LibreOffice vs Square 9

Google Docs

Google Drive

Google Workspace

Google Docs is an online word processor that lets businesses create and format text documents and collaborate with team members in real time.

Google Drive is a cloud storage and backup platform to access files, docs, photos & more, store them in a safe place, and collaborate with other people

Google Workspace is a suite of applications from Google which offers a number of tools to communicate and collaborate with colleagues, store files, and manage data from all devices.

Web Administrator

It lakes the technical support. Once I have difficulty of installing it on my Windows 8.1 laptop its installation got stuck and I got no help from anywhere.

IT Specialist

Its open-source nature fosters a strong community of developers and users, contributing to frequent updates and robust support.

LibreOffice is a cloud-based and on-premise suite of applications designed to help businesses, charities, and government organizations create, edit, and manage documents, spreadsheets, presentations, graphs, drawings, mathematical formulas, and more.

Access Controls/Permissions

Activity Dashboard

Archiving & Retention

Collaboration Tools

Commenting/Notes

Content Publishing Options

Customizable Templates

Data Import/Export

Document Capture

Document Classification

Document Editing

Document Generation

Document Management

Document Review

Document Storage

Drag & Drop

Electronic Signature

File Conversion

File Recovery

File Sharing

Full Text Search

Image Editing

Metadata Extraction

Multi-Language

Office Suite

Offline Access

Presentation Tools

Productivity Tools

Search/Filter

Secure Data Storage

Text Editing

Reviews for LibreOffice come from a wide variety of industries, including Computer Software (10% of reviewers), Information Technology and Services (10%), and Higher Education (4%). The most frequent use case for LibreOffice cited by reviewers is document management (79% of reviewers).

Users and use cases

Most reviewers indicate that LibreOffice delivers exceptional value for money since it is free and rivals paid alternatives in core features. Some reviewers feel it lacks certain advanced functionalities, integrations, and customer support found in commercial products.

Value for money

The LibreOffice integration most frequently cited by reviewers is Google Drive, a cloud storage product rated 4.4 out of 5 for its integration with LibreOffice.

Integrations

LibreOffice is a document management tool with key features that include text editing, data import/export, document generation, office suite capabilities, file conversion, and more.

Open Source

LibreOffice

Web-based

Windows

Linux

Android

iPhone

iPad

Microsoft 365

Apache OpenOffice

Microsoft Word

Microsoft PowerPoint

WordPerfect Office

Pages

Basic

Sluggish performance with large files

Researcher

It has trouble handling long documents. When I edit dissertations of 100 or more pages, LibreOffice can become sluggish and responds poorly.  

61% of reviewers feel negative about LibreOffice’s performance and speed. Users commonly report slow load times, laggy response, and unresponsiveness when working with large or complex documents, especially spreadsheets. They say operations that are quick in other office suites can be slow or cumbersome in LibreOffice. Reviewers highlight that the software may stall, freeze, or become sluggish during intensive tasks, and that startup times can be lengthy. Many feel that performance issues hinder productivity, particularly on lower-end hardware or with files containing extensive data.

Outdated design and graphics

Trauma Therapist 

If you are a more advanced Microsoft Office user, you will not enjoy the basic appearance of Libre Office or the reduced functionality.

50% of reviewers feel negative about LibreOffice’s design and graphics. Users often mention that the interface and visual elements look dated compared to modern office suites. They say the color palettes, fonts, and chart styles lack polish and customization options, making documents and presentations appear less professional. Reviewers find it challenging to create or edit graphics, flowcharts, and images, and note that the drawing tools are less intuitive. Many feel the overall aesthetic is uninspiring, and some struggle with image handling, formatting, and print quality.

Limited templates and confusing menus

51% of reviewers feel negative about LibreOffice’s menus and templates. Users report difficulty finding features due to deeply nested or confusing menu structures, especially when transitioning from Microsoft Office. They say templates and formatting options are limited, making it harder to create visually appealing documents quickly. Reviewers mention that menu layouts and icon organization can be unintuitive, and advanced settings are sometimes hard to locate. Many note compatibility issues with templates when exchanging files with other office suites, leading to formatting inconsistencies.

Frequent crashes and instability

65% of reviewers feel negative about LibreOffice’s bugs and stability. Users often experience unexpected crashes, freezes, and data loss, particularly when handling large or complex files. They say the software can become unstable without warning, sometimes requiring document recovery or leading to lost work. Reviewers mention recurring issues with file compatibility, formatting errors, and glitches when opening or saving documents. Many find these problems disruptive, especially in professional or academic settings where reliability is crucial, and note that instability can undermine confidence in the software.

Dated and unintuitive interface

Postdoctoral Researcher

The user interface, while functional, can also feel less polished or less intuitive than some commercial alternatives, particularly for new users.

