Summary: Free Microsoft Office alternatives are good options to create documents and spreadsheets, send emails, and conduct video conferences like MS Office for free. What is the top software you can use for the same? Find the article below!
Microsoft Office has been a popular collaboration suite for almost a decade. It comes with multiple apps like word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, etc., to streamline the workflow and improve communication in the organization.
However, it is not the only option when it comes to office suite applications. There are several Microsoft office alternatives that provide similar features free of cost. Therefore, making them a great choice for organizations that do not want to spend much on Office suite applications.
By using the best free Microsoft office alternative, you can easily create and edit documents, generate spreadsheets, schedule meetings, collaborate in real-time, and much more.
Get more insights on the best free office alternative in the article below.
Comparison of Top 5 Best Free Microsoft Office Alternatives
| Metrics | Microsoft Office | Google Workplace | DropBox | Kingsoft WPS Office | Zoho Docs |
| Cloud Storage | 5 GB free | 15 GB free | 2 GB free | 1 GB Free | 5 GB free |
| Pricing | ₹4,899.00/year | ₹136.90/user/month | ₹818.42/month | ₹1,473.95/year | ₹240/month/ user |
| Real Time Collaboration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rating | 4.6/5 | 4.7/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Operating System | Windows | Windows, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux | Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS | Linux, Mac, Windows |
List of 9 Free Microsoft Office Alternatives to Try
- Best Overall: Google Workspace
- Best Free Software: Apache OpenOffice
- Best for Word Processing: LibreOffice
- Best for Mac System: iWork
- Best for Spreadsheets Creation: NeoOffice
- Best for Storage Space: DropBox
- Best for File Sharing and Collaboration: Zoho Docs
- Best for Graphics and Presentations: Kingsoft WPS Office
- Best for Database Management: SSuite Office
LibreOffice
Pricing: Free to use
Storage: 1.5 GB hard disk storage space
LibreOffice is a free and open-source office suite offering multiple applications for word processing, creating spreadsheets, presentations, drawing vector graphics, maintaining databases, etc.
With it, you can export your data and documents in multiple file formats, collaborate in real-time, generate and edit spreadsheets, and so on.
LibreOffice Features
- Creates books with diagrams, indexes, content, etc.
- Corrects spelling and typo errors with AutoCorrect dictionary
- Generates different drawings, brochures, and posters
- Develops diagrams and flowcharts
- Comes with formula editor to insert formatted formulas in docs.
LibreOffice Pros and Cons
- You get multiple templates to perform different types of functions
- You can use this software even in the offline mode
- It does not offer any cloud storage space
Why Choose LibreOffice?
LibreOffice is free and open-source and therefore makes it easier to use Office functions like spreadsheets and documents creation without any payment.
NeoOffice
Pricing: Free to use
Storage: Not available
NeoOffice is a comprehensive Office suite designed for Mac operating system based on OpenOffice and LibreOffice
With it, you can easily view, modify, and store OpenOffice and LibreOffice documents, Word files, PowerPoint files, etc. Further, this MS Office alternative automatically saves a copy of document before any editions.
Features of NeoOffice
- Restores previous file versions
- Supports text highlighting in documents
- Natively locks files for safely editing on different drives
- Comes with a grammar checking tool
- Helps with files creation and editing
Pros and Cons of NeoOffice
- It lets you create and edit different file types like spreadsheets, presentations, word, text, etc.
- You can extract data from the previous file version and add it to the latest version with this software
- NeoOffice does not offer the real-time file collaboration feature like Microsoft Office
Why Choose NeoOffice?
You can pick NeoOffice as an alternative to Microsoft Office if you require basic file creation and editing features.
SSuite Office
Pricing: Free to use
Storage: Not available
SSuite Office is a suite of free tools for improving collaboration and productivity. This free office alternative can be used to manage tasks like creating and editing files, collaborating on documents, sharing files in various formats, etc. Further, you can also create amazing slideshows and animations with SSuite Office.
SSuite Office Features
- Presents and analyzes data in graphs and reports
- Supports the creation of spreadsheets and presentations
- Helps create and share files
- Supports database creation and manipulation
- Offers multiple tools for word processing
Pros and Cons of SSuite Office
- You can also use it for creating and managing tasks
- It can also be used for web or video conferencing
- It does not support multiple open-source files formats
Why Choose SSuite Office?
