Microsoft Phrase has its devotees, however discover one one who loves it, and also you’ll in all probability discover a number of who don’t. From redesigns that conceal acquainted menu gadgets to overly difficult and sometimes unused options, there’s so much to be desired in a easy phrase processor that Microsoft Phrase doesn’t ship on account of its advanced nature.
Microsoft Phrase as part of Microsoft Workplace is pricey — for example, Microsoft 365 Enterprise Premium prices $22 or £18.10 for every person per thirty days.
SEE: Uncover the greatest free alternate options to Microsoft Excel.
When you don’t want all of the options that Microsoft Phrase gives, it may be laborious to justify paying that worth, particularly in a small enterprise atmosphere the place you simply want a phrase processor. Don’t pay for what you received’t use and try one among these six free Microsoft Phrase alternate options as an alternative.
Options to Microsoft Phrase comparability
This chart offers a basic overview of the capabilities of every Microsoft Phrase various.
| Google Docs | Apache OpenOffice Author | Zoho Author | LibreOffice Author | WPS Workplace Author | Microsoft Workplace Phrase On-line | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platform | Internet-based | Home windows, macOS, Linux | Internet-based | Linux, FreeBSD, Mac OS X and Home windows | Home windows, macOS, Linux | Internet-based |
| Collaboration | Wonderful | No | Wonderful | No | Restricted | Wonderful |
| Offline entry | Restricted | Sure | Restricted | Sure | Sure | Restricted |
| Doc templates | Sure | Sure | Sure | Sure | Sure | Sure |
| Superior formatting | Restricted | Sure | Sure | Sure | Sure | Sure |
| Cloud storage integration | Google Drive | Numerous | Zoho WorkDrive | Sure | Numerous | OneDrive |
Google Docs: Greatest for sharing and actual time collaboration
Google Docs, which is well the most well-liked Microsoft Phrase various on this listing, is free to everybody with a Google account.
If you would like the fundamental options of Microsoft Phrase, you don’t must look any additional than Google Doc — it helps all of your fundamental phrase processing wants and is tightly built-in with Google Drive and different merchandise. Since all the things is saved in Google’s cloud, you don’t want to fret about shedding your work (Determine A). Docs robotically save after each single keystroke, so within the occasion of a crash, you need to be capable to decide up proper the place you left off, right down to the letter. Google Docs additionally helps Microsoft Phrase’s .doc and .docx codecs, so that you shouldn’t have any issues importing and enhancing these information.
Determine A
One among its greatest options for enterprise customers is real-time collaboration. When you share a doc with one other Google person, each of you may be within the doc concurrently, see the opposite person’s cursor place, watch what they’re typing, and chat with one another. It’s a terrific collaboration instrument that stands out amongst phrase processors.
Nevertheless, superior Phrase customers could discover the options missing — it truly is a bare-bones phrase processor. Moreover a lot of its new AI-powered options, just like the addition of the AI assistant Gemini, are solely obtainable to paying customers with Google One AI Premium accounts or the Gemini for Google Workspace add-on.
Standout options
- Actual-time collaboration functionality.
- Pageless view.
- Dropdowns.
- Desk templates.
- Watermarks.
- Doc abstract.
- Google Meet integration.
- Menu shortcut that permits you to tag folks, add parts, and carry out different actions.
- Commenting, notes, and strategies.
- Assembly notes.
- Electronic mail draft.
- Checklists.
- Customizable templates.
- In-doc chat functionality.
- Desk of contents sidebar.
- Discover and exchange functionality.
| Execs | Cons |
| Intuitive, straightforward to be taught and use. | Restricted offline functionality. |
| Straightforward sharing and collaboration. | Some customers reported that it has restricted superior formatting and enhancing capabilities. |
| Straightforward observe modifications. | Typically crashes happen when too many individuals are engaged on the identical doc. |
Apache OpenOffice Author: Greatest for lengthy and complicated paperwork
When you hate Microsoft Phrase due to its ribbon, then Apache’s OpenOffice Author is the 2003 throwback you need. It has a traditional interface that, whereas it will possibly look a bit cluttered, mimics the menus that Microsoft tossed out when Workplace 2007 was launched (Determine B). It can positively really feel acquainted to Workplace 2003 customers, with the added perk of nonetheless receiving updates and safety patches from its lively assist group, which is essential for a enterprise software program suite.
Determine B
OpenOffice Author has its personal doc format, nevertheless it additionally helps .doc and .docx information, and it does a terrific job of sustaining formatting when importing these kinds of information. Lots of the superior options of Microsoft Phrase are included in OpenOffice Author as properly, so enhancing advanced Phrase paperwork received’t be a difficulty.
If on-line collaboration or native cloud assist are important to you, then you could need to move on OpenOffice Author as a result of it consists of neither. It’s potential to retailer information in a cloud drive and entry them utilizing OpenOffice, however you’ll want the desktop shopper of Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive or Apple iCloud put in as a way to open your cloud storage like an area laptop folder.
Standout options
- Desk of contents and references.
- AutoCorrect dictionary.
- AutoComplete functionality.
- Multi-page show.
- HTML, PDF, and MediaWiki codecs.
- Over 900 templates.
| Execs | Cons |
| Helps .docx and .doc. | It doesn’t have cell apps. |
| Acquainted, Microsoft-like interface. | The person interface isn’t intuitive. |
Zoho Author: Greatest for automation
Zoho Author is a free doc creation instrument with a clear writing interface and highly effective built-in capabilities. Writing paperwork in Author is essentially distraction-free, whereas essential textual content instruments are nonetheless inside attain. The native options of Author, a lot of which leverage the capabilities of different Zoho apps, actually set it aside from the remaining.
Use the built-in AI instrument, Zia, for higher high quality content material, quick grammar fixes, and perception into the doc’s readability for various audiences (Determine C). It might additionally test for plagiarized and duplicated content material. AI instruments are sometimes included as a paid add-on, so the truth that Zia is free is an actual bonus.
Determine C
The Doc Signal instrument places e-signature instruments proper within the doc in order that groups can go from draft to approval to signature, all in the identical area. Doc Fillable instruments additionally put varieties proper in your paperwork, giving them knowledgeable really feel that’s prepared for embedding anyplace you want a type.
To not be outdone by Google Docs or Microsoft Phrase, Zoho Author’s real-time collaboration has granular controls, together with feedback, strategies, textual content masking to cover some gadgets from collaborators and even content material locks for blocks of textual content. Zoho Author is constructed for company collaboration, authorized approvals and inventive groups.
Standout options
- WordPress integration.
- Zia AI.
- Feedback and notes.
- Lock or masks delicate info.
- Put up to WordPress from Zoho Author.
- Phrase doc import.
- Export to .docx and .pdf.
- Doc automation.
- Doc fillable.
- Unsplash and Pexels extensions for embedding royalty-free pictures.
- Desktop app enables you to create and edit native paperwork.
| Execs | Cons |
| Actual-time collaboration. | Customers say the editor will get gradual when working with giant paperwork. |
| Offline enhancing functionality. | Zoho Author spell checker may very well be improved. |
LibreOffice Author: Greatest for personalisation
The Doc Basis’s LibreOffice Author, like OpenOffice, is a very free and open-source product that gives phrase processing, assist for .doc and .docx file codecs and all of the instruments the typical Microsoft Phrase person will want in a phrase processor. LibreOffice Author and OpenOffice Author are comparable in quite a lot of methods: interface fashion, file format assist, lack of cloud integration and real-time collaboration, and basic phrase processing options (Determine D). Each are stable decisions for these in search of a free various to Microsoft Phrase, and choosing one over the opposite largely comes right down to choice.
Determine D
One side of LibreOffice stands out, and that’s what’s within the app — it’s the community-driven nature of the platform. Collaborating with customers and builders to enhance the product is entrance and middle on LibreOffice’s web site, and that focus has grown LibreOffice right into a thriving group of customers and coders that preserve making it higher.
Standout options
- Desktop publishing.
- Built-in calculation perform.
- Drawing instruments.
- Spellchecker, thesaurus, AutoCorrect, and hyphenation.
- Drag-and-drop supported.
| Execs | Cons |
| Works properly with MS Workplace information. | Some customers reported that the instrument is usually gradual. |
| Installs on Home windows, Linux and Mac. | Restricted documentation. |
WPS Workplace Author: Greatest for superior options
If you would like a phrase processor as feature-packed as Phrase however don’t need to pay a premium, try WPS Workplace Author. It’s a full-featured software suite that feels premium.
WPS Workplace Author does many of the identical issues as Microsoft Phrase, and it consists of native cloud assist to make storing paperwork on-line a snap; nonetheless, it does lack real-time collaboration (Determine E). Take a look at any assessment of WPS Workplace Author, and also you’ll discover statements that attest to how a lot it’s like Phrase. With its inclusion of extra options than different free suites like OpenOffice, this could be the one to go for — particularly contemplating it’s free.
Determine E
With something free and prime quality, there’s often a catch, and also you may be capable to guess what it’s in our fashionable age of “freemium” apps: Adverts. Don’t let that dissuade you from attempting WPS Author — you won’t see an advert. There’s no banner throughout the highest of the app; advertisements solely seem while you need to use choose options like printing or exporting to PDF. If you might want to do a kind of issues, you’ll have to sit down by a roughly 10-second advert, which unlocks the function for half-hour. When you like what WPS Author gives, you’ll be able to remove advertisements by paying a yearly subscription charge of $29.99 or £33.49, or $9.99 or £16.49 for 3 months.
Key options
- Appropriate with 47 frequent doc codecs, together with PDF.
- File format conversion.
- PDF to Phrase conversion.
- Doc to image export.
- Image to textual content conversion.
- Skins and design customization.
- Helps 13 languages on PC and 46 languages on cell.
| Execs | Cons |
| Helps Home windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. | The free model incorporates advertisements. |
| 20GB of cloud storage. | Some customers say the app is a bit gradual. |
Microsoft Workplace Phrase On-line: Greatest for customers preferring Microsoft Phrase’s interface
Don’t overlook Microsoft’s free various to the paid model of Phrase: Workplace On-line. Like Google Docs, Microsoft Phrase On-line is a simplified, cloud-based model of Phrase (Determine F). It lacks most of the superior options of a locally-installed model of Phrase, reminiscent of tips and rulers, bibliography, and autosave, however that is as shut as you may get for customers who desire a free model of Phrase.
Determine F
Similarities between Google Docs and Phrase On-line are current all the best way right down to the interface, however with a number of tweaks you may make it really feel extra just like the Microsoft ribbon as an alternative of the dropdown menus Google Docs makes use of. Paperwork created in Phrase On-line are saved in Microsoft OneDrive, and real-time collaboration options like these in Google Docs can be found as properly. One massive plus in Phrase On-line’s favor is formatting: When you create a doc in Phrase On-line after which import it to an area model of Microsoft Phrase, it’s going to retain the formatting manner higher than a Google Docs file.
Key options
- Actual-time collaboration.
- .docm, .docx, .pptm, .pptx, .xlsm, and. xlsx assist.
- 5GB of cloud storage.
- Templates, fonts, icons and stickers.
- Spelling and grammar.
| Execs | Cons |
| Auto-save perform. | Restricted options in comparison with the offline model. |
| Dictation and voice command functionality. | It might include advertisements. |
SEE: Discover all the things Microsoft 365 has to supply.
How to decide on the very best free alternate options to Microsoft Phrase
When selecting the right free alternate options to Microsoft Phrase, there are a number of key components to think about.
- Assess your particular necessities and decide the options and functionalities you want from phrase processing software program. This might embrace doc formatting choices, collaboration capabilities, compatibility with numerous file codecs and obtainable templates.
- Conduct thorough analysis on fashionable choices reminiscent of Google Docs, LibreOffice Author, Apache OpenOffice Author, Zoho Author and WPS Workplace Author.
- Learn person opinions, evaluate options and check the software program to see how properly it meets your necessities.
- Think about components like compatibility with Microsoft Phrase codecs, integration with cloud storage and ongoing assist and updates.
By evaluating these standards, you may make an knowledgeable choice and select the choice that most closely fits your wants.
Assessment methodology
We analyzed every Microsoft Phrase various primarily based on 5 key information factors: free, assist for Microsoft Phrase format, offline entry, templates and skill to satisfy wants. All of the instruments in our comparability group fulfill these standards. We evaluated how properly every various fulfills customers’ wants when it comes to performance, ease of use, formatting capabilities and different related components. This criterion helps assess the general suitability of the instrument for several types of customers and their particular necessities.
