FREE Alternatives to Microsoft Office
What is Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office is a suite of productivity applications developed by Microsoft Corporation. This suite includes tools such as word processing, spreadsheet, presentation tools, e-mail manager, database manager and more.
Some of the most popular applications within Microsoft Office are:
Microsoft Word: is a word processor with advanced features for creating and editing documents.
Microsoft Excel: a spreadsheet with advanced functions for analyzing and presenting data.
Microsoft PowerPoint: a tool for creating and presenting slide presentations.
Microsoft Outlook: an e-mail and calendar manager with functions for organizing and prioritizing e-mails and appointments.
Microsoft OneNote: a tool for taking notes, collecting information and collaborating with other users.
Microsoft Office is offered in different editions for different platforms and devices, such as Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. It is also offered as an online subscription called Office 365, which allows users to access Office applications on any device with an Internet connection.
The issue is that accessing and using this set of tools has a cost, it is not free, we must buy the license, pay for a subscription plan that can be monthly or yearly.
Cost of Microsoft Office
The cost of Microsoft Office varies depending on the subscription plan you choose.
Microsoft Office Home and Student: this plan costs around $150 and includes licenses for a PC or Mac and for a tablet device.
Microsoft Office Home and Business: this plan costs around $250 and includes licenses for a PC or Mac and for a tablet device, plus Outlook.
Microsoft Office Professional: this plan costs around $450 and includes licenses for a PC or Mac and for a tablet device, plus Outlook, Publisher and Access.
Microsoft Office 365: this is an annual or monthly paid subscription that gives you access to Office applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, and Access, plus 1 TB of cloud storage on OneDrive. The price varies depending on the plan you choose, you can check the prices on Microsoft's website.
It is important to mention that there are volume licensing programs for companies and organizations that allow users to obtain Microsoft Office licenses at a reduced price.
Free alternatives to MS Office
There are several free alternatives to Microsoft Office, some of the most popular are:
LibreOffice: LibreOffice is a powerful, free office suite, successor to OpenOffice(.org), used by millions of people around the world. Its clean interface and feature-rich tools will help you unleash your creativity and improve your productivity. LibreOffice includes several applications that make it the most versatile free and open source office suite on the market: Writer (word processing), Calc (spreadsheets), Impress (presentations), Draw (vector graphics and flowcharts), Base (databases) and Math (formula editing).
Use documents of all kinds
LibreOffice is compatible with a wide range of document formats such as Microsoft® Word (.doc, .docx), Excel (.xls, .xlsx), PowerPoint (.ppt, .pptx) and Publisher. But LibreOffice goes much further with its native support for a modern and open standard, the Open Document Format (ODF). With LibreOffice, you have maximum control over your data and content – and you can export your work in many different formats including PDF.
Apache OpenOffice: Apache OpenOffice is a powerful free and open source office suite that includes several different applications, such as Writer (word processing), Calc (spreadsheets), Impress (presentations), Draw (graphics), Base (databases) and Math (formula editing). Each application has its own functions and tools. OpenOffice is available for Windows, macOS and Linux, and can also run on various mobile platforms.
One of the main advantages of OpenOffice is its compatibility with Microsoft Office file formats. It can open, edit and save documents in various formats such as .doc, .xls and .ppt, making it a good alternative for users who want to avoid the cost of purchasing Microsoft Office.
OpenOffice also includes a number of advanced features, such as support for macros, templates and extensions. Macros allow users to automate repetitive tasks, templates make it easy to create professional-looking documents, and extensions add new features to the suite.
In summary, Apache OpenOffice is a free, open source office suite that offers similar functionality to Microsoft Office, with the added benefits of multiple file format support, advanced features and a dedicated community of users and developers.
FreeOffice: If you try FreeOffice you will see that it is undoubtedly one of the best free alternatives to Microsoft Office.
FreeOffice 2021 is a complete office suite that includes a word processor, a spreadsheet application and a presentation program, all of which are fully compatible with their equivalent Microsoft Office applications.
Download it completely free and use it for as long as you want. This excellent free office suite has been tested and chosen by millions of people who now use it daily.
