You would like to use Microsoft Word, but you do not want or cannot buy its license? Are you looking for an alternative software to Microsoft Word? Would you like to have a high-performance, free computer word processing tool? You've come to the right place to find software other than the Office suite. Find in this content the top 7 of the best free alternatives to Microsoft Word.
What is Microsoft Word?
Microsoft
Word is the word processing tool of the Microsoft Office office suite. Like
Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, Microsoft Word is the reference in its
category. It is an excellent software that offers all the features that one
needs when it comes to word processing. Its interface is modern, ergonomic and
user-friendly. It is simple to use and quite easy to handle. Everyone, even
beginners, can handle it without too much difficulty.
Microsoft Word allows, among other things, to:
- Create and modify any type of text document: letter, article, poem, CV, etc.
- Format texts.
- Create tables, but does not allow to process what is inside (it is not a spreadsheet).
- Create summaries and tables of contents.
- Number pages.
- Correct spelling and grammatical errors.
- Create patterns and shapes.
- Do direct mail.
- Save documents and files created on Onedrive, Microsoft's cloud.
- Share created documents and files with others.
This
presentation is not exhaustive. You will probably find everything you need
there.
It is
software that requires physical integration on a PC. You must download
Microsoft Word before using it. Basically, it is not a collaborative tool. You
will not be able to work on the same file with several people simultaneously
unless you put yourself on One drive. If not, you need to send the document to
everyone involved to give them access.
Being a
popular, widespread and popular tool, Microsoft Word is GDPR compliant. It
protects the personal and professional data of its users.
Why choose an alternative to
Microsoft Word?
As already
said, it's not just Microsoft Word when it comes to word processing software.
It has many competitors that offer similar functionality. And some are much
better than you think. Of course, if you can buy a license for several tens of
euros per year, the question does not arise.
But if you
want to save money or if you can't afford it, you have to turn to other tools.
Besides, if you find the functions you are looking for in a free alternative
solution, why go broke?
Alternative
software to Microsoft Word generally offers all the basic functionalities
necessary for word processing. They are, for the majority, Open Source and are
accessible free of charge. Microsoft itself offers some to complete its offer.
So don't view your inability to invest in a Microsoft Word license as a drag on
your business. Look for other options, you will certainly find one that can
meet your needs.
Best Word alternative: the top 7
- Google Docs
- LibreOffice Writer
- WPS Office Writer
- Apache OpenOffice Writer
- Zoho Writer
- Microsoft Word Online
- Wordpad
#1. Google Docs: a practical tool
accessible via any browser
Google
Docs is the most used online alternative (Saas or Software as a service) of
Microsoft Word. Like the latter, it allows you to create, modify, correct and
format texts. It is a tool of the Google Workplace suite in the same way as
Google Sheets and Google Slides. All you need is a Google account to use it. It
is accessible anywhere at any time and via any device. All documents created on
it are stored on Google Drive, Google's cloud.
Being
accessible online, Google Docs is a collaborative tool. It is possible for
several people to work on the same file at the same time in different places.
This greatly facilitates teamwork. Each person concerned is kept informed in
real time of the progress of the work and the changes made. The files created
are saved either in doc or docx formats compatible with Microsoft Word, or in
PDF format. They are easily shareable via other Google applications: Gmail,
Google Meet, etc.
The major advantage of Google Docs lies in the fact that it offers advanced writing features, namely:
- Voice input.
- Suggestive writing.
- The quick translation ofdocuments.
It offers
most of the functions integrated into Microsoft Word except the layout
(limited). Its interface is very similar to that of Word. It is a secure and
GDPR compliant tool.
If you
don't have access to an internet connection all the time, Google Docs can be
downloaded as an app. So you can use it offline.
#2. LibreOffice Writer: a complete
and practical office tool
LibreOffice
Writer is the word processing software of the LibreOffice office suite. You
will easily recognize it thanks to its interface similar to that of older
versions of Microsoft Word. It is very intuitive and easy to use. It is
software that requires physical integration on a PC, you must download it. It
is compatible with Windows, Mac OS and Linux.
LibreOffice
Writer supports several file formats including doc and docx. It is Open Source
software, it can open and work with files from similar software. It is a very
scalable tool, its developers make various plug-ins available to users to
improve their experience. It also receives many updates to strengthen its
security and expand/optimize its functionality.
The
functions offered by LibreOffice Writer can be more than enough for any average
Microsoft Word user. If you do not need all the features offered by the market
leader, LibreOffice Writer will make you happy. It is a platform that promotes
collaboration between users and developers. They remain attentive and work hard
to allow the software to meet the expectations of users.
LibreOffice
Writer is GDPR compliant. You don't have to worry about what happens to the
data you provide.
#3. WPS Office Writer: Microsoft
Word's Best Competitor
WPS Office
Writer is the word processing software of the WPS Office office suite. It
requires physical integration on a PC and must be downloaded before use. It is
paid, but comes with a free version supported by advertisements. With the free
plan, you are entitled to 1 GB of online storage space. Each time you click on
a function, an advertisement of about 10 seconds will appear. You have to watch
it if you want to use the function in question. And once that's done, you'll be
at peace for the next 30 minutes.
