Everyone needs a great word processor, and Microsoft Word is one of the best thanks to its wide format support, integration with other Office apps and huge range of high-quality templates.
However, that power and convenience doesn’t come cheap, even with the Microsoft Office 365 subscription model, which spreads the cost throughout the year. Thankfully, free word processing software has come a long way in recent years, and there are some great alternatives to Word that don’t cost a penny.
Lightweight distraction-free writing software has its place, but here we’re looking for fully-featured word processors with support for templates, advanced formatting, and compatibility with Microsoft file formats. You could switch to any of these programs today and begin working immediately.
We update this guide regularly, so you know you're always getting the most accurate information about the best software available right now.
1. WPS Office Free
The best free alternative to Word, with built-in cloud backup
WPS Office Free's word processing component, Writer, has a slick design very similar to the current version of Microsoft Word. It features a ribbon interface and almost identical icons. If you like using Office 2007 or later, the move will be pretty much seamless.
Free Word For Windows 10 Reviews
There's tabbed browsing for multiple documents (a feature not found in Word, but one we love), and WPS Office Writer can open pretty much any text document format you can throw at it. It has its own proprietary file format (WPS), but new documents default to Microsoft’s DOCX format for convenient sharing with Word users.
WPS Writer includes built-in cloud support with 1GB free storage (comparable to Microsoft OneDrive) for easy backup and syncing. There are also free mobile apps for Android and iOS that are fully compatible with Microsoft file formats, and let you edit and sync documents on the move.
WPS Office Writer comes with a good range of templates pre-installed, with more available to download.
Unlike LibreOffice and OpenOffice (below), WPS Office isn’t open source. Instead, it’s supported by ads, but these are unobtrusive and won't stop you getting on with some serious work.
There’s a premium version of WPS Office that removes the ads and throws in bonus PDF tools, but the free edition is superb. Give it a try – we're pretty sure you'll be impressed.
2. LibreOffice
An open source Word alternative with a buzzing community
If you feel most comfortable using the older, pre-ribbon versions of Microsoft Word, you’ll love LibreOffice Writer. Its interface is very similar to Word prior to the controversial introduction of the Ribbon in 2007, so if you’re familiar with the older interface, you’ll be up and running in seconds.
It'll take a little longer if you're only used to newer versions of Microsoft Office, but the menus and icons are simple and intuitive, so don't be put off.
LibreOffice Writer is fully compatible with Microsoft Word documents (including DOC and DOCX) as well as other common text file formats, so you’ll have no trouble sharing files with friends or colleagues using different software, or opening your old files.
Writer also integrates seamlessly with the other tools in the LibreOffice suite, so you can easily import a spreadsheet from Calc, or a graph from Charts – just like you could in Word.
What sets LibreOffice Writer apart from other free Microsoft Word alternatives is its lively community of users and developers, who have created hundreds of free plugins and templates for you to download and use. LibreOffice itself receives regular updates too, adding features and security that help it keep pace with Microsoft Word.
The only thing lacking is integrated cloud support, but you can easily sync your files using Dropbox or OneDrive, so this is a minor drawback.
3. Apache OpenOffice
Not as fresh as LibreOffice, but still a great open source option
![Free Word For Windows 10 Free Word For Windows 10](https://cdn2.techadvisor.co.uk/cmsdata/features/3633566/office_free_store_windows_10_thumb.png)
LibreOffice is a fork of Apache OpenOffice and the two share the same code base, so it’s no surprise that there’s little to choose between the two. Both offer excellent compatibility with Microsoft Word documents, and work seamlessly with their linked spreadsheet, database, and presentation applications.
There’s almost no difference between the programs’ features or interfaces, either – both use a classic Microsoft Office style system, with a handy sidebar for formatting options.
OpenOffice provides fewer templates than LibreOffice by default, but there are thousands available to download, so this isn't a concern.
The main difference is that OpenOffice only receives one or two updates a year, whereas LibreOffice is updated every couple of months thanks to its larger team of volunteer developers. This means that reported bugs and vulnerabilities are likely to be fixed sooner in LibreOffice, and new features are added sooner.
4. SoftMaker FreeOffice
Very good, but would be superb if it could save in DOCX format
SoftMaker FreeOffice TextMaker's interface is less cluttered than most free Microsoft Word alternatives, but it doesn't skimp on tools and settings. Some features are tucked away in sub-menus, but you can customize the toolbars by adding, removing and rearranging the icons (you can find more by clicking the small arrow buttons on the right).
All the essentials are there, and FreeOffice TextMaker makes it particularly easy to create interactive documents with fields and bookmarks, which you can then save as PDFs. The selection of templates isn’t huge, but they look good and will satisfy most of your needs.
The drawback of TextMaker is its inability to save your work in Microsoft’s DOCX format. This is a shame, because this newer format has several advantages over DOC, including more consistent appearance in different word processing programs and superior file compression.
You can open files in DOCX format using FreeOffice TextMaker, so you won't be locked out of your existing documents, but if your friends and family use Word, you might prefer one of the alternatives listed above.
