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Free alternatives to Microsoft Word

Top pick: LibreOffice Writer. Switching saves about $100 USD a year.

Microsoft Word, Microsoft 365 Personal, annual plan

$99.99 USDa year

$115 CAD

Every pick below has a free version.

Runs on
  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Web
  • iOS
  • Android
Key file formats
.docx.doc.rtf.odt.pdf

Filter alternatives

3 alternatives

Top pick

2 tools

The editor’s first choice for most people switching.

  1. Rank 1: LibreOffice Writer

    Best for a full offline word processor on any desktop

    License: Open source
    • Windows
    • macOS
    • Linux
    Status: Active
    • DOCX: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Complex layouts and some fonts can shift
    • DOC: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Legacy DOC opens and saves; macros and embedded objects can differ
    • RTF: opens and saves, full fidelity
    • ODT: opens and saves, full fidelity. Native format
    • PDF: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Exports PDF/A and tagged PDF; opening a PDF edits it in Draw, not as flowing text

    Opens and saves DOCX and ODT. Layout of complex documents, fonts and fields can shift when a file moves between Word and Writer.

  2. Rank 2: ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors

    Best for keeping DOCX layouts close to Word

    License: Open source
    • Windows
    • macOS
    • Linux
    Status: Slow
    • DOCX: opens and saves, full fidelity. Native format
    • DOC: opens only, partial fidelity. Opens DOC through a conversion and saves as DOCX
    • RTF: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Editing can lose some formatting
    • ODT: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Editing can lose some formatting
    • PDF: opens and saves, partial fidelity. The PDF editor handles forms, comments and basic edits
    • +7 more

    Free desktop app on Windows, macOS and Linux. DOC files open as a conversion to DOCX. Real-time co-editing needs an ONLYOFFICE or Nextcloud server.

Strong

1 tool

Covers most of the same work, with trade-offs noted on each card.

  1. Rank 3: Google Docs

    Best for real-time collaboration in a browser

    License: Free tier
    • Web
    • iOS
    • Android
    Status: Verified
    • DOCX: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Complex layouts and styles can change on import and export
    • DOC: opens only, partial fidelity. Opens DOC files; downloads are offered as DOCX, ODT, RTF and PDF
    • RTF: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Basic formatting carries over
    • ODT: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Basic formatting carries over
    • PDF: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Exports PDF; a PDF opened with Google Docs is converted to text and loses its layout

    Needs a Google account and a browser or the mobile app. DOCX import and export work, but complex layouts and styles can change. Free version: Free with a personal Google account and 15 GB of shared storage. Google Workspace plans add admin controls and more storage.

Sponsor this page: $149 for 30 days. Sponsors appear above the ranking, labeled; the ranking itself is not for sale.

Feature parity

How each alternative covers what people use Microsoft Word for. Numbers link to editor notes.