SSuite Office is a good choice as it offers multiple applications that you can use for free, such as database manipulation and finance management.
Kingsoft WPS Office
Pricing: Free plan available | Paid plan starts from INR 1,473.95/year
Storage: 1 GB cloud storage in the free plan
Kingsoft WPS Office is a free office suite that offers various productivity apps to easily create, edit, and share documents.
This Microsoft Office alternative helps you to create professional presentations, content, spreadsheets, and so on. Kingsoft WPS Office can also be used to compress file sizes and managing file permissions for security.
Features of Kingsoft WPS Office
- Creates and edits PDFs
- Converts documents in different file formats
- Helps collaborate on cloud in real time
- Extracts texts and signature through file scanning
- Encrypts PDFs for data security
WPS Office Pros and Cons
- You can use this software in 13 languages in its PC version
- This software can also be used in the offline mode
- Grammar correction tool does not function properly
Why Choose Kingsoft WPS Office?
Kingsoft WPS Office is a great office suite as it offers 100,000+ templates to create and customize documents.
Google Workspace
Pricing: No free plan available | Paid plan starts from INR 136.90/user/month
Storage: 30 GB storage space/user in its starter plan
Google Workspace provides users with multiple business apps and collaboration tools to improve business communication and boost productivity.
This alternative to Microsoft office can be used for sending emails, creating documents, making spreadsheets, generating forms, and a lot more. Further, you can also schedule meetings and send automated invitations through calendars.
Features of Google Workspace
- Protects mails from phishing and spam
- Conducts high quality audio and video conferencing
- Securely stores all data in the cloud
- Supports real-time chat with team members
- Creates and edits slides and spreadsheets
Pros and Cons of Google Workspace
- With it, you can also develop apps without any code
- It offers multiple security protocols to keep the files and data secure
- Users have reported that the formatting changes when the documents are imported from other apps
Why Choose Google Workspace?
Google Workspace is a good option because it lets you work on your MS office documents irrespective of whether you have installed the application or not.
iWork
Pricing: iWork apps are free to use on any apple device
Storage: 5GB with iCloud cloud storage
iWork is a complete suite of applications that can be used for word processing, creating presentations, and generating complex spreadsheets.
With multiple templates and design options, you can create any type of document quickly. Further, with real-time collaboration, you can easily work on projects with your team members.
iWork Features
- Creates digital books, posters, reports, etc.
- Offers pivot tables to categorize and organize data
- Comes with 700+ customizable shapes for data visualization
- Creates stunning presentations with charts, cinematic effects, photos, etc.
- Imports and edits MS word and text files
Pros and Cons of iWork
- It can also be used for creating stunning animated videos
- With Screen View, it can adjust content according to screen requirements
- Mail merging feature is not supported
Why Choose iWork?
iWork is a great option as you can save and edit documents in Microsoft Office supported files formats like doc, .xls, .ppt, .pdf, .csv, etc.
DropBox
Pricing: Free plan available | Paid plan starts from INR 818.42/month
Storage: Up to 2GB in the free plan
DropBox is a file sharing and collaboration tool to easily create, share, store, and sync your files. This alternative to Microsoft Office can be used for storing files on the cloud, organizing, editing, protecting and recovering files, and so on. DropBox can also be used for managing files’ permissions and saving their version history.
DropBox Features
- Encrypts files for security
- Creates and shares videos, screen recordings, screenshots, etc.
- Stores files safely on cloud
- Supports real-time collaboration
- Locks files to prevent unwanted editing or access
- Offers OCR to convert scanned files into searchable documents
Pros and Cons of DropBox
- It lets you share your files with brand logo and background image
- You can work on Google docs, spreadsheets, etc., directly from DropBox
- Users have experienced security issues
- DropBox offers limited integration options
Why Choose DropBox?
If you require up to 2 GB storage space and OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to convert scanned documents, then DropBox is a better option.
Zoho Docs
Pricing: Free plan available | Paid plan starts from INR 240/month/ user
Storage: 5 GB storage in the free plan
Zoho Docs is a document management system to create and edit different files. All the files are synced in cloud for easy accessibility. With it, you can create, edit, manage, and collaborate on documents directly from the software.
Zoho Docs can also be used to securely share files both within and outside the organization. Furthermore, you can also import and insert excel spreadsheets into Zoho spreadsheets with this free Office alternative.