The premium edition of SoftMaker Office adds DOCX support for a one-off fee of £48.20 (about US$60, AU$75).
5. Google Docs
Collaborate on documents and access them anywhere
If you've plunged into the Google ecosystem, you're probably already familiar with its Microsoft Word analog, Google Docs.
Opening existing documents can be a bit of a hassle – you need to upload them to Google Drive before you can start editing them in Docs. Although there's good file format support, imported Word documents might look very different if they use formatting and features not supported by Docs, or rely on locally stored fonts.
That said, formatting isn't the main purpose of Google Docs – collaboration is. Provided they have a Google account, it's easy to invite colleagues, friends and family to work together on the same document simultaneously. If several people are working on the document at once, different colored cursors will appear on the page to indicate where they're working.
If that sounds like chaos, you can also restrict editing and just allow collaborators to make comments, which you can implement or ignore.
If you're not a fan of Google products, you can also take a look at Microsoft Office Online, which works in much the same way, but with better support for DOC and DOCX files – all synced to OneDrive.
- Need more than just Word? Check out the best free office software
As far as word processors go, Microsoft Word is still the king. Even today, we keep discovering hidden Word features that make our lives easier. And just as surprising, we keep discovering new ways to get Microsoft Word for free.
Here are all the ways to access Microsoft Word and almost all of them are free.
Word Mobile
Platforms: Windows 8, 10
Price: Free
For a long time, Microsoft offered a free program called Word Viewer to open any DOCX file without paying for the full version of Office. But, Word Viewer was retired a few years back. What you have instead is the new Word Mobile.
Word Mobile can be installed on any Windows laptop, desktop, tablet, or phone. But if you install it on a desktop, laptop, or a large tablet, you can’t create nor edit files with the app. You can only open documents and read them.
To grab the app, head to the Microsoft Store and search for Word Mobile. Otherwise, click the link below to open it in a browser tab, and then the Download button to open it in Microsoft Store on your Windows computer. Proceed to download it like any app.
Download: Word Mobile for Windows (Free)
Microsoft Word for Android and iOS
Platforms: Android, iOS
Price: Free
Microsoft is making great apps for Android. The Redmond giant has separated its Office suite into individual apps on mobile operating systems, so you can actually download a full-fledged version of Microsoft Word without needing to get Excel, PowerPoint, and the others. And yes, it’s a completely free version of Microsoft Word.
Perhaps the best part about Microsoft Word on mobile is how well it represents documents filled with charts and graphics. This has historically been a problem on most mobile office suites, but such files show up perfectly on Word Mobile, scroll through smoothly without lagging, and are smartly optimized for mobile screens. Indeed, the new Word Mobile apps show why Microsoft is king of the office suites and not Google Docs.
Download: Microsoft Word for Android | iOS (Free)
Use the Android App on Chromebooks
This is also the best method to get Microsoft Word on Chrome OS. As long as you have a Chromebook that runs Android appsThe Best Chromebooks That Run Android AppsThe Best Chromebooks That Run Android AppsLooking for a Chromebook that runs Android apps like a champ? We've covered the best Chromebooks for running Android applications.Read More, go to the Play Store and download the same Microsoft Word for Android. It will work as if you were using a tablet. The app works fine with a keyboard, and you can keep using the regular keyboard shortcuts you are accustomed to.
But in the end, that’s a mobile version of Word, not the proper desktop one. For something closer to the desktop Word experience on a Chromebook, you’re better off using Office Online.
Office Online
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
Price: Free
The first thing you need to know is that you don’t have to pay for Microsoft Word. If you have an active internet connection, you can use the free Office Online instead.
We can think of a few reasons why you should use free Office Online instead of paying Microsoft to use Word. For starters, you can access documents through a web browser on any computerThe 8 Best Free Online Word ProcessorsThe 8 Best Free Online Word ProcessorsOnline word processors come in all shapes and sizes. Use these select picks to choose the writing tool that's right for you.Read More. It also accurately retains Microsoft Word formatting, unlike other apps. It’s an easy step to cloud computing for anyone who is already hooked into the Microsoft Office ecosystem.
However, you can’t use Office Online without an internet connection. When you need an offline office suite, fully installed on your own PC, then good old Office is still your best bet.
Office 365
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Windows tablets
Price: Free trial and paid Subscriptions (starting at $6.99 per month)
If you temporarily need the full version of Word installed on your PC or Mac, you should go with an Office 365 subscription. Until a few years ago, buying Microsoft Office was a one-time cost, but a hefty one. Now, Microsoft has embraced the subscription model, which actually increases the price but makes a lot of sense if you are using Office on multiple computers for your whole family. Plus, there are some cool freebies packaged with it.
So why should you be willing to pay more? The new Office 365 subscription modelAn Introduction to Office 365: Should You Buy Into the New Office Business Model?An Introduction to Office 365: Should You Buy Into the New Office Business Model?Office 365 is a subscription based package that offers access to the latest desktop Office suite, Office Online, cloud storage, and premium mobile apps. Does Office 365 provide enough value to be worth the money?Read More not only gets you Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, Access, and Publisher, but it also adds 1TB of OneDrive storage and 60 Skype world minutes.