Feature parity with Microsoft Word
FeatureLibreOffice WriterONLYOFFICE Desktop EditorsGoogle Docs
Compatibility
Complex DOCX layout fidelityPartialNote 1YesNote 2PartialNote 3
Review
Track changes and commentsYesNote 4YesNote 5YesNote 6
Collaboration
Real-time co-authoringNoNote 7PartialNote 8YesNote 9
Authoring
Styles, templates and mail mergeYesNote 10YesNote 11PartialNote 12
Footnotes, citations and cross-referencesYesNote 13PartialNote 14PartialNote 15
Automation
VBA macrosPartialNote 16NoNote 17NoNote 18
AI
Built-in AI writing assistantNoNote 19PartialNote 20NoNote 21
Parity score57%64%50%
  1. LibreOffice Writer, Complex DOCX layout fidelity: Opens and saves DOCX; complex layouts and some fonts can shift
  2. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, Complex DOCX layout fidelity: Uses OOXML as its native format
  3. Google Docs, Complex DOCX layout fidelity: Imports DOCX; complex layouts and styles can change
  4. LibreOffice Writer, Track changes and comments: Record, accept and reject changes with comments
  5. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, Track changes and comments: Review mode with comments and tracked changes
  6. Google Docs, Track changes and comments: Suggesting mode and comments
  7. LibreOffice Writer, Real-time co-authoring: The desktop app has no real-time co-authoring
  8. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, Real-time co-authoring: Real-time co-editing needs a connected ONLYOFFICE or Nextcloud server
  9. Google Docs, Real-time co-authoring: Live editing for many people at once
  10. LibreOffice Writer, Styles, templates and mail merge: Styles, templates and mail merge are built in
  11. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, Styles, templates and mail merge: Styles and templates; mail merge is supported
  12. Google Docs, Styles, templates and mail merge: Styles and templates; mail merge needs an add-on
  13. LibreOffice Writer, Footnotes, citations and cross-references: Footnotes, endnotes, cross-references and a bibliography database
  14. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, Footnotes, citations and cross-references: Footnotes, cross-references and tables of contents; citations come from Zotero or Mendeley plug-ins
  15. Google Docs, Footnotes, citations and cross-references: Footnotes and a citations sidebar; no endnotes or cross-references
  16. LibreOffice Writer, VBA macros: Basic and Python macros; Word VBA macros often need rewriting
  17. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, VBA macros: Macros are written in JavaScript; VBA code does not run
  18. Google Docs, VBA macros: Uses Apps Script instead of VBA
  19. LibreOffice Writer, Built-in AI writing assistant: No built-in AI by design as of 26.8; community extensions can connect outside models
  20. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, Built-in AI writing assistant: AI plug-in works with your own provider and API key
  21. Google Docs, Built-in AI writing assistant: Gemini in Docs needs a paid Google AI or Workspace plan; some personal accounts get Help me write as an experiment

Not covered by any free alternative yet: VBA macros, Built-in AI writing assistant. See all feature gaps

File formats

Can each alternative open and save Microsoft Word files?

Opening and saving Microsoft Word files
FormatLibreOffice WriterONLYOFFICE Desktop EditorsGoogle Docs
.docxOpens and savesNote 1Partial fidelityOpens and savesNote 2Full fidelityOpens and savesNote 3Partial fidelity
.docOpens and savesNote 4Partial fidelityOpens onlyNote 5Partial fidelityOpens onlyNote 6Partial fidelity
.rtfOpens and savesFull fidelityOpens and savesNote 7Partial fidelityOpens and savesNote 8Partial fidelity
.odtOpens and savesNote 9Full fidelityOpens and savesNote 10Partial fidelityOpens and savesNote 11Partial fidelity
.pdfOpens and savesNote 12Partial fidelityOpens and savesNote 13Partial fidelityOpens and savesNote 14Partial fidelity
  1. LibreOffice Writer, .docx: Complex layouts and some fonts can shift
  2. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, .docx: Native format
  3. Google Docs, .docx: Complex layouts and styles can change on import and export
  4. LibreOffice Writer, .doc: Legacy DOC opens and saves; macros and embedded objects can differ
  5. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, .doc: Opens DOC through a conversion and saves as DOCX
  6. Google Docs, .doc: Opens DOC files; downloads are offered as DOCX, ODT, RTF and PDF
  7. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, .rtf: Editing can lose some formatting
  8. Google Docs, .rtf: Basic formatting carries over
  9. LibreOffice Writer, .odt: Native format
  10. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, .odt: Editing can lose some formatting
  11. Google Docs, .odt: Basic formatting carries over
  12. LibreOffice Writer, .pdf: Exports PDF/A and tagged PDF; opening a PDF edits it in Draw, not as flowing text
  13. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, .pdf: The PDF editor handles forms, comments and basic edits
  14. Google Docs, .pdf: Exports PDF; a PDF opened with Google Docs is converted to text and loses its layout

What switching saves

Switching saves about $100 USD / $115 CAD a year. Prices checked .

Based on Microsoft 365 Personal, annual plan. Price source.

About this page

Last verified . Ranking: tier first, then the published score.

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Related

Microsoft Word is a product of Microsoft, named here for comparison only. Platforms listed for Microsoft Word: Windows, macOS, Web, iOS, Android.