Ditch Microsoft Office: Five free apps that do the same job

Microsoft Office has long been the dominant software in the productivity suite market, achieving near-universal recognition in both the business and educational spheres. 

Over decades, Microsoft has continuously evolved its suite, adding new programs and tools, and fundamentally changing how users interact with it.

The most recent iteration, now marketed as Microsoft 365, operates on a subscription model requiring monthly or annual payments. 

Here are five highly regarded, cost-free replacements for the programs within the Microsoft 365 suite:

LibreOffice

This is the ideal complete replacement for the classic desktop Office suite. As a free and private office suite, LibreOffice has grown immensely popular by rejecting the paid, subscription-based model of its competitors.

AbleWord

For users seeking a simple, accessible, and offline alternative to Word, AbleWord is a perfect choice. 

It maintains a classic Word interface and feel, supports DOC and DOCX formats, and even functions as a PDF converter.

CryptPad Sheets

Addressing recent security concerns with online document platforms, CryptPad offers an alternative to Excel with end-to-end encryption. 

This makes it a secure, online, open-source choice for collaborative sheets, important for sensitive data.

Canva

Stepping in as a modern replacement for PowerPoint, Canva allows users to easily design slide-based presentations. 

Its user-friendly interface, diverse, contemporary templates, and ability to save projects in the PowerPoint format make presentation creation much simpler.

Mailspring

This highly recommended, open-source alternative to Outlook features a sleek, modern design. 

Mailspring provides a unified inbox, simplifying the management of multiple email accounts within a single, attractive user interface.