Best Microsoft Office Alternatives Microsoft Office remains the most popular productivity suite for documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. - but IT departments must balance their budgets, many alternatives have become increasingly attractive. This is because software license fees for alternative office suites can be competitive and some are even free. However, paying less or nothing does not necessarily mean lower quality software, as the open source community can attest. However, sharing documents between different desktop platforms can be problematic, which can be a real problem. A specific example is that a document saved in .doc or .docx format on a free software platform such as Open Office may not retain its formatting when loaded in Microsoft Word even if the file type should not be an issue. That's why, when you choose an alternative to Microsoft Office, you should be sure of the shortcomings that can limit the use of the software, especially if you need to share or collaborate on documents with other users with more information. One or more different office suites. If you use the desktop alternative as a standalone software, you shouldn't encounter these kinds of issues, but you should also keep in mind that you are moving to another software package. That being said, the best alternatives to Microsoft Office are usually powerful programs with full functionality and no file sharing issue with other platforms. Here we will show the best of them, as well as their strengths and weaknesses.
(Image: © FreeOffice)
1.Free Office
A free alternative that looks a lot like MS Office Interface very close to MS Office Touch screen support No macOS version If you're looking for a simple and free alternative to Microsoft Office, FreeOffice is the suite for you. SoftMaker has been developing office software since 1987 and its office suite is its flagship product. FreeOffice is a complete office suite that can be used for free at home and at work. Developed for Windows and Linux, it offers a basic version for Android users. The suite itself is fully compatible with all Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint formats. This means that you can not only view, but also save files in formats such as DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX. It also supports older file types such as PPT and XLS. The new interface that was released this year gives you the opportunity to work with classic or modern menus and toolbars. This makes it easy to switch from Microsoft Office because the interface is very similar. For users who have the luxury of a touchscreen PC, you can use touch mode with larger icons. This mode is available for both the new version and the classic menu-based interface. To download FreeOffice, you must first create an account through the website. The download link will be available.
Image Credit: The Document Foundation
2. LibreOffice
A flexible and fairly light suite. Cross-platform open source Some compatibility issues LibreOffice is the brainchild of The Document Foundation and was spun off from OpenOffice in 2010. The suite itself is free and open source. It consists of a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation software. It is available in 110 languages. Although LibreOffice uses the ODF (OpenDocument) format, it still supports a variety of other types of formats, such as those used in Microsoft Office. LibreOffice is the default suite for most Linux distributions. It is also available for Windows and Mac OS. There is also a LibreOffice viewer for Android. As with most open source programs, all of your technical support comes from the Internet, but given its ease of use, you will rarely need to use it. The platform also offers the possibility of exporting your files in PDF format, among others. You can add additional features to LibreOffice through extensions on your website. These include additional templates for documents. Although its download size is smaller than that of Microsoft Office, LibreOffice weighs in at 228MB and is therefore still quite a large suite to install. One of the criticisms of LibreOffice is that if you create a document in your word processor and then open it in a Word document, it can interfere with fonts and formatting.
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3. WPS Office
It has an excellent free tier and advanced features for subscribers. Generous free level Multilingual support Too large Android app WPS Office was released in 2016 by Chinese software developer Kingsoft. It is an office suite available for Windows, Linux, Android and iOS. The suite is available in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish and Russian. It offers a free tier and a premium tier. The free tier allows you to use Writer, Presentation, and Spreadsheets, alternative solutions to the Microsoft Office suite, which also looks great. WPS offers a fast and easy to use PDF to Word converter. It supports bulk export and you can also combine PDF files if needed. The suite offers 1 GB of free cloud storage for iOS and PC users, but this service is not yet available for Android. The "Premium" tier costs €29.99 per year and allows the user to connect 9 devices at a time. It also gets back all the annoying ads that are common in the free level. WPS has been criticized for not allowing collaboration beyond those who follow the changes and allow users to insert comments. Users also said that the interface can be quite slow when it comes to uploading documents. Linux users have mentioned that not all fonts are included automatically and need to be installed separately. For Android users, the installation is quite large and feedback has been submitted, asking the developer to simplify it.
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4 iWork
An excellent free office suite, easy to use Beautiful interface Easy to use Only available for Mac iWork is Apple's alternative to Microsoft Office. It consists of Pages, Keynote, and Numbers. These are globally equivalent to Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. It's exclusive to macOS for local installation, but users of other platforms may appreciate some cloud versions. iWork is much lighter than MS Office and suits most users. There are many features in MS Office that most users don't even know they don't really use. This can be a pro for experienced users, but many users may just want a simple interface with just a few tabs to choose from. This is where iWork comes in. iWork is free and can be downloaded from the App Store on your Mac. There are three separate apps, each for word processing, presentation preparation, and spreadsheet creation. Numbers, Apple's spreadsheets alternative, gives you a blank canvas instead of displaying an impressive grid on your spreadsheet. It takes away the feeling of being one big book and is very easy to use, adding images, charts and graphs as you go. The word processor, Pages, is very simple and is perfect for simple documents. You are not swamped by existing option layers in MS Word. Pages also allows users to collaborate on their work and has now added a feature that supports EPUBs, which can be created and shared in iBooks if desired. The presentation app, Keynote, has been described as a better alternative to PowerPoint by online users because it is easy to use. Create beautiful presentations without the hassle that can be associated with PowerPoint. MS Office may not be able to open documents created in iWork, but all iWork applications can be exported to other formats that are supported by other suites.
