The Microsoft Word Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Microsoft Word in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Microsoft Word
The Insider’s Guide
Word processor sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from Microsoft Word’s own pages.
Made by Microsoft · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02Insider tipsWhat most people miss: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches
- 03What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 04What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 05Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 06After you payGetting your money back, getting out, and getting help
- 07The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 08Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 09About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Microsoft Word’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Microsoft Word’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.4
GPA, above 69 of the 69 other writing tools we grade
Microsoft Word is a word processor for writing, formatting and reviewing documents. A free version runs in the browser, while the Windows and Mac desktop apps come with a Microsoft 365 subscription or the one-time Office Home 2024 purchase. Paid subscriptions add Copilot, which drafts, rewrites and summarizes documents inside Word.
To get you started, here are 10 things to know about Microsoft Word, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Copilot has usage limits, track changes on a phone needs a subscription, and phone app reviewers report lost work.
- 1
Best for files that others expect in Word format
Word is the word processor many employers, schools and lawyers expect files in, and the browser version is free for one person.
- 2
Paid plans start at $8.33 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal).
- 3
There is a 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.
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
- 5
Copilot in Word
Drafts, rewrites and summarizes documents and answers questions about them. It needs a Microsoft 365 subscription, and usage limits apply.
- 6
Editor
A built-in checker for spelling, grammar and writing style. The free web version includes basic spelling and grammar checks.
- 7
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.
- 8
Refunds: 30 days
Thirty days to change your mind, and Microsoft says plainly that you are entitled to your most recent renewal charge back if you cancel within 30 days of it. Better than most.
- 9
A 3.4 GPA, above 69 of 69
That is against the other writing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 10
Keep it
To replace Microsoft Word you would be making dictation that types into any app on your computer. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Microsoft Word at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 1-month free trial of Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium.
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Microsoft
- Category
- Writing Tools
- Our grade
- 3.4 GPA, very good
- Store rating
- 4.7 on the App Store, 3,001,411 ratings
The report card
Best for files that others expect in Word format
Word is the word processor many employers, schools and lawyers expect files in, and the browser version is free for one person. But the Windows and Mac apps need Microsoft 365, from $9.99 a month, or a one-time Office purchase, and you can't subscribe to Word alone. Copilot has usage limits, track changes on a phone needs a subscription, and phone app reviewers report lost work. If you only write the odd letter, Google Docs is free.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Word 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. |
| Features | A | Track 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. |
| Ease of use | A | 4.73 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. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | Windows, 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. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Microsoft Word is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- People who want a full desktop word processor on Windows or Mac
- Households: Microsoft 365 Family covers 1 to 6 people
- Occasional writers who only need the free browser version
- Buyers who prefer a one-time purchase to a subscription
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Tips
Insider tips
What most people miss: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches
7
Things most people miss, each from its own help pages
The things about Microsoft Word that are easy to miss until they cost you: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches at renewal or when you leave. Each one is from Microsoft Word’s own pages, linked beside it.
Read on Oct 17, 2026. Read from Microsoft Support (AutoRecover, Word keyboard shortcuts, Document Inspector, turning off Copilot, the subscription refund policy, Microsoft 365 storage changes and what happens when a subscription expires) on 17 October 2026. Not tried out: these tips are what its own pages say.
- 1
Setting
Set AutoRecover to 5 minutes and keep the last version
In File, Options, Save, tick "Save AutoRecover information every" and put in a small number. Microsoft suggests 5 or 10, so you never lose more than that. Tick "Keep the last autorecovered version if I close without saving" too. It doesn't replace saving, mind.
support.microsoft.com - 2
Shortcut
Ctrl+Shift+V pastes the words without the formatting
On Windows, Ctrl+Shift+V pastes text only, so a quote from a web page takes on your document's look. F4 repeats your last action, like applying that heading again, and Shift+F3 flips selected text between upper, lower and title case. Ctrl+Spacebar strips manual character formatting.
support.microsoft.com - 3
Privacy
Run Inspect Document before a file leaves the building
File, Info, Check for Issues, Inspect Document finds comments, tracked changes, version details, hidden text and personal information like your username, and Remove All clears each kind. Microsoft says to run it on a copy, because what it removes can't always be brought back.
support.microsoft.com - 4
Setting
Turn Copilot off in Word on each computer you use
Go to File, Options, Copilot (on a Mac, Preferences, Authoring and Proofing Tools, Copilot), clear Enable Copilot and restart Word. It only applies to that app on that device, so repeat it on the others. Microsoft says this switch isn't there in Word on the web, iPhone or Android.
