Alternatives to Microsoft 365 and Google Docs
Write, calculate and present, with files that stay yours.
Ranked by score out of 30, most convivial first.
LibreOffice
A full office suite for documents, spreadsheets and slides, from a foundation.
Gnumeric
A fast, precise spreadsheet from the GNOME project.
Etherpad
A simple shared text page that several people can edit at once.
ONLYOFFICE
An office suite that looks like Microsoft's and works in the browser.
Collabora Online
LibreOffice in the browser, with real-time editing.
For comparison
The big names these tools are measured against. We review them as benchmarks, so they sit outside the directory.
About these tools
Office work leaves a lot of files behind, and those files last longer than the subscriptions that made them. LibreOffice writes, calculates and presents in an open format, ONLYOFFICE looks and behaves like Microsoft's suite, Collabora Online puts LibreOffice in a browser with live editing, Etherpad is a plain page everyone types in at once, and Gnumeric is a lean spreadsheet.
Microsoft files open in all of them, with the odd shift in a complex layout.
How to choose
For one person, LibreOffice is the straightforward choice. For a team editing together, look at Collabora Online or ONLYOFFICE on a server you run or rent, or use Etherpad when plain text is enough.
Frequently asked questions
What is a free alternative to Microsoft Office?
LibreOffice is a full suite from a nonprofit, and it saves in an open format.
Can we edit together like Google Docs?
Collabora Online, ONLYOFFICE and Etherpad support live editing, usually on a server you set up.
Will my Word files open?
Mostly yes. Complex layouts can shift, so check important documents.