Know about LibreOffice vs Microsoft office. The widely used productivity software suites Microsoft Office and LibreOffice offer several comparable features, but they also have some key differences.
In this article, read further points of differences between LibreOffice vs Microsoft office.
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Cost
The primary difference is that Microsoft Office is proprietary software that requires a subscription or one-time purchase, while LibreOffice is free and open-source software.
Here is a cost comparison of Microsoft Office and LibreOffice:
Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Office 365 Personal subscription costs around $6.99/month.
- A one-time purchase of Microsoft Office Home and Business 2021 will cost you around $299.99
LibreOffice
- LibreOffice is free to download and use.
- Users can make voluntary donations to support the project.
Overall, LibreOffice is a more cost-effective option for individuals or organizations that do not need the advanced features provided by Microsoft Office or do not want to pay for proprietary software. However, for users who require specific features offered by Microsoft Office, it may be worth the investment in a subscription or one-time purchase.
User Interface
Microsoft Office and LibreOffice have similar user interfaces designed to be user-friendly and intuitive. There are some differences between the two:
Microsoft Office
- The user interface is the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface or the ribbon.
- The ribbon is organized by tabs that group together related features and functions.
- The ribbon can be customized by adding or removing tabs and commands.
LibreOffice
- The user interface is similar to traditional office suites, with menus and toolbars.
- The menus are organized by menu items and sub-menus that combine related features and functions.
- The toolbars can be customized by adding or removing icons and commands.
- The user interface is consistent across all LibreOffice applications.
Overall, the user interface of Microsoft Office and LibreOffice is a matter of personal preference. Some users may prefer the ribbon interface of Microsoft Office, while others may prefer LibreOffice’s traditional menus and toolbars. Both interfaces are easy to use.
Features
Microsoft Office and LibreOffice provide a variety of features for word editing, spreadsheet creation, presentation design, and more. Some of the key features are :
Word Processing
Microsoft Word and LibreOffice Writer are robust word processing programs that offer a range of features such as spell-check, grammar-check, auto-correct, formatting, page layout, headers and footers, tables, graphics, and more.
However, Microsoft Word tends to offer more advanced and sophisticated features, particularly regarding collaboration, cloud integration, and automation.
Spreadsheets
Microsoft Excel and LibreOffice Calc are spreadsheet applications that offer formula creation, data analysis, chart creation, formatting, and more.
However, Excel is generally more advanced and sophisticated regarding data visualization and analysis.
Presentation Design
Microsoft PowerPoint and LibreOffice Impress are powerful tools for creating presentations, and they offer slide creation, graphics insertion, multimedia support, animations, and more.
However, PowerPoint has more advanced design features and is generally more user-friendly.
Collaboration and Cloud Integration
Microsoft Office offers collaboration and cloud integration features that allow users to work together on documents in real-time and access their files from anywhere.
These features include Office 365, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams. LibreOffice, on the other hand, has fewer collaboration and cloud integration features.
Operating Systems
Microsoft Office is designed primarily for Windows and macOS but also has versions for Android and iOS. On the other hand, LibreOffice is available on all the major operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and even some mobile platforms.
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Compatibility
Microsoft Office is more widely used and supports more file formats, while LibreOffice is more focused on supporting open standards and formats, such as the OpenDocument Format (ODF). Here is a comparison between the two :
File Formats
Microsoft Office utilizes proprietary file types such as .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx. While these file formats are widely used, they can sometimes cause compatibility issues when opening or editing files on other software or platforms. 
On the other hand, LibreOffice uses open file formats such as .odt, .ods, and .odp, which are compatible with various software and platforms.
Compatibility with Other Software
Because Microsoft Office is the industry standard for office suites, it is generally more compatible with other software and platforms. However, LibreOffice has significantly improved recently and is becoming increasingly compatible with other software and platforms.
Support
When it comes to supporting, there are some differences between Microsoft Office and LibreOffice:
Paid Support
Microsoft Office is a commercial product offering paid support options, including phone and online chat support. These support options are available for customers who have purchased a software license or have a subscription to Office 365. Microsoft also offers extensive online documentation and user forums for troubleshooting and assistance.
Community Support
LibreOffice is a free and open-source software suite and does not offer paid support options. However, it has a large and active community of users who provide support through forums, mailing lists, and chat rooms. The LibreOffice community also offers extensive online documentation and tutorials for troubleshooting and assistance.
Updates and Patches
Microsoft Office and LibreOffice receive regular updates and patches to fix bugs, improve performance, and add new features. Microsoft releases updates regularly, and Office 365 subscribers receive these updates automatically.
LibreOffice releases updates as they become available, and users can download them for free from the website.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the choice between Microsoft Office and LibreOffice depends on your specific needs and preferences, including your budget, the features you require, and the compatibility of your software with the file formats and systems you use. Thus this was all about LibreOffice vs Microsoft office.
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Jordan is the Phones Editor for WantedTech, covering all things phone-related. He’s written about phones for over five years and plans to continue for a long while to come. He loves nothing more than relaxing in his home with a book, game, or his latest personal writing project. Jordan likes finding new things to dive into, from books and games to new mechanical keyboard switches and fun keycap sets. Jordan tends to lurk on social media, but you can best reach him on Twitter.
