After years of relying on Microsoft 365 as the default for productivity, I’m finally making a change – and I’m not looking back. Lately, Microsoft 365 has become a bloated, frustrating experience. From a lack of meaningful innovation and a clunky user interface to sketchy AI features and ever-increasing subscription costs, I have had enough. So, after a long and sometimes painful search, I’m making the switch to something better: LibreOffice.

This is my story of why I’m uninstalling Microsoft 365 and what I have found on the other side.

Inconsistent user interface

LibreOffice simplifies things

Using Microsoft 365, I have noticed a significant inconsistency in the user interface and overall experience across the suite. It’s frustrating when you switch from one app to another and feel like entering a different ecosystem.

For instance, there is a difference when you switch from Word or PowerPoint to OneNote. Word and PowerPoint still use the classic, bloated ribbon UI that we have known for years. Then I open OneNote, and it has a completely different, simplified ribbon with a more modern look.

It’s not necessarily bad, but it breaks the consistency I expect from a single product suite. And then there is Outlook. The ‘New Outlook for Windows’ is a prime example of this problem. It’s essentially just the web-based version of Outlook wrapped in a native app window. It lacks deep integration and advanced features that power users expect.

In comparison, LibreOffice feels consistent. While its UI might not win any awards for modern design, it’s reliable. Writer, Calc, Impress, and Draw all share the same menu structure and a unified toolbar layout.

Copilot integration is below-average

I had high hopes from Microsoft

When it comes to Microsoft’s AI push, I have had a frustrating and eye-opening experience. The company has been very vocal about how Copilot will transform productivity, but my personal usage has shown me that it’s nowhere near as good as advertised.

I have tested Copilot in both Excel and Word, and the results have been underwhelming. In Word, when I asked it to summarize a document, it often pulls basic sentences and misses key data points. I had to rely on Google’s NotebookLM to get the job done.

The same goes for Excel. I tried to use Copilot to create custom formulas, and it failed to perform the job. I end up doing the work manually, which is faster and more reliable. I was only impressed with Copilot in PowerPoint, where Microsoft’s AI bot was able to create a full presentation just from text prompts.

The real issue is that Microsoft has increased the price of the Microsoft 365 suite, and they have tied this hike directly to the inclusion of these AI features. They offer AI credits as part of the new subscription model, essentially making me pay for something I won’t use actively.

LibreOffice has everything I needed

And more!

Switching to LibreOffice felt like a massive risk at first, but it’s been one of the best decisions I have made. All the core functionality I need to get my work done is there. For drafting documents, crunching numbers in a spreadsheet, and creating presentations, LibreOffice’s suite of Writer, Calc, and Impress is more than enough.

Does LibreOffice have every single feature its Microsoft counterparts do? Of course not. It lacks Python integration in spreadsheets, and it won’t wow you with Designer slides that you find in PowerPoint.

But what it does have is a complete, well-integrated suite of tools that get the job done without the extra baggage, subscription fees, or pushy AI.

I only have one gripe, though. The UI is consistent, sure, but it doesn’t have modern icons and a toolbar. LibreOffice should work on that in future updates.

Open-source and free

Who doesn’t love that?

While there is no shortage of Microsoft 365 alternatives, LibreOffice’s open-source foundation sealed the deal for me. The code is public, transparent, and can be inspected by anyone.

Besides, it’s completely free for personal usage. There are no hidden fees or subscriptions. It’s a one-time download, and that’s it. And if you are fine with LibreOffice’s web version, you can self-host and run it on your own server as well (I prefer a straightforward native Windows app, though).

My Microsoft 365 escape

My journey away from Microsoft 365 wasn’t about finding a perfect replacement, but about finding a better fit. For years, I felt stuck in an expensive, frustrating loop of unwanted updates and a clunky and inconsistent interface. While LibreOffice isn’t a one-for-one clone, it offers everything I actually need in a productivity suite without any of the baggage.

It's fast, free, open-source, and puts me in control. So, if you are like me and tired of paying a premium for a service that no longer serves you, I challenge you to give it a shot. If real-time collaboration is high on your priority list, I recommend checking out Google Workspace apps instead.