Best Free Office Suite For Windows 10

Though Microsoft Office is the 800-pound gorilla of productivity software, it's not the best choice for every home or business user. Some people find that the cost, which runs from $70 a year for a single-user home license to $8.25 per employee per month for a small business, is too high. Others just want a better collaboration and cloud experience or stronger desktop publishing features than Office offers.

1. Best Free Office Suite For Windows 10 2017
2. Libreoffice Office Suite

Whatever your reason for ditching Office, you have several strong choices. All of these office suites are capable of reading and writing to Microsoft Office file formats, though some are more compatible than others.

The best alternatives to Microsoft Office allow users the freedom to create and edit — many are even compatible with files made in Word, Excel, and other Microsoft’s programs.

To help you choose, we've evaluated the top five Microsoft Office alternatives, ranging from Google's low-cost, web-based apps to the attractive freemium WPS Office and Corel's pricey but powerful WordPerfect Office.

Best Overall: Google Apps

Rating: 4.5 Stars
Price: Free / $5 per user per month

Google's Apps for Work Suite is our favorite Office alternative, because it offers real-time collaboration and syncing capabilities that beat Microsoft at its own game. If you're working on documents with other people, you'll love being able to edit the same documents at the same time and watching their words appear as soon as they hit the keys, a capability Microsoft only offers to some Word 2016 subscribers.

As long as you are online when editing documents, your changes are saved to the cloud constantly and a complete revision history is available at all times, meaning that you should never lose your work.

Compatibility: Google Apps does a good job importing DOCX and PPTX files and converting those into documents inside Apps. Complex Word and PowerPoint files will need to be checked and perhaps tweaked, but the majority of your files should make the jump fairly easily.

Spreadsheet files are a different story. Google's Sheets app is behind Excel and competitors in the features and functions race. Be prepared to recreate any spreadsheets that use much more than arithmetic functions.

Familiarity: Apps offers a clean, functional interface stripped of the bloat that infects so many other programs and their menus. That means little or nothing will be familiar when word processing, making presentations or creating spreadsheets. Those already using Gmail (and there are millions of you) may have a slight advantage. But the Apps tend to be more minimalist than Gmail.

Intangibles: Google's Apps are free for individuals, and $5 or $10 per month per user for your company. You'll live in your browser, a different feeling than a typical office suite. And though you can cache them for offline editing, your files will be out there on Google's servers, rather than in your computer or your data center, which can take some getting used to.

Best Desktop Office Alternative: WPS Office 2016

Rating: 4 stars
Price: Free or $45 / year

WPS Office 2016 bills itself as the 'World's most advanced free office suite for Windows PC.' Even better, it runs on Macs, Linux and tablets as well. And it looks so much like Office at times you'll forget what you're using. Even better, the suite offers a few helpful features you won't find in Microsoft Office, including tabbed documents, the ability to change the color and style of the UI and a pleasant 'Eye Protection Mode,' which turns the background green to go easier on your peepers.

Compatibility: WPS doesn't just import Office files; it reads and writes the ones you have without a problem. We only noticed the smallest issues when using WPS on Office files, none of which took more than a moment to resolve.

Familiarity: The Ribbon menu looks better in many ways than the one you see in Microsoft Office. You'll think Office got a refresh. If you don't like the Ribbon, WPS takes but a single click to switch the interface back to the static menus so beloved by some they still clutch tightly to Office 2003.

Intangibles: WPS has a free version, which makes you view ads if you use some of its more advanced features such as Mail Merge or PDF exporting. To avoid the ads, you'll need to spend $45 per year per user, or $80 for a lifetime license. Those prices are far under Microsoft's, but that's still some bucks. Maybe getting free versions for all your mobile devices will help ease the pain.

