1.

LibreOffice
A flexible and fairly lightweight suite

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

VISIT WEBSITE

REASONS TO BUY
+Open source+Cross-platform+Powerful suite+Free to use

LibreOffice is the offspring of The Document Foundation and split from OpenOffice
in 2010. The suite itself is free and open source, and is made up of a word
processor, spreadsheet and presentation software, and is available in 110
languages.
While LibreOffice uses the ODF (OpenDocument) format it still supports a range of
other format types such as those used in Microsoft Office. LibreOffice is the default
suite for most Linux distros and it is also available for use on Windows and macOS.
There's also a LibreOffice viewer for Android.

As with most open source software all your technical support comes from online,
but seeing how easy this is to use, support will be rarely needed. The platform also
offers the option to export your files into PDF format amongst others.

You can add extra features to LibreOffice via extensions from its website. These
include extra templates for documents.

 Read our full LibreOffice review.

(Image credit: FreeOffice)

2. FreeOffice
A free alternative which looks very similar to MS Office

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

VISIT WEBSITE

REASONS TO BUY
+Familiar interface+Touchscreen compatibility+For Windows, Mac, and Linux+Free to use
If you are looking for a free and easy alternative to Microsoft Office,
then FreeOffice is the suite for you. The company, SoftMaker, has been developing
office software since 1987 and its office suite is their flagship product.
FreeOffice is a complete office suite that is free to use for both home and in the
workplace. It is developed for both Windows and Linux, and 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 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 launched this year gives you the option of either
working with modern or classic menus and toolbars. This makes switching from
Microsoft Office easy to do as the interface is eerily similar.

For those users who have the luxury of a touchscreen PC you can use touch mode
with larger icons. This mode is available for both the newer version look and the
classic menu-based interface.

(Image credit: WPS)

3. WPS Office
Has an excellent free tier and advanced features for subscribers

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

VISIT WEBSITE

REASONS TO BUY
+Generous free tier+Multi-language support

REASONS TO AVOID
-Some features premium-only

WPS Office was released in 2016 by Chinese software developer Kingsoft. It is an

office suite that is available for Windows, Linux, Android and iOS. The suite is
available in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish and Russian.
It offers a free and a premium tier. The free tier allows you to use Writer,
Presentation and Spreadsheets, which are alternatives to the Microsoft Office suite
which it also resembles closely. WPS offers a PDF to Word converter which is fast
and easy to use. It supports bulk exportation and can also split-merge PDF files if
needed.

The suite offers 1GB of free cloud storage for iOS and PC users, but this service is
not yet available for Android.

The 'Premium' tier allows the user to connect up 9 devices at once. It also gets rids
of all those annoying adverts that are commonplace on the free tier.

WPS has been criticised for not allowing collaboration beyond those that track
changes and allow users to insert comments. Users have also said that the
interface can be quite slow at times when it comes to loading documents. Linux
users have mentioned that not all fonts are automatically included and that they
have to be installed separately.

For Android users installation is quite large and criticism has been levelled
imploring the developer to make it more lightweight.

4. Calligra
A free office suite with some excellent advanced features

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

VISIT WEBSITE

REASONS TO BUY
+Available for Linux+Free, open source software+Mind map and project management tools

REASONS TO AVOID
-MS Office compatibility issues

Calligra Office suite was initially released in October 2000 as part of KOffice. It is an
office suite developed by KDE as well as being suitable to use for graphic art design.
It is available on Linux, macOS, Windows and Android.

Calligra is a free and open source software suite and can be downloaded directly
from its own website or from KDE's downloads page. It is completely distinct from
LibreOffice.
While LibreOffice has the familiar look and feel of MS Office, Calligra does not. A lot
of the useable features tabs are set on the right-hand side of the screen and not on
the top like MS Office and other office suites. This means that the page you are
currently editing does not take up the full screen.

One of the extra features that makes Calligra stand out is that it offers a mind-
mapping and project managing tool. Usually these cost extra.

Calligra allows you to read DOCX and DOX formats but you cannot edit them. This
can cause difficulties if your contacts send you Microsoft Office documents, so ask
them to use a different format such as ODT (Open Document Text) instead.

(Image credit: Mobisystems)

5. OfficeSuite
Has some excellent editing tools for those willing to pay for them

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

VISIT WEBSITE

REASONS TO BUY
+Allows syncing across devices+Free tier

REASONS TO AVOID
-Free tier is basic

OfficeSuite is an application that was developed by MobiSystems and is available for

Android, iOS and Windows. Devices that are made by Amazon, Toshiba, Sony and
Alcatel often come with OfficeSuite pre-installed. The Android app has been named
among the top applications for business.
You can synchronize between devices using your OfficeSuite account and only one
license is needed for all your devices.

It has several tiers to choose from. The 'Basic' tier is free and allows users to view
and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents. The suite has full compatibility
with most formats such as ODT, RTF, CSV, DOC, and ZIP. The free tier also enables
users to view PDF documents and offers cloud support via services like Dropbox,
OneDrive and Google Drive.
The 'Personal' tier enables the suite on one desktop, one tablet and one phone. It
has all the free tier has to offer along with the ability to track changes, export PDF's
to other editable formats and advanced PDF features such as digital signatures and
passwords. 

The 'Group' tier allows you to use across five desktops, five tablets and 5 phones. A
Home & Business version is available as a one-time fee download.

 Read our full OfficeSuite review.