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5. calligraphy
A free office suite with great advanced features. Free and open source software. Mind map and project management tools. MS Office Compatibility Issues Calligra Office Suite was first released in October 2000 on KOffice. It is an office suite developed by KDE and is also suitable for graphic art design. It is available on Linux, MacOS, Windows, and Android. Calligra is a free open source software package that can be downloaded directly from its own website or from the KDE download page. It is completely separate from LibreOffice. While LibreOffice looks like MS Office, Calligra doesn't. Many of the usable feature tabs are located on the right side of the screen and not at the top like in MS Office or other office suites. This means that the page you are editing is not displayed in full screen. Calligra is distinguished by the fact that it offers a tool for concept mapping and project management. Usually these additional costs. Calligra allows you to read DOCX and DOX formats, but you can't edit them. This can cause difficulties if your contacts send you Microsoft Office documents. Ask them to use a different format instead, such as ODT (Open Document Text).
Image Credit: MobiSystems.
6. Office Suite
It has excellent editing tools for those who are willing to pay for them. Allows synchronization between devices. Free Tier The free tier is basic. OfficeSuite is an application developed by MobiSystems and available for Android, iOS and Windows. Devices made by Amazon, Toshiba, Sony, and Alcatel come with OfficeSuite pre-installed. The Android app has been named among the best apps for business. You can sync your devices with your OfficeSuite account. Only one license is required for all your devices. It has several levels to choose from. The "Basic" level is free and allows users to view and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents. The suite fully supports most of the formats such as ODT, RTF, CSV, DOC, and ZIP. The free tier also allows users to view PDF documents and offers cloud support through services like Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive. The "Personal" level activates the suite on a desktop computer, a tablet and a phone. This level costs €29.99. It offers everything the free tier has to offer, as well as the ability to track changes, export PDFs to other editable formats, and advanced PDF features like digital signatures and text. pass. The 'Group & # 39; it costs €49.99 a year and allows you to use five desktops, five tablets and five phones. The Enterprise level offers up to 100 licenses at €3.99 per user per month. OfficeSuite has received a lot of praise online, but it has also been criticized for encouraging users to purchase premium subscriptions.
7. Polaris Office
Use the Polaris tool arsenal to edit and create multiple file types Excellent cross-platform free level Ads can be annoying Polaris Office was developed by Intraware and was first released in March 2014. It is a free office suite available for Android , iOS, Windows and macOS. It seems to be a popular sequel among businesses and is used by groups like Amazon and Samsung. Although the free version is very generous, there is a professional version that you can upgrade to. To inquire about costs, you will need to submit a "Purchase Request Form" to Polaris, available on their website. With this powerful suite, you can edit many different file formats, including PPT, XLS, DOCX, and HWP. As your account syncs between your devices, you'll be able to edit and create wherever you are. All your data is protected by AWS (Amazon Web Services). With the latest edition of Polaris, you can now convert and edit PDF documents. Users can also convert voice and image files to documents as needed. The suite supports several different languages such as French, German, Korean, English, and Russian. The only real criticism one can have of Polaris is that even though the free edition offers a wide range of features, the commercials can sometimes be a bit annoying.
Image credit: Ascensio Systems SIA.
8. OnlyOffice
A range of useful functions for users who do not need exhaustive documentation Free and open source. Excellent Free Version Support Issues OnlyOffice is an open source office suite developed by Ascensio Systems SIA. Available in more than 22 languages, Oracle is one of its main clients. The completely free version, known as the "Community Edition", is best suited for small businesses and allows up to 20 connections at a time. This suite not only offers the usual features such as word processing or spreadsheets, but is very useful for order fulfillment and sales documentation. The convenient calendar feature allows the user to stay on top of their personal and professional tasks, as well as meet deadlines. Third party integration is also supported. You can create your own mailboxes with the "Mail" tool. As with other office suites, it is possible to create and edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Users can collaborate on projects and comment on files as needed. Users have reported that it can be difficult to find help and that the online chat community used to provide help can be a bit difficult to navigate.
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9.WordPerfect
WordPerfect proves that there is no school like above Free trial Compatible with MS Office User interface is unwieldy Buys expensive WordPerfect was developed by Corel almost 40 years ago and is only available on Windows. It was mainly in the 80s that it became known for its DOS and Microsoft Windows versions. It was quickly eclipsed by Microsoft Office when it was released. It is an all-in-one office suite. The standard edition costs €432 for the full version. It offers its own word processor, spreadsheet, and slideshow maker. The latest version now includes improved photo editing and management. WordPerfect offers a free trial version that you can download from the main site. Like other suites, it can save many different formats such as DOCX, PDF, and HTML. Common file extensions for WordPerfect files are WPD. It also offers eBook publishing and macro management. The PDF feature allows users to edit and fill out forms via PDF, as well as change the appearance of the form, for example. Font color. WordPerfect supports opening multiple documents at once. Online critics have criticized the user interface stating that it is not user friendly and can cause problems with fonts. Sometimes you also have to dive into the manual to solve problems that wouldn't be a problem if you were using MS Word.
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10.Apache Open Office
A reliable and easy-to-use productivity suite. Consistent performance Free and easy to use Rudimentary presentation templates. Apache OpenOffice (AOO) is an open source office suite available on all platforms. With more than 20 years of development, the suite is a complete and coherent artist. Like LibreOffice, OpenOffice uses the Open Document Format (ODF). You can display and modify a host of other file types, including MS Office files. OpenOffice cannot save or edit documents using the open XML format, for example. DOCX. However, you can open these files and save them in a different format. Being an open source suite, anyone with the know-how can suggest improvements or fix any bugs. As with other open source applications, it has a great online community, always ready to help other users. Although the formula tool, Math, has the basic functionality needed to calculate equations, it is not intended for advanced users. OpenOffice has the ability to create basic presentations through Impress, but there are very few design templates for PowerPoint.
(Image: © Image Credit: Pixabay)