LibreOffice Writer
Free, open-source word processor for Windows, macOS and Linux
LibreOffice Writer report card
Excellent · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 9, 2026
Best for a full word processor for free
LibreOffice Writer is a full word processor that costs nothing: styles, templates, mail merge, tables that do sums, and it opens and saves Word files. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and it's open source. What it isn't is a cloud app. There's no hosted version to share a document in, and nothing proper for editing on a phone.
Who LibreOffice Writer is for
- Great if you want a full desktop word processor and don't want to pay for one
- Handy when your computers are a mix of Windows, macOS and Linux
- Good for people who like open-source software and the OpenDocument format
Who LibreOffice Writer is not for
- 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, since Android gets a viewer with experimental editing only
- Pricey if you grab it from the Mac App Store, where the same free suite costs $8.99
Why LibreOffice Writer gets a 3.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyThe whole LibreOffice suite, Writer included, is a free download from libreoffice.org. One thing to know: the Mac App Store version costs $8.99 and the Microsoft Store one carries a charge too, so get it from the website.
- AFree plan and trialEverything is free, with no paid tier and nothing locked away. It's open source, from The Document Foundation.
- AFeaturesA spellchecker, thesaurus and AutoCorrect, styles for paragraphs and pages, a Navigator for getting around long documents, multi-column layouts for newsletters, and calculations inside tables. It opens and saves Word .doc and .docx files and exports to PDF.
- BEase of useThere's no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It's a desktop app you install, with templates for letters, memos and resumes to start from.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWindows, macOS and Linux on the desktop. There's no hosted cloud version, and the foundation says it doesn't plan one. On Android it offers a viewer with experimental editing only, and it points to Collabora Office for editing on Android and iOS.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from LibreOffice's own pages on 5 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/libreoffice-writer#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/libreoffice-writer.svg" alt="LibreOffice Writer: 3.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>What is LibreOffice Writer?
LibreOffice Writer is the word processor in LibreOffice, a free and open-source office suite from The Document Foundation. It handles everything from quick notes to book-length documents, reads and writes Microsoft Word files alongside its native OpenDocument format, and exports to PDF. It runs as a desktop app on Windows, macOS and Linux.
LibreOffice Writer is free to use. See every plan
Good for
- People who want a full desktop word processor at no cost
- Anyone who needs the same word processor on Windows, macOS and Linux
- Users who prefer open-source software and the OpenDocument format
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
LibreOffice Writer pricing
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- The whole LibreOffice suite, Writer included, is a free download from libreoffice.org for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| LibreOffice | $0 | The full office suite, including Writer, downloaded free from libreoffice.org for Windows, macOS or Linux. |
Read from libreoffice.org on Oct 5, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with LibreOffice Writer before you buy.
LibreOffice Writer alternatives
- LibreOffice Writer vs Microsoft Word
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
- LibreOffice Writer vs WPS Writer
Free plan · from $5.83/mo
- LibreOffice Writer vs Mellel
Free trial · from $69.99 one-time
- LibreOffice Writer vs ONLYOFFICE
Free plan · from $20/mo
- LibreOffice Writer vs Google Docs
Free plan · from $7/mo
Common questions
Is LibreOffice Writer free?
Yes. LibreOffice Writer is free to use. The whole LibreOffice suite, Writer included, is a free download from libreoffice.org for Windows, macOS and Linux.
How much does LibreOffice Writer cost?
LibreOffice Writer lists one plan. LibreOffice: $0. Prices were read from libreoffice.org on Oct 5, 2026.
What platforms does LibreOffice Writer work on?
LibreOffice Writer is available on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does LibreOffice Writer have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. LibreOffice Writer is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does LibreOffice Writer have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. LibreOffice Writer is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is LibreOffice Writer open source?
Yes. LibreOffice Writer is open source, according to its own site.
Who makes LibreOffice Writer?
LibreOffice Writer is made by The Document Foundation. It dates from 2010.
What are the alternatives to LibreOffice Writer?
The closest alternatives to LibreOffice Writer in our directory are Microsoft Word, WPS Writer, Mellel, ONLYOFFICE and Google Docs. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with LibreOffice Writer.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 5, 2026.
- libreoffice.org/download-other/
- libreoffice.org
- libreoffice.org/download/
- libreoffice.org/system-requirements/
- libreoffice.org/who-are-we/
- libreoffice.org/libreoffice-timeline/
- help.libreoffice.org/latest/en-US/text/swriter/main0503.html
- books.libreoffice.org/en/
- apps.apple.com/us/app/libreoffice/id1630474372
