eGigFree alternatives to Microsoft Office
LibreOffice is the fullest free replacement for Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and ONLYOFFICE looks closest to Microsoft Office. Licences and dates read from each project’s public code page on 31 Oct 2026.
Open-source office suites
| Software | Good for | Licence | Last code change |
|---|---|---|---|
| LibreOffice | A complete suite you install: documents, sheets, slides, drawing | GPL-3.0 | 31 Oct 2026 |
| ONLYOFFICE Desktop | A familiar tabbed layout, strong with Word and Excel files | AGPL-3.0 | 22 Oct 2026 |
For the files around them
| Software | Good for | Licence | Last code change |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDFsam Basic | Merge and split PDFs without uploading them | AGPL-3.0 | 30 Oct 2026 |
| Joplin | Notes in place of OneNote | AGPL-3.0 or later | 30 Oct 2026 |
| Nextcloud | Your own file storage in place of OneDrive, if someone runs the server | AGPL-3.0 | 31 Oct 2026 |
Before you switch
- Open a few of your real files before you switch: complex Excel macros, some fonts and exact page layouts are what most often change.
- If your clients send Word files and expect them back unchanged, keep a test copy and compare the two.
- Files save in Microsoft formats if you choose so, and you can set that as the default.
- A company with many staff should also check training and support, because free software has no help desk unless you buy one.
Questions people ask
Is LibreOffice really free for business use?
Yes. Its licence allows use at home and at work at no cost, for any number of people. You can pay a partner for support, but you do not have to.
Can LibreOffice open Excel files?
Yes, it opens and saves .xlsx files. Most sheets work well, but complex macros and some charts can behave differently, so test your own important files first.
Which is more like Microsoft Word, LibreOffice or ONLYOFFICE?
ONLYOFFICE looks closer, with a tabbed ribbon. LibreOffice has more tools and a more traditional layout, though you can switch it to a tabbed view.
How we check this page
eGig has no paid placements here and does not make these products. A licence shown as “mixed” means the project’s licence file puts parts of it under different terms, so read that file before you rely on it, especially for business use. Check each project’s own site before you install anything, and download only from there. How we check facts.