LibreOffice

I have used LibreOffice since 2012 for a client company that sought a free, open-source alternative to Microsoft Office. This company was reorganizing itself after emerging from bankruptcy and needed a low-cost, quality, easy-to-use office suite of applications that rivaled Microsoft Office. I installed LibreOffice for all users, and they never looked back. I previously gave this suite, primarily Writer and Calc, an 8 out of 10 in a review, but my client is now using version 25.2.7.2, and I keep myself quite fluent in the suite to answer user questions, and I’ve revised my rating to a 9 out of 10 due to the continuous improvements. The main business problems this suite addresses are cost-containment, compatibility, and ease of use for nearly 100 users who would not be considered computer savvy by any stretch of the imagination. Occasionally, new hires initially grumble, but within a very short time of using LibreOffice, they generally settle in and find they love it. And, with each new version, it gets more user-friendly, and the user support required gets less and less. A win-win!

• LibreOffice is free, open source software, so there is no cost, and it does that without sacrificing much, if anything.
• For businesses starting up, or those in very competitive markets, or with extremely tight margins, LibreOffice is the way to go.

WPS Office, Google Workspace and Microsoft 365

Intuit TurboTax, Notepad++, SoftEther VPN, Foxit PDF Editor

LibreOffice really does punch above its weight. A lot of people underestimate it until they actually try building custom calculations in Calc or drafting longer documents in Writer, and then they realize it’s not just “good for free”—it’s genuinely capable. Styles and templates in Writer are extremely powerful once you get the hang of them. Extensions and add‑ons can expand the suite with dictionaries, templates, and automation tools.

• Kept my monthly cost down.
• I was able to create work for clients with less overhead.

Microsoft 365, Adobe Illustrator CC, Adobe InDesign

I use LibreOffice daily. Because of my job function, I use the Calc software way more than any other. I switched from Excel to LibreOffice because, starting with Excel 2007, they started requiring much more mouse usage (they said you can still use the same keystrokes, but some of the key combinations I often used, did not work). I started looking for alternatives and started with OpenOffice, then LibreOffice. When I have to use Excel, I find it getting in the way of so many things that I breeze right through, with LibreOffice. I am now far more productive than I would have been with Excel.

• LibreOffice, especially Calc, has made me far more efficient, in my job function, than I ever could have been with Excel.
• LibreOffice does not put me in a frustrated or angry mood each time I use it.
• LibreOffice helps me to spend more time analyzing the data I'm working with, rather than fighting the software, just make it allow me to do what I need to do.

Microsoft Excel, Apache OpenOffice Calc and WordPerfect Office

QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, Prevail Case Management System, CyberLink U

LibreOffice is being used in our organisation on some of the workstations as an open source and free office suite. It has sufficient number of applications in it to get most office work related tasks done i.e. Document, spreadsheet and presentations. Although it includes some more apps, we use mainly these 3 apps.

• Budget savings as it is free and open source.
• Easy to use GUI and features richness makes it the perfect app to use in almost all occasions.

Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Powerpoint

Slack

The moment we get a new laptop into our company out goes all the bloated Microsoft ware and on goes Libre Office. it is the smoothest way to get up and running for the least amount of cost.

• Cost
• Update frequency
• Intuitive interface
• Syncs well with other files

• This has saved us SO MUCH money! As a non-profit we are forever grateful.
• We appreciate not getting sucked into the MS app drain on systems and cost
• It's helped us on a daily basis for over 6 years, we are very thankful for it.

Microsoft 365

Adobe Acrobat, GIMP, QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Thunderbird