Most Powerful: WordPerfect Office X8

Rating: 4 stars
Price: $195

Your gray hairs tingle at the mention of WordPerfect, right? Once the undisputed leader in word processing, multiple corporate mistakes slid this program slowly out of sight. But WordPerfect has forged a path apart from Microsoft Office by focusing on the legal market, and added some nice features that Office has yet to produce.

Compatibility: Do not buy WordPerfect if Office file format compatibility is important. Buy WordPerfect because you need a workhorse that doesn't care it looks different and acts different than the market leader. If your files stay inside your company, WordPerfect can improve your office suite production in several ways.

Familiarity: Not much, since it makes no effort to feel or act like Microsoft Office. And there have been so many improvements that users from the past who loved WordPerfect won't recognize it.

Intangibles: Unapologetically different, but powerful and complete. In several ways, Office lags behind WordPerfect. In market share, WordPerfect is in the same scrum as LibreOffice and OpenOffice. Unlike the free Open Source Software options, WordPerfect is just as expensive as Office, but it might be a bit better.

LibreOffice 5

Rating: 3.5 stars
Price: Free

This OpenOffice sibling, split by a corporate divorce, may be gaining in popularity, but it's a close race. Not much separates the two. Updates come faster, it's a bit more colorful, and most Linux distributions now include LibreOffice in place of OpenOffice.

Compatibility: LibreOffice may be very slightly better able to handle some Office documents that OpenOffice struggles to embrace. This isn't a big problem: basic and moderately involved documents will be no problem, either, and LibreOffice may handle a small percentage of complicated Office files slightly better.

Familiarity: The look of Office 2003 lives on with a makeover. Menus are where you expect and do what you expect. All the nostalgic goodies described with OpenOffice are here, a bit more colorfully.

Intangibles: The other major Free and Open Source Software headliner, LibreOffice, seems just a bit more polished than OpenOffice. And there is at least one big feature added: Remote Files. This makes it easier to store and retrieve files on remote services like Google Drive and SharePoint servers. Not a huge deal, but handy for SharePoint users and a few others.

Cool other feature? Auto-word completion in LibreOffice can really save some typing time once you get used to it. This handy feature, along with the Remote Files capability, should persuade you to check out LibreOffice before OpenOffice.

Apache OpenOffice 4.1.2

Rating: 3.5 stars
Price: Free

One of the two major free and fully featured Office alternatives, OpenOffice 4.1 looks like Microsoft just forgot to upgrade after Office 2003. No Ribbon interface, no collaboration beyond comments and track changes, and few compatibility issues.

Compatibility: OpenOffice will read and write Office files just as they are. Not quite as compatible as WPS Office, OpenOffice does a good job on the majority of Office files. Only the most complex will cause problems.

Familiarity: The interface is totally compatible with Office 2003 – if you liked that menu structure, you'll love OpenOffice. All the keystroke shortcuts you remember will work. Features are where you expect to find them.

Intangibles: Free and Open Source Software means just that: free. Linux versions of OpenOffice make it easy for Linux and Windows PC users to coexist in the same office working on the same files. That can be a nice situation. But LibreOffice, its software sibling, looks fresher and has a couple of small advantages.

Of all the software applications considered as “must-haves” for a PC user, an office suite is arguably one of the most important. From students needing to submit their homework to office-goers who have to create business presentations, everyone needs an office suite. I mean MS Office is one of the foundations of Microsoft, on which the company has created one of the largest companies of the world. But as impressive and feature-rich as MS Office is, there are people who’d prefer to use something else for various reasons.

One of my reasons which forced me to look for Microsoft Office alternatives was its pricing. While the subscription pricing is too high for me, the onetime payment process is so convoluted that a normal user won’t be able to navigate it and certainly end up with a bad deal. If you’re also one of those users who is looking for Microsoft Office alternatives you have come to the right place. So, read along as we show you the 7 best Microsoft Office alternatives that you should be using.

Best Microsoft Office Alternatives in 2019

Before we begin our list, let us first take a look at some of the reasons that force people to look for MS office alternatives.

