6 Finest Free Alternate options to Microsoft Phrase (2023 Replace)

Google Docs: Finest for sharing and actual time collaboration

Google Docs, which is well the most well-liked Microsoft Phrase different on this record, is free to everybody with a Google account.

If you would like the fundamental options of Microsoft Phrase, you don’t have to 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 every thing is saved in Google’s cloud, you don’t want to fret about dropping your work (Determine A). Docs robotically save after each single keystroke, so within the occasion of a crash, you must have the ability 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 in every of its finest options for enterprise customers is real-time collaboration. In the event you share a doc with one other Google person, each of you might 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 fantastic collaboration instrument that stands out amongst phrase processors.

Superior customers could discover the options missing — it truly is a bare-bones phrase processor.

Standout options

• Actual-time collaboration functionality.
• Pageless view.
• Dropdowns.
• Desk templates.
• Watermarks.
• Doc abstract.
• Google Meet integration.
• Menu shortcut that allows you to tag folks, add components and carry out different actions.
• Commenting, notes and options.
• Assembly notes.
• E mail draft.
• Checklists.
• Customizable templates.
• In-doc chat functionality.
• Desk of contents sidebar.
• Discover and change functionality.

Execs

• Intuitive, simple to study and use.
• Straightforward sharing and collaboration.
• Straightforward monitor adjustments.
• Versatile and person pleasant.

Cons

• Restricted offline functionality.
• Some customers reported that it has restricted superior formatting and enhancing capabilities.
• Generally crashes happen when too many individuals are engaged on the identical doc.

SEE: Change into a Google Docs energy person.

Apache OpenOffice Author: Finest for lengthy and sophisticated paperwork

In the event you hate Microsoft Phrase due to its ribbon, then Apache’s OpenOffice Author is the 2003 throwback you need. It has a basic interface that, whereas it may well 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, which is necessary for a enterprise software program suite.

Determine B

OpenOffice Author has its personal doc format, however it additionally helps .doc and .docx information, and it does a fantastic job of sustaining formatting when importing these varieties of information. Lots of the superior options of Microsoft Phrase are included in OpenOffice Author as nicely, so enhancing advanced Phrase paperwork received’t be a difficulty.

If on-line collaboration or native cloud assist is a promoting level, then it’s possible you’ll need to cross on OpenOffice Author as a result of it consists of neither. It’s doable to retailer information in a cloud drive and entry them utilizing OpenOffice, however you’ll want the desktop consumer of Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive or Apple iCloud put in so as to open your cloud storage like an area pc folder.

Standout options

• Desk of contents and references.
• AutoCorrect dictionary.
• AutoComplete functionality.
• Multi-page show.
• HTML, PDF, and MediaWiki codecs.

Execs

• Helps .docx and .doc.
• Acquainted, Microsoft-like interface.
• Over 900 templates.
• Commenting/Notes.

Cons

• It doesn’t have cellular apps.
• The person interface isn’t intuitive.

Zoho Author: Finest 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 necessary 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 other than 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).

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 house. Doc Fillable instruments additionally put kinds proper in your paperwork, giving them an expert really feel that’s prepared for embedding anyplace you want a kind.

To not be outdone by Google Docs or Microsoft Phrase, Zoho Author’s real-time collaboration has granular controls, together with feedback, options, 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 artistic groups.

Standout options

• WordPress integration.
• Zia AI.
• Feedback and notes.
• Lock or masks delicate data.
• Submit to WordPress from Zoho Author.
• Phrase doc import.
• Export to .docx and .pdf.
• Doc automation.
• Doc fillable.

Execs

• Actual-time collaboration.
• Offline enhancing functionality.
• Integrates nicely with Zoho WorkDrive and different merchandise within the Zoho suite.

Cons

• Customers say the editor will get sluggish when working with giant paperwork.
• Zoho Author spell checker might be improved.

LibreOffice Author: Finest for personalization

The Doc Basis’s LibreOffice Author, like OpenOffice, is a very free and open-source product that provides 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 common phrase processing options (Determine D). Each are stable decisions for these on the lookout for a free different to Microsoft Phrase, and choosing one over the opposite largely comes right down to choice.

Determine D

One side of LibreOffice stands out, and it’s’’t 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 heart on LibreOffice’s web site, and that focus has grown LibreOffice right into a thriving neighborhood of customers and coders that hold making it higher.

Standout options

• Desktop publishing.
• Built-in calculation operate.
• Drawing instruments.
• Spellchecker, thesaurus, AutoCorrect and hyphenation.

Execs

• Works nicely with MS Workplace information.
• Installs on Home windows, Linux and Mac.
• Helps drag-and-drop.

Cons

• Some customers reported that the instrument is usually sluggish.
• Restricted documentation.

WPS Workplace Author: Finest for superior options

If you would like a phrase processor as feature-packed as Phrase however don’t need to pay a premium, take a look at WPS Workplace Author. It’s a full-featured software suite that feels premium.

WPS Workplace Author does many of the similar 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). Have 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 is likely to be the one to go for — particularly contemplating it’s free.

Determine E

With something free and top quality, there’s normally a catch, and also you would possibly have the ability to guess what it’s in our trendy 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; adverts solely seem if you need to use choose options like printing or exporting to PDF. If it’s essential do a kind of issues, you’ll have to take a seat by way of a roughly 10-second advert, which unlocks the characteristic for half-hour. In the event you like what WPS Author presents, you possibly can remove adverts by paying a yearly subscription charge of $29.99 or $9.99 for 3 months.

Key options

• PDF file assist.
• File format conversion.
• PDF to Phrase conversion.
• Doc to image export.
• Image to textual content conversion.
• Skins and design customization.

Execs

• Helps Home windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.
• Helps 13 languages on PC and 46 languages on cellular.
• 20GB of cloud storage.
• WPS Workplace is appropriate with 47 widespread doc codecs.

Cons

• The free model accommodates adverts.
• Some customers say the app is a bit sluggish.

Microsoft Workplace Phrase On-line: Finest for customers preferring Microsoft Phrase’s interface

Don’t overlook Microsoft’s free different 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, 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 just a few tweaks you can also 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 nicely. One huge plus in Phrase On-line’s favor is formatting: In the event 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 means 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

• Auto-save operate.
• Dictation and voice command functionality.
• Acquainted setting for Microsoft Workplace customers.

Cons

• Restricted options in comparison with the offline model.
• It could comprise adverts.

SEE: Discover every thing Microsoft 365 has to supply.