LibreOffice Writer vs WordPerfect (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, LibreOffice Writer grades higher than WordPerfect: 3.2 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
LibreOffice Writer grades higher on value for money, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
LibreOffice Writer
Free, open-source word processor for Windows, macOS and Linux
WordPerfect
Word processor with Reveal Codes, sold as the WordPerfect Office suite
Which one is for you
Pick LibreOffice Writer if
- Fits if you want a full desktop word processor and don't want to pay for one
- Works for a mix of Windows, macOS and Linux computers
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to write with other people in a browser, as there's no hosted cloud version
- Not for you if you edit on a phone or tablet: Android gets a viewer with experimental editing, and iOS is pointed to Collabora Office
- Watch out: the Mac App Store copy costs $8.99 and the Microsoft Store one also charges, while the website download is free
- Watch out: no integrations or API are listed
Pick WordPerfect if
- Fits if you draft contracts or long documents and like to see formatting codes
- Works for people who already have WordPerfect files to keep
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac, phone or browser, as it runs on Windows only
- Not for you if you want live co-editing or cloud storage, since none is described
- Pricey if you want the Standard edition: $173.99 on sale, $249.99 list
- Watch out: the pages describe the 2021 edition and show Black Friday sale prices, so list prices may return
How we grade them
| 3.2GPALibreOffice WriterVery good | 2.0GPAWordPerfectFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThe whole LibreOffice suite, Writer included, is a free download from libreoffice.org, with nothing held back for a paid tier, against $8.33 a month in the middle of this category. One catch: the Mac App Store copy costs $8.99, so use the website. | B$49.99 one-time for Home & Student on sale ($99.99 list); the Standard edition that has Reveal Codes and PDF forms is $173.99 on sale. Against the writing middle of $9.75 a month, that's under two years' cost. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, with no plan to upgrade to and no cap to hit. It's open source, from The Document Foundation. | CA free trial download with no card, but no free plan. |
| Features | BIt covers the whole job of a word processor: styles for paragraphs and pages, a Navigator for long documents, spellcheck and thesaurus, multi-column layouts, calculations inside tables, Word .doc and .docx in and out, and PDF export. What it doesn't do is anything its rivals don't, which is what an A would need. | CReveal Codes, 60+ formats, PDF tools, redaction and legal tools. Gaps: no cloud storage or real-time co-editing described. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, so we go on the listing: you download it and start typing, with templates for letters, memos and resumes waiting, and nothing to connect or configure first. | CNo store rating on record. Reveal Codes and its own way of working mean a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows, macOS and Linux, and that's it: a desktop program on three operating systems is still only computers. There's no hosted cloud version and the foundation says it doesn't plan one, Android gets a viewer with experimental editing only, and the listing names no integrations or API. | DWindows 10 and 11 only. No Mac, web or mobile version. |
| Best for | a full word processor for free | Reveal Codes and legal-style documents on Windows |
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: LibreOffice Writer and WordPerfect. How we grade
Where they differ
- LibreOffice Writer is open source, according to its own site.
- WordPerfect can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- LibreOffice Writer also covers long-form writing.
- WordPerfect also covers spreadsheets, presentations and pDF editing.
At a glance
| LibreOffice Writer | WordPerfect | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $49.99 one-time (WordPerfect Office Home & Student) |
| Free plan | The whole LibreOffice suite, Writer included, is a free download from libreoffice.org for Windows, macOS and Linux. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free trial download of WordPerfect Office Standard; the page says no credit card is required. |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | The Document Foundation | Corel Corporation |
| Price read from | libreoffice.org | wordperfect.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
LibreOffice Writer
- There is no hosted cloud version; The Document Foundation says it does not plan a service like those from Google and Microsoft.
- On Android the foundation offers a viewer with experimental editing only, and it points to Collabora Office for editing on Android and iOS.
- The Mac App Store version costs $8.99 and the Microsoft Store version also carries a charge; downloads from the website are free.
WordPerfect
- The listed system requirements are Windows 11 or Windows 10; there is no Mac, web or mobile version.
- The pages describe the 2021 edition of the suite; no newer release is named.
- Sold per license with no cloud storage or real-time co-editing described on the product pages.
- The Standard-edition page shows a banner about a limited-time Black Friday offer, so list prices may return.
Key features
LibreOffice Writer
- Writing aids
- A spellchecker, thesaurus, AutoCorrect and hyphenation are built in, along with templates for documents such as letters, memos, resumes and mail merges.
- Styles and Navigator
- Styles for paragraphs, characters, frames and pages can be created, assigned and modified, and the Navigator shows a document's outline for moving around it quickly.
- Microsoft Word compatibility
- Opens and saves Microsoft Word .doc and .docx files in addition to its native OpenDocument format.
- PDF and HTML export
- Documents can be exported to PDF and saved as HTML as well as in OpenDocument and Word formats.
- Desktop publishing layout
- Multi-column layouts, frames, graphics and tables support documents such as brochures and newsletters, and a drawing tool creates graphics inside a document.
- Calculations in tables
- An integrated calculation function runs calculations and logical links inside the tables of a text document.
WordPerfect
- Reveal Codes
- A window shows the formatting codes behind the text, so you can see and edit how a document is formatted, including codes in table cells.
- Microsoft Office and 60+ formats
- Opens, edits and saves DOCX, XLSX and PPTX files, and handles over 60 file formats overall.
- Built-in PDF tools
- Creates fillable PDF forms, exports PDF with password protection and supports PDF/A archiving; the suite can also import PDFs.
- Redaction and metadata removal
- Blacks out sensitive text so it cannot be recovered, and strips hidden text, comments and reviewer notes from files.
- Legal tools
- A legal toolbar covers pleading papers, indexes, tables of contents and a Table of Authorities.
- Quattro Pro and Presentations
- The suite adds a spreadsheet and a slideshow program that work with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint files.
Plans
LibreOffice Writer
LibreOffice$0
The full office suite, including Writer, downloaded free from libreoffice.org for Windows, macOS or Linux.
WordPerfect
Home & Student$49.99
one-time purchase, shown with $99.99 crossed out
Suite for home and school: documents, presentations and spreadsheets, with templates, photos and graphics. Price shown as a sale on the page today.
Standard$173.99
one-time purchase, shown with $249.99 crossed out
WordPerfect, Quattro Pro, Presentations and WordPerfect Lightning, with built-in PDF forms and Reveal Codes. Price shown as a sale today.
Professional$239.99
one-time purchase, shown with $399.99 crossed out
Everything in Standard plus the Paradox database; the page also lists legal tools. Price shown as a sale today.
Ways to pay less
LibreOffice Writer
No public discounts listed.
WordPerfect
- Education
Education license pricing
Corel sells separate education editions of the suite and of PDF Fusion for schools and students after eligibility checks.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, LibreOffice Writer or WordPerfect?
As of Nov 13, 2026, LibreOffice Writer is free, and WordPerfect starts at $49.99 one-time (WordPerfect Office Home & Student).
Which has a free plan, LibreOffice Writer or WordPerfect?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only LibreOffice Writer has a free plan. WordPerfect does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do LibreOffice Writer and WordPerfect run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only LibreOffice Writer lists macOS and Linux apps. Both list a Windows 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.