Why Do You Need Microsoft Office Alternatives

There can be many reasons for wanting alternatives to MS Office. Here are a few of them:

Best Free Office Suite For Windows 10 2017

• High pricing of the licensed version of Microsoft Office
• MS Office being too resource intensive, thus leading to slower performance on low end PCs.
• Overwhelmingly large number of features, most of which are overkill, especially for those who require only basic functionality.
• Non-availability on the OS platform (e.g. Linux) you primarily use.

Best Microsoft Office Alternatives

1. Polaris Office

One of my favorite Microsoft Office alternatives is the Polaris Office Which brings a really good experience. The best part about Polaris Office is that the company offers a limited free version which brings enough features to suit the needs of most individual users, thereby allowing us to do our work without needing to pay a high subscription fee. For enterprise users and users who want add-on features, there’s also a relatively cheaper paid plan. When it comes to features, Polaris Office offers all the features that one might expect from a capable MS Office alternative software.

Users will be able to edit MS Office documents and text files, get access to both local and cloud storage, connect external cloud services such as Dropbox and Google Drive for extra free storage, manage document versions, and more. In fact, there’s even real-time collaboration where two and more people can work on the same document simultaneously. If you subscribe to their paid plans you will also be able to access features such as PDF annotations, comments, animation editing, document security, and more. I have been using Polaris Office for quite a while now and definitely consider it to be one of the best MS Office alternatives on the market.

Platform Availability: Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS

Price: Free, $3.99/month

2. OnlyOffice

OnlyOffice is yet another good Microsoft Office alternative that one can use. The software not only offers native apps for all the major desktop and mobile platforms but it also has a web version which works really well. One of the USPs of OnlyOffice is that it can integrate with various third-party services including mail, CRM, calendars, and much more to give users extra control and power. The only drawback of OnlyOffice is that it is made primarily for businesses and enterprises and not meant for individual users. If you want an MS Office alternative for personal use, check out the other options on this list.

Since it’s made for businesses, the benefits of using OnlyOffice is that it can be configured to meet the requirements of different businesses. For example, businesses can host OnlyOffice on their own servers so that their data is totally private. OnlyOffice also brings enhanced security features which are not found on most other office alternatives. If you are a business who is looking for a complete in-house office like document creation, management and organization took, this is one of the best options on the market.

Platform Availability: Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, and Web

Price: Enterprise edition starts at $1200/Server

3. Apache OpenOffice

Probably the most popular alternative to MS Office out there, Apache OpenOffice is loaded with features. It’s completely free and open-source, and includes the standard trio of office applications (word processor, spreadsheet program, presentation software), in addition to a graphics editor and a DBMS application. Apart from being compatible with MS Office file formats, OpenOffice also supports a huge number of other formats (e.g. SWF, PPT). It can also be extended with a variety of downloadable extensions, and its constituent sub-modules include all standard features like diagramming tools, auto complete, and natural language formula.

Platform Availability: Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP, Mac OS X 10.4 – 10.8, Linux

Price: Free

4. LibreOffice

Although it’s essentially a fork of the previously discussed OpenOffice, LibreOffice has enough features to hold its own as one of the best MS Office alternatives you can find. It includes applications for everything from editing documents to creating presentations, and aside from UI differences, has a feature set identical to OpenOffice. However, what gives LibreOffice the edge is that its code is much better optimized, thus making it a bit faster. Also, LibreOffice is more actively developed, and is the default office suite included with majority of Linux distros. It even lets you embed fonts in your documents, and has a file viewer app (in beta) for Android.

Platform Availability: Windows 10, 8, 7, and Vista, Mac OS X 10.8 and later, Linux

Price: Free

5. WPS Office

If your requirements are basic and you don’t need a full office suite, WPS Office is exactly what you need. Packing just the three standard applications (word processor, presentation software, and spreadsheet program), it’s lightweight (under 100 MB) yet feature-rich. In addition to having all the essential document creation/editing abilities, WPS Office includes hundreds of free templates and fonts. The free version lets you create and edit documents in MS Office compatible formats. However, for saving in MS Office formats, you need to upgrade to the paid version, which also adds in other features like VBA/Macro support.

