Microsoft Word is one of the widely used and trusted word processors. It is the de facto internationally accepted way of corporate communication. Therefore, it isn’t a surprise that MS Word isn’t free. As part of the Office 365 suite, it costs $6.99 a month or $9.99 for the entire family. As for business users, it costs $12.50 a month. If you only want to use MS Word, you can purchase the standalone version at $159.99. But if you don’t need to use Word regularly and only need it for simple editing or basic formatting features, you would rather not spend anything.
So, if you don’t want to pay anything to use Word on your Mac computer, you might be urged to Google ‘Is Microsoft Word free on Mac’ and the answers will excite you. You’ll find dozens of tutorials on how you can get it for free. Be warned, these are not genuine. Microsoft Word is not free, but there are viable alternatives you can use without paying a dime. Let’s explore them.
Pages
Pages is an advanced word processor for Mac users and the closest thing to a free version of Word. Apple Pages can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for free. So, if you were upset because there’s no free version of Microsoft Word for Mac, this is your answer.
Pages is a good alternative because of its user-friendly interface, seamless interaction with MS Word, and extensive graphic design possibilities. It also offers a comprehensive set of features, including simple collaboration, robust formatting tools, and compatibility with different file types. You can enjoy a user-friendly experience when using Pages and quickly complete your writing tasks.
WPS Office – Writer
WPS Office Writer is a well-known word processor within the WPS Office Suite. It is highly acclaimed as one of the best free alternatives to MS Word. The software caters to document creation needs and seamlessly integrates with MS Office Suite. Hence, users can interchangeably work with documents on both these platforms without worrying about formatting loss.
Furthermore, WPS AI ensures accurate and efficient document processing. Some of the noteworthy features of this free word processor are:
- WPS AI: This is an enhanced AI feature that users can utilize to enhance editing, document creation, and formatting efficiency.
- Compatibility: The tool is compatible with MS Office Suite. You can interchangeably work on both platforms.
- Free office tools: WPS Office offers more than a free word processor. You can also avail yourself of a comprehensive set of office tools, including spreadsheets and presentations.
- PDF editing and conversion capabilities: The tool allows for PDF editing, conversion, annotations, and more.
- Collaboration tools: The tool offers tools for enhancing collaboration. It streamlines document collaboration with real-time editing, tracking changes, and comments.
LibreOffice
LibreOffice is another widely used and recognized free alternative to MS Word. It is an open-source software that is available on different platforms. Also, the software is constantly evolving with a thriving community. It wouldn’t take you long to adjust to LibreOffice if you are familiar with the pre-Ribbon version of MS Office.
LibreOffice Suite comes with feature-packed offline desktop applications with all the expected pro features. Furthermore, an online component has been added to make the deal sweeter. Thanks to these online components, you can easily sync your files from OneDrive or Google Drive and edit them right in LibreOffice. The only drawback is you cannot collaborate because it lacks this feature.
When it comes to formatting when importing MS Word documents, LibreOffice does a good job. It is also capable of importing complicated Excel spreadsheets into its LibreOffice Calc work.
Google Docs
If you don’t want to install any software on your computer, Google Docs is a good alternative. It is a web-based document editor from the house of Google, and it is completely free. This document editor offers a convenient and flexible word editing experience thanks to its intuitive user interface and seamless collaboration capabilities. Also, the documents are accessible from any device with an active Internet connection.
You can use Google Docs to facilitate real-time collaboration, simple sharing, and automatic sharing. You can also work on the documents offline by turning on offline sync. Once you have done your part, you can share the document with your team and allow them to make edits or suggest changes. Your team can also leave comments. This facilitates real-time collaboration on the documents and ensures the project is finished faster without any confusion.
Besides being free to use, Google Docs supports different file types. You can download the finished document as a PDF or .docx.
The noteworthy features of Google Docs are:
- An online editor that allows users to seamlessly create, edit, and format documents in their preferred browser without installing any software.
- Multiple users can work on the document simultaneously.
- It has auto-save capabilities and also stores version history so users can view and restore previous versions of the same document.
- It is accessible anywhere and allows secure sharing of documents.
So, which is your favorite free alternative for MS Word? Leave a comment.
