LibreOffice is available for Windows, Mac and Linux, with a portable version that can be installed on a removable storage device. There's also Microsoft Office Online, which offers pared-down versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint in any modern web browser. Microsoft Office 365 is available for Windows and Mac, with mobile apps for iOS and Android (the latter of which will also work with Chromebooks). A Microsoft Office 365 subscription also gives you more storage space than a free OneDrive account. If you opt for a Microsoft Office subscription, things are much more straightforward, because Microsoft OneDrive is built right into each program and is the default save location for all new documents. You can also sign up for Microsoft OneDrive (opens in new tab) without being an Office subscriber, or check out one of our other recommended free cloud storage (opens in new tab) providers. This doesn't have to be complicated, though, and a service like Dropbox (opens in new tab) makes it easy to sync files to the cloud by saving them in a dedicated folder on your PC or Mac. If you opt for LibreOffice and want to store your documents in the cloud, you'll have to piece together your own system (understandably, The Document Foundation can't provide free server space for LibreOffice's millions of users). There's no equivalent feature for LibreOffice, so if you're looking for a free office suite for collaborative working, Google Docs, Sheets and Slides (opens in new tab) should be your first port of call. With Microsoft Office 365, multiple users can share files via OneDrive, and collaborate on the same document with real-time chat. Understandably, there's no phone support for LibreOffice, which might be an issue if you're looking for software for your business. The Document Foundation is under no obligation to provide support, and you may have to wait longer for a reply than you would if you were using Microsoft Office. The important thing to remember is that, although LibreOffice's support is excellent, it's all dependent on volunteers donating their time and expertise. You'll find a wealth of information in the LibreOffice Wiki (opens in new tab), Ask.LibreOffice (opens in new tab) provides a ticketing system (opens in new tab) where you can submit queries (and read answers to other users' questions), and there's an IRC channel (opens in new tab) for live chat. If you choose LibreOffice, you'll be relying on the goodwill of Community Assistance (opens in new tab) – but there's a lot of it. Microsoft has published a set of guides (opens in new tab) for helping you carry out common tasks using Microsoft Office as well, which can be enormously helpful. If the automated systems don't provide the answers you need, there's phone and live chat supporrt with real Microsoft technicians. Microsoft provides a help app that can lend a hand with common problems, and there's an online chatbot (opens in new tab) that can provide solutions too. If you choose Microsoft Office, one of the things you're paying for is the customer support. This is partly due to Microsoft's use of its own fonts, and partly due to difference in the way data is interpreted and rendered on-screen.įor most purposes this won't be a problem, but if you frequently share files with people who use either LibreOffice or Microsoft Office, you might find it more convenient to stick with the same office suite as them to ensure you're all on the same page. However, it's worth bearing in mind that documents won't always look exactly the same in LibreOffice as they do in Microsoft Office programs. it also supports a wider range of non-Microsoft file formats than Office 365. Its tools can import and export all the most common file formats, including Microsoft DOCX, PPTX and XLSX. Of all the free office suites available, LibreOffice offers the best file compatibility around. PC users get Publisher and Access as well, though Mac fans will miss out. LibreOffice includes Writer (word processing), Calc (spreadsheets), Impress (presentations), Base (databases), Math (editing formulas) and Draw (vector graphics).Ī Microsoft Office 365 personal subscription includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive (with 1TB storage) and Outlook. One of the key considerations when you're choosing between Microsoft Office and LibreOffice is the programs on offer. At Microsoft US (opens in new tab) Programs
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