another suite; they editing you did on one suite may not work on another, etc. Everything is fine if you are using an office suite just for yourself and you don’t have to export the files to anyone. However, if you work in collaboration, you have to consider what your colleagues use. Though this problem isn’t pervasive, it is an important thing to consider.
Let’s not waste anymore time of yours and get straight to the list of Best Microsoft Office alternatives as your daily go to productivity tools:
Best Microsoft Office Alternatives 2024
1. LibreOffice
LibreOffice is another popular office suite and a worthy MS Office alternative which is argued to even be better than Microsoft Office. LibreOffice is a free-to-use open source productivity suite available for Mac, Windows, and Linux platforms. Though there is an Android app named LibreOffice viewer, it only allows you to read the document.
LibreOffice has a bunch of different apps such as Writer for word processing, Calc for spreadsheets, Impress for presentations, Base for Database, Math for formula editing, and Vector graphics for drawing. Although it doesn’t offer any application for email, you can download an add-on for the functionality.
Why LibreOffice?
Because LibreOffice is a Free-to-use tool with an equally productive interface and working style. In some ways, it even surpasses Microsoft Office in the game of functionality such as it supports many more formats than Microsoft Office does. Though it lacks some of the features, there are tons of add-ons available that can make up for it. Hence, LibreOffice is an amazing tool and a great alternative to Microsoft Office.
Why Not?
Though it offers all the similar functionality, it lacks the elegance and charm of Microsoft Office. Apart from this, you can’t edit files on LibreOffice with your mobile device because it only allows you to read documents on its mobile app. Also, it doesn’t offer a cloud storage to save documents.
Microsoft Office vs LibreOffice (Verdict)
LibreOffice is a free-to-use tool unlike Microsoft Office which you have to pay for. Though Microsoft Office looks elegant, LibreOffice doesn’t leave behind any feature that you may require. Also, you can save files on OneDrive and Google Drive to make for missing cloud storage features.
In short, the only reason to ignore LibreOffice would be your comfort with Microsoft or your need of collaboration with other people who use MS Office.
Download: LibreOffice
2. WPS Office
If there is one software that can closely compete with Microsoft Office and is worthy of being the best alternative of Microsoft Office, it is WPS Office. WPS Office has a lot to offer, a lot more than any of its competitors. WPS is available for Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, and Web. Anything you may ask for is available on WPS Office.
Why WPS Office?
WPS Office is a great free to use tool. It is available for all your devices be it Mac, Windows, Android, or iOS. There is also a web-based version available for WPS Office where you can create files and collaborate with others in real-time. It also offers cloud storage to help you save your documents and use them anywhere. WPS Office has great compatibility with Microsoft Office and Google Docs and Sheets. WPS Office is the true alternative to Microsoft office available in the market.
Why not?
WPS Office is the worthy competitor of Microsoft Office. It lacks a few features that Microsoft Office holds. The smart art in Microsoft Office is a tad bit better than WPS Office.
WPS Office vs Microsoft Office
WPS Office is a free software and lacks just a couple of features that you may never notice. It offers great functionality and interface. The application is pretty lightweight on all the operating systems.
On the other hand, Microsoft Office is a tad bit better in functionality than WPS Office. Also, OneDrive offers 5GBs free space instead of just 1GB in WPS Office.
Download: WPS Office
3. Google Office Suite:
There’re hardly a few tech markets where Google hasn’t made its presence felt. Productivity tools aren’t one of those. Google launched its first word processor Google Docs in 2006. But it hasn’t been long since Google Office apps like Google Docs, Google Spreadsheet, and Google Slides have gained popularity.
Why Google Office Suite Apps?
Google Office Suite Apps are the best alternative to Microsoft Office Suite. Google Office is an elegant, free-to-use, online cloud-based productivity suite for tools like word editing, creating spreadsheets, and presentations. Being an online tool, it doesn’t require you to install the heavy files on your system. Also, you can use the suite and edit your documents from any device that has a working internet connection benefitting people who are always on the Go.
Also, because it is a cloud-based platform, it is easier to collaborate with people on the same document at the same time which can be pretty useful for small businesses.
Why not Google Office Suite Apps?
Google Office apps like Google Docs, Google Sheet, and Google Slide aren’t as powerful as Microsoft Office Suite installed on your Desktop. Though the online version Microsoft Office Apps aren’t any better than Google Apps, you have the option to customize your files later in the Desktop app with Microsoft.
I too use Google Docs for collaborating on blogs and I have to use MS office on my PC often for the customization.
MS Office Suite vs Google Suite (Verdict)
If you require productivity tools for basic purposes and don’t require heavy customization, there is hardly any office suite better than Google.
However, for creatives, MS Office would be the Right choice.
4. FreeOffice:
FreeOffice is another great Microsoft Office alternative. It is pretty popular and has been in market for quite some time. Similar to Google Office Suite, FreeOffice also contains just three applications TextMaker for documents, PlanMaker for spreadsheets, and Presentations for PowerPoint. FreeOffice is available for Windows and Linux platforms and also offers a basic version for Android devices.
Why FreeOffice?
FreeOffice has both paid and free versions. FreeOffice holds all the functionality a user would require from an office suite and supports a large number of file formats including that of Microsoft Office. It features all the necessary customization options. It also offers some amazing perks such as availability of Touch mode. Touch Mode helps make the interface more usable for touch enabled devices. FreeOffice also allows you to make all the basic changes to your document with the Android version of it. Hence, it is a marvelous alternative to Microsoft Office.
Why Not?
FreeOffice offers a lot of features in the free version but has reserved some of the useful features for its premium users (Paid). Also, it doesn’t feature a cloud storage which is one of the essentials for people who work in collaboration.
FreeOffice vs Microsoft Office (Verdict)
FreeOffice is an awesome tool that allows you to create amazing text files, spreadsheets, and presentations. Hence, is an amazing alternative to Microsoft Office for anyone looking to create docs for free.
However, more people would ignore it than not. Absence of Cloud storage renders it useless for anyone looking to work in collaboration. Also, add-ons and plug-ins aren’t easily available for any feature it misses.
Download: FreeOffice
5. Apache OpenOffice
Apache OpenOffice is another great tool and a worthy MS Office Alternative. Apache OpenOffice is a free-to-use open source software that consists a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, formula, database, and drawing tool.
Why Apache OpenOffice?
Apache OpenOffice is free to use unlike Microsoft Office which you have to pay for. Apache OpenOffice holds all the features a user would require. Even if a user feels the need of a functionality, it has its own dedicated extension store for different add-ons which can add to its functionality.
Why Not?
Apache OpenOffice looks outdated when compared with its very polished and elegant competitor. Also, it doesn’t offer cloud storage which renders it useless for people who work in collaboration.
Apache OpenOffice vs Microsoft Office
Apache OpenOffice offers all the functionality a user would require for free. It has its dedicated extension to add more functionality to the app. However, it doesn’t feel as crisp as Microsoft Office. If a polished looking user interface is what you need, OpenOffice isn’t the right alternative. However, if you are looking for the functionality and want to work on some project which you don’t have to collaborate for, OpenOffice can be a great tool.
Download: Apache OpenOffice
So, this was our list of Best Microsoft Office alternatives available in the market. Do let us know your experience if you have tried any of these.
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Matthew
LibreOffice has been my go to tool for an year now, and let me tell you, there is hardly any suite that can compare to this beast.