Best Office Suites Software Compared

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​​It’s hard to imagine a computer today without a suite of personal productivity products for creating documents, presentations, or spreadsheets. We tested some of the best office suite software to find the top five options that do a fantastic job at simplifying workflows and enhancing productivity. Out of these five, our best for most users is Google Workspace. This office suite solution offers a host of familiar tools—Gmail, Drive, Docs, and Calendar—that make it easier to create, communicate, and collaborate in a way that rivals can’t match.

The Best Office Suites Software for Most

Google Workspace is our top choice for many reasons. 

Formerly G Suite, this office suite software is the natural choice for users already deep in the Android/Google cloud ecosystem. It offers a minimal yet robust selection of productivity tools to do a variety of tasks—all in one place. 

Its three main tools—Google Docs, Sheets, and Slide—can run in any web browser, allowing seamless working across platforms and document sharing. Teams can work on documents simultaneously or share private links with people outside their system, making easy on-the-go collaboration a reality.

The Best Office Suite Software Options to Consider

1. Google Workspace — The Best for Most
2. Microsoft 365 — The Best for Online And Offline Use
3. Zoho Workplace — The Best Bare-Bones Basic Suite
4. iWork — The Best for Apple Devices
5. WPS Office — The Best Microsoft Clone for Non-Microsoft Users 

When It Makes Sense to Invest In Office Suite Software

Gone are the days when the term “office suite“ meant box-like rooms in a corporate building. Today, people use it to refer to a batch of applications that make office work easier—either alone or with their colleagues—from anywhere, at any time.

While all this sounds incredible for driving productivity, the software may not be the best fit for all businesses. So should your organization invest in it? Let’s find out.

Situation 1: When You’re a Remote or Hybrid Workplace

Despite life returning to normal, many workplaces are staying remote or adopting a hybrid setup. These businesses still need reliable tools to keep communication centralized and straightforward.

Microsoft Office 365, for instance, offers Skype for Business that lets companies hold conference calls and meetings with staff and clients anywhere in the world. This way, you can always collaborate and communicate, regardless of the distance and time difference.  

The instant messaging function is another advantage. 

Our top pick, Google Workspace, offers Hangouts to initiate constant and immediate contact with teams and individuals, facilitating cross-department collaboration.

Situation 2: When You Want Mobile Access To Your Office Software

Office suite software is a cloud-based application that allows organizations to store all their files. Users can access these documents on any device, from any location. The only requirement is a stable internet connection.

Getting on-the-go access to all apps and files can be particularly useful for organizations where employees work from mobiles. Even employees who have to travel often for work can stay updated about official matters.

Situation 3: When You Handle Sensitive and Confidential Information

Office suite apps are highly secure with robust security measures in place. As such, unauthorized people can’t access your files even if they get their hands on your device.

Threat detection and anti-malware help identify and stop threats immediately, while security measures like two-factor authentication add an additional security layer to prevent unrestricted access. 

With top-notch security to protect all your confidential and sensitive data, you’re free to operate without any security concerns.

Situation 4: When You’re Looking for an Affordable, Scalable, Centralized Solution 

Most office suite software is reasonably-priced, subscription-based solutions designed to accommodate your growing requirements as you scale operations. 

The cost of your licenses depends on the level of functionality you choose for your businesses. Each subscription plan offers different applications and products that dictate the cost of each license. This gives you a predictable outing, helping you budget your IT spend for the upcoming year.

#1 — Google Workspace — The Best for Most

Google Workspace needs no introduction. This free office suite software integrates the power and capabilities of top-performing productivity and collaboration tools into an integrated web and mobile experience.

While Microsoft Office may have been the default “office suite” for enterprises, it’s Google that took the workplace beyond desktops into the cloud. You can access your work to edit, share, and modify any document from any device, anywhere in the world.

Here’s a list of products under Google Workspace:

• Gmail
• Google Drive
• Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides
• Google Forms
• Google Sites
• Google Calendar
• Google Chat
• Google Meet
• Google Currents
• Google Keep
• Google Vault
• Google Workspace Marketplace

While each of the individual apps above is great on their own and let you do your job efficiently, they aren’t the only reason to use the software.

