Software & apps

10 Best Free Word Processing Software: Features, Packages and Apps of Word Processor

You don’t have a license for MS Word? Or are you looking for an alternative to MS Word? When you want to type something on your computer, the first software that comes to your mind is MS Word. For it is the most popular and mostly used everywhere from schools, colleges, to offices & even your home. However, MS Word is not free software, and you need to pay for it, just as a subscription. That alone makes most of us set out to search for a word processing software that is free of cost and has the maximum features inculcated into it.

In this post, we will discuss some of the best free word processors available in the market. Read on!

The Best Free Word Processing Software

1. WPS Office’s Writer

Image Courtesy: WPS Office

You might have heard of Kingsoft Office, which was a popular office application suite quite a few years ago, It has now been rechristened to WPS Office and is more presentable with many new features. The word processing application in the suite is known as Writer, and it supports many types of interface layouts like full-screen mode, dual page, hide menu mode, eye-protective mode, which colors the pages with a slight tint of green.

WPS Office writer allows the users to create cover pages, table of contents, add custom dictionaries, encrypt documents, and much more. You can download WPS writer from the official website, free of cost.

Pros:
It includes many free templates
1 GB of cloud storage
Automatic Spell Check
Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS and Android
Cons:
Users need to download the entire suite of apps to use the Writer.
Has fewer features than MS WORD.

Download WPS Office

Also Read: 7 Best Alternatives Of Microsoft Office In 2020

2. TextMaker From FreeOffice

Text Maker is a free word processing from the office suite provided by Free Office. The user interface is similar to MS Word Processing software, where you can choose between a classic menu style and a ribbon style. Users have access to many options like making eBooks, Export PDF or EPUB, creating a table of contents, and chapters along with footnotes. Other features include the ability to preview documents, add comments and objects, use shapes and track changes.

 

Pros:
Opens and Saves all the common file formats
Users can convert documents into eBooks
Built-in Spell Check
Free for use
Cons:
The entire suite must be downloaded
The file size is quite large.

Download FreeOffice

Also Read: Best G Suite Alternatives for Professionals Users

3. Open Office Writer

Image Source: Open Office

One of the few best free word processors which support portability with the help of a flash disk is Open Office writer. But that is not the unique feature, Open Office Writer also allows the users to add notes to the side of a document and facilitates wizards, which can automate and ease the process of creating letters, faxes and agendas.

Open Office writer also lets the user unlock all the settings to make the entire interface blank and available for writing only. The other parameters include adding images in the document, editing and formatting styles and page properties and many more, making it better than MS Word processing software.

Pros:
Supports multiple file formats
Supports extensions and templates
Auto Spell Check
Portable Extension
Cons:
Download speed was very slow when tried from different connections.
Downloading the entire suite consumes a lot of unnecessary data.
Interface is not appealing.

Download OpenOffice

Also Read: The Best Thesaurus Apps for Writers

4. WordGraph

Image Courtesy: SSuite Word Graph Editor

Word Graph is the best free word processor, which can access files stored on cloud services like OneDrive and Dropbox. It also allows the users to add content in the form of charts, illustrations, tables, graphics etc. to your document. The WordGraph can also create PDFs, table of contents, indexes from a simple document.

Word graph also includes a spell checker, but it does not run automatically, and the user has to check the document for errors after completing the document manually. However, it can be downloaded as a standalone instead of downloading the entire suite of office applications.

 

Pros:
Can be downloaded separately
Download size is small and installs very quickly
Has many advanced and unique features.
Cons:
Manual spell check
Interface is not attractive

Download WordGraph

5. AbleWord

If you are looking for a free and simple word processor, then Able Word is the software you need to install on your computer. It has an easy to use interface that also looks pretty decent. Additionally, the software is swift and supports all major file types. There are no confusing settings and features with no clutter of unnecessary buttons.

It is supported on all Windows operating systems and can also import a PDF and convert it into a document. However, it does not have an automatic spell checker, and the user has to perform a manual scanning after the document is done.

Pros:
One of the most simple and clean user interface
Opens and saves popular file formats
All common formatting styles are present
Cons:
No auto Spell check
No updates for a long time

Download AbleWord

6. AbiWord

Image Courtesy: AbiWord

Another one on the list of the best word processing software is Abiword, which has automatic spell check and auto-saving feature. The interface is well organized and not cluttered or confusing. AbiWord allows the users to share the documents with others on a real-time basis with changes made reflecting on both sides.

Other extra features include grammar checker, Google Search, equation editor, web dictionary and many others as well. The software is 100 percent functional but has been removed from the official website and is available on Softpedia.

Pros:
Automatic Spell Check
Automatic Saving
Supports all file types
Supports plugins
Cons:
Has not been updated for a long time.
Interface is primitive
Print preview has specific issues

Download AbiWord

7. Jarte

Image Courtesy: Jarte

Like AbiWord, Jarte also allows the users to open multiple tabs in one interface and open various documents. Users can also install different dictionaries during setup to provide a vast range of words. The advance configuration can be set to open the last file that you were working upon when the program is launched afresh. It is supported on all Windows operating systems from XP to 10.

 

Pros:
Layout customizations have many options
Autosave Feature Present
Documents can be opened in different tabs
Supports all common formats
Portable
Cons:
Manual Spell Check
The interface is not very easy to use
Has not been updated since 2018

Download Jarte

8. WriteMonkey

Image Source: Write Monkey

Write Monkey, a simple best free word processor that provides an interface with no distractions at all and is dedicated to capturing the Writer’s mind with focus. To access any option or setting, the users will have to make a right-click to open the menu. Once the menu option is highlighted, the users can open developer tools and make the required changes.

Pros:
Portable
Simple interface
Works on Windows, Mac and Linux.
Cons:
Spell check absent
The installation file is enormous.

Download WriteMonkey

9. RoughDraft

Rough Draft is a free word processor that supports RTF. TXT and DOC files only and has an auto spell check feature. It allows shortcut keys for every command and also enables users to change the mode of writing from Normal, Screenplay, Stage Play and Prose. The application interface includes a file browser that can keep up to 100 files open. Users can choose which document they want to write on, and then continue with having to open and close each document.

 

Pros:
Automatic Spell Check
Shortcut keys work fine
Multiple documents open in a tab format
Cons:
Hasn’t been an update from a long time
Support limited file formats

Download RoughDraft

10. FocusWriter

Image Source: FocusWriter

FocusWriter is the last one on the list of best word processing software, which is regularly updated and has a minimal interface. The interface automatically hides all menus and buttons so that the Writer can focus without obstructions. The full-screen mode blocks all other activities to be displayed on the computer.

FocusWriter includes an alarm that is set with regards to your typing goals. It runs on all major platforms like Windows, macOS and Linux. FocusWriter supports all basic formats and editing with an application of colourful themes.

Pros:
The interface can be customized
Portable
Colors and layouts can be changed.
Cons:
Does not support RTF documents.

Download FocusWriter

Which One Did You Choose from the Best Word Processing Software?

That concludes the list of the best free word processors among a hundred others. The software described in this list are free of cost and can be easily installed. Although some of them are not being updated, these software are stable versions and have reached the best of their capacity when you compare them to a word processing software. Do not expect any high-end features like MS Word as those premium features have a price to pay.

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