Revise Blog - Building a post-AI word processor
OnlyOffice vs LibreOffice for Word documents
A comparison of two free office suites as word processors for Word files, covering format handling, co-editing, AI, licensing, and price, based on each project’s own pages
Artur Sapek, Founder of Revise7 min read
People often compare these two because both are free on the desktop, both have open-source editions (LibreOffice under the MPL 2.0 and OnlyOffice Docs Community under the GNU AGPL v3), and both open Word files. This comparison looks at writing and editing Word documents, not at spreadsheets or presentations. The right choice for one person on one computer is often different from the right choice for a team that shares documents every day.
I have spent the past year building Revise, a word processor that imports Word and OpenDocument files, so I read both projects’ documentation closely. Facts and prices come from their own pages, which are linked below and in the sources at the end.
OnlyOffice vs LibreOffice at a glance
| OnlyOffice | LibreOffice Writer | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes (desktop apps, self-hosted, and DocSpace Startup cloud) | Yes (free and open source) |
| Paid from | $20/mo (DocSpace Business (cloud, per admin)) | Free |
| License | GNU AGPL v3 (Docs Community) | MPL 2.0 |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Offline use | Yes (desktop apps) | Yes |
| Word files | Native OOXML, and the vendor claims 100% view, conversion, and print fidelity | Opens .doc and .docx, saves to Word formats |
| AI options | AI plugin for a provider you choose, including local models | None, but optional extensions connect local models |
If you need AI editing on a Word file rather than a full office suite, import a .docx below. It opens in Revise in your browser, and you don’t need an account.
Key differences
For each difference, we name a winner only when the evidence supports one.
Word files
OnlyOffice’s editors work in Microsoft’s OOXML formats natively. Its document editor page claims “100% view, conversion, and print fidelity” and lists tracked changes. LibreOffice’s Writer guide says Writer opens .doc and .docx files and saves to Word formats, and Writer records changes with the author’s name so you can accept or reject each one. You should still test your own most complex document in both, because neither description is a substitute for that.
Edge: none established. OnlyOffice edits OOXML natively and advertises full fidelity, but we did not test the same complex files in both, so the evidence does not show which one handles Word files more faithfully.
Collaboration
OnlyOffice’s document editor offers real-time or paragraph-locking co-editing. Its free desktop editors co-edit in real time when connected to OnlyOffice, Nextcloud, ownCloud, Seafile, or a similar platform (desktop editors). OnlyOffice also runs the co-editing server for you in its DocSpace cloud, which has a free Startup plan. LibreOffice Writer on the desktop has no real-time co-editing. The project also publishes LibreOffice Online, a server that provides collaborative editing in a browser. The Document Foundation releases it only as source code, says it must be integrated with file storage and sign-in from other software, and does not offer a hosted service. Hosted and supported versions come from other companies, such as Collabora.
Edge: OnlyOffice, because it offers both a self-hosted server and its own cloud with a free plan. LibreOffice’s browser co-editing depends on a server you build and integrate yourself or on a third-party product.
AI
OnlyOffice’s AI plugin comes with providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Mistral, DeepSeek, Ollama, and LM Studio, or you can connect your own. It can generate, rewrite, fix grammar, summarize, translate, and run OCR. Its inline agent edits and formats text in the document and keeps a conversation history, although broader agent features depend on the edition and setup. LibreOffice describes itself as having “no forced AI.” Its 26.8 release notes say it contains no built-in generative AI features and does not send documents to remote services. Optional extensions can connect Ollama or LM Studio.
Edge: OnlyOffice if you want its documented multi-provider AI plugin. LibreOffice has no built-in generative AI, although optional extensions can connect local models.
Price and licensing
For desktop use, both are offered at no cost. LibreOffice is free under the MPL 2.0, and OnlyOffice’s desktop editors are free. OnlyOffice Docs Community, the self-hosted server, is free under the GNU AGPL v3 for up to 20 recommended users and includes macros and plugins (editions). Docs Enterprise starts at $1,500 for 50 connections for a year. In the cloud, DocSpace has a free Startup plan (3 admins, 2 GB), and Business is $20 per admin per month as a limited-time offer, down from the normal price of $30.
Edge: a tie for one person on the desktop, and OnlyOffice for a team that needs a documented self-hosted co-editing server.
Platforms
LibreOffice has builds for Windows (x86-64 and ARM64), macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), and Linux. On mobile, the Document Foundation offers an Android viewer with experimental editing and points to Collabora Office for editing on Android and iOS. OnlyOffice has desktop editors for Windows, macOS, and Linux, its own mobile apps, and editors in the browser when you use its cloud or your own server.
Edge: OnlyOffice, because its own mobile apps and browser editors come from the same vendor as the desktop editors. LibreOffice users get those through Collabora or LibreOffice Online.
Which should you choose?
Choose OnlyOffice if
- your team co-edits documents and can use its free DocSpace Startup plan, a paid cloud plan, or your own server
- you want mobile apps and browser editors from the same vendor
- you want an AI plugin in the editor on a provider you choose, including cloud providers
Choose LibreOffice if
- you want an MPL-licensed desktop suite
- you want a suite with no built-in generative AI that does not send documents to remote services
- you mainly write alone on a desktop computer
What each costs
| Tool | Cheapest paid plan | Monthly | Per year | AI on that plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OnlyOffice | DocSpace Business (cloud, per admin) (per admin, promotional (normally $30)) | $20/mo | - | Plugin, connect your own provider |
| LibreOffice Writer | None, completely free | Free | Free | None built in |
Where Revise fits
Revise, the word processor we build, is a browser editor rather than an office suite, and it is not open source. It imports and exports .docx, imports .odt, and has an AI agent that proposes edits as tracked changes. Its higher-end models need a paid plan.
The bottom line
If your team needs real-time co-editing on Word files, choose OnlyOffice. Its DocSpace cloud has a free Startup plan, and you can also pay for Business or run Docs Community on your own server. If you want an MPL-licensed desktop suite with no built-in generative AI, choose LibreOffice.
For more options, including browser editors, see Microsoft Word alternatives.
Sources
Prices and plan details were checked against each vendor’s own pages on October 4, 2026. Prices are in US dollars as each vendor lists them, and some include local tax. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on the linked page before you buy.
