Best Free Office Suite

toggle-button

Last updated by site.editor on 25. November 2020 - 11:58

Introduction

An office suite is a collection of programs, mainly consisting of a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation application bundled together.

With the pricey tag put onto the all popular Microsoft Office, it leaves no surprise that the average home user or small business would be looking for an alternative. Below we have reviewed and rated all the popular freeware office suites and split them into three sections making it easier to find the best solution:

  1. Proprietary, privately owned software being offered up for free.
  2. Open-Source, an open-source office suite and various mods based on the same programming code making them similar to use.
  3. Online, a cloud or web based suite that can be used on the move; some even contain a mobile app for easy updating.

 

Proprietary Office Suite

WPS Office Free  

Most similar to Microsoft Office

Our Rating: 
4.5
License: Free (Limited features)
Familiar office interface, easy to pick up, tabbing within each application, direct PDF output.
Opens a browser link when application starts, switch UI popup annoying.
Read full review...

SSuite Office  

A huge collection of products designed to make any office task easier

Our Rating: 
3
License: Free
Very fast start-up speeds, Simple and not distracting, nice spreadsheet editor.
Word processor is lacking in many areas, many programs are loaded that you may never use, some may find the "old fashioned" look not to their liking.
Read full review...

Softmaker FreeOffice  

A lite version of the commercial application Softmaker Office

Our Rating: 
3
License: Free (Limited features)
Small, fast & simple. Easy to pick up and use.
No macro/scripting, intrusive tips bar, very limited features.
Read full review...

Open-Source Office Suite

LibreOffice  

A fork from OpenOffice and an actively developed free and open-source office suite

Our Rating: 
4.5
License: Free (Open source)
Very easy to use and learn, very extensive file support.
Java dependency requiring Java installation.
Read full review...

Apache OpenOffice  

A leading open-source office suite offering free productivity applications

Our Rating: 
4
License: Free (Open source)
Long standing support, includes Database application.
Java dependency requiring Java installation.
Read full review...

Online Office Suite

Google Drive  

A reliable online office suite for storing, sharing and collaborative editing of documents

Our Rating: 
4.5
License: Free (Limited features)
Pages load faster then other office suites, very easy to use. Gmail integration.
Must convert all file types to google doc file type in order to edit them online.
Read full review...

Zoho  

An online office suite includes Writer, Sheet and Show

Our Rating: 
3.5
License: Free (Limited features)
Very easy to use, tabbed document editing allows for multiple documents at once, compatible with all file types, and many collaboration features.
Can be intimidating for people who first see it, kinda cluttered.
Read full review...

ThinkFree  

An online office suite with Java dependency

Our Rating: 
3
License: Free (Limited features)
Excellent interface, easy to find & use features.
Very slow, tends to lag when clicking any options.
Read full review...

Related Products and Links

You might want to check out these articles too:

 

Editor

This software review is in need of an editor. Please help edit and improve this article by clicking here.

Back to the top of the article

 

Please rate this article: 

Your rating: None
4.26939
Average: 4.3 (245 votes)

Comments

The latest updtae of WPS started messing with my Windows 10 system - I was unable to launch Windows Explorer from the taskbar, various right-clicks didn't work, I was also unable to launch Windows command prompt as an administrator. I realized that WPS was the problem only after I created a new Windows profile and transferred all my data (took me half a day) Then I installed WPS and boom, the problems started again. I was so mad.

I currently have Kingsoft WPS Office 2016 Free (version 10.2.0.6020). I needed to replace MS Word 2003 when I had to upgrade my Windows 10 from version 1607 to version 1709. MS Word 2003 no longer works with the newer version of Windows 10. There is no watermark in any printout.

try running it in compatibility mode.

Update @ November 2017
Thanks to this thread, I have learned a lot about the various free alternatives to Microsoft Office. My perspective here is strictly Windows-based.

I have tried to stay current on this topic for the last 10 years or so, and wanted to offer my insights to bring this thread up to speed with my feedback/advice.

Kingsoft / WPS: Looked very promising for a while. Early versions would read docx and xlsx files but save only back to doc or xls. Capabilities kept improving and reached their peak with Kingsoft Free 2013 9.0.1.4550 (file size 46,500KB). This version allowed saving as docx and xlsx, but only ppt (not pptx) as I recall, and had no restrictions on printing, watermarks, or pop-up ads (unlike later WPS versions). You can still find this download at various sites online - neowin, filehippo, and WPS itself. If the filesize is larger than 46,500KB, it probably has other adware built-in, which you may or may not be able to avoid installing by unchecking a checkbox. If you can install this and somehow defeat WPS' automatic updating to newer versions, this would be a great solution for many. I thought I had accomplished this, but it updated automatically to the current WPS office version with good capabilities but annoying ads, so I gave up and uninstalled it. I wonder if one could install even earlier versions of Kingsoft without the automated updating kicking in, but if you go back much farther, you wouldn't be able to save as docx or xlsx, which is a show-stopper for me.

Apache OpenOffice: This is a stable offering, with understandable menus, fully capable of basic office needs. To my knowledge, it reads docx, xlsx, and pptx files but still can't save to those formats. This is a show-stopper for me.

LibreOffice: Forked from OpenOffice, supposedly this is progressing more quickly than Apache OpenOffice. It supposedly has better compatibility with Microsoft formats. It does allow saving to docx, xlsx, and pptx formats (by default if that's your preference, like mine). Its Calc supports the vast majority of Excel's functions and formatting, and the later versions keep improving on PivotTable support. Version 5.2.7 has all the functionality I need for home use (may still not have all the latest sophisticated Excel function and PivotTable support, but I don't need that for home use). Version 5.2.7 is a very good solution for my needs. I would suggest this strongly for people's free office needs at home. Versions 5.3 and 5.4 have new enhancements, many of which are probably desirable... improved Microsoft compatibility, improved support of Excel functions and PivotTables, but also have a new font and page rendering engine which seem problematic for me, causing some flickering and rendering/formatting issues which I don't want to deal with; still evident even in the final release of 5.3 (5.3.7). There is apparently a setting in 5.3 to revert to the old rendering, so that might be fixable but I didn't have the patience to pursue it. I'm waiting till they address these issues in future releases. Versions 5.3 and 5.4 have an experimental ribbon menu available which I didn't like. I also turn off the "Sidebar" menu in the Version 5.0+ releases. Meanwhile I'm very happy with version 5.2.7, and would claim that's the best alternative right now in free Windows office suites.

I found this sight yesterday because I was looking for a 64 bit replacement for Open Office which is only 32 bit, and intend to keep it so. I just got a new PC with WIN10PRO and thought I would be as 64 bit as possible.

SO wow I thought I found gold when I found this list of "the Best Free Windows 64-bit Software"

But alas it was only Fools Gold...

Ok so I guess its really unfair to judge the list (and the webpage) on one experience, but then it is equally unfair to HIGHLY rate CRIPPLEWARE that is NOT 64 BIT SOFTWARE like the list says. I mean we are not talking some ho hum "yea its ok" review, but "EDITORS CHOICE"...

So I DL WPS, only to find out from task manager that is is not 64 bit at all, but a 32 bit program.
And then when I come here to express my disappointment, I find out that printing is disabled. I know you say it prints, but any program that watermarks a feature is making that feature useless -- would you print your resume on that, ya know that BIG JOB you were aiming at. Really? Would you ? Turn in a resume with a huge KINGSOFT across it. Go right ahead but don't be supprised when they DONT CALL YOU! :-D

So my first experience here has been HORRID at best - I didn't get a 64 bit office suite, I didn't get freeware, and the whole review is so much hoowee. But then it seems such doesn't exist -it anyone finds one please inform.

But that doesn't mean the rest are all bad ... I will keep an open mind. BUT I really really hope you learn that FREEWARE and CRIPPLEWARE are not the same - VLC is freeware - WPS is not.

You could have something really big here going forward as 32 bit dies and everything goes 64 bit. You could be the definitive sourse for 64 bit Freeware. BUT ONLY IF YOU DRAW THE LINE AND HOLD FAST TO IT -
No crippleware and no 32 bit software belong on this list.

If you do that it will be golden, if you don't it will be 'the fool'.

nuff said
Jim

I am sorry you did not find what you want. However, this site is maintained by volunteers. Nobody gets paid for the reviews and articles which are made available to you for free. Don't you think you are being a bit harsh?

The "site.editor" tag also denotes this review currently has no permanent editor. The content therefore will not be updated until someone volunteers to take it over. MC - Site Manager.

SoftMaker FreeOffice has been updated to version 2016 Rev 755.0417 (2016.04.19).

I am surprised WPS (Kingsoft) was rated high, much less 31. While a neat program, it fails miserably in one of the most important tasks office suites must do- import and export multiple file types. This is a killer.
I am biased.
For years i used Open Office (OOG) ad loved it. Having started on Wordperfect/Dos then Microsmurf Office OOG was a God-send. Great, versatile and free. Early versions were a horror to load into windows. After getting it up and running it was fantastic. I still keep it as a backup.
Libre office is similar to OOG. I use Libre 90% of the time. Sometimes i have to use a tex editor for obscure things. I have written hundreds of legal documents with every foreseeable and many unforeseeable formatting requirements with Libre- it rocks.

I loved WPS Office, but with the new changes for the worse, I'm quite disappointed.

I downgraded down to Kingsoft Suite instead. It seems to have everything that I need.

My vote goes to Softmaker FreeOffice. Sure it may not have all the bells and whistles of the other office listed in this article but. It's easy to use and have enough features for the adverage office user to use. There are many features hidden within it and for selecting colors there's a simple basic Microsoft basic color tool instead of complicated palettes.
WPS is full of crap! Kingsoft so called Antivirus was a backdoor for an virus to get into my computer I don't use their WPS office either because it keeps trying to make one install software from another company that user doesn't need. SSuite office software wants to add an entire "operation system" to your computer loaded with crap you don't need like yet another web browser. Wordgraph is slow and buggy and the features are hard to find.
LibreOffice, Sun (Lotus) Office and Apache Open Office and a lot of others are software clones with different names! These guys are slow and I kept getting freezes and bugs when trying to type a document.

I see mumbling (in reply to your post) that FreeOffice can open docx but cannot save as docx.
"It is an ill wind that blows nobody no good"
I have no love for docx.
Can it open docx and save as doc without any loss ?
If someone answers yes, I will be downloading this immediately

While I cannot confirm that there will be no loss, I have opened a few docx and saved them as doc and I couldn't tell the difference after. FreeOffice does have a few annoyances (e.g. no tabbed documents view and the inability to permanently hide the sidebar), however, it is more light weight than, say LibreOffice, and it should be more than sufficient for the most users.

I use to like WPS office until I tried to save a file on docx and it said I needed to have the pay version. I'm downloading Freeoffice. After hearing LibreOffice still uses Java I still refuse to use it.

FreeOffice can open and read docx but cannot save in it.

I see that. That sucks. :(

WPS now has a restriction with the free version with regards to printing. It now adds a watermark to your document. It adds the same watermark to pdf files too. Sad really as I really rated this office application.

Regarding WPS,
Can businesses use the free version ?
I have a friend with a small business who is 'renting' the latest MS Office
Is there anyone out there that knows of a business that is using WPS free, instead of Office ?
Is it truly 100% compatible (considering they would be exchanging docs and spreadsheets regularly with other businesses that are using MS Office) ?