Editorial Coordinator

The interface isn't as smooth or as polished as Office, nor is it as streamlined as Google's Sheets or Docs.

51% of reviewers feel negative about LibreOffice’s user interface. Users frequently describe the interface as outdated, bland, or less visually appealing compared to commercial alternatives. They say navigation can be confusing, with important features hard to find or poorly organized. Reviewers mention that the interface lacks modern design elements and is not as intuitive for new users, especially those accustomed to Microsoft Office. Many feel the graphical environment needs a significant update to improve usability, accessibility, and overall user experience.

No licensing hassles or costs

Professor

LibreOffice Writer performed complicated works with own styles, cross references, tables of contents and footnotes without additional plug-ins and license fee issues allowing me to make everything fit exactly to my academic format requirements.

91% of reviewers feel positive about LibreOffice’s licensing model. Users appreciate being able to install the software on unlimited devices without worrying about expensive licenses or subscriptions. They say this is especially helpful for businesses, educational institutions, and individuals who need office tools on multiple computers. Reviewers mention that LibreOffice removes barriers related to license management, allowing easy access and distribution. They find it valuable for organizations with limited budgets or those seeking to avoid recurring costs, and note that it provides full functionality without hidden fees.

Viable Microsoft Office alternative

Telecom Technician

LibreOffice is an excellent alternative to Microsoft Office on Linux operating systems.

Owner

Let me just say that for free LibreOffice is a fantastic alternative to Microsoft  Office.  

99% of reviewers feel positive about LibreOffice as an alternative to Microsoft Office. Users frequently mention switching to LibreOffice to avoid high costs or licensing restrictions of Microsoft products. They say LibreOffice provides similar functionality for word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations, making it suitable for everyday tasks. Reviewers highlight its reliability, especially on Linux systems, and note that it’s a solid choice for those who want a free, robust, and cross-platform office suite. Many appreciate that it covers most needs without sacrificing essential features.

Open source flexibility and savings

Teacher

This means that I can download and use it without any cost and have access to the source code, allowing for customization and community-driven development.2.

Subprioress / Vice President

LibreOffice is open-source software, meaning that anyone who has the skills can contribute to its development. And although The Document Foundation, which manages the development of LibreOffice, always appreciates donations, the software itself is free of charge.

97% of reviewers feel positive about LibreOffice being open source. Users value the ability to access, modify, and contribute to the software’s code, which fosters community-driven development and transparency. They say open source status means no licensing fees, making it ideal for budget-conscious individuals and organizations. Reviewers highlight the ethical appeal and flexibility to customize features. Many mention that the open source community ensures regular updates, broad compatibility, and a wealth of templates and extensions, supporting a wide range of needs without vendor lock-in.

AI Researcher

It is a great tool for document editing, and a very light memory footprint, which is a high value all for free, with ease of use and simplicity comparable to proprietary software like Microsoft Office, and it provides may customization functions and navigation options that can help writing and creating in many packages.

Writer is particularly strong for long-form academic documents, as it handles styles, references, footnotes, and large files very well, which is essential when working on journal articles or collaborative reports.

It is stable, powerful, and more than sufficient for the majority of academic research tasks, from drafting manuscripts to preparing figures and tables for publication.

School Administrator

Document management software, free software to do everything we need to do with our records from students records to curriculum plans.

Operations Manager

LibreOffice is a fully featured office suite that competes well with similar Microsoft and Google products. But, LibreOffice is free, making is the best value available.

Yes, there are features that staff complain about not having, but it serves the purposes of our administration when we need newer textbooks or Office licenses, and we can't afford to pay for it.

Billing and Accounts Administrator

It enabled us to supply the entire staff with workplace tools at no incremental cost and allocate the budget to core telecom software instead.

Operations

I am in the TEXT document every single day multiple times, and use the Sheets function every morning.

The constant upgrades can gum up the system, and the formating doesn't always translate into other files.

Specifically Draw is so stable and good that once there was a need to convert a landscape PPT from a client to portrait so I can print it, something that I would prefer Affinity Publisher any other day, but this would require some exporting that I simple didn't had time to do, and Draw managed just fine to open the PPT and had the tools to let me re-arrange everything and export to a PDF file that I then printed as booklet.

Owner - Administrator

They offer more functions than Word to protect them from being copied  I also use it to create short ebooks for my courses, art and to sell digital information.

Project Manager

Found a few glitches on opening slide in .odp file: if larger fonts are used, they seem to get condensed with character overlapping one another, totally unreadable.

There are some PowerPoints that have been created by district office that will not curve in the correct order.

Journal Editor

Compatibility with a few editors may shift tracked changes or styling, so testing is prudent before submitting external drafts for review.