WPS Office
Writer is popular for its similar interface to recent versions of Word. For
some, it is its best competitor (functionality, ergonomics, etc.). It can open,
work and save different file formats, including doc or docx compatible with
Word. The opening of documents on the platform is done in the form of tabs as
is the case with browsers. And it makes it easier to navigate from one writing
to another. It is supported by all operating systems (Windows, Mac OS, Linux,
Android OS, iOS) and is multilingual. It offers a feature to adapt the
colorimetry of its interface to your needs. So you can work for long hours
without straining your eyes.
To ban
ads, have a larger storage space and access more advanced features, you must
pay a subscription. This varies between $29.99 and $39.99 per year depending on
the plan chosen. It is certainly not a negligible sum, but it is still cheaper
than the license of Word.
WPS Office
Writer is a secure and GDPR compliant tool. If you wish, it can protect your
documents by encrypting them with passwords.
#4. Apache OpenOffice Writer: the
direct competitor of LibreOffice Writer
Apache
OpenOffice Writer is the word processing tool of the free OpenOffice office
suite. It was created and developed by the same teams that implemented
LibreOffice. Both were managed by Open Office before 2010. This is the reason
why they have many similarities, whether in terms of functionality or
interface.
Compared
to Word, Apache OpenOffice Writer is less intuitive. It therefore takes a
little more practice to master it. And compared to LibreOffice Writer, we
cannot call it a scalable tool. It only gets an update 1-2 times a year. Its
bugs are therefore not always corrected and its functionalities are not
optimized.
OpenOffice
Writer is supported by all systems: Windows, Mac and Linux. It can open and
save several document formats, so doc and docx. It is secure and compatiblewith
the GDPR.
#5. Zoho Writer: user-friendly,
practical and innovative software
Created in
2005, this very promising online office software presents itself as the biggest
competitor of Google Docs. Like this one, it has a very clean interface, is
powerful and offers super interesting features. It is a collaborative platform
on which it is possible to work with several people anywhere and anytime. It is
very intuitive and leverages the capability of other tools in the Zoho suite a
lot.
Thanks to
the artificial intelligence called Zia of the platform, Zoho Writer makes it
possible to produce very qualitative content: spelling and grammatical corrections,
improved readability. An electronic signature tool is directly accessible via
the working document. If necessary, team members or anyone who has access to
the file can sign once it has been validated. There is no longer any need to
resort to third-party software or applications. Same thing for forms.
Zoho Writer offers features such as:
- Suggestive writing.
- Text hiding: hiding part of the text from certain collaborators.
- Locking certain parts of the text: collaborators cannot modify the locked parts.
·
Integration
on WordPress: written and validated content can be directly published on a
WordPress or Blogger page.
This
software is ideal for small businesses. It allows you to create all kinds of
documents including those of a legal nature. It provides its users with an
instant messaging service to facilitate communication.
It can
satisfy all head processing needs, even for the most creative. It is secure and
GDPR compliant.
#6. Microsoft Word Online: the free
version of Microsoft Word
Microsoft
Word Online is nothing but a free online-only version of Microsoft Word. It is
not the only Microsoft Office office suite tool available in this format. There
is also the Excel spreadsheet and the PowerPoint presentation tool.
This
version of Word gives you access to all the features offered by the paid
version. Yes ! Absolutely everything. You just need to have an internet
connection available to be able to use it. All the files you create can be
saved to Onedrive and shared.
If you
want to collaborate with several people on the same document, you can work
directly on OneDrive. The latter is certainly not as powerful as Google Drive
or Google Docs, but it will meet your needs perfectly.
Microsoft
Word Online is accessible anytime, anywhere on any web browser. You just need
to have a Microsoft account to access it. And since the tool itself was
developed by Microsoft, it benefits from all its advantages, including data
security.
#7. Wordpad: the ultrabasic version
of Microsoft Word
Wordpad is
a free-to-use word processing tool developed by Microsoft. It requires physical
PC integration and is available by default on any computer running Windows. You
will recognize it by its interface very similar to that of Word, but in a
lighter version. This is because it has only been equipped with the most basic
features.
Among other things, you will have the following functions:
- Writing and word processing.
- Layout: insertion and alignment.
- Formatting: font and font size.
You cannot
take advantage of all advanced features, including autocorrect. It may suffice
for simple tasks such as writing a letter or taking notes. It is very easy to
use and supports any document in doc, docx, odt and txt format.
What is the best alternative to
Microsoft Word?
Microsoft
Word is the most complete and powerful word processing software today. This
suite of the Office package offers all the features that the general public
(from individuals to large companies) needs to work. If you are looking for
free alternatives that are just as complete and efficient, go to Microsoft Word
Online in particular. It is the best solution on the web if you have an
Internet connection at hand.
If you
don't have internet, choose an alternative. Admittedly, their functionality is
quite limited, but they can be enough if you are not looking for something very
sophisticated. Each of the software presented above has its particularities and
strengths. So ask yourself the right questions and weigh the pros and cons.
Which
software offers the options you are looking forhez? Do they work and interface
suit you? Do they allow you to get the results you are looking for? When you
have answered these questions, you will know which alternative to turn to.
If all the
free tools listed in this article do not satisfy you, you can always look for
others. Nothing prevents you from choosing paid word processing software, but
more affordable, if necessary.