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Free alternatives to Microsoft Word

Top pick: ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors. 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: ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors

    Best for keeping DOCX layouts close to Word

    License: Open source
    • Windows
    • macOS
    • Linux
    Status: Unknown
    • 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.

  2. Rank 2: LibreOffice Writer

    Best for a full offline word processor on any desktop

    License: Open source
    • Windows
    • macOS
    • Linux
    Status: Unknown
    • 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.

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
FeatureONLYOFFICE Desktop EditorsLibreOffice WriterGoogle Docs
Compatibility
Complex DOCX layout fidelityYesNote 1PartialNote 2PartialNote 3
Review
Track changes and commentsYesNote 4YesNote 5YesNote 6
Collaboration
Real-time co-authoringPartialNote 7NoNote 8YesNote 9
Authoring
Styles, templates and mail mergeYesNote 10YesNote 11PartialNote 12
Footnotes, citations and cross-referencesPartialNote 13YesNote 14PartialNote 15
Automation
VBA macrosNoNote 16PartialNote 17NoNote 18
AI
Built-in AI writing assistantPartialNote 19NoNote 20NoNote 21
Parity score64%57%50%
  1. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, Complex DOCX layout fidelity: Uses OOXML as its native format
  2. LibreOffice Writer, Complex DOCX layout fidelity: Opens and saves DOCX; complex layouts and some fonts can shift
  3. Google Docs, Complex DOCX layout fidelity: Imports DOCX; complex layouts and styles can change
  4. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, Track changes and comments: Review mode with comments and tracked changes
  5. LibreOffice Writer, Track changes and comments: Record, accept and reject changes with comments
  6. Google Docs, Track changes and comments: Suggesting mode and comments
  7. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, Real-time co-authoring: Real-time co-editing needs a connected ONLYOFFICE or Nextcloud server
  8. LibreOffice Writer, Real-time co-authoring: The desktop app has no real-time co-authoring
  9. Google Docs, Real-time co-authoring: Live editing for many people at once
  10. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, Styles, templates and mail merge: Styles and templates; mail merge is supported
  11. LibreOffice Writer, Styles, templates and mail merge: Styles, templates and mail merge are built in
  12. Google Docs, Styles, templates and mail merge: Styles and templates; mail merge needs an add-on
  13. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, Footnotes, citations and cross-references: Footnotes, cross-references and tables of contents; citations come from Zotero or Mendeley plug-ins
  14. LibreOffice Writer, Footnotes, citations and cross-references: Footnotes, endnotes, cross-references and a bibliography database
  15. Google Docs, Footnotes, citations and cross-references: Footnotes and a citations sidebar; no endnotes or cross-references
  16. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, VBA macros: Macros are written in JavaScript; VBA code does not run
  17. LibreOffice Writer, VBA macros: Basic and Python macros; Word VBA macros often need rewriting
  18. Google Docs, VBA macros: Uses Apps Script instead of VBA
  19. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, Built-in AI writing assistant: AI plug-in works with your own provider and API key
  20. LibreOffice Writer, Built-in AI writing assistant: No built-in AI by design as of 26.8; community extensions can connect outside models
  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
FormatONLYOFFICE Desktop EditorsLibreOffice WriterGoogle Docs
.docxOpens and savesNote 1Full fidelityOpens and savesNote 2Partial fidelityOpens and savesNote 3Partial fidelity
.docOpens onlyNote 4Partial fidelityOpens and savesNote 5Partial fidelityOpens onlyNote 6Partial fidelity
.rtfOpens and savesNote 7Partial fidelityOpens and savesFull fidelityOpens and savesNote 8Partial fidelity
.odtOpens and savesNote 9Partial fidelityOpens and savesNote 10Full fidelityOpens and savesNote 11Partial fidelity
.pdfOpens and savesNote 12Partial fidelityOpens and savesNote 13Partial fidelityOpens and savesNote 14Partial fidelity
  1. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, .docx: Native format
  2. LibreOffice Writer, .docx: Complex layouts and some fonts can shift
  3. Google Docs, .docx: Complex layouts and styles can change on import and export
  4. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, .doc: Opens DOC through a conversion and saves as DOCX
  5. LibreOffice Writer, .doc: Legacy DOC opens and saves; macros and embedded objects can differ
  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. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, .odt: Editing can lose some formatting
  10. LibreOffice Writer, .odt: Native format
  11. Google Docs, .odt: Basic formatting carries over
  12. ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, .pdf: The PDF editor handles forms, comments and basic edits
  13. LibreOffice Writer, .pdf: Exports PDF/A and tagged PDF; opening a PDF edits it in Draw, not as flowing text
  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.