Skilled’s Ranking
Professionals
- Helps importing a variety of file codecs, together with Apple iWork and Microsoft 365
- Presents native apps on the most well-liked platforms, together with desktop and cellular
- Packs quite a few, helpful templates, a few of that are accessible offline
- Features a plugin library to increase the app’s performance
Cons
- Can’t export new information in Apple’s Pages, Numbers, and Keynote codecs
Our Verdict
It’s a Microsoft 365 clone that helps the most well-liked doc codecs, packs within the generally used modifying options and it’s fully free, what’s to not like?
Worth When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Greatest Pricing In the present day
Greatest Costs In the present day: OnlyOffice for Mac
Microsoft 365 (previously Workplace), Google Docs, and Apple’s free iWork (which incorporates Pages, Keynote and Numbers) are arguably the three hottest productiveness suites for Mac customers. Microsoft’s choice is perceived because the business normal by many, and academic establishments are inclined to depend on its companies. Google Docs, albeit web-based, has equally been adopted by the lots because of its free providing and ease of real-time collaboration. iWork, though not as sensible, additionally gives free and dependable instruments for these within the Apple bubble. However what if none of those suites go well with you?
Happily, there are many alternate options, together with free and open-source software program (FOSS) with stable reputations. OnlyOffice is one among them, replicating the Microsoft 365 expertise—sans the subscription charges. Is it any good, although?
OnlyOffice first impressions
OnlyOffice is obtainable without cost on macOS, iPadOS, iOS, Home windows, Android, and Linux. For this overview, I put in model 8.3.2 of the app—the newest on the time of writing—on a MacBook Air M2 operating macOS 15 Sequoia 15.4. Whereas some App Retailer critiques recommend the iPhone and iPad shoppers endure from irritating bugs, like random crashes, the Mac expertise has usually been very steady on my finish. In actual fact, I struggled to discover a single situation with this app.
Upon launching OnlyOffice, you’ll be greeted by a clear, ad-free display screen showcasing its most important sections. You may create a doc (.docx), spreadsheet (.xlsx), presentation (.pptx), or PDF file from scratch or choose from the present templates. Some templates can be found for offline use whereas the remaining require an energetic web connection to obtain when creating a brand new file. These allow you to rapidly compose an bill, calendar, guidelines, proposal, and so forth.
Alternatively, you may launch an current file saved domestically in your laptop or one of many supported cloud storage companies, comparable to Nextcloud. No matter what you go for, the app runs fluidly, and I’ve but to come across my first critical bug.
Foundry
Paperwork
When it comes to structure and performance, OnlyOffice’s doc editor resembles Microsoft Phrase. You may alter the font, colours, formatting, alignment, and extra in supported information. You equally get to insert shapes, tables, equations, symbols, and so forth. A number of the suitable