Microsoft Word vs Scribus (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 2.8.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Microsoft Word grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms. Scribus grades higher on value for money and the free plan.
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
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 Scribus if
- Fits if you lay out a newsletter or booklet for print
- Works for people who want a free alternative to paid layout software
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to write long text in it: it is a layout tool, not a word processor
- Not for you if you want a web or phone app, as it runs on computers only
- Tight if you are new to layout: frames and colour settings take time to learn
- Watch out: the download page lists source archives and installers, so check which fits your system
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAMicrosoft WordVery good | 2.8GPAScribusGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | AFree to download and run, against a category median of $9.75 a month. |
| 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. | AFree outright: a program anyone can download, with no paid tier or trial. |
| 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. | CPrint PDF export, colour management, scripting and vector drawing. The listing says it is a layout tool, not a word processor, so writing happens elsewhere. |
| 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. Page layout in frames has a learning curve. |
| 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. | CA computer program only, on Windows, Mac and Linux. No web, phone or integrations listed. |
| Best for | files that others expect in Word format | print layouts and PDFs on a computer |
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 Scribus. How we grade
Price against what you get
Microsoft Word starts at $8.33 a month when paid by the year and scores 4.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Scribus has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
Microsoft Word scores higher, and starts $8.33 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other writing tools on the chart, none scores higher than Microsoft Word for less, and none scores higher than Scribus for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Scribus is open source, according to its own site.
- Microsoft Word also covers dictation, templates and grammar & style.
At a glance
| Microsoft Word | Scribus | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal) | Free |
| 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. | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Microsoft | The Scribus Team |
| Price read from | microsoft.com | scribus.net |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 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.
Scribus
- It is a layout tool, not a word processor, so long text is usually written elsewhere and placed in frames.
- The downloads page lists source archives and installers; check it for the build for your system.
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.
Scribus
- Print-ready PDF export
- Exports PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3 and PDF/X-4 for commercial printing, plus PDFs for screen use and forms.
- Color management
- Handles RGB, CMYK, LAB, spectral and spot colors, ships with about 200 palettes and can simulate color blindness.
- Open XML file format
- Documents are stored as readable XML, so a damaged file can be inspected and repaired in a text editor.
- Python scripting
- A scripting engine based on Python automates layout tasks; PDF forms can also use JavaScript.
- Vector drawing and import
- Includes vector drawing tools and many import and export filters for graphics and document types.
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.
Scribus
Scribus$0
Free and open source; the stable release is 1.6.7 and a development line is also offered.
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.
Scribus
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Word or Scribus?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Scribus is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $8.33 a month when paid by the year for Microsoft Word. Microsoft Word starts at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal), and Scribus is free.
Which has a free plan, Microsoft Word or Scribus?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Microsoft Word and Scribus have a free plan.
Which platforms do Microsoft Word and Scribus run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Microsoft Word lists a web app and iOS and Android apps and only Scribus lists a Linux app. Both list macOS and Windows apps. 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.