~/tools/office
Office Suites
last updated 2026-06-17 · 5 recommendations · what changed
Google Docs and Microsoft 365 mean every document you write is readable by the
platform and synced to their cloud by default. The alternatives below
keep documents local-first or end-to-end encrypted: your drafts stay
yours, whether that's a file on disk or ciphertext on someone else's server.
what actually matters
local-first vs cloud-required
Does the suite work fully offline with files you own, or does it need an account and a server to function at all?
format compatibility
Everyone else sends .docx and .xlsx. Fidelity on open/save round-trips (fonts, layout, formulas) is what makes a switch survivable.
encryption for cloud/collab
If documents sync or multiple people edit live, is that traffic and storage end-to-end encrypted, or just HTTPS to a server that can read everything?
recommendations
OnlyOffice
the default pick
open source coreself-hostabledesktop appstrong .docx/.xlsx fidelityfree
The strongest Microsoft format fidelity of any non-Microsoft suite: documents
round-trip through .docx/.xlsx/.pptx with fewer surprises than the
alternatives. Open source at the core, usable as a standalone
desktop app with no account at all, or self-hosted if you want real-time
collaboration on infrastructure you control. The default starting point for
most people leaving Microsoft or Google.
good
- Best-in-class compatibility with Office file formats
- Desktop app needs no account and no internet connection
- Self-hostable for E2EE-adjacent collaboration on your own server
- Open source core with an active project behind it
mind the
- The hosted/cloud version is a separate commercial product; read which one you're using
- Self-hosting real-time collaboration takes real setup effort
- Some enterprise-grade format edge cases still slip in complex files
LibreOffice
the classic pick
open sourcefully offlineno account everexcellent format supportfree
The free, open-source desktop suite that's been the default Microsoft Office
alternative for over a decade. Fully offline, no account, no
cloud: write, save, done. Format support across .docx/.xlsx/.pptx is
excellent and improves every release, backed by a large, active open-source
community.
good
- Completely free, open source, no account required at any point
- Works fully offline by design; there's no cloud mode to opt out of
- Mature, actively developed, huge install base means bugs get found fast
mind the
- No built-in real-time multi-user collaboration
- Complex Office macros and embedded objects can still misbehave on open
- UI feels dated next to Google Docs or Microsoft 365
OpenOffice
the legacy pick
open sourcefully offlinepredecessor to libreofficeslow developmentfree
The project LibreOffice forked from in 2010. LibreOffice is the
actively maintained continuation: it inherited the codebase and kept
moving, while OpenOffice's development pace has slowed considerably under the
Apache Software Foundation. It still works, and some people stick with it out
of familiarity, but there isn't a compelling reason to start here today.
good
- Free, open source, no account: same baseline as LibreOffice
- Familiar interface for anyone who used it pre-fork
mind the
- Development has slowed considerably since the LibreOffice fork
- Fewer format-compatibility and security fixes land here, and slower
- For most people, LibreOffice is simply the better version of this
CryptPad
the encrypted-collab pick
e2eezero-knowledge serverreal-time collaborationopen sourcefree tier
Real-time collaborative documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more, in
the browser, like Google Docs, except the server can't read any of
it. End-to-end encrypted and zero-knowledge by design, open source,
and the closest thing going to "Google Docs but the server can't read it."
The pick when live multi-person editing matters and encryption isn't optional.
good
- Genuine real-time collaboration, fully end-to-end encrypted
- Zero-knowledge server: operators can't read your documents
- Open source, self-hostable if you want full control
mind the
- Office format import/export is functional but not as faithful as OnlyOffice/LibreOffice
- Free tier has storage and feature limits
- Browser-based: no offline-first desktop app
Fileverse
the one to watch
decentralizede2eeuser-owned dataearlier-stagefree
A newer, decentralized/web3-adjacent take on collaborative documents,
emphasizing user-owned data and end-to-end encryption rather than a company
holding the master copy. The ideas are right, but it's meaningfully
less established than everything else on this page: smaller team,
shorter track record, less battle-testing. Worth watching, not yet a default
recommendation for documents that matter.
good
- End-to-end encrypted with a genuine user-ownership model
- Decentralized architecture avoids a single corporate custodian
- Free to use, actively iterating
- Shipped a second product (dSheets) alongside dDocs, expanding beyond a single tool
mind the
- Early-stage project: far less track record than CryptPad or the desktop suites
- Format compatibility and feature depth are still catching up
- Web3/decentralized tooling adds unfamiliar failure modes for non-technical users
at a glance
"format compatibility" refers to round-tripping .docx/.xlsx/.pptx without losing formatting.
worth knowing
Test with your actual files before fully switching.
OnlyOffice and LibreOffice both handle everyday .docx/.xlsx well, but complex
macros, embedded objects, and unusual formatting can still misbehave across
any non-Microsoft suite. Open your real documents (the ones with tables,
tracked changes, and that one macro someone wrote in 2014) before committing.