FreeOffice 2021 lets you open and save documents in Microsoft's DOCX, XLSX and PPTX file formats, allowing you to share files with Microsoft Office users directly without having to export them first!
WPS Office: WPS Office is fully compatible with multiple platforms, such as Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS and Android. It allows you, therefore, to work both from your cell phone and from your computer, tablet or notebook.
With WPS Office you can create and edit documents and presentations through tools such as Writer, Presentation, Spreadsheet, and PDF with other people at the same time. It supports 47 file formats and 46 languages.
Best of all, you can download and install it completely free of charge.
OnlyOffice: ONLYOFFICE is the most complete free office suite that allows you to view, create, edit and collaborate on documents, sheets and slides at any time and from anywhere.
You can create forms to fill them out online, export and import PDF files and convert your textbooks into eBooks.
OnlyOffice Docs is a powerful online editor for text documents, spreadsheets, forms, PDF files and slideshows from any platform.
To work with OnlyOffice you must have an internet connection.
Zoho Office Suite: Zoho Office Suite is a collection of online productivity tools and software offered by Zoho Corporation. It includes a variety of applications such as Zoho Writer for word processing, Zoho Sheet for spreadsheets, Zoho Show for presentations, and Zoho Mail for email. These apps are designed to work together seamlessly and can be used to create and edit documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. They can also be used for collaboration and teamwork, with features such as real-time editing and commenting. Additionally, the Zoho Office Suite also includes other business apps like CRM, Project Management, Invoicing and more. Zoho Office Suite is available for free for personal use and paid for business use.
MicroSoft Office 365 Free: Office 365 Personal is a free version of Office 365 that allows users to install the latest version of Office applications on one PC or Mac and one tablet, such as an iPad or Android tablet. It also includes 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage, which allows users to store, share, and collaborate on documents with others.
The free version of Office 365 provides the core Office apps, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and Publisher. These apps can be used to create, edit, and share documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. It also include real-time co-authoring, so multiple people can work on the same document at the same time.
One of the main differences between the free version and the paid version of Office 365 is the amount of storage space and the number of devices that can be used to access the service. The free version includes 1TB of storage and can be used on one PC or Mac and one tablet, while the paid version includes additional storage and can be used on multiple devices.
It is important to note that the free version of Office 365 does not include all the features and services available in the paid version, such as access to advanced security features, and technical support.
Google Tools: Google also offers gmail users some alternatives to MS Office such as Google Docs which would be the equivalent of Word; Google Sheets which is equivalent to Excel spreadsheets and Google Slides which has a PowerPoint style functionality. To use these tools for free you must have a Gmail account and an internet connection.
Google Docs: It is a Google tool that consists of a free online productivity suite that also allows you to create your documents both individually and in a group if you prefer, simultaneously modifying the shared document.
Google Sheets: Allows you to validate your spreadsheet data online thanks to easy sharing and real-time editing features. You can also write comments and assign tasks to advance your data analysis.
In addition, you can easily edit Microsoft Excel spreadsheets online. Use Sheets' enhanced collaboration and support features such as comments, task assignments and smart suggestions.
Google Slides: Google Slides is a web-based presentation software developed by Google. It is part of the Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite) productivity suite and can be accessed through a web browser or the Google Slides app. With Google Slides, users can create and edit presentations, add text, images, and videos, and even collaborate in real-time with others. It allows multiple users to work on a presentation simultaneously and also to see the changes made by others in real-time.
Google Slides also has a wide range of templates and themes available to choose from, which makes it easy to create professional-looking presentations. It also includes various formatting options, such as text styles, backgrounds, and layouts, which allows users to customize the look of their presentations. Additionally, Google Slides also has a host of features such as animations, transitions, and the ability to insert charts, tables, and other multimedia files in the presentation.
In summary, Google Slides is an easy-to-use, cloud-based presentation software that allows users to create, edit, and collaborate on presentations in real-time and with a variety of themes and templates to choose from to make professional looking presentations.
It also allows users to present their slides through a web link or even to broadcast a live presentation to a remote audience. Google Slides is free to use.