support.microsoft.com - 5
Renewal
Renewed when you didn't mean to? You have 30 days to cancel
Microsoft's refund policy says you're entitled to a refund of your most recent recurring charge if you cancel within 30 days of paying, once per Microsoft account per product. Cancel in Services & subscriptions and the screen tells you if you qualify. Paid through Apple or Google? They handle it.
support.microsoft.com - 6
Renewal
Family storage becomes one shared 2 TB pot at a coming renewal
Microsoft is moving Family and Premium to 2 TB shared across up to six people, instead of storage assigned to each person. New plans got it from 8 October 2026. Existing subscribers generally switch at the first renewal on or after 2 May 2027. Go over 2 TB and you keep access for up to a year.
support.microsoft.com - 7
Leaving
Let Microsoft 365 lapse and Word turns read-only
The desktop apps go into Reduced Functionality Mode: you can open and print documents but not edit or save them. Storage drops to the free 5 GB, and if you're over it your files go read-only, the account freezes after 3 months and may be deleted after 6. Move what you need first.
support.microsoft.com
Part 03 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8.33
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
Microsoft Word has a free plan. Paid plans start at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal).
The desktop apps and Copilot aren't in it, track changes on a phone needs a subscription, and the paid trial is a month.
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.
The 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.
Trying it first
1-month free trial of Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium.
Read from microsoft.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on microsoft.comEducation
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.
Stated on microsoft.comEducation
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.
Stated on microsoft.comLifetime 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.
Stated on microsoft.com
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Microsoft 365 Personal”, against $9.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | ₺329,99 | $6.71 | 33% less |
| India | ₹ 689 | $7.12 | 29% less |
| Indonesia | Rp 136ribu | $7.61 | 24% less |
| Philippines | ₱ 489.00 | $7.78 | 22% less |
| Brazil | R$ 50,90 | $10.17 | about the same |
| Australia | $16.00 | $11.17 | 12% more |
| Germany | 10,00 € | $11.21 | 12% more |
| United Kingdom | £8.49 | $11.22 | 12% more |
Part 04 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android
Word processor sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, AI features, real-time collaboration, dictation, templates, documents, grammar & style.
Track changes, version history, co-authoring with people who haven't even got an account, thousands of templates.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- OneDrive
- Microsoft Copilot
- Microsoft Designer
Microsoft Word is made by Microsoft.
Part 05 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
69/69
Other writing tools it is graded above
Microsoft Word's GPA of 3.4 is higher than 69 of the 69 other writing tools we grade.
It stands best on ease of use (A, above 69 of 69) and worst on value for money (C, above 13).
Its paid plans start at $8.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 23 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 4.0 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 70 writing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Microsoft Word’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 13 of 69
- BFree plan and trialAbove 48 of 69
- AFeaturesAbove 68 of 69
- AEase of useAbove 69 of 69
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 63 of 69
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 53 writing tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Microsoft Word is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Microsoft Word you would be making dictation that types into any app on your computer. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.4 is higher than 69 of the 69 other writing tools we grade. It costs $99.99 a year.
What you could make
- Documents and templates: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Dictation that types into any app on your computer.
- Grammar checking as you type, wherever you type.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features A, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Microsoft Word’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 06 · Refunds
After you pay
Getting your money back, getting out, and getting help
What happens once you have paid: whether you can get your money back, how to leave, and how to reach a person when something goes wrong. Each is graded from Microsoft Word’s own terms and help pages.
Refunds and cancelling
Good · checked Oct 18, 2026
Thirty days to change your mind, and Microsoft says plainly that you are entitled to your most recent renewal charge back if you cancel within 30 days of it. Better than most. Two things keep it off an A: Microsoft hedges the first-purchase refund with in most cases and decides eligibility for you during the cancellation, and cancelling cuts your cloud storage to 5 GB, with a warning that OneDrive may be deleted after six months if you are over that.
- Refund window
- 30 days
- How you cancel
- Yourself, in settings
- Getting your money back
Microsoft's subscription refund policy says that in most cases you may get a refund within 30 days of the initial purchase, or before the first recurring billing date, whichever is sooner. It also says you are entitled to a refund of your most recent recurring charge if you cancel within 30 days of that payment, once per account per subscription product. Prorated refunds are offered only in a listed set of countries.
Stated on support.microsoft.com- How to cancel Microsoft Word
A Microsoft 365 subscription bought from Microsoft is cancelled by signing in to the Microsoft account page for Microsoft 365 and choosing Cancel subscription. Microsoft says eligibility for a refund is worked out automatically during the cancellation, so you have to cancel before you learn whether you get money back. One bought from the App Store, Google Play or a retailer such as Amazon is cancelled there instead.