(Image credit: Polaris)

6. Polaris Office
Use the Polaris arsenal of tools to edit and create multiple file types

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

VISIT WEBSITE

REASONS TO BUY
+Excellent free tier+Cross-platform

REASONS TO AVOID
-Ads can be distracting

Polaris Office is developed by Intraware and was initially released in March 2014. It is
a free office suite that is available for Android, iOS, Windows and macOS. It appears
to be a popular suite amongst businesses and is used by the likes of Amazon and
Samsung.
While the free version is very generous there is a business version to which you can
upgrade. To enquire about the cost, you will need to send Polaris a 'Purchase Query
form' which can be found on their website.

With this powerful suite you can edit many different file formats including PPT, XLS,
DOCX and HWP. As your account synchronizes amongst your devices you will be
able to edit and create from wherever you are. All your data is secured 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 if the need arises.
The suite supports several different languages such as French, German, Korean,
English and Russian.

The only real criticism there is of Polaris is that while the free edition offers a huge
range of features the ads can be a little distracting at times.

7. OnlyOffice
A useful range of features for users who don't need extensive
documentation

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

VISIT WEBSITE

REASONS TO BUY
+Free and open source+Excellent free version

REASONS TO AVOID
-Support issues

OnlyOffice is an open source office suite developed by Ascensio Systems SIA. It is

available in over 22 languages and boasts of Oracle being one of their leading
clients.
The completely free version, known as the 'Community Edition' is most suited for
small business and allows up to 20 connections at once. This suite does not just
offer the usual features such as word processing or spreadsheets but is very useful
in relation to order fulfilment and for documenting sales.

The handy calendar feature allows user to keep up to date with personal and work-
related tasks as well as keeping an eye on deadlines. Third party integration is also
supported. You can create your own Mailboxes with the 'Mail' tool.

As with other office suites there is the ability to create and edit documents,
spreadsheets and presentations. Users can collaborate on projects and make
comments in files where necessary.

 Read our full OnlyOffice review.

(Image credit: WordPerfect)

8. WordPerfect
WordPerfect proves there is no school like the old school

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

VISIT WEBSITE

REASONS TO BUY
+Free trial version+MS Office compatible

REASONS TO AVOID
-Expensive 

WordPerfect has had a number of owners over the years since it was developed in
the late 1970s. Fast forward to 1996, it was purchased by Corel who, back then
wanted to build a business capable of competing with Microsoft and Adobe.
WordPerfect was most popular in the 80's where it was known for its DOS and
Microsoft Windows versions. It was soon eclipsed by Microsoft Office upon its
release.
It is an all-in-one office suite. It offers its own word processor, spreadsheet program
and a slideshow creator.  The latest version now includes improved photo-editing
and management. WordPerfect offer a free trial version which you can download
from the main site.

Like other suites it can save to many different formats such as DOCX, PDF and
HTML. The common file extensions for WordPerfect files is WPD. It also offers
ebooks publishing and macro management.

The PDF feature gives users the ability to edit and fill in forms via PDF, as well as
change the form's appearance e.g. font/color. WordPerfect supports opening
multiple documents at one time.

While WordPerfect is a perfectly reasonable program, and many early Windows

adopters may remember it fondly, the pricing just isn't very competitive when
compared to the rest of the market.

 Read our full WordPerfect review.

(Image credit: Zoho)

9. Zoho Workplace
A genuinely exciting alternative to Google Docs

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

Mail Lite

$1
/mth

Mail Workplace

$3
/mth

Mail Premium

$4
/mth

VISIT SITEat Zoho

REASONS TO BUY
+Well-presented+Better than rivals+Site creation tool

REASONS TO AVOID
-Some tools are too simple

While Google Docs is, thanks to the strength of its brand, probably more widely
used, Zoho Workplace is very good in its own right. It's certainly closer to a desktop
office package, and it's strong enough to have attracted businesses like the BBC
and Nike as regular users.
Zoho's new-look word processor (which ditches the classic Word-style interface in
favour of a formatting sidebar) is very well-presented and capable of producing
professional-looking docs, and it has a sterling spreadsheet and reasonable
presentation package alongside it.

They're just the tip of the iceberg, however – Zoho Workplace includes a powerful
site creation tool, a file management solution and many collaborative tools. Some
are on the simplistic side, so they'll likely not replace anything you might already
have in place, but if you're starting out as a small business Zoho is probably a good
jumping-off point.

If you want to signup for the free version of Zoho Workplace you need to search the
pricing page for the "Forever free" plan. However, there's no one-click set up or
access, and instead you have to go through a sign up process that begins by
providing details of an existing business domain.

 Read our full Zoho Workplace review.

(Image credit: Google)

10. Google Workplace

For working across platforms and sharing documents

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

VISIT WEBSITE

REASONS TO BUY
+Cross-platform+Integrates with Google Drive+Mobile apps available

REASONS TO AVOID
-Formatting issues-Quirky

Google Workplace is another Microsoft Office alternative worth considering, as it's

development by the internet behemoth Google specifically for collaborative and
group work. The three key tools run happily in any web browser, and are available
as mobile apps for Apple and Android devices.
Google's free office suite doesn't offer the advanced tools you'll find in Microsoft
365 or many rivals, but everything is laid out in a clear, logical way and all your files
will be saved and synced automatically so you don't have to worry about transfers
and backups.

The chief disadvantage of Workplace is that opening files created using other office
software is a cumbersome process and file formatting isn't is always converted
properly. This is partly because Google's office tools use web fonts rather than ones
stored locally on your device, and partly because Microsoft documents sometimes
contain features not supported by Google. 

Additionally, there are some quirks with Google Docs that make it less user-friendly
than other office software. As free software it does the job fine, but as a paid
product it still lags behind the features and functionality of Microsoft Office.