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One of the first things people did with best free word processors was to replace typewriters with more powerful machines that let you change text on the fly instead of stamping letters directly onto paper.
You can choose the best free word processors you want to use on your PC to make and change files. You can use MiniTool Power Data Recovery to get back Word files or any other files that you have lost or deleted.
The best free word processors is a program that lets you type, format, and edit any kind of writing, whether it’s your thoughts, meeting notes, standard operating procedures (SOPs), or email drafts.
Best Free Word Processors Comparison Table
| Name | Features | Platform | Prices | Official Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FocusWriter | Simple and distraction-free interface, customizable themes and backgrounds | Windows, macOS, Linux | Free (Donation-based) | Visit Website |
| Google Docs | Collaborative real-time editing, seamless integration with other Google services | Web, Android, iOS | Free | Visit Website |
| ClickUp | Comprehensive project management features, customizable task views | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Free / Paid | Visit Website |
| WPS Office | Full-featured office suite, support for various file formats, | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Free / Paid | Visit Website |
| Polaris Office | Cross-platform office suite, support for Microsoft Office file formats | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Free / Paid | Visit Website |
| FreeOffice | Lightweight office suite, support for Microsoft Office file formats, | Windows, macOS, Linux | Free | Visit Website |
| Dropbox Paper | Collaborative real-time editing, seamless integration with Dropbox | Web, Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Free | Visit Website |
| Etherpad | Collaborative real-time editing, built-in chat functionality | Web | Free | Visit Website |
FocusWriter
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Distraction-free interface | Provides a clutter-free interface to help writers stay focused |
| Live statistics | Shows live statistics on word count, pages, and time |
| Customizable themes | Allows users to customize the interface with different themes |
| Spellcheck | Has a built-in spellcheck feature |
| Portable | Can be installed and run from a USB drive |
If you just want to write some best free word processors without worrying about how they look, you could use Windows‘ built-in Notepad app. However, FocusWriter has a lot of smart tools that will help you get more done without getting in the way.
FocusWriter blocks out all distractions, as the name suggests, so you can give your full attention to that all-important first draft. In normal use, all you see is a blank page. The toolbars only show up when you move your mouse pointer to the edge of the screen.
The Good
- Offers a simple environment for writing
- Offers real-time data to keep track of progress
- Themes that can be changed to make the interface more personal
- It can be taken with you and used on more than one device.
- Software that is free and open source
The Bad
- Doesn’t have some of the more advanced features that other writing software does.
Google Docs
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Cloud-based | Allows users to access documents from anywhere with internet access |
| Collaboration | Allows multiple users to edit the same document in real-time |
| Version history | Keeps track of all changes made to the document |
| Integration | Integrates with other Google apps such as Google Drive and Gmail |
| Mobile apps | Offers mobile apps for easy access on the go |
Google Docs is best free word processors that is part of the G-suite of apps. You can make letters, memos, reports, and other documents with the software. Hundreds of fonts can be used with the apps.
You can also choose free templates to make different kinds of Word documents. Google Docs is a good app for editing simple text online. It is part of the free G-suite office software, which also includes Google Sheets, Google Slides, and Google Forms.
The Good
- enables team members to work together easily.
- Changes can be kept track of with automatic saving and version history.
- works with other Google applications
- Offers mobile apps for easy access on the go
- With a Google account, it’s free to use.
The Bad
- Compared to other writing software, it has fewer options for formatting.
- needs access to the internet to use
- May not be good for people who care about their privacy
ClickUp
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Task management | Allows users to create and manage tasks in different lists and boards |
| Collaboration | Allows for team collaboration with comments, mentions, and shared task lists |
| Time tracking | Tracks time spent on tasks for better productivity management |
| Customizable | Offers customization options for users to tailor the interface to their needs |
| Integration | Integrates with other apps and tools such as Google Drive and Slack |
ClickUp is the best all-in-one productivity tool for teams in any industry that want to put all of their work on one platform where they can work together. ClickUp is known for its many fully customizable features, such as a built-in document editor.
ClickUp Docs is the best free word processors for teams, students, and enterprise companies because it can turn text into tasks that can be done, embed data from almost any other work tool, and let people work together on documents in real time.
The Good
- Complete tools for managing tasks to help you get more done
- Collaboration tools help team members talk to each other and work together better.
- Keeping track of time will help you be more productive.
- Interface that can be changed to meet user needs
- Works well with other apps and tools for a smooth workflow.
The Bad
- Can be hard to use because it has so many features.
- Hard to figure out for new users
- There aren’t many ways to customize the free version.
WPS Office
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Multi-platform | Available on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android |
| Compatibility | Supports Microsoft Office formats such as DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX |
| PDF tools | Offers a variety of PDF tools such as conversion, editing, and form filling |
| Cloud integration | Integrates with popular cloud storage services such as Dropbox and Google Drive |
| Templates | Provides a range of templates for different document types |
WPS Office is best free word processors and office suite with a lot of features that makes it easy to edit and share PDF files. With an all-powerful PDF editor, you can finish all of your PDF documents without going back and forth.