Google Workspace’s biggest advantage is its collaboration potential. You can share your files with anyone—even publicly on the web—at the click of a button. Multiple users can live-edit and leave comments on any specific document, spreadsheet, or slideshow, speeding up the creation and boosting team productivity.

Plus, Google Workspace is practically ubiquitous, with over 1.8 billion active Gmail users.

Pricing 

Google Workspace offers three plans:

• Business Starter — $6 per user per month for 30 GB of storage per user
• Business Standard — $12 per user per month for 2TB storage per user
• Business Plus — $18 per user per month for 5TB storage per user

There’s also an Enterprise plan if you’re looking for customized solutions to meet your business’s requirements.

#2 — Microsoft 365 — The Best for Online and Offline Use

Microsoft 365 isn’t the office 365 you grew up knowing. It’s better.

It’s one of the most powerful and user-friendly office suites on the market, complete with an affordable price tag. You get a variety of cloud-based services that are suitable for businesses of any size.

Here’s a list of all products and apps under Microsoft 365:

• Microsoft Teams
• Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• Outlook
• Access
• OneNote
• OneDrive
• Power BI
• Bookings
• Planner
• SharePoint
• Skype
• Visio
• Office Online

Besides these, there are several other premium apps and services that simplify creating, collaborating, and sharing your best work.

One of the fronts that Microsoft 365 is better than Google Workspace is its ability to work offline. You can start a Word document on your desktop at home, edit it from your phone, or print it off directly from your browser. Online collaboration, editing documents, and adding comments—everything’s possible and easy.

The software runs (almost) everywhere, with full-featured Windows and macOS editions, powerful apps for iOS and Android, and sleek web-based versions. But the software is a better fit for workplaces where employees aren’t comfortable working from the browser and prefer a desktop computer or a tablet. Plus, Microsoft 365’s mobile and web apps aren’t as in-depth and advanced as its desktop apps.

Pricing 

While the Personal plans start from $69.99 per month per year, Microsoft 365‘s business plans include the following:

• Microsoft 365 Business Basic — $5 per user per month
• Microsoft 365 Business Standard — $12.5 per user per month
• Microsoft 365 Business Premium — $20 per user per month
• Microsoft 365 Apps for Business — $8.25 per user per month

There’s also a one-month free trial, allowing you to test-drive features before making any commitment. 

#3 — Zoho Workplace — The Best Bare-Bones Basic Suite

A comparatively newer name in the market, Zoho started with their online word processor, Zoho Writer. The company eventually added new apps, turning into Zoho Workplace, a full-fledged online office suite.

It tries to combine the best in productivity tools into a suite of software that’s both user-friendly and cost-effective. You get nine applications, all of which can be used together or as a standalone application.

• Email
• File management
• Chat
• Spreadsheet
• Word processor (Writer)
• Presentation
• Social internet
• Online training
• Online meeting

If you want to do anything else, you’ll probably find a Zoho app to handle it. Fortunately, Zoho has you covered here. Whether it’s finding customer data for your report, turning your spreadsheet into an app, or locating company finances to make a presentation, Zoho Workplace offers over 45+ apps to make everything possible. 

Overall, you get a heavily laden set of features with an easy-to-master functionality that makes this office suite software worth a shot.

Pricing

Currently, Zoho Workplace offers the following four plans:

• Mail Lite — $1 per user per month with 5GB storage
• Mail Premium — $4 per user per month with 50GB storage
• Workplace Standard — $3 per user per month for 30GB + 10GB storage
• Workplace Professional — $6 per user per month for 100GB + 100GB storage

A 15-day free trial for the Professional plan is available. No credit card information is required.

#4 — iWork — Best for Apple Devices

If your workplace regularly uses Apple products like Mac, iPad, and iPhone, look no further than iWork for your office suite.

Although not as popular as Google or Microsoft, iWork is an innovative suite of desktop and mobile office productivity applications from Apple Inc. Use this program to create and enhance excellent-looking documents, collaborate in real-time, design beautiful spreadsheets, and make stunning presentations. 

iWork only has three office software tools: 

• Pages (Word Processor)
• Numbers (Spreadsheets) 
• Keynote (Slideshow)

Each of these tools uses a similar interface, complete with an uncluttered toolbar at the top and sidebars with easy-to-find controls to change display options. Admittedly, this office suite doesn’t include a wide range of apps like Microsoft or Zoho Workspace, but it has the basics and works well on mobile phones.

