FreeOffice TextMaker vs Nisus Writer (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, FreeOffice TextMaker grades higher than Nisus Writer: 3.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
FreeOffice TextMaker grades higher on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
FreeOffice TextMaker
Free word processor that opens and saves Microsoft Word files
Nisus Writer
Mac-only word processor sold as a one-time purchase
Which one is for you
Pick FreeOffice TextMaker if
- Fits if you want a free word processor that opens Word files
- Works for a household or a small office on one or three computers
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: free products have no email support, only the user forum
- Watch out: the license allows 3 computers in a household or 1 in an organization
- Skip it if you want a browser-based editor, since none is listed
- Watch out: SoftMaker Office, the paid version, has email support and prices we did not check
Pick Nisus Writer if
- Fits if you write long documents on a Mac and need regex search
- Works for people who'd rather buy once than subscribe
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you're not on a Mac, as there's no Windows, phone or web version
- Tight if you want the full set, because Pro is $65 and Express is cut down
- Watch out: the pages list macOS 10.13 through Sonoma, so check newer releases
- Skip it if you want a cloud workspace, since the store lists none
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAFreeOffice TextMakerVery good | 2.0GPANisus WriterFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree for personal and business use. Writing tools charge $5.83 to $12.50 a month. | CExpress is $26 and Pro $65 once, against $19.99 in the middle of one-time prices in writing tools. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree with no caps listed, for home or work use. | CA 15-day demo of each edition, unlocked by a license key. The page doesn't say if a card is needed. |
| Features | BA word processor with Office file compatibility, ribbon or classic menus and a touch mode. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core job. | BStyle sheets, regex find and replace, multilingual text, Word and PDF files, comments and tracked changes. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but it's a program you install and start typing in. Menus can look like Office's. | CNo store rating on record. The depth of its find-and-replace and style tools takes learning. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android, and it opens Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. No web editor is listed. | DMac only. No Windows, iPhone, iPad or web version, with iCloud Drive, Dropbox and Word links. |
| Best for | a free word processor for any system | a Mac word processor with regular expressions |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: FreeOffice TextMaker and Nisus Writer. How we grade
Where they differ
- Nisus Writer can be bought with a one-time purchase.
At a glance
| FreeOffice TextMaker | Nisus Writer | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $26 one-time (Express) |
| Free plan | FreeOffice is free for personal and business use; there is no email support for free products. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free 15-day demo of each edition; a license key unlocks it |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | SoftMaker Software GmbH | Nisus Software, Inc. |
| Price read from | freeoffice.com | nisus.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
FreeOffice TextMaker
- There is no email support for free products; help comes from the user forum.
- The license allows 3 computers in one household or 1 computer in an organization.
- SoftMaker also sells commercial SoftMaker Office editions with email support; their prices were not checked here.
- There is no web or browser-based editor listed.
Nisus Writer
- Mac only: there is no Windows, iPhone, iPad or web version.
- The two editions are priced separately, and the comparison between them is only on each edition's own page.
- The vendor's pages list compatibility with macOS 10.13 through Sonoma, so check it against newer macOS releases.
- Sold directly with a 30-day refund guarantee, but the store lists no subscription or cloud workspace.
Key features
FreeOffice TextMaker
- Word processor
- A full word processor, part of a suite with the PlanMaker spreadsheet and the Presentations program.
- Microsoft Office compatibility
- The vendor says the suite is compatible with Word, Excel and PowerPoint files.
- Ribbon or classic menus
- FreeOffice 2024 can switch between a ribbon interface and classic menus and toolbars.
- Touch mode
- A touch mode with larger icons and more spacing is available with both interface styles.
- Mobile apps
- The vendor offers TextMaker, PlanMaker and Presentations for iOS and Android free of charge.
- Business use allowed
- The site states the suite is free for business as well as personal use.
Nisus Writer
- Style sheets
- Paragraph and character styles keep formatting consistent across long documents.
- Regular-expression find and replace
- A search tool with regular-expression support for cleaning up and restructuring text.
- Multilingual text
- Written to handle text in nearly any language, which the vendor puts forward as a main strength.
- Word and PDF compatibility
- Opens and saves Word (.doc, .docx) files, RTF and others, and exports PDF with table of contents, links and annotations.
- Comments and tracked changes
- Threaded comments and tracked changes are described on the Pro edition's page.
- Distraction-free modes
- Full-screen, focus and typewriter modes are listed for Express; Pro lists a full-screen mode.
Plans
FreeOffice TextMaker
FreeOffice$0
TextMaker, PlanMaker and Presentations; the license covers 3 household computers or 1 organization computer.
Nisus Writer
Nisus Writer Express$26
one-time
The lighter edition: full-screen, focus and typewriter modes, style sheets, regex find and replace.
Nisus Writer Pro$65
one-time
The full edition, adding features such as threaded comments and tracked changes.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FreeOffice TextMaker or Nisus Writer?
As of Nov 12, 2026, FreeOffice TextMaker is free, and Nisus Writer starts at $26 one-time (Express).
Which has a free plan, FreeOffice TextMaker or Nisus Writer?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only FreeOffice TextMaker has a free plan. Nisus Writer does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do FreeOffice TextMaker and Nisus Writer run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only FreeOffice TextMaker lists Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps. Both list a macOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.