6 Greatest Free Options to Microsoft Phrase (2023 Replace)

Google Docs: Greatest 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’d like the essential 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 the whole lot 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, it’s best 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 modifying these information.

Determine A

One among its finest options for enterprise customers is real-time collaboration. Should you share a doc with one other Google person, each of you could 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.

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 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 substitute functionality.

Execs

• Intuitive, simple to study and use.
• Simple sharing and collaboration.
• Simple observe adjustments.
• Versatile and person pleasant.

Cons

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

SEE: Develop into a Google Docs energy person.

Apache OpenOffice Author: Greatest for lengthy and complicated paperwork

Should 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 possibly look a bit cluttered, mimics the menus that Microsoft tossed out when Workplace 2007 was launched (Determine B). It would positively really feel acquainted to Workplace 2003 customers, with the added perk of nonetheless receiving updates and safety patches, which is vital for a enterprise software program suite.

Determine B

OpenOffice Author has its personal doc format, but it surely additionally helps .doc and .docx information, and it does a terrific job of sustaining formatting when importing these forms of information. Most of the superior options of Microsoft Phrase are included in OpenOffice Author as nicely, so modifying advanced Phrase paperwork gained’t be a problem.

If on-line collaboration or native cloud help is a promoting level, then you could need to go 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 to open your cloud storage like a neighborhood 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 cell apps.
• 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 vital 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).

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 kinds proper in your paperwork, giving them an expert really feel that’s prepared for embedding wherever 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, 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 data.
• Publish to WordPress from Zoho Author.
• Phrase doc import.
• Export to .docx and .pdf.
• Doc automation.
• Doc fillable.

Execs

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

Cons

• Customers say the editor will get sluggish when working with massive paperwork.
• Zoho Author spell checker might 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, help 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 related in a variety of methods: interface model, file format help, lack of cloud integration and real-time collaboration, and normal phrase processing options (Determine D). Each are stable decisions for these on the lookout for a free different to Microsoft Phrase, and deciding on one over the opposite largely comes right down to desire.

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 middle 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 perform.
• 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: Greatest for superior options

If you’d 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 utility suite that feels premium.

WPS Workplace Author does many of the identical issues as Microsoft Phrase, and it consists of native cloud help to make storing paperwork on-line a snap; nevertheless, 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 normally a catch, and also you would possibly be capable to guess what it’s in our trendy age of “freemium” apps: Adverts. Don’t let that dissuade you from making an attempt 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 it’s essential to do a type of issues, you’ll have to take a seat by way of a roughly 10-second advert, which unlocks the characteristic for half-hour. Should you like what WPS Author affords, you’ll be able to get rid of advertisements by paying a yearly subscription charge of $29.99 or $9.99 for 3 months.

Key options

• PDF file help.
• 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 cell.
• 20GB of cloud storage.
• WPS Workplace is appropriate with 47 frequent doc codecs.

Cons

• The free model incorporates advertisements.
• Some customers say the app is a bit sluggish.

Microsoft Workplace Phrase On-line: Greatest 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 need 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 can also make it really feel extra just like the Microsoft ribbon as a substitute 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: Should you create a doc in Phrase On-line after which import it to a neighborhood model of Microsoft Phrase, it’s going to retain the formatting approach higher than a Google Docs file.

Key options

• Actual-time collaboration.
• .docm, .docx, .pptm, .pptx, .xlsm, and. xlsx help.
• 5GB of cloud storage.
• Templates, fonts, icons and stickers.
• Spelling and grammar.

Execs

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

Cons

• Restricted options in comparison with the offline model.
• It could include advertisements.

SEE: Discover the whole lot Microsoft 365 has to supply.