Battle LibreOffice vs ONLYOFFICE - Which One Is Right For You?

[lokamoka820]

When it comes to open-source office suites, we're not short on options, despite what it may seem at first glance. Yet, without a doubt, two names stand head and shoulders above all others. LibreOffice and ONLYOFFICE sit unchallenged as the most popular office solutions built and distributed on open principles. Both are solid in their own rights, and both have loyal communities that swear by them and no others. But between the two, which one is right for you?

LibreOffice offers a broader and more traditional suite, with deeper functionality, more specialised tools, and a stronger connection to open formats. ONLYOFFICE feels more streamlined, more familiar to Microsoft Office users, and often more comfortable in collaboration-heavy workflows built around Microsoft's file formats.

If you value breadth, flexibility, and open standards, LibreOffice is the stronger choice. If you value familiarity, simplicity, and smoother Office-style compatibility, ONLYOFFICE may be the one for you. Of course, these are just my recommendations, but ultimately, the choice is really yours.

LibreOffice vs ONLYOFFICE - Which One Is Right For You?

Both are solid open source office suites but which one should you choose? This in-depth article compares LibreOffice and ONLYOFFICE across features, usability, and real-world experience.

itsfoss.com

 

[Parkinsond]

LibreOffice:
- faster
- less resource usage
- more features and customization
- does not require visual c++ redistrib

OnlyOffice:
- Sleek UI
- PDF editor and better PDF viewer

 

[Halp2001]

Interesting contrast of perspectives.

In any software choice, the key isn't just the number of features or the aesthetic, but how well the tools align with the "daily battlefield": compatibility, resource consumption, and interface clarity.

Those who recognize their own priorities and adjust their strategy accordingly will find a solid ally in either of these suites.

 

[n8chavez]

OnlyOffice has better import/export filters That really should matter most to most people. Like it or not, .docx, xlsx, and .pptx are the worldwide standard. Completely compatibility with them is critical.

And the LibreOffice interface in just God-awful.

 

[rashmi]

It appears Collabora Office recently released a new edition, Collabora Office Desktop. It's available on the Microsoft Store and is free.

 

[Parkinsond]

It appears Collabora Office recently released a new edition, Collabora Office Desktop. It's available on the Microsoft Store and is free.

Some feedback on Reddit claims it has some bugs compared to LO; in addition, does not have standalone installer, only store version.

 

[vonvon]

I have been using OnlyOffice for years and I am very satisfied with its overall ergonomics and excellent compatibility with ***. ...x (ms office) formats. I am very satisfied with it.

 

[Back3]

“I used LibreOffice for five years, but then it stopped working. I installed Java and was able to keep using it for a few more years, until it stopped working again. Since December, I’ve been using OnlyOffice. It meets my basic needs.”

 

[Parkinsond]

I installed Java and was able to keep using it for a few more years, until it stopped working again

I'm running LibreOffice without Java; one of the reason I do not prefer OnlyOffice is installing visual c++ bundled.

 

[n8chavez]

It appears Collabora Office recently released a new edition, Collabora Office Desktop. It's available on the Microsoft Store and is free.

I was not able to use this. After installing it, it did nothing upon launch. Nothing ever launched.

 

[Sorrento]

I've used Softmaker Office paid in the past & FreeOffice by Softmaker recently & OnlyOffice but OnlyOffice does all & want & simplicity to setup, works well here, cant stand the interface of LibreOffice

 

[Parkinsond]

I've used Softmaker Office paid in the past & FreeOffice by Softmaker recently & OnlyOffice but OnlyOffice does all & want & simplicity to setup, works well here, cant stand the interface of LibreOffice

Customizable; easier for my eyes with big icons.

 

[Sorrento]

Looks horrendous on a 32" screen @ 4K though

 

[Parkinsond]

Looks horrendous on a 32" screen @ 4K though

I do not expect much from free software; they have insufficient resources for development.

 

[rashmi]

I was not able to use this. After installing it, it did nothing upon launch. Nothing ever launched.

 

[RoboMan]

I personally don't find LibreOffice ugly! I like it. I personally couldn't test compatibility issues with MS Office formats. I've only exported to .docx and .xlsx but never tried it on a MS Office computer. But never had complaints.

 

[Sorrento]

The question the OP asked was:

LibreOffice vs ONLYOFFICE - Which One Is Right For You?

I feel OnlyOffice is the one I prefer, having tried them all, my answer was just my opinion, there are maybe reasons to use others (such as 365) & as I don't use such suites as I did in the past its maybe not that that relevant, but to me & myself Libre looks dreadful to me, & I'm not that fussy actually, each to their own.

 

[Miravi]

I'm pleased with how far LibreOffice has come over the years. It might not be everyone's favorite UI, but it's actually taken tremendous work to make the UI toolkit (VCL) look reasonably modern across all platforms, still depending mostly on C++ for native software power. The rendering engines have been modernized recently and work well.

Also, the new Sukapura icon theme is pretty nice. Neutral and up-to-date.

It may be free software, but most of the coding is done by commercial partners. Enterprise clients pay for quality code and continuous software improvements. Google also frequently sponsors development through the Google Summer of Code.

 

[lokamoka820]

I didn't use LibreOffice on Windows to tell how it looked, but I used it on a Linux because it was pre-installed, and it looked good.

 

[simmerskool]

I've used LibreOffice for a long time in both windows & linux. It looks the way it looks (I never really noticed) and works for me.