The Office 365 Home package is available for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. If you plan on sharing your Office with members of your family, this is the best value-for-money deal you can get. It basically applies to five users; so you can install Office offline on five computers (PC or Mac), five tablets, five phones, and get the aforementioned 1TB storage and 60 Skype minutes for five users each. And you also get some additional features for Word Mobile on your smartphone:
The cheaper Office 365 Personal package costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year but supports only one user for the storage and Skype minutes, and offline installation on one computer, one tablet, and one phone.
If you don’t like the new subscription model, you can purchase Office at a one-time cost varying from $139.99 to $399.99. Here’s the difference between the Office packages.
Students can get Office 365 for free if your school supports it. You can check out eligibility on the official site. However, be warned that the 1TB of OneDrive storage is associated with your school’s account, which means a school administrator can change permissions and access.
Like students, non-profit organizations can get Office 365 Nonprofit for free. Professionals can check out Office 365 for Business to find out more plans.
Still Nothing? Microsoft Word Alternatives
Microsoft Word has always been a fantastic word processor. Maybe you have moved away from it because of its price. Though these alternatives aren’t the full-fledged Office suite that you expect to grab for free, you can still rely on these methods and use them for your productivity.
Also, you might want to consider these fresh alternatives to Microsoft Office10 Fresh Alternatives to Microsoft Word You Should Try Today10 Fresh Alternatives to Microsoft Word You Should Try TodayNot everyone is a Microsoft Word fan. Here are fresh alternatives to Microsoft Word that you might not know about.Read More. You never know which of those free or cheap alternatives will work out for you.
Explore more about: Microsoft Office 2016, Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Office Online, Microsoft Word.
extremely helpful. I am just an individual and quite often find the truth that it is actually essential to publish a try to compose within a college or
university. The Lucasassistance assists me frequently.There I can spend a person and my operate is going to be written. I highly recommend to
anybody who will pay for his function rather than spend
some time into it.
My guidance to you personally is usually to attempt the
pay soimeone to write my paper assistance. There you may buy your pieces of paper and get a
good rating. I did so it. In case you are researching in college or
university or really are a university student - the service
will never substitute.'Word Mobile can be installed on any Windows laptop, desktop, tablet, or phone. But if you install it on a desktop, laptop, or a large tablet, you can’t create nor edit files with the app. You can only open documents and read them.'
So what you're saying is, you can only get a usable MS Word on a phone. That's not very useful - who wants to type an essay on a phone? I want it for my desktop, and would be willing to purchase it, but is that possible without getting the whole Office suite?
Hi, i wanted to get a backlink for my website
Its related to youtube services, any text link in your website would work for me.
Please let me know the pricing
Thank you
Hi, i wanted to get a backlink for my website
Its related to youtube services, any text link in your website would work for me.
Please let me know the pricing
Thank you
The heck with that! My old versions of Word (paid product) work just fine on my Windows 10 box. I'm not a big fan of Microsoft's 'improvements' anyway. For my money, the best Word ever was Word 4.5 on DOS! :)
Like most companies, Microsoft keeps 'improving' its products out of all recognition.Aate aate teri yaad aa gayi mp3 song download mp3. Aate Aate Teri Yaad Aa Gayi Roadshow Mix Dj Akash Belora new songs download free, Aate Aate Teri Yaad Aa Gayi Roadshow Mix Dj Akash Belora latest bollywood songs, Aate Aate Teri Yaad Aa Gayi Roadshow Mix Dj Akash Belora hindi movie songs, Aate Aate Teri Yaad Aa Gayi Roadshow Mix Dj Akash Belora full marathi movies, Aate Aate Teri Yaad Aa Gayi Roadshow Mix Dj Akash Belora marathi movie songs download, Aate Aate Teri Yaad Aa Gayi Roadshow Mix Dj Akash Belora Marathi Movie mp3, Aate Aate Teri Yaad Aa Gayi Roadshow Mix Dj Akash Belora dJ mix songs.
Language supported
English (United States)العربية (المملكة العربية السعودية)
Български (България)
Català (Català)
Čeština (Česká Republika)
Cymraeg (Y Deyrnas Unedig)
Dansk (Danmark)
Deutsch (Deutschland)
Ελληνικά (Ελλάδα)
Español (España, Alfabetización Internacional)
Eesti (Eesti)
فارسى (ایران)
Suomi (Suomi)
Français (France)
עברית (ישראל)
हिंदी (भारत)
Magyar (Magyarország)
Indonesia (Indonesia)
Italiano (Italia)
日本語 (日本)
한국어(대한민국)
Lietuvių (Lietuva)
Latviešu (Latvija)
Bahasa Melayu (Malaysia)
Malti (Malta)
Nederlands (Nederland)
Polski (Polska)
Português (Brasil)
Română (România)
Русский (Россия)
Slovenčina (Slovensko)
Slovenščina (Slovenija)
Svenska (Sverige)
ไทย (ไทย)
Türkçe (Türkiye)
Українська (Україна)
Tiếng Việt (Việt Nam)