- Sign in at the Microsoft account services page with the account you bought the subscription on
- Select Cancel subscription, which may read Upgrade or Cancel
- Read the Please review section at the top of the cancellation page
- Read the rest of the page, including the cheaper alternatives offered
- At the bottom, select I don't want my subscription to go ahead and cancel
- What you keep afterwards
Microsoft says cancelling drops your storage allowance to 5 GB of cloud storage plus 15 GB of Outlook.com storage, and that on a Family or Premium plan everyone you shared with is cut back too. If you are over the free allowance you cannot upload, edit or sync new files to OneDrive, you cannot send or receive Outlook.com email, and after 6 months Microsoft may delete your OneDrive and all the files in it.
Stated on support.microsoft.com- Renewals
Microsoft bills on the renewal date, monthly or yearly depending on the plan, while recurring billing is on. Turn recurring billing off and you are not billed again but keep using the subscription as normal until the expiry date, and anyone sharing a Family plan keeps it until then as well. The page mentions no reminder before a renewal.
Stated on support.microsoft.com
In your favour
- Thirty days from the purchase to change your mind, which is as long as anyone gives.
- Microsoft says you are entitled to your most recent renewal charge back if you cancel within 30 days of it.
- You cancel it yourself in your Microsoft account, with nobody to write to.
- Switching recurring billing off leaves the subscription running normally to its expiry date.
Watch out for
- Microsoft says not all cancellations end in a refund, and decides your eligibility during the cancellation.
- The renewal refund is one time only, per Microsoft account and per subscription product.
- Cancelling cuts cloud storage to 5 GB, and if you are over it OneDrive files may be deleted after six months.
- Bought it in the App Store, on Google Play or from a retailer? They handle the cancelling and the refund.
Customer support
Good · checked Oct 18, 2026
Everyone who pays can get to a person. The contact page says live chat with a Microsoft specialist sits behind the self-help suggestions, and business admins can ask for a phone callback. The reason it is not an A is that Microsoft never says when the consumer chat is open or how long you will wait. Only the business side gets stated hours, and only the business side gets a phone number.
Ways to get help
Live chat
The Contact Us page asks you to sign in and pick a product, shows self-help options first, and says further help is available including live chat with a Microsoft specialist. It gives no hours for the chat.
Stated on support.microsoft.comPhone
For Microsoft 365 for business subscriptions, Microsoft publishes support phone numbers by country for admins, with a PIN check if you call from a number the admin centre does not hold. Consumer plans are not given a number on these pages.
Stated on learn.microsoft.comHelp centre
The Word help and learning site has written articles, templates and training on writing, formatting, collaborating and troubleshooting across Windows, Mac, web and mobile, open to anyone without signing in.
Stated on support.microsoft.comCommunity or forum
Microsoft Q&A has a public Microsoft 365 and Office tag where users and Microsoft staff post questions and answers.
Stated on learn.microsoft.com
Not listed on Microsoft Word’s pages: email, contact form or ticket.
- When people answer
Microsoft states hours only for business subscriptions: technical support in English 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with local languages in some countries, and billing support in English from 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Friday, in most countries. The consumer contact page gives no hours for its chat.
Stated on learn.microsoft.com- How fast it says it replies
Its pages do not say.
- What depends on your plan
The business support routes are open only to admins of a Microsoft 365 for business subscription bought through Microsoft, and the page says customers who bought everything through a partner go to the partner. Anyone on a consumer plan uses the general Contact Us page instead, with self-help first and then a chat.
Stated on learn.microsoft.com
In your favour
- The contact page says a Microsoft specialist, not a bot, is on the other end of the chat.
- Business admins get a published phone number and support in English around the clock.
- The Word help and learning site is large and open to everyone, free users included.
Watch out for
- No hours and no reply time are given for the consumer chat, so you cannot tell when it is staffed.
- You have to work through the self-help suggestions before the chat is offered.
- There is no phone number for consumer plans: the published numbers are for business admins.
- Buy a business plan through a reseller and Microsoft sends you to the reseller for help.
What these two grades rest on. Read on 18 October 2026: Microsoft's subscription refund policy, its help articles on cancelling Microsoft 365 and on turning recurring billing on or off, the Microsoft Services Agreement, the Contact Us page, the Microsoft 365 admin support page, the Word help site and the Microsoft Q&A Office tag. These are account-wide rules, not a policy for Word. Nobody here cancelled a plan or contacted support. They are graded apart from the five that make the GPA. How we grade refunds and support.
