LibreOffice

LibreOffice is one of the most complete open source alternatives to commercial office packages. It combines several applications for everyday office work in a single suite and is suitable for home users, students and professional environments.

Writer handles letters, reports and other text documents, while Calc provides spreadsheets for calculations, lists and data analysis. Impress is designed for presentations, Draw creates diagrams and drawings, and the suite also includes tools for formulas and databases.

LibreOffice uses the OpenDocument format as its native file format, but it can also open and save many Microsoft Office formats. Documents can be exported directly as PDF, which makes it easy to share finished files with people who do not use LibreOffice.

Templates and extensions can be added when more specialised features are required.

Why we selected it

LibreOffice is a particularly good example of open source software that can replace a commercial application for many everyday tasks. The individual components share a similar interface, so users who become familiar with one part of the suite can usually find their way around the others quickly. For Windows users looking for a capable office package without a subscription, LibreOffice is one of the first open source programs worth trying.