Best free Office Word software for students in 2022
Looking for the best free software to help with uni life? You’re in the right place. You’ll be amazed by how much you can get without having to spend a penny…
With free software, it’s hard not to wonder if there’s a catch. After all, it’s free and useful… so why aren’t they making us pay for it?
Thankfully, the free software market has expanded massively in recent years, with tech experts challenging the bigwig software companies and making great programs readily available to all.
If you’re willing to compromise a little on aesthetics, you could save yourself a small fortune on software. In this guide, we’ll run through the best free software for students, including ones for antivirus, image editing, video editing, and more.
Free office software
1. Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides
Best for Basic functions and collaborative work.
Google Docs is our top pick for free software for students. It’s super straightforward to use and allows you to create basic documents, spreadsheets, and presentations online.
Although not the most advanced service, it includes all the familiar editing tools such as font changing, text editing, cell editing, and so on. Google Docs also allows you to upload your existing files in DOC, XLS, CSV, and PPT formats.
What makes Google Docs a cut above the rest is that it makes collaborations and group projects easier. The software allows you to invite others to access and edit your documents, all in real time.
2. LibreOffice
Best for: A great range of tools and features.
There are a lot of free office suites out there, but Libre Office is one of the best.
It’s completely free to download and is compatible with all the major Microsoft file formats.
It consists of six programs (Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Math and Base) offering pretty much everything you would expect from Word, PowerPoint, and Excel (and more!).
If you’re a Maths or Science student, Draw, Math and Base are designed for vector diagrams, mathematical calculations, and databases respectively, so they can be a real help when it comes to deadline season.
3. Microsoft Office Online
Best for Its similarity to Microsoft Office.
If you’re a die-hard Microsoft Office fan, it’s worth trying out the free online versions of their programs.
Microsoft Office Online is a stripped-down version of the most popular Office stalwarts – Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, OneNote, and Teams are all available.
All you need is a Microsoft account (which is also free), and you can access the programs via your browser.
4. Polaris Office
Best for Desktop and mobile compatibility.
If you have an Android phone you might have already come across Polaris Office as an app before, but it’s also available on iOS and as a full web app.
As you’d expect, it’s compatible with all Microsoft Office file formats, and you can also sync it up to Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox for handy on-the-go storage.
The three main Polaris programs are Word, Sheet, and Slide (no prizes for guessing what they all do).
5. PS Office
Best for: PDF to Word conversion.
Another Microsoft Office replica, WPS offers your typical Document, Presentations, and Spreadsheets trio.
It does have some ads (which can be removed if you pay for premium) but is super user-friendly and, of course, completely compatible with all MS Office files.
It actually has some impressive tools, like the ability to convert PDF files into Word documents for free, which you won’t easily find elsewhere. Plus, the 1GB of free drive storage is a nice added bonus.
6. SoftMaker FreeOffice
Best for: A simple user experience.
As the name suggests, SoftMaker markets itself as a free alternative to Microsoft Office, and tries to mirror the original quite closely.
It offers word TextMaker, PlanMaker, and Presentations, with all programs compatible with MS Office files.
The basic product is free but you have to pay in order to get access to all features, including the Thesaurus, which can be pretty useful when you’re trying to write an essay in a day.
It’s easy to use (mainly because it’s so similar to Microsoft Office) but not quite as advanced as other MS alternatives, like LibreOffice.