Part 07 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
LibreOffice Writer, WPS Writer, Google Docs, Mellel and ONLYOFFICE
The 5 tools Microsoft Word is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
LibreOffice Writer
Free
Free, open-source word processor for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Only Microsoft Word lists a web app.
- Only Microsoft Word lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only LibreOffice Writer lists a Linux app.
- 3.2GPA
WPS Writer
Free plan · from $5.83/mo
Word-compatible word processor in the WPS Office suite.
- Only WPS Writer lists a Linux app.
- Microsoft Word also covers dictation.
- 3.4GPA
Google Docs
Free plan · from $7/mo
Browser-based word processor, free with a Google Account.
- Only Microsoft Word lists Windows and macOS apps.
- Only Google Docs lists a browser extension.
- Microsoft Word also covers dictation and grammar & style.
- 2.4GPA
Mellel
Free trial · from $69.99 one-time
Mac word processor for long academic and technical documents.
- Microsoft Word has a free plan. Mellel does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Microsoft Word lists a web app.
- Only Microsoft Word lists Windows and Android apps.
- 3.4GPA
ONLYOFFICE
Free plan · from $20/mo
Open-source office suite for documents, sheets, slides and PDFs.
- Only ONLYOFFICE lists a Linux app.
- ONLYOFFICE is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Microsoft Word also covers dictation, templates and grammar & style.
Part 08 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
20
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Microsoft Word free?
Microsoft Word has a 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.
How much does Microsoft Word cost?
Microsoft Word lists 6 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Microsoft Word work on?
Microsoft Word is available on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
Does Microsoft Word offer any discounts?
Microsoft Word publicly lists the following: Save up to 17% by paying yearly; Students save 50% on Microsoft 365 Personal; Office 365 A1 free for eligible schools; Office Home 2024 one-time purchase.
How is Microsoft Word rated?
Microsoft Word's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3,001,411 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 7, 2026.
Does Microsoft Word have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Microsoft Word is listed for Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
Is Microsoft Word open source?
Microsoft Word is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Does Microsoft Word work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
What does Microsoft Word integrate with?
Microsoft Word's listing names OneDrive, Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft Designer.
Does Microsoft Word have a student discount?
Students save 50% on Microsoft 365 Personal. Verified college and university students pay $4.99 a month for Microsoft 365 Personal.
Does Microsoft Word have a free trial?
Yes. 1-month free trial of Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium.
Who makes Microsoft Word?
Microsoft Word is made by Microsoft.
What are the alternatives to Microsoft Word?
The closest alternatives to Microsoft Word in our directory are LibreOffice Writer, WPS Writer, Google Docs, Mellel and ONLYOFFICE.
Does Microsoft Word give refunds?
Microsoft's subscription refund policy says that in most cases you may get a refund within 30 days of the initial purchase, or before the first recurring billing date, whichever is sooner.
How do I cancel Microsoft Word?
A Microsoft 365 subscription bought from Microsoft is cancelled by signing in to the Microsoft account page for Microsoft 365 and choosing Cancel subscription.
What happens to my data if I cancel Microsoft Word?
Microsoft says cancelling drops your storage allowance to 5 GB of cloud storage plus 15 GB of Outlook.com storage, and that on a Family or Premium plan everyone you shared with is cut back too.
How do I contact Microsoft Word support?
Microsoft Word's pages list these ways to get help: live chat, phone, help centre and community or forum.
How does Microsoft Word compare with other writing tools?
Microsoft Word's GPA of 3.4 is higher than 69 of the 69 other writing tools we grade.
Is Microsoft Word good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Microsoft Word C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 23 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Microsoft Word?
To replace Microsoft Word you would be making dictation that types into any app on your computer.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Microsoft Word’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Based on Microsoft's Word product page, its Microsoft 365 plan comparison, free web apps and student pricing pages and its Office release notes as of 9 October 2026, its App Store reviews and Hacker News threads about it. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-17.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Microsoft. Prices change, so check microsoft.com before you buy.
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/word
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/buy/compare-all-microsoft-365-products
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/free-office-online-for-the-web
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/college-student-pricing
- microsoft.com/en-us/education/products/office
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/p/office-home-2024/cfq7ttc0pqvj
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/onedrive/microsoft-storage-quotas
Part 09 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Microsoft Word, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-word
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Microsoft Word: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-word
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Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-word/guide
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- JotterPad Insider's GuideMarkdown and Fountain editor for books, papers and screenplays3.2 GPA
- LibreOffice Writer Insider's GuideFree, open-source word processor for Windows, macOS and Linux3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Microsoft Word’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Microsoft Word is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Microsoft. Prices and plans change: check microsoft.com before you buy.