Microsoft office v free alternatives

Microsoft Office covers a range of basic computer operations including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access and Outlook.

But there are plenty of free and low-priced alternatives that the technology experts have assessed as being just as good.

The best alternatives are generally strong programs with full functionality, and little problem sharing files with other platforms, though few come close to the full functionality of Microsoft 365.

Among those reviewed by both techradar.com and wps.com LibreOffice comes out top. It is free, opensource and is made up of a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation software, and is available in 110 languages.

Tech support is available online and generally reported to be easy to use if you ever need it.

It is the default suite for most Linux distros and it is also available for use on Windows and macOS.

FreeOffice, from SoftMaker, is described as “a free and easy alternative to Microsoft Office”. It is developed for both Windows and Linux, and offers a basic version for Android users and is fully compatible with all Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint formats.

Calligra is a free and open source software suite and can be downloaded directly from its own website or from KDE’s downloads page. However, 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.

OfficeSuite is an application that was developed by MobiSystems and is available for Android, iOS and Windows. You can synchronize between devices using your OfficeSuite account and only one license is needed for all your devices.

There is a free basic tier and and allows users to view and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents. The ‘Personal’ tier enables the suite on one desktop, one tablet and one phone.

There are plenty more to choose from so it is worth checking with websites like techradar.com and wps.com.