The WPS Office PDF editor lets you change, fill in, add comments, annotate, comment in text, and export comments. You would have to pay for the premium desktop version if you wanted to sign PDFs, combine, split, or extract text from documents.
The Good
- Users on different devices can use more than one platform.
- Formats that work with Microsoft Office
- Offers a variety of PDF editing and conversion tools.
- works with well-known cloud storage services
- Offers a range of templates for different kinds of documents
The Bad
- Compared to other writing software, it has fewer options for formatting.
- The free version only has a few options.
Polaris Office
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Multi-platform | Available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android |
| Collaboration | Allows for real-time collaboration on documents |
| PDF tools | Offers a variety of PDF tools such as conversion, editing, and annotation |
| Cloud integration | Integrates with popular cloud storage services such as Dropbox and Google Drive |
| Templates | Provides a range of templates for different document types |
Polaris Office is best free word processors that is not free like the others on this list. The best thing about Polaris Office, though, is that the company offers a limited free version that has enough features to meet most people’s needs.
If you want help with add-ons and diagrams, you can choose the Enterprise plan, which is also less expensive than other options. When it comes to features in the free version, I would say that Polaris Office has all the basic tools that a good word processor should have.
The Good
- Users on different devices can use more than one platform.
- Collaboration on documents in real time
- Provides many PDF tools for editing and converting
- works with well-known cloud storage services
- Offers a variety of templates for different kinds of documents
The Bad
- The free version only has a few options.
FreeOffice
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Multi-platform | Available on Windows, Linux, and Android |
| Compatibility | Supports Microsoft Office formats such as DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX |
| PDF tools | Offers a variety of PDF tools such as conversion, editing, and annotation |
| Ribbon interface | Provides a modern and familiar interface for users |
| Templates | Provides a range of templates for different document types |
This best free word processors with Windows 11 and has a lot of features that make it easy to change Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and Word files. It is also useful for exporting files in pdf and EPUB formats. It comes with a small number of templates that are easy to use.
FreeOffice TextMaker has most of the features you’d expect from a modern word processor. It has a way to keep track of changes to a document when people are working on it together, more options for formatting text.
The Good
- Users on different devices can use more than one platform.
- Formats that work with Microsoft Office
- Provides many PDF tools for editing and converting
- The Ribbon interface gives a modern and easy-to-use interface.
- Offers a variety of templates for different kinds of documents
The Bad
- Compared to other writing software, it has fewer options for formatting.
- The free version only has a few options.
Dropbox Paper
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Collaboration | Allows for real-time collaboration on documents |
| Commenting | Enables users to leave comments and feedback on specific parts of the document |
| Task management | Allows for task assignment and management within documents |
| Integration | Integrates with other Dropbox features such as cloud storage and file sharing |
| Mobile apps | Offers mobile apps for easy access on the go |
As the name suggests, the web app was made by the well-known cloud storage company Dropbox. This means that it will be reliable from the moment you start to use it. Dropbox Paper is another free online word processor, and its interface is probably the cleanest of all the ones on this list.
The user interface is very different from those of other games, and you don’t get a ton of options all at once. It does things differently than others and focuses mostly on working together and editing documents at the same time.
The Good
- Collaboration that works well and editing that can be done in real time
- Allows feedback and comments on certain parts of the document
- Task management features that help people get more done
- works with other features of Dropbox
- Offers mobile apps for easy access on the go
The Bad
- Compared to other writing software, it has fewer options for formatting.
- It doesn’t have some of the advanced features that other writing software does.
Etherpad
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Real-time collaboration | Allows multiple users to edit the same document in real-time |
| Revision history | Keeps track of all changes made to the document |
| Customizable | Offers customization options for users to tailor the interface to their needs |
| Privacy | Offers private and public options for documents |
| Free and open-source | Software is free and open-source |
The best free word processors thing about Etherpad is that you can change it to fit your needs. With full functionality, you can use more than 290 plugins and 105 languages to improve your performance by a factor of ten.
You can change the style and color of your Etherpad instance, for starters. Change between super light and light modes, super dark and dark modes, or add plugins to change the colors of your fonts and themes.
The Good
- Allows multiple users to work together and edit in real time
- Automatic saving and a history of changes to keep track
- Interface that can be changed to meet user needs
- Offers ways to keep documents private.
- Software that is free and open source
The Bad
- It doesn’t have some of the advanced features that other writing software does.
- Compared to other writing software, it has fewer options for formatting.
FAQs
Is there a free program like Microsoft Word?
- ClickUp Docs.
- Google Docs.
- LibreOffice Writer.
- WPS Office Free Writer.
- FocusWriter.
Is there a word processor that is free?
Google Docs is an online word processor that makes it easy to make and change professional documents. Google Docs gives groups of people a place to work together on a single project. The real-time collaboration tools make sure that everyone knows how the document is coming along.
How well does Google Docs compare to Microsoft Word?
You can use Microsoft Word to make documents in formats like ODT, DOCX, and PDF. Google Drive. Google Docs is more compatible with file formats than Word.