It works best with its native app on Mac and iOS, but you can also use it online from iCloud.com. 

Teams can collaborate effortlessly—provided everyone has an Apple device. Multiple users can edit a single document in any of the three tools. However, if your workplace is Windows-dominated, iWork may not be the right fit for you.

Pricing

iWork is free! All you need to do is download the software from Apple’s website or Apple Store.

#5 — WPS Office — The Best Microsoft Clone For Non-Microsoft Users  

WPS Office is the more affordable clone of Microsoft. Why would you want a Microsoft clone? Two reasons: first, it’s cheaper than Microsoft 365, and second, you might really love the Microsoft interface but work in an office that uses non-Microsoft programs (Apple, Linux) or formats (PDFs, Google docs). If this is you, WPS Office is worth taking a look at.

Its name is an acronym for the three programs this office suite provides: Writer, Presentation, and Spreadsheets. These tools make it easier to carry out daily word processing activities, complete with a user-friendly interface.

WPS Office is the go-to suite option for those used to the modern Word interface. In fact, even the template options are based on Microsoft’s traditional templates, so you can start working and filling out documents right away. 

You can create documents and produce amazing presentations, as well as organize, analyze, and display data. Plus, a unique document tabs feature lets you manage multiple documents quickly.

Converting PDF files to Microsoft Word document format is another possibility. 

Users generally find it hard to edit PDFs since their only option involves paying for an Adobe Acrobat subscription or using a free online editor that places a watermark on the document. Luckily, WPS Office has a PDF editor and converter that make it easier to find, convert, edit and compress PDF files.

Pricing

WPS Office offers three plans:

• WPS Premium — $18.99 for six months, $20.99 for one year, $59.99 for two years
• WPS Office License — One-time payment of $119.99 per user
• WPS Template Premium — $5.99 per month, $27.99 for six months, $55.99 for one year

There’s also a freemium available, offering basic features.

Methodology for Choosing the Best Office Suite Software

Choosing a new software is no easy feat. There’s a lot you need to consider. But how do you determine the right fit for your business? Consider the questions below to find the best office suite software match for yourself.

Does Your Business Have Any Specific Software Requirements?

Most business software is created to work with a particular operating system, database, or hardware platform. It’s why you should be aware of all hardware or operating software requirements before buying a prospective office suite.

Even better if the software is flexible in regards to underlying databases, operating systems, and hardware platforms. This will ensure you can use the software for years to come, even when the operating system you’re currently using gets obsolete.

Is the Software Really Secure?

With the growing number of data breaches, you can’t just trust a new piece of software to be as secure as you want them to be.

Most of the time, you have to take additional security measures to protect your information from unauthorized access. For instance, Microsoft 365 advises customers not to use its product to transmit or store cardholder data. You have to invest in additional security solutions that are compatible with your office software, which is a significant cost factor based on the level of security you need.

Be sure to find out about the security elements you need and how much it’ll cost to add the prospective office suite to your system. 

Is the Software Scalable?

Scalability is another crucial consideration when choosing an office suite software for your business.

Many business owners wait too long before looking for a new software solution and only upgrade when they’ve completely outgrown their old software. This ends up holding them back from growing or taking on more work.

Ensure your prospective software can grow with your business to fit your evolving requirements, as well as staff growth. In other words, choose a software that can scale to fit your growing business needs and can last you through the years to come.

How Functional Is the Software?

Do you use your word processor for creating long documents that need footnotes, annotations, and endnotes? Or do you work more with graphics-rich emails or newspapers that are easy to scan?

While a word processor and spreadsheet are office suite standard standards, you can dig a little deeper into your requirements to determine the best software solution for your organization. Outline your requirements and consider all options before investing in any office suite. You can also talk to customer support to understand all features on offer before making a decision.

Summary

Microsoft enjoyed a monopoly in this niche for years, but lately, companies have released excellent rival alternatives to boost productivity. This has clearly worked out in the customer’s favor as you get more options to find the best fit for your organization.

For us, Google Workspace stood out with its range of familiar tools, but you can also consider Microsoft 365 for its advanced online/offline sharing, editing, organizing, and meeting tools. Regardless of your choice, you can be sure to experience greater productivity and improved organization across all levels.