Microsoft Word vs Nisus Writer (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Microsoft Word: it is first in our ranking of writing tools, and it grades higher too, 3.4 against 2.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Microsoft Word grades higher on the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Microsoft Word
Word processor sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser
Nisus Writer
Mac-only word processor sold as a one-time purchase
Which one is for you
Pick Microsoft Word if
- Fits if people send you Word files and expect them back looking the same
- Works for contracts and reports that need track changes and version history
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you only write the odd letter, because the free web version or Google Docs will do
- Pricey if Word is the only app you want, since the subscription bundles Excel and PowerPoint too, from $9.99 a month
- Tight if you want track changes or advanced formatting on a phone or tablet, which needs a subscription
- Not for you if you do your real writing on an iPad, going by reviews about crashes and lost pages
- Watch out: Copilot has usage limits and works only for the owner on Family, and Business Basic has no desktop Word
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
| 3.4GPAMicrosoft WordVery good | 2.0GPANisus WriterFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$9.99 a month, or $99.99 a year, which works out at $8.33 a month: dead on the middle for writing tools. You do get Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and 1 TB of storage for it, but you can't subscribe to Word alone, and Google Docs is free. | CExpress is $26 and Pro $65 once, against $19.99 in the middle of one-time prices in writing tools. |
| Free plan and trial | BWord for the web is free for one person, with real-time collaboration, basic spelling and grammar, basic templates, dictation and 5 GB of storage. The desktop apps and Copilot aren't in it, track changes on a phone needs a subscription, and the paid trial is a month. | CA 15-day demo of each edition, unlocked by a license key. The page doesn't say if a card is needed. |
| Features | ATrack changes, version history, co-authoring with people who haven't even got an account, thousands of templates. Plus Dictate transcribing a whole audio file into a document, Immersive Reader, an Accessibility Checker for contrast and wording, and Copilot drafting, which has usage limits. | 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 | A4.73 on the App Store from over 3 million ratings, and most people already know their way round it. What you get on the web, a phone and a desktop differs in confusing ways, mind, and phone reviewers report lost work. | CNo store rating on record. The depth of its find-and-replace and style tools takes learning. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWindows, Mac, iPhone, Android and the web, with OneDrive, Copilot and Microsoft Designer wired in, so every device type is covered. No Linux app is listed, so there it's the browser version. | DMac only. No Windows, iPhone, iPad or web version, with iCloud Drive, Dropbox and Word links. |
| Best for | files that others expect in Word format | 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: Microsoft Word and Nisus Writer. How we grade
Where they differ
- Nisus Writer can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Microsoft Word also covers dictation, templates and grammar & style.
- Nisus Writer also covers long-form writing.
At a glance
| Microsoft Word | Nisus Writer | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal) | $26 one-time (Express) |
| Free plan | Word for the web is free for 1 person: real-time collaboration, basic spelling and grammar, basic templates, dictation and 5 GB of cloud storage. The mobile apps cover basic editing without a subscription. | None |
| Free trial | 1-month free trial of Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium. | Free 15-day demo of each edition; a license key unlocks it |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Microsoft | Nisus Software, Inc. |
| Price read from | microsoft.com | nisus.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Microsoft Word
- The Windows and Mac apps need a Microsoft 365 subscription or a one-time Office purchase; only the web version is free.
- Copilot requires a paid subscription, has usage limits, and on shared plans works for the subscription owner only.
- On phones and tablets, advanced formatting and track changes need a Microsoft 365 subscription.
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic ($7.00 per user / month paid yearly, or $5.40 without Teams) includes only the web and mobile versions of Word.
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
Microsoft Word
- Copilot in Word
- Drafts, rewrites and summarizes documents and answers questions about them. It needs a Microsoft 365 subscription, and usage limits apply.
- Editor
- A built-in checker for spelling, grammar and writing style. The free web version includes basic spelling and grammar checks.
- Real-time co-authoring
- Share a document with anyone, including people without an account, and edit it together, with track changes and version history. Shared files are stored in OneDrive.
- Templates
- Thousands of customizable templates are available at no charge, and the free web version includes a basic set of templates, fonts and icons.
- Dictate
- Speech-to-text for writing by voice, plus transcription of audio files into a document. Dictation and voice commands are part of the free web version.
- Immersive Reader and Accessibility Checker
- Immersive Reader gives a pared-back reading view, and the Accessibility Checker recommends fixes to formatting, color contrast and word choice.
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
Microsoft Word
Free$0
Word for the web for 1 person, with real-time collaboration, basic spelling and grammar, basic templates, dictation and 5 GB of storage.
Microsoft 365 Personal$9.99
per month, or $99.99 per year
1 person signed in on up to 5 devices, 1 TB of cloud storage, and the Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook desktop apps with Copilot.
Microsoft 365 Apps for business$10.00
per user / month, paid yearly
Desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook for up to 300 employees, with 1 TB of cloud storage per user.
Microsoft 365 Family$12.99
per month, or $129.99 per year
Everything in Personal for 1 to 6 people, who share 2 TB of cloud storage between them. AI features are for the subscription owner only.
Microsoft 365 Premium$19.99
per month, or $199.99 per year
Everything in Family, plus extensive Copilot usage and agentic AI features such as advanced research and analytics.
Office Home 2024$179.99
one-time purchase for 1 PC or Mac
Classic 2024 desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, with no upgrade path to later releases.
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.
Ways to pay less
Microsoft Word
- Annual discount
Save up to 17% by paying yearly
Microsoft 365 Personal is $99.99 a year against $9.99 a month, Family $129.99 against $12.99 and Premium $199.99 against $19.99.
- Education
Students save 50% on Microsoft 365 Personal
Verified college and university students pay $4.99 a month for Microsoft 365 Personal. Student status has to be re-verified each year to keep the price.
- Education
Office 365 A1 free for eligible schools
Educators and students with an eligible school email address get Office 365 A1 at no cost, which includes the web versions of Word and the other core apps.
- Lifetime license
Office Home 2024 one-time purchase
$179.99 buys the classic 2024 desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote for 1 PC or Mac, with no subscription.
Nisus Writer
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Word or Nisus Writer?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Microsoft Word starts at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal), and Nisus Writer starts at $26 one-time (Express).
Which has a free plan, Microsoft Word or Nisus Writer?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Microsoft Word has a free plan. Nisus Writer does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Microsoft Word and Nisus Writer run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Microsoft Word lists a web app and Windows, 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.