WPS has a keyboard shortcut for screengrabs that is identical to several keyboard shortcuts for diacritic signs in my language (Polish)., There is no way to disable it. So people who want to write in languages other than English and who use right Alt key for diacritic signs should beware.

Went over to WPS.com and noticed that the Windows version doesn't appear any longer - just the iOS, Android and Linux versions. My guess is they've pulled the Windows version from the site (not sure if it's coming back or not...) You might be able to find it somewhere else (FileHippo still carries the Kingsoft Office version from 2013 and MajorGeeks still has the Beta version of WPS Office Free 2014) but we probably need to take another look at the recommendation.

A major upgrade, LibreOffice 5 was released a few weeks ago. The latest version, 5.0.1.2, was released on 2015.08.27 (release notes are at https://www.libreoffice.org/download/release-notes/).

Unfortunately LibreOffice 5 still suffers from Bug 37967 - no "normal" view in Writer. Which is a really old bug inherited from OpenOffice. (Bug 4914 from 2002, making it 13 years old now.) And while the LibreOffice people consider it a mere enhancement to be gotten to someday, many (non)users consider it an absolute deal-killer; a bug of severity "causes the program to be automatically shut down and deleted from the user's hard drive, when encountered."

Another alternative that I haven't noticed anyone mention yet is that Microsoft has a free online version of Office at https://onedrive.live.com/

I know it's not the same as using the full MS Office version, but for receiving/uploading/editing/saving/sending MS Office files (such as DOCX), it's hard to beat since it doesn't lose any formatting that some of your free office suites may do when handling MS Office files (such as LibreOffice). But that's just my two cents. ;-)

To stop WPS from opening their templates link on startup, go to File>Tools>Options. Under the General and Save section, there is a selection to "Start With" (either the Home Page or a New Document) at the bottom. Select New Document and their Home Page won't open any more.

Thanks for the tip RCHamilt it works Great ..

Hi, I've been a user of Kingsoft Office for a few years and agree it's the closest to MS office but reading some comments here about the new upgrade, "WPS Office 2014" being a paid only is not so. I upgraded but theres still a free version called 'WPS Office 2014' and a paid one. I have 2014 and it's free.

What you say is true but the free version is now restricted, or a some users see it, crippled. See details about these restrictions in our forum thread. MC - Site Manager. http://www.techsupportalert.com/freeware-forum/home-office-and-productiv...

What sells FreeOffice on me is its ability to both read and write .odt files, which makes it almost singularly universal as a replacement for Open/LibreOffice and Word. If WPS only included just this one ability they'd a officeful of customers here for life.

Greetings All!

From a an academic point of view - if you use OUTLINING on a regular basis there appears to be NO BETTER CHOICE than WPS aka Kingsoft.

Why? Because it works the SAME as Microsoft Office.

ALL other suite choices are not very intuitive when outlining. In fact they are annoying to use.

I have NOT SEEN this mentioned in any review or comments.

Hopefully, this helps in choosing your "go to" office suite.

To all, happy, safe and healthy New Year 2015!

It might be time to change the recommendation back to LibreOffice instead of WPS Office - the move by Kingsoft to change to a subscription basis in order to have access to all of the features of WPS Office makes it a less practical choice for small businesses or individuals who are looking for a FREE office suite. Yes, WPS Office can be used as a "trial" for 30 days, but after that time you need to subscribe in order to continue using the "Premium" features - including the ability to save files in the newer docx, xlsx or pptx formats compatible with the newer versions of Microsoft Office.

Also, like Microsoft, Kingsoft is trying to switch consumers to a subscription model - you pay for the software on a monthly (or yearly) basis instead of paying for it once. While the pricing may look attractive initially, you end up paying for your software like a cable tv or smartphone bill. Is this what we really want as a "free" alternative to Microsoft Office?

For me, I'm uninstalling the latest release of WPS Office and sticking with LibreOffice. I don't want to subscribe for my software, even at a lower cost than the Microsoft name brand.

Pages