Free & open source alternatives to Microsoft Office

4 free office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) apps to use instead of Microsoft Office by Microsoft

The best free alternative to Microsoft Office is LibreOffice. A full suite with Writer, Calc and Impress that opens and saves .docx, .xlsx and .pptx, and is used by many organizations.

Other great options: ONLYOFFICE Desktop, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and WPS Office.

Quick pick: For offline desktop use: LibreOffice (open source) or ONLYOFFICE (a modern Office-style interface that keeps formatting well). For online collaboration: Google Docs or Office for the web.

Reviewed November 2026 against each vendor's official website.

Official ways to use Microsoft Office for free

Word, Excel and PowerPoint for the web are free at office.com (Microsoft 365) with just a Microsoft account (Outlook, Hotmail).
Office 365 A1 for students and teachers: many schools provide a school email that unlocks the web apps for free; some also include the desktop apps.
Mobile apps are free for basic creating and editing on devices with screens smaller than 10.1 inches.

Free plans and trial lengths are set by the vendor and can change. Check the official website before signing up.

4 best alternatives to Microsoft Office

LibreOffice

Office & PDF

Open sourceEasy to use

A full suite with Writer, Calc and Impress that opens and saves .docx, .xlsx and .pptx, and is used by many organizations.

Open-source office suite that replaces Microsoft Office: Writer, Calc, Impress and Draw. Works fully offline and is available in many languages.

Free for organizations and businesses, no license fees
Opens and saves .docx, .xlsx and .pptx
Many interface languages, works without internet

Platforms: Windows · Mac · Linux

LibreOffice details Official website ↗

ONLYOFFICE Desktop

Office & PDF HealthGood (83/100)5,705

Open sourceEasy to use

An Office-style ribbon interface that preserves Office file formatting well.

Open-source office suite with a ribbon interface like modern Office. Keeps .docx, .xlsx and .pptx formatting better than LibreOffice.

Familiar Word- and Excel-style interface
Good fidelity with Office file formats
Mobile apps and a self-hosted server edition for collaboration

Platforms: Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone

ONLYOFFICE Desktop details Official website ↗

Google Docs, Sheets, Slides

Office & PDF

FreeEasy to use

Real-time collaboration in the browser, with automatic saving to Drive.

Google's browser-based office suite, free with a Google account. Several people can edit the same file at once, and it saves to Google Drive automatically.

Real-time co-editing with version history
Opens and exports .docx, .xlsx and .pptx
Works on phones

Platforms: Web · Android · iPhone

Google Docs, Sheets, Slides details Official website ↗

WPS Office

Office & PDF

FreemiumEasy to use

Looks like Office and is lightweight; the free version shows ads.

Lightweight office suite from Kingsoft that looks almost identical to Microsoft Office. Mobile apps are available too.

Interface is nearly the same as Office
Light and quick to open on older computers

Platforms: Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone

WPS Office details Official website ↗

Quick comparison

App	Type	Platforms	Ease of use	GitHub stars
LibreOffice	Open source	Windows, Mac, Linux	Easy to use	—
ONLYOFFICE Desktop	Open source	Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone	Easy to use	5,705
Google Docs, Sheets, Slides	Free	Web, Android, iPhone	Easy to use	—
WPS Office	Freemium	Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone	Easy to use	—

Open source: anyone can use, study and modify it, including businesses. Free: no cost, but the code is closed. Freemium: a lasting free plan with paid tiers for extra features. Source available: code is public but the license adds conditions.

FAQ

What is the best free alternative to Microsoft Office?

The most popular picks are LibreOffice, ONLYOFFICE Desktop, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and WPS Office. For offline desktop use: LibreOffice (open source) or ONLYOFFICE (a modern Office-style interface that keeps formatting well). For online collaboration: Google Docs or Office for the web.

Will documents made in LibreOffice look right in Microsoft Office?

For most documents, yes: save as .docx, .xlsx or .pptx and Office users can open them normally. Documents with complex tables, layouts or macros are worth checking in Office before sending.

Does a company need to buy a license to use LibreOffice?

No. LibreOffice and ONLYOFFICE Desktop are free for businesses and government organizations too.

Is it risky to use a cracked Office?

Yes. Pirated activators often come with malware, and businesses running unlicensed software face legal and financial risk if audited. The free web version or LibreOffice is the safe choice.