Best Microsoft Office Alternatives Of 2020

Over the years, Microsoft Office has been ranked as the longtime leader in office productivity suites and software. So, are you in search of Microsoft Office alternatives because of performance, cost, or for some other reasons? There are many available alternatives. These office productivity software are created differently, therefore, the following are the best considered Microsoft Office alternatives of 2020.

Apache Open Office – Best Free Software

If you are the type that considers the cost of the office suite, then you should go for Apache Open Office. Though it’s not as beautifully polished or fully featured as the Microsoft apps, it is worth it as a free software.

So, the app welcomes new contributions from volunteer developers who are interested in improving the app for the use of the community. However, the Google app acting as a formidable alternative even at the same price makes it struggle to beat the competition from other developers at Google and Microsoft.

The competition doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying because Writer, Draw, Base, Calc, Impress, and Math are tools usually supported regularly.

Google / G Suite – Best Overall Office Alternative

The Google suite is the best Microsoft Office alternative. It is known as G Suite and available for free to users. The G Suite is top-notch because it combines Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Sheets, and Google Forms around an online storage solution called Google Drive.

Also, it works with a free Google Drive account which incorporates a free Gmail account. It is excellent on Linux, Mac, Windows, and another computer that has a modern web browser. It allows for sharing without any download and through the help of plugin integration, files coming from a variety of formats (Microsoft Office files Inclusive) can be worked on.

However, its setback is offline use. Though Google offers an offline version through the use of plugins with the Chrome browser, they do not offer the best result. But once connected to the internet, it works smoothly with native apps for Google mobile OS and Android devices.

For the business users, it is charged $6 monthly while non-business users can operate via a free Google account. There is no need for payment unless you desire extra storage space in your online Google Drive. Though it might not offer what users are looking for in programs like Excel and lack of a suitable alternative for database program access, it’s still a good alternative for the price.

WPS Office – Best Advert-Supported Free Software

WPS is alternative software with versions for Linux, Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Besides, it is free but support advertising. However, with $30 these ads can be removed. It comes from a China-based developer, Kingsoft. The Application includes WPS Presentation, WPS Writers, and WPS Spreadsheet. It is designed with a customizable interface making it possible to set the menu style you like.

It is a well-reviewed app. WPS Office is compatible with tabbed document editing just like it is obtainable with a web browser. It is built with an integrated cloud having 1 GB storage. It is fast and lightweight. So, you can give it a trial without making payment before making payment to go advertisement-free.

Apple Office Suite / iWork – The Best For Mac

The Office suite comes with your package when you buy a Mac. Though they are not popular like Google suites and Microsoft, Numbers, Pages, and Keynote are great for solo and occasional use especially when you use Apple’s ecosystem (iCloud) and gadgets such as the iPad.

There is a web-based version that works with the latest version of Chrome, Safari, and Internet Explorer that is compatible with iCloud. It is compatible with its file formats and exports and imports files in the Microsoft Office formats such as .xlsx, .pptx, and Docx. Users of Mac need not make any payment except for the additional iCloud storage space if you want to store your files.

However, it is not popular and this makes its support and online tutorial few. There is poor compatibility with other formats especially in things like fonts, image sizing, and layouts. So, if you are a dedicated Mac user, you should find all that you need in iWork

FreeOffice – Best Ease-of-Use App

As the name implies, it is free. It is compatible with Mac, Windows, and Linux PCs. Also, it’s a product of SoftMaker. The apps in FreeOffice 2018 are PlanMaker, TextMaker, and Presentation which are replacement for Excel, Word, and PowerPoint respectively. The ribbon view or Windows-style menu can be selected.

The upgraded SoftMaker Office HD app can be downloaded free on Android tablets. However, some features would require buying an in-app to unlock it. Also, the free FlexiPDF Basic can be enjoyed if you are a Windows user and makes use of this suite. The FlexiPDF Basic offers several features that look like Adobe’s PDF editor.

Dropbox Paper – Best For Sharing Text File

This is not very popular for its office program features; however, this file-sharing app was developed to focus on word processing. What makes it more interesting is that Dropbox paper is integrated into Dropbox which makes file sharing seamless.

It allows for exporting files in .pdf and .docx file format. The file can be added by simply dragging the file into an active Dropbox Paper window or Dropbox folder. It is developed with an easy-to-use user interface but unfamiliar to word veterans.

Having a Dropbox account makes it free. Besides, free users have up to 2 GB storage space while business users and those who need larger storage space will do an annual or monthly subscription at $9.99 monthly for single users. 

Microsoft 365 Online – Best Web-Based Alter-Ego

If you are in search of the best Microsoft Office alternatives of 2020, then you might want to check out Microsoft’s online version of Office called Microsoft 365. Through it, there is access to a browser-based version of Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote.

When you subscribe, there is access to the mobile versions of the same app on Windows phone, iOS, and Android. All these forms the $5/user/month subscription for Microsoft 365 Business Essential. Also, you stand to enjoy 1 TB OneDrive storage.

Besides, there is also the $12.50/user/month premium subscription that includes the desktop version with other features. For business users, they will have to subscribe for $20/user/month Microsoft 365 Business package which offers the full security features.