Founder and Marketing Strategist

It takes more menu hunting than it ever should to find certain features, which I need to accomplish quite often.

Sometimes I find it not the best to have a clear and simple user interface, and the work using the writer is overwhelming.

Its compatibility with multiple file formats, including Microsoft Office documents, ensures smooth transitions and collaborations.

Manager

Libreoffice is the free open source version of Microsoft products. And I use Libreoffice Calc (Excel) and writer (word) daily

The slight differences in macros and function shortcut keys commonly used in Microsoft takes a little getting used to, but they are not hurdles that cannot be overcome.

It is a great tool for small businesses on a tight budget. Though it is a free software, it has many of the features common to Microsoft applications.

LibreOffice fits the bill for a school on a tight budget.

Software Developer Senior

I use it because my workstation is a mac and doesn't have a MS Access equivalent for simple visual database projects.

Writer

LibreOffice offers a complete set of office tools that performs exceptionally well in team collaboration settings involving  many members

LibreOffice stands out for its powerful features, particularly in Writer, Calc, and Impress, which rival those of paid alternatives.

Author

I've never had a problem with creating any documents or with anyone being able to read them upon my sending them.

Proofreader, Translator

I use it to write and edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.

Most people do not need the advanced features available in Microsoft Word or Excel and so this office productivity suite works beautifully.  

It is as easy to set up and learn as any other software without all of the security doubt that comes with browser based software.

Software engineer and owner

For more complex files the output is sometimes messed up when there are headers/ footers, or background images.

Senior Coordinator

I have also encountered certain bumps of saving files in particular formats.

User

Files made in LibreOffice tends to change formats when opened in Google Docs or MsOffice.

Leader

Sometimes formatting by come become me troublesome and you can’t see files designed as they were in Microsoft office.

The program's free cost is its main  benefit but it lacks the ability to connect with modern workplace tools.

I would highly recommend it to anyone who doesn't have the budget to pay for software for documents, sheets and presentations.

Quite a good impression, needs more effort to match up with ms office compatibility.

HR consultant

Limited in options compared to MS and the document does not open on some devices

I've been using LibreOffice for years and have yet to have to pay for a word proccessing software.

Accountant

LibreOffice is a powerful, free office suite with strong file compatibility.

It does everything I needed Excel to do as a basic user and its free.

owner

I think open office is not bad but this version of Libre has more file saving formats.

Docs, pptx, and xlsx but also the open formats odt, odd.

Shift Leader

It is one of the best word processors around with excellent layout abilities, has a great presentation app and even has some database abilities.  

responsável

LibreOffice is a cost-effective application, which I enjoy using considering the functions it has that meet my expectations and needs, I have good productivity with the application.

It is also open source and has various features and functionality which make it great for normal users.

Freelance writer

It also allows you to create documents as well as edit them, which is sorely lacking in some free writing platforms.

It is a full suite of office applications that for most people will do more than just fine.

Love it because I can create word documents easily and save them.

Reviewers indicate that LibreOffice provides efficient document management, allowing users to easily organize, store, and retrieve files in various formats. Users report that LibreOffice supports open document standards and offers options for saving in Microsoft-compatible formats, aiding in interoperability. They find document management in LibreOffice intuitive, with helpful search and indexing functions. Some users mention the ability to specify directories and folders, making it easy to keep documents organized and accessible. Of the 38 LibreOffice users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Document Management, 82% rated this feature as important or highly important.

Pricing

Reviewers feel that LibreOffice offers a comprehensive office suite, including word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and vector graphics in a single, coordinated package. Users report that LibreOffice is a free, open-source alternative to Microsoft Office, with a mature and highly compatible set of applications. They find the suite lightweight, easy to use, and suitable for both personal and business needs. Reviewers appreciate the absence of subscription fees and the high value provided by LibreOffice's office suite. Of the 34 LibreOffice users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Office Suite, 97% rated this feature as important or highly important.

File Saving

Licensing

Spreadsheet and Presentation

User Interface

Presentation Creation

Features

Bugs and Issues

Small Business

Mid-size Business

Large Enterprises

Freelancers

The Document Foundation

OneDrive

OneDrive is a secure access, sharing, and file storage solution which enables users to store and share photos, videos, documents, and more at anytime, via any device.

Info Sec Lead

Response time combined with the depth and breadth of knowledge by support is amazing.

We haven't had to call Support too often and when we were deploying Square 9 they were always helpful and fantastic, treating our business like their business.

Square 9 is an enterprise content and document management platform that helps businesses streamline document capture, web forms, and other business process automation tools to automate processes.

LibreOffice vs Square 9 Comparison (2026)

LibreOffice

Square 9

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives