Best Word Processors software
Write and format documents, alone or together.
13 apps
Top Word Processors apps ranked by the community
Craft is a document and note-taking app with a native, polished design on Mac, iPhone and iPad, also available on Windows and the web. Notes are built from blocks and nested pages with backlinks, can be shared as public web pages or edited together in real time, and include AI writing help, tasks and daily notes.
12 Craft alternativesPros
- Polished native design on Mac, iPhone and iPad
- Block-based pages can be shared as public web pages
- Real-time collaboration plus built-in AI writing help
Cons
- The experience is best on Apple devices, other platforms feel secondary
- Advanced features and AI usage are reserved for paid plans
- Less suited to large databases than Notion-style tools
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryLibreOffice is a desktop office suite maintained by The Document Foundation, with Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base and Math. It uses the OpenDocument format natively and opens and saves Microsoft Office files. It is free for any use, works fully offline and can be extended with community extensions and templates.
12 LibreOffice alternativesPros
- Free for any use, with no account or subscription
- Full suite with Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw and Base
- Native OpenDocument support and fully offline use
Cons
- Interface feels dated next to Microsoft 365
- Complex Office files can lose formatting
- No real-time collaboration in the desktop apps
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceONLYOFFICE is an office suite from Ascensio System with editors for documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDFs and forms, built around Microsoft Office formats. The desktop and mobile apps are free, and the online editors can be self-hosted or integrated into Nextcloud and other platforms, with paid cloud and enterprise editions. It supports real-time co-editing, plugins and AI assistants.
12 ONLYOFFICE alternativesPros
- Strong compatibility with Microsoft Office formats
- Free desktop and mobile apps, plus self-hostable online editors
- Real-time co-editing and Nextcloud integration
Cons
- A self-hosted server needs technical setup
- Enterprise features and support require paid editions
- Fewer advanced features than Microsoft Office
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceWPS Office is an office suite developed by Kingsoft that combines a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation app and PDF tools in one interface with document tabs. It is compatible with Microsoft Office formats and available on desktop and mobile. The free version shows ads, while a paid subscription removes them and unlocks extra PDF features, cloud storage and WPS AI.
12 WPS Office alternativesPros
- Tabbed interface for documents, sheets, slides and PDF tools
- Good compatibility with Microsoft Office formats
- Free on desktop and mobile, including Linux
Cons
- The free version shows ads
- Extra PDF tools and WPS AI require a subscription
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietarySoftMaker Office is a commercial office suite from the German company SoftMaker, consisting of TextMaker, PlanMaker and Presentations. It is built for close compatibility with Microsoft Office files and runs natively on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android. It is sold as a subscription or a one-time license after a free trial; the separate FreeOffice edition is free with fewer features.
8 SoftMaker Office alternativesPros
- Close compatibility with Microsoft Office files
- Native apps on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android
- One-time license available as an alternative to subscriptions
Cons
- Paid after the trial, and the free FreeOffice edition offers less
- No cloud collaboration or web version
- Smaller community and fewer resources than Office or LibreOffice
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCollabora Online is an open source office suite from Collabora Productivity that runs LibreOffice technology in the browser, on your own server or through a hosting partner. It plugs into Nextcloud, ownCloud, Seafile and similar platforms for co-editing Office and OpenDocument files on infrastructure you control. A free development edition sits alongside paid supported versions and Collabora Office apps.
9 Collabora Online alternativesPros
- Open source online office suite you can host on your own servers
- Integrates with Nextcloud, ownCloud and Seafile for co-editing
- Keeps documents on infrastructure you control
Cons
- Interface feels dated next to Google Docs or Microsoft 365
- Self-hosting requires server setup and maintenance
- Supported production versions are paid
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceMicrosoft Word is the word processor in Microsoft 365 and the reference for the .docx format used in many workplaces. It offers styles, track changes, comments, mail merge, references and real-time co-authoring through OneDrive or SharePoint, plus Copilot drafting in eligible plans. Word runs on Windows, Mac, mobile and the web, where a free version is available with a Microsoft account.
11 Microsoft Word alternativesPros
- The reference for the .docx format used in many workplaces
- Powerful styles, track changes, references and mail merge
- Available on Windows, Mac, mobile and the web
Cons
- Full desktop features require a Microsoft 365 subscription
- Dense interface packed with features most people never use
- Copilot features are limited to eligible plans
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesGoogle Docs is Google's online word processor, used for writing and editing documents together in real time. Comments, suggestion mode, version history and sharing links are built in, and files can be edited offline or exported as Word, PDF or OpenDocument. It is free with a Google account, with Gemini AI and business controls available through paid Google Workspace plans.
11 Google Docs alternativesPros
- Real-time co-editing with comments and suggestion mode
- Free with a Google account and accessible from any browser
- Version history makes every change recoverable
Cons
- Fewer layout and formatting options than desktop word processors
- Offline editing has to be set up in advance
- Gemini and business controls require paid Workspace plans
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesPages is Apple's free word processor for Mac, iPhone and iPad, also usable in the browser through iCloud.com. It mixes word processing with page layout, offering designed templates for reports, flyers and books, plus EPUB export. Documents sync via iCloud, can be edited with others in real time and can be exported to Word or PDF.
9 Pages alternativesPros
- Free on Mac, iPhone and iPad, with well-designed templates
- Combines word processing and page layout
- Exports to Word, PDF and EPUB
Cons
- Native apps only on Apple devices, others must use iCloud.com
- Word conversion can lose formatting in complex documents
- Fewer advanced features than Word for long documents
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryCategoriesZoho Writer is a cloud word processor from Zoho for writing and co-editing documents in the browser or on mobile. Beyond editing, it handles mail merge, fillable forms and document automation, can send documents out for signature, and the Zia assistant helps with grammar and readability. It is free for individuals and included in paid Zoho Workplace plans for teams.
8 Zoho Writer alternativesPros
- Mail merge, fillable forms and document automation built in
- Sends documents for e-signature without another tool
- Free plan for individual users
Cons
- Less widespread, so collaborators may be unfamiliar with it
- Best value comes from buying into the Zoho ecosystem
- Fewer third-party templates and add-ons than Word or Google Docs
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesUlysses is a writing app for Apple devices made by the German company Ulysses GmbH. Texts live in a single library synced through iCloud, are written in a Markdown-based markup and can be exported to PDF, Word or ePub or published directly to WordPress, Ghost and other platforms. It suits bloggers, authors and students and is sold as a subscription after a free trial.
8 Ulysses alternativesPros
- Single library synced across Mac, iPhone and iPad via iCloud
- Publishes directly to WordPress, Ghost and other platforms
- Distraction-free writing with Markdown-based markup
Cons
- Only available on Apple devices
- Sold only as a subscription
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesScrivener, from Literature & Latte, is a writing tool for long-form projects such as novels, theses and screenplays. Its binder lets you split a manuscript into sections, rearrange them on a corkboard or outliner and keep research notes, PDFs and images next to the text, then compile everything into print, ebook or Word formats. It is a one-time purchase per platform with a free trial.
8 Scrivener alternativesPros
- Binder splits long manuscripts into easy-to-rearrange sections
- Research notes, PDFs and images kept next to the text
- Compile exports to print, ebook and Word formats
Cons
- Steep learning curve, especially for the compile feature
- A separate license is required for each platform
- Syncing with the iPhone app relies on Dropbox
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesiA Writer is a minimalist Markdown editor from the design studio Information Architects. Its Focus Mode, syntax highlighting and style check help tighten prose, and it can mark text pasted from AI tools to keep track of what you wrote yourself. Files stay as plain text, locally or in iCloud and Dropbox, with export to HTML, PDF and Word. It is a one-time purchase per platform, after a free trial.
9 iA Writer alternativesPros
- Focus Mode and style check help tighten prose
- Plain-text Markdown files stored wherever you choose
- One-time purchase instead of a subscription
Cons
- A separate purchase is needed for each platform
- No real-time collaboration
- Formatting options are minimal by design
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategories
