When you think of word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations, your mind turns to Microsoft Office. However, many MS Office alternatives are free, open-source, and include specific features. Most important for you may be the ability to work with different devices.

In addition to choosing cross-platform free Office alternatives, you also want to ensure the one you stick with has the features you need. That's why nothing is lost when you try various free office software to understand which will work best for you. However, we can take one component of your search criteria by showing you free options that work across your various devices. Ensuring the free office suite is cross-platform might be important if you're running a small business, have created a multi-platform home lab, or want to supercharge your productivity.

4 FreeOffice

The free cross-platform alternative

In addition to the software being free forever, FreeOffice is compatible with standard Microsoft Office file formats, which makes it easy to use between devices. Moreover, it is compatible with OpenOffice file formats like .odx and .odt. You can also save documents and spreadsheets using its proprietary .tmdx or .prdx file formats. Still, when sending these files to MS Office, users should save them in appropriate formats, like XLSX for Excel spreadsheets or DOCX for Word documents. However, it’s important to mention that FreeOffice requires you to register for the service to unlock all the features. Also, if you prefer AI features in FreeOffice, you must sign up for SoftMaker’s NK home or business editions. It still costs nothing unless you consider giving up your info and email address as a cost.

Another positive selling point is that FreeOffice is a cross-platform. It can be used on desktops running Windows, Linux, and macOS and via mobile apps on iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, providing universal compatibility. The alternative office app is free forever once you register and will work on different platforms if you have a home lab running different computers.

3 LibreOffice

For PC, Linux, and Mac

One of LibreOffice's benefits is that you don’t need to worry about different apps on different desktop devices. Instead, it offers all your office needs in a single package across platforms. This eliminates the hassle of switching between apps and files and wondering where to begin with your work.

Since it is open-source, it’s available on all desktop platforms, including Windows, Mac, and Linux. Oh, it’s also free, which is essential when choosing an alternative to MS Office. There is no need to worry about a different license on each computer you run LibreOffice on. Also, if you are an Android user, development is underway for the LibreOffice document viewer with experimental editing support.

2 OnlyOffice

A cross-platform Office alternative that works between your devices

When looking for an alternative to Microsoft Office, you want to ensure it works across devices. Some work across desktop platforms but not so much on mobile devices. On the other hand, MS Office works with Windows and Macs, Android, and iOS but leaves Linux users to rely on the web versions. Not, OnlyOffice. It is truly cross-platform, working on x86 and x64 versions of Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is compatible with most Office apps and includes a PDF creator to make fillable forms.

It’s also important to mention that you can download editions for specific Linux distros like Debian, Ubuntu, or CentOS. Like the others in this list, it can be used across multiple devices. It's light on system resources and includes installable plugin support so that you can tailor it to specific needs and devices.

1 Google Workspace

Cloud-based documents that can be accessed anywhere from any device

The best Microsoft Office alternative is arguably Google Docs. Most people refer to the suite of office apps called "Google Workspace" as "Google Docs," which includes Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Meet, Docs, Slides, Sheets, Forms, and Google Drive. It can be used for free with your Google account. It doesn’t have the number of features included with MS Office, but it can do a lot, and there are Docs add-ons you can install to boost productivity. Since it is cloud-based, you can use it on any device with internet connectivity. Your work is saved instantly to your account, so you can pick up from where you left off on your Chromebook on your Windows PC, Mac, phone, (or a variation of device platforms).

If you think ahead and know you won’t have Wi-Fi, you can use Google Docs offline since the suite includes Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms. It is a quality office alternative you can use full time or as needed. Your Microsoft Office file formats work with Google Docs formats and vice versa. While it is free to generate documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, additional cloud-based storage will cost extra after the maximum amount allowed is reached.

Office alternatives are best when used between devices

As you can see, plenty of MS Office alternatives will work across devices. This capability is essential when you move between devices and need to get work done. Working on important files from various devices is convenient and can improve productivity. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows when switching between an alternate Microsoft Office suite. For instance, there is a learning curve for alternatives; certain suites lack the modern UI and features you expect from Word or Google Docs. Still, you can install available add-ins and plug-ins to try to make up the difference. Also, some of the proprietary file types in various office suites don't work well with each other. Usually, you can convert files to be compatible, but that is a time-waster when trying to get things done quickly.

Again, there is nothing wrong with trying free MS Office alternatives until you find one that works best for your situation. At least now you know which ones you can start with and know they will work with your different devices.