Platform Availability: Windows, Linux (Desktop); iOS, Android (Mobile)

Price: Free (some features restricted), Paid business version costs $44.99 (billed annually)

6. Softmaker FreeOffice

It may not be the best looking thing out there, but as a lightweight MS Office alternative, Softmaker FreeOffice works surprisingly well. It includes the three standard office programs, and among themselves, these provide a host of features such as smart text replacement, granular cell formatting, and automated presentations. Softmaker FreeOffice has robust support for MS Office file formats, and better Office XML compatibility. That said, there’s also a paid version that includes extras such as multiple languages dictionaries for more efficient spellchecking.

Platform Availability: Windows, Linux (Desktop); Android (Mobile)

Price: Free, Paid versions start from $69.95

7. NeoOffice

If you’re looking for a solid Microsoft Office alternative specifically for your Mac, NeoOffice is going to serve you just fine. It’s a commercial fork of the previously mentioned OpenOffice, although the source code is still available for free. As such, NeoOffice packs in all standard features of OpenOffice, and comes with a word processor, spreadsheet program, and presentation software, along with a graphics program. Other than that, it also adds some Mac OS X native extras, such as grammar checking, text highlighting, and integration with OS X’s drag and drop functions, to the mix. However, it’s not compatible with newer MS Office formats, which is a bit of a bummer.

Platform Availability: Mac OS X 10.8 and later

Libreoffice Office Suite

Price: Paid versions start from $10

Online Microsoft Office Alternatives (Bonus)

If your productivity needs are fairly basic and you don’t really want to bother downloading heavy office suite applications for the occasional usage, you don’t have to. That’s because there are many online office suites that you can use for working with documents, spreadsheets, presentations and more, straight from your web browser. All you need is an internet connection, and you’ve got a MS Office alternative. Here are a few of them:

• Office Online (free): It’s the closest you can get to a free version of the industry standard Microsoft Office. Office Online lets you create and edit documents, presentations, and spreadsheets easily. There’s full support for PDF files, real-time collaboration, and all your documents are auto saved to your OneDrive account.
• Google Docs (free): If you routinely use Google’s services (e.g. Gmail) as part of your daily workflow, Google Docs is a no-brainer. Fully integrated with other Google services, Google Docs has robust support for MS Office format files. The constituent web-apps can be used for working with the documents offline, and the changes are synchronized later to your Google account.
• iWork (free): Coming from Apple, the web-based version of iWork suite is perfect for working with light documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, having native applications (complete with templates) for the same. All you need is a free iCloud account, and all the changes are saved to it in real-time.
• Zoho Office Suite (free): For something that runs in the browser, Zoho Office Suite packs in a lot of punch. Simply create a free account, and you are given 5 GB of storage for creating/editing everything from documents to presentations to spreadsheets. MS Office formats are fully supported.

Advantages of Using Online Microsoft Office Alternatives

• Perfect for creating and editing lightweight documents, with inter-compatibility.
• Real-time sharing and collaboration on documents.
• All the documents are automatically saved to respective cloud storage services.
• Work on all platforms, as only a browser and Internet connection are required.

SEE ALSO: 8 Best Sketch Alternatives for Windows and Linux in 2019

Which are Your Favorite Microsoft Office Alternatives

There’s little doubting the fact that Microsoft Office is the standard bearer of office productivity suites, having a truckload of impressive features. But as discussed above, if your needs are limited and you don’t really want to spend a ton of cash, there are quite a few Microsoft Office alternatives (both desktop and web-based) that you can use. So try them all, and let us know your favorites in the comments below.

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