Free office applications are available on the Internet. Therefore, QuoraTV will summarize for you the most appreciated free Offices today.
Whether you use a computer a lot or a little, you definitely need reliable office software. Not all of them have to be purchased, in fact, there is professional office software that is completely free on all operating systems.
Although the newly released Windows 10 desktop operating system comes with a trial installation of Microsoft Office, it will soon expire and you need to find an alternative program. Macs have their own office suite, but if most of your co-workers use Windows, you may need to try another cross-platform tool.
If you have ever been in this situation, the top free office applications below will definitely be useful to you. It includes downloadable desktop software and browser-based applications so that users can choose the most suitable tool.
Best Free Office Apps for Windows 7/10 PC
1- LibreOffice
Advantages: Rich software suite, compatible with MS Office, Completely free.
LibreOffice is really cool office software. You will wonder why you have to pay for office software when there is a great free tool like this. It is compatible with all Microsoft document formats and has most of the features users find in the latest versions of Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
This set includes 6 programs to help complete all common office tasks: Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Math, and Base. In particular, the last 3 tools have never appeared in any free office suite. They are specially designed for vector graphs, math functions, and databases respectively. It’s particularly useful, being a free alternative to the rarely seen Microsoft Access.
LibreOffice is an open-source project built by a large, dedicated developer community. They have worked continuously to improve stability and add many new features, providing extensive selection and rich templates that make word processing work more flexible than ever. It is not only free for businesses but also for individual users.
LibreOffice is part of Apache OpenOffice. Both are similar but LibreOffice is preferred because it has a regular update schedule and a more modern interface.
In addition to Windows, LibreOffice for Mac and Linux is also available for free. The mobile version is not out yet, except for the LibreOffice Viewer for Android document viewer.
2- Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides
- Advantages: Cross-platform, Google Drive integration, the mobile version available
- Cons: Difficult to open old files
If you work collaboratively or transfer data between PC and Mac, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, you should consider this option.
For anyone who has delved deep into Google’s Android ecosystem, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are definitely a choice. These 3 tools run smoothly on all browsers and are available in mobile versions for Apple and Android devices.
This free Google office suite doesn’t offer the advanced tools you’ll often find in desktop software, e.g. PivotTables, database tools) but everything is neatly organized. . All files are automatically saved and synced so you don’t have to worry about conversions or backups.
The downside of Docs, Sheets, Slides is that opening files created with other office applications is quite troublesome and the conversion process is often not perfect. This is partly because Google’s office tools use web fonts more than device fonts. In addition, Microsoft documents sometimes contain features that Google does not support.
3- Microsoft Office Online
- Pros: Fully compatible with desktop apps, works with OneDrive
- Cons: Lacks a few advanced tools
To use Microsoft Office on a PC you have to pay. However, the company soon realized the threat from G Suite, so it released its own set of free online applications.
The interface and way of working of Microsoft Office Online is similar to the desktop version. If you often use Microsoft. Office Online is a great alternative when you can’t afford an installation. Unlike Google’s free office suite, it does not require converting files before processing data on them. Moreover, users can share them easily via a Microsoft OneDrive account. Just log in and get to work right away.
Microsoft Office Online for Chrome, iOS, and Android are all available and free for users to download on their respective devices.
4- WPS Office Free
- Advantages: Supports Microsoft file formats, runs on many different platforms
- Cons: Contains ads
WPS Office Free is a “miniature” version of a special office suite, but few people know it. One of the 3 programs that look exactly like the latest versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint with similar features.
You can save documents in a traditional Microsoft format to easily share with other Office users. In particular, WPS Office also integrates a free PDF reader, providing an ideal alternative to the built-in Windows application.
However, WPS Office Free sometimes appears ads, easily distracting users. However, you can ignore that because WPS Office Free is completely free.
WPS Office Free for iOS, WPS Office for Android is also free to use. If you are using these two operating systems, please install and experience them.
5- SoftMaker FreeOffice
Pros: Supports Microsoft formats, including PDF reader
Cons: Limited interface language
Like WPS Office Free, SoftMaker FreeOffice offers a suite of software similar to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint (TextMaker, PlanMaker, and Presentation respectively). It supports Microsoft file formats from 1997 onwards. With SoftMaker FreeOffice, you can easily convert documents between PDF and Epub without any problems.
However, SoftMaker FreeOffice is not as smart as WPS Office and lacks premium features. However, if you do not like Microsoft’s ribbon interface, you may like the classic of this software.
6- Zoho Workplace
- Pros: Nice design, works well, and has a page builder.
- Cons: Some tools are too simple
While Google Docs thanks to its brand power could be used more, Zoho Workplace stands out because it is a real quality office application. It provides an office suite powerful enough to attract businesses like the BBC and Nike to become regular users.
Zoho’s new word processing engine has a fresh, well-organized interface that delivers professional document handling features. In particular, Zoho Workplace also integrates a powerful site builder, a file manager, and many other useful collaboration tools.
If you want to sign up for the free version of Zoho Workplace, you’ll need to search its pricing page: https://www.zoho.com/workplace/pricing.html and select the Forever Free plan. However, there is no one-click setup or access. Instead, you must complete the required registration process.
7- Polaris Office
- Pros: Supports desktop and mobile, includes 1GB of cloud storage
- Cons: Contains additional software
If you use a Samsung phone, you’re probably familiar with the mobile version of Polaris Office. This free cross-platform office app is available for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and comes pre-installed on select Samsung handsets. It is compatible with all Microsoft document formats. The Polaris Office interface design is clean, ribbon-based with some basic customization options.
If you choose to install Polaris Office for Windows, you’ll find plenty of software included with the installation, possibly McAfee’s browser extension – WebAdvisor, market research tool PremierOpinion, and an antivirus. You can skip them all, keeping only the ones you want.
You will then need to sign in with Facebook, Google, or create a new account. This is essential because Polaris Office is a cloud-based service. Polaris Office Free account is allowed to transfer 60MB of data per month, 1GB of cloud storage, and can be used on 3 devices (1 desktop and 2 mobile). If you have enough space, you can connect Polaris Office to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, Microsoft OneDrive, Amazon Cloud Drive, or save work locally on your device.
8- Smartsheet
Smartsheet – The best choice for small and mid-sized businesses looking for a free yet powerful spreadsheet tool.
Smartsheet is an online application similar to Excel spreadsheet software. It offers powerful collaboration features and can be customized as a project management platform. This software is available as a basic subscription of 14USD/month. However, users can try Smartsheet for free for 30 days.
Main features of Smartsheet
- Powerful Spreadsheet Tools
- Workflow automation
- Content Collaboration Tool
- Mobile application integration
- Customize email domains
Overall, Smartsheet offers many useful collaboration features. Its customization options are extremely flexible. However, for those who are looking for an easy-to-use office application, perhaps Smartsheet is not the best choice.
