LibreOffice--Free is Good. But is Free Good Enough?
December 07, 2021

LibreOffice--Free is Good. But is Free Good Enough?

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with LibreOffice

I used LibreOffice to write my dissertation. I also used it for years to write academic articles and to develop teaching materials for my students. One of the things that is important to me as an academic writer is to be able to use plug-ins that connect my word processor with my bibliography manager.
  • Word Processing.
  • Basic Styles.
  • Compiling chapters into a book-sized project.
  • More advanced Style options.
  • Consistent integration with bibliography management software.
  • Group authoring.
  • Cost.
  • Compatibility.
  • Basic Word Processing Functionality.
  • The ROI seems high, since the software is free.
  • Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365)
LibreOffice is an easy choice if you don't have access to a free copy of Microsoft 365. LibreOffice is also much easier to use on Linux. But it does fall short in terms of collaboration with Microsoft users and consistency with advanced features such as custom Styles and Bibliography Software integration.

Do you think LibreOffice delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with LibreOffice's feature set?

Yes

Did LibreOffice live up to sales and marketing promises?

I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process

Did implementation of LibreOffice go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy LibreOffice again?

Yes

Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365), Zotero, Ubuntu Linux
LibreOffice is a great option if you don't have access to a free copy of Microsoft Office. It includes all of the basic functionality of MS Office for the price of free. But if you need some of the more advanced features and if the rest of your colleagues tend to use MS Office, then it's not worth struggling against the tide.