Features of Zoho Docs
- Creates different files versions
- Transfers file ownership easily
- Shares files in multiple groups
- Supports file recovery
- Uploads files up to 25 GB
- Protects documents through password
Pros and Cons of Zoho Doc
- You can share files with non Zoho Docs users directly from the software
- It can be used for zipping and unzipping files
- Limited integration options are available
- The speed of uploading big data files is low
Why Choose Zoho Docs?
Zoho Docs is the best option if you need file versioning, an in-app chat option, and up to 1 GB file size option for free.
Apache OpenOffice
Pricing: Free to use
Storage: Not available
Apache OpenOffice is an open-source Office Suite that offers multiple tools for creating documents and spreadsheets, graphical presentations, creating reports, and a lot more.
This free Office alternative stores the data in an international open standard format and reads and writes documents from other Office apps. With its Base tool, you can also manipulate different types of databases easily.
Features of Apache OpenOffice
- Create both short and long form content
- Represents numerical data in graphs and spreadsheets
- Creates multimedia-rich presentations
- Modifies tables, forms, queries, etc.
- Generates mathematical calculations with graphical interface
Pros and Cons of OpenOffice by Apache
- Easily share the created files with anyone without any cost
- You can also create and insert 3D objects in your documents and presentations
- Users have reported security issues with this software
- It offers very limited features as compared to MS Office
Why Choose Apache OpenOffice?
Apache OpenOffice is a good option as its spreadsheet functions are similar to Microsoft Excel that you can use for free.
How to Choose Suitable Free Microsoft Office 365 Alternatives?
To choose the best free Microsoft Office 365 alternative, you need to ensure that it offers features similar to MS Office. Some of the common parameters that you need to keep in mind are.
- Team Collaboration: The free Office alternative should provide collaboration features to easily work and edit files in real-time with other team members. Make sure it also lets you collaborate on the cloud for editing.
- Security Features: The alternative you are planning to buy must have advanced security features like multi-factor authentication, file encryption, files access control, etc. This will keep the data secure and prevent unauthorized access.
- Files Type Support: Choose the software that supports multiple file formats such as PDF, HTML, docx, dotx, pdf, psd, sldx, etc. The availability of several file formats will ensure that the recipients can easily open and edit documents.
- Tools Included: Depending on your business requirements, you can either choose an Office Suite with comprehensive applications or its customized versions.
- Storage Space: The alternative to MS Office must offer ample cloud storage space to securely store and save your files and data. Further, it should also let you increase the storage as your organization grows.
- Platform Compatibility: The free Office Suite should be compatible with all the devices you are using like a mobile phone, tablet, laptop, etc., for easy accessibility. This will enable you to work on your data and files from any device.
Conclusion
Microsoft Office is undeniably one of the most popular Office productivity apps to work and collaborate with team members. But you need to buy its subscription to access the complete MS Office applications.
However, with the availability of so many open-source Office Suites, businesses that are tight on budget can easily ensure collaboration and productivity.
FAQs
What is a good alternative to Microsoft Office?
There are many software solutions that you can use for free to create, share and edit documents. Some of the top choices include Apache OpenOffice, Zoho Docs, DropBox, iWork, etc.
Is there an alternative to Microsoft Office free?
Yes, there are free office suites that you can use instead of Microsoft Office to work on documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc. Some of the best Microsoft Office alternatives that you can consider are Apache OpenOffice, LibreOffice, NeoOffice, Kingsoft WPS Office, SSuite Office, etc.
Is Office Online free?
Yes, Microsoft Office Online is free to use for one month. After that, you need to subscribe to any of its paid plan to access all its features.
How much does Microsoft Office cost?
The Microsoft Office personal plan costs around INR 4,899.00/year that comes with 1TB of cloud storage space. Its family plan starts from INR 6,199.00/year that offers 6TB of cloud storage space.
Why use a free alternative for Microsoft Office?
There are several reasons why people are using free alternatives to Microsoft Office because it might be costlier as compared to its competitors. Further, you can do document sharing, file collaboration, spreadsheet creation, etc., for free in its alternatives without any limit as compared to MS Office.
Google News
Written by
Varsha
Varsha is an experienced content writer at Techjockey. She has been writing since 2021 and has covered several industries in her writing like fashion, technology, automobile, interior design, etc. Over the span of 1 year, she has written 100+ blogs focusing on security, finance, accounts, inventory, human resources,... Read more
Previous 
