Table of Contents
The Apache Software Foundation has created an open-source office suite known as OpenOffice. Among its many features are the word processor Writer, the spreadsheet program Calc, and the presentation program Impress. OpenOffice is an alternative to Microsoft Office that may be used to create, edit, and format documents with a wide variety of tools. Updates and new features have lagged behind LibreOffice, though.
The Document Foundation created the free and open-source software package known as LibreOffice. Writer, Numbers, and PowerPoint are just few of the programs available. The developers of LibreOffice put a premium on backwards compatibility, flexibility, and a robust community of developers. It is updated frequently with new features and bug fixes and supports a wide variety of file formats, including those used by Microsoft Office.
OpenOffice vs LibreOffice Comparison Table
OpenOffice and LibreOffice are both important office programs that are free and open-source. They offer free alternatives to expensive proprietary software, with features for word editing, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. Their value lies in giving users tools for productivity and collaboration that are easy to use and don’t cost a lot of money.
Specification | OpenOffice | LibreOffice |
---|---|---|
Cost | Free | Free |
Applications | Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, Math | Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, Math |
Compatibility | Supports various file formats, including MS Office | Supports various file formats, including MS Office |
Development | Development has slowed down in recent years | Active development and regular updates |
Community Support | Smaller community of contributors and users | Larger community with more active support |
What is OpenOffice ?

Documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more can all be made, edited, and managed with OpenOffice, a free and open-source office productivity suite. It was created by Sun Microsystems, but Oracle Corporation bought them out and continued development. Writer (for word processing), Calc (for spreadsheets), Impress (for presentations), and Draw (for graphics) are just some of the programs available in OpenOffice.
OpenOffice is designed to be compatible with Microsoft Office, so you can open, edit, and save files in the.doc,.xls, and.ppt formats, among others. It has many tools for enhancing written work with graphical and audiovisual components. OpenOffice can run on a wide variety of platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. You can visit its official website
What is LibreOffice ?

The LibreOffice suite includes the programs Writer, Calc, Impress, and more, and it is available for free and open source. Created by the folks over at The Document Foundation, this suite of apps lets you handle everything from draft documents to final presentations with ease. LibreOffice offers for smooth compatibility and efficient collaboration thanks to its support for a wide variety of file formats, including those used by Microsoft Office. Since it is open-source software, it is completely cost-free to use, very adaptable, and constantly updated by developers all over the world. LibreOffice is an open-source alternative to expensive commercial office suites that is compatible with a wide variety of operating systems.
Key Features of OpenOffice
OpenOffice is a free and open-source office productivity suite that lets you make documents, spreadsheets, presentations, change graphics, and more. Here are a few important things about OpenOffice:
- Writer: OpenOffice Writer is a powerful program for creating and editing papers. It works with a wide range of file types, including Microsoft Word (.doc and.docx), and has tools like spell checking, formatting options, templates, mail merge, and the ability to export to PDF.
- Calc: OpenOffice Calc is a tool for making spreadsheets that lets you do math, analyze data, and make charts. It allows complex formulas, functions, sorting and filtering of data, pivot tables, and importing and exporting of different file formats, such as Microsoft Excel (.xls and.xlsx).
Key Features of LibreOffice
Like OpenOffice, LibreOffice is a free and open-source office work suite with many features for word processing, spreadsheet analysis, presentations, editing graphics, and more. Here are a few important things about LibreOffice:
- Writer: LibreOffice Writer is a powerful program for creating and editing papers. It has tools like checking for spelling mistakes, options for formatting, templates, mail merge, track changes, and the ability to export to PDF. It works with many different file types, including Microsoft Word (.doc and.docx).
- Calc: LibreOffice Calc is a spreadsheet tool that lets you make charts, do math, and analyze data. It allows complex formulas, functions, sorting and filtering of data, pivot tables, and importing and exporting of different file formats, such as Microsoft Excel.
User Interface Comparison: OpenOffice vs LibreOffice
Since both OpenOffice and LibreOffice are built on the same codebase (they started out as the same project), their user interfaces are very similar. But each suite’s user experience is a little bit different in small ways. Here’s a look at how OpenOffice and LibreOffice’s user interfaces are different:
- Start Center: Both OpenOffice and LibreOffice have a start centre that lets you get to the different parts of the program (Writer, Calc, Impress, etc.) quickly. Compared to OpenOffice, LibreOffice’s start centre looks a little bit more polished and up-to-date.
- Toolbar Layout: Both suites have toolbars with many of the same buttons and choices for doing common tasks. LibreOffice, on the other hand, has a more polished and streamlined toolbar design that makes the interface look cleaner and better.
- Icon Design: By default, LibreOffice uses a set of icons called “Colibre” that are trendy and colourful. On the other hand, OpenOffice uses the “Tango” icon style, which is more simple and flat. If you choose the right icon style, you can make LibreOffice look more modern and appealing to the eye.
- Theme and Customization: LibreOffice gives you more options for themes and customizations. It lets users use different interface styles (like “Sifr” or “Breeze”) to change how the whole suite looks and feels. OpenOffice, on the other hand, has fewer choices for themes and no way to change the look of the interface.
Which is better ?
It is generally agreed that LibreOffice is preferable to OpenOffice. Both are free and open-source, but recent years have seen more focus on LibreOffice, making it the superior choice in terms of both feature set and compatibility with newer file formats. It has a larger user base and developer community, making for a more stable and well-supported ecosystem. With LibreOffice, you get more functionality, better compatibility with Microsoft Office files, and more frequent updates. In addition, LibreOffice has become the preferred alternative to OpenOffice since it provides a more modern and stable option for users and businesses alike.
OpenOffice: The good and The bad
OpenOffice is an excellent program for efficiently organizing information and putting together presentations in a basic office environment.
The Good
- Free to use
- Supports multiple file formats
The Bad
- Limited updates and new features
LibreOffice: The good and The bad
The free office suite LibreOffice continues to be quite capable, and its developers are constantly working to make it even better.
The Good
- Free and open-source software
- Regular updates and active development
The Bad
- None of significant note
Questions and Answers
Other than documents and features, alternatives to LibreOffice should be thoroughly investigated. We have developed a list of products, such as Google Workspace, ONLYOFFICE, OfficeSuite, and Microsoft 365, that reviewers voted as the best overall alternatives and competitors to LibreOffice.
When comparing Apache OpenOffice and LibreOffice, the former has 476 reviews and a 4.38/5 star rating, while the latter has 1982 reviews and a 4.3/5 star rating. See how several software packages stack up against one another in terms of functionality, usability, support, and cost.