Microsoft Office is the undisputed king of office suites, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right one for you. Indeed, we’ve covered several reasons why you shouldn’t buy Microsoft Office, with the most important one being the price.
Other office suites exist, and you’d be surprised how well they compare to Microsoft Office, not to mention that many of them are completely free for personal use.
Before we explore these alternatives, you may want to check out our post on ways to use Microsoft Office without paying for it. But if it’s the software itself that you dislike, or if those free methods aren’t available to you, then read on!
The 3 Best Online Office Suites
1. Google Docs
Google Docs is easily the most popular office suite in the world after Microsoft Office. It can be slightly confusing because “Google Docs” is the name of the word processing app itself, but can also refer to the combined suite of apps: Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides.
The main reason to use Google Docs? It’s just so easy. You don’t need to install anything, you can share files without the recipient installing anything, the interface is dead simple and intuitive, it’s a well-known brand, and everything just plain works.
It’s also semi-compatible with Microsoft Office, able to import DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX files but unable to export. Not ideal, but better than nothing. It also has support for advanced speech-to-text voice typing.
The best aspects of Google Docs:
- Up to 15GB of free storage including Docs, Sheets, and Slides files.
- Track changes and version histories for documents.
- Real-time online collaboration with up to 50 simultaneous users.
- Manage permissions and limit what users can or can’t do in a document.
- Offline editing that auto-syncs as soon as you come online.
- Integration with other Google services, including Gmail and Calendar.
- Use hundreds of free fonts from Google Web Fonts.
Website: Google Docs (Free)
Learn everything you need to know in our simple guide to Google Docs.
2. iWork for iCloud
Here’s something you may not know: while Apple’s iWork suite normally costs $10 per app, you can use Pages, Number, and Keynote for free on the web using iWork for iCloud, which is Apple’s answer to Google Docs and Microsoft Office Online.
iWork for iCloud resembles the desktop version for Mac, and is exactly what you’d expect from Apple: simplistic but pleasing interface, enough flexibility to create whatever kind of files you need, but not many workspace customization options.
It’s the obvious choice if you already use iWork on Mac, as it integrates well and allows you to work on your documents anywhere you go. The only downside is that it relies on iCloud for storage, which is one of the least popular cloud storage solutions.
All you need is an Apple ID to use iWork for iCloud.
The best aspects of iWork for iCloud:
- Up to 5GB of free storage on iCloud.
- Beautiful and simplistic interface that’s easy to navigate.
- Integrates with iWork for Mac, making it a strong option for Mac users.
- Cleanly imports and exports Microsoft Office files.
Website: iWork for iCloud (Free)
3. Zoho Office
My favorite thing about Zoho Office is its interface. On the surface it’s pretty much the same as any other online office suite, but there’s a smooth professionalism to it that can’t really be captured in screenshots alone. It just feels good.
Zoho Office is best for small teams, with interesting features like real-time chatting on documents, collaborative editing, digital signatures, quick document sharing, and more.
One of the cooler niche features in Zoho Writer in particular is the ability to post documents straight to WordPress, making it an effective blog writing tool.
The best aspects of Zoho Office:
- Up to 5GB of free storage through Zoho Docs.
- Up to 25 file version histories for each document.
- Cleanly imports and exports Microsoft Office files.
- Real-time communication with collaborators.
- Two-factor authentication for extra security.
- Extensive customizations of documents, settings, and workspaces.
Website: Zoho Office (Free)
The 4 Best Desktop Office Suites
1. OnlyOffice
OnlyOffice (officially stylized as ONLYOFFICE) is a sleeper hit: not many people have heard of it, but it blows the competition out of the water. It really delivers on its product slogan: “Powerful like Microsoft Office, free like LibreOffice.”
What you’ll love best about OnlyOffice is that it natively uses Microsoft Office formats, which isn’t something that all desktop office suites can boast. The interface is also clean and professional, which is great if you hate the bloat of Microsoft Office, the slow performance of WPS Office, or the frank ugliness of LibreOffice.
Note that OnlyOffice comes in a cloud version—not just the option to access OnlyOffice on the web, but the ability to host OnlyOffice on your own server and provide private access to those on premises.
The best aspects of OnlyOffice:
- Open source and completely free for personal use.
- Simple and professional interface with no distracting elements.
- Cleanly imports and exports Microsoft Office files.
- Ability to self-host for private enterprise internal web access.
- Real-time collaborative editing and sharing of files.
Download: OnlyOffice Desktop (Free)
Download: OnlyOffice Cloud ($120/year)
Download: OnlyOffice Enterprise ($900/server)
2. SoftMaker Office
SoftMaker Office is a commercial office suite that also comes in a free version called SoftMaker FreeOffice. FreeOffice is lightweight but complete, with all the essential features you’d need and expect from a modern office suite.
SoftMaker Office earned its reputation for Microsoft Office compatibility, being the first alternative office suite that could losslessly read and write Microsoft Office formats. For you, this means you can directly open and edit Microsoft Office files without worry.
The interface is nice too. SoftMaker respects user choice, allowing you to pick between a classic look (with toolbars and menus) or a modern look (with a Microsoft-like ribbon). And either way, SoftMaker Office is a joy to use: fast, responsive, and effective.
The best aspects of SoftMaker Office:
- Tabbed interface for editing multiple documents.
- Version history for office files, plus ability to revert to earlier versions.
- Export as EPUB to easily turn documents into ebooks.
- Choose between classic or modern interfaces.
- Portable installation to USB drives so you can use it anywhere.
Download: SoftMaker FreeOffice (Free)
Download: SoftMaker Office Standard ($70)
Download: SoftMaker Office Professional ($100)
If you want to learn more, see our overview of SoftMaker FreeOffice.
3. LibreOffice
Ask five people for a free desktop alternative to Microsoft Office and I’d be willing to bet that all of them say LibreOffice. Not only is it free and open source, but it’s been around for years and works well on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
In January 2018, LibreOffice launched the much-awaited version 6.0, which introduced lots of new features, bug fixes, performance improvements, a new help system that’s easier to navigate, and more.
While LibreOffice technically supports Microsoft Office files, it isn’t perfect yet and you will find that some document aspects break when you save in one app and open in its respective counterpart app. And while LibreOffice Calc is nice, it simply doesn’t live up to the power, flexibility, or speed of Microsoft Excel.
The best aspects of LibreOffice:
- Completely free, open source, and cross-platform.
- Built-in tools for creating complex documents, books, and webpages.
- Download hundreds of publicly available LibreOffice templates.
- Expand functionality with hundreds of LibreOffice extensions.
- On top of Writer, Calc, and Impress, LibreOffice includes other office apps like Draw (diagrams), Base (databases), and Math (advanced formulas).
Download: LibreOffice (Free)
If you decide to use LibreOffice and want to get the most out of it, I highly recommend checking out our article on essential LibreOffice productivity tips.
4. WPS Office
Formerly known as Kingsoft Office, WPS Office is a powerhouse. It comes with everything you need in an office suite, plus some unique features like PDF conversion, PDF merging and splitting, document signatures, document encryption, hundreds of fonts and templates, tabbed document editing, and so much more.
The one huge downside to WPS Office is that the free version is ad-supported: a handful of useful features are gated behind sponsored ads, and you can unlock them for 30 minutes by watching a quick ad. In my experience, this actually feels much better than having banner ads, especially because no features are completely unavailable.
The other big downside is that WPS Office runs a bit laggy on weaker hardware, which is a shame when you’re traveling with an older laptop and the application hangs or just isn’t as smooth as you’d want it to be.
The best aspects of WPS Office:
- Up to 1GB of free storage using WPS Office Cloud.
- Easy sharing of files with others through WPS Office Cloud.
- Document tabs for effortless organization while editing.
- Hundreds of fonts and templates for beautifying your documents.
- Built-in PDF tools, including the ability to save directly as PDF.
- Cleanly imports and exports Microsoft Office files (Professional only).
Download: WPS Office (Free)
Download: WPS Office Premium ($30/year)
Download: WPS Office Professional ($45/year or $80 one-time)
Which Office Suite Is Right for You?
At the end of the day, all of these office suites exist for a reason: different people like different things, and what works well for me may not work well for you.
I use Google Docs because it’s simple, fast, and accessible from anywhere regardless of which device or operating system I’m on. Mac users who need an online suite will love iWork for iCloud, whereas anyone who needs a desktop suite will likely do best with OnlyOffice or SoftMaker Office.
If you end up going with a desktop suite, you’ll probably want to integrate it with some kind of cloud storage service. I personally use Google Drive, but other options exist. Get started with our comparison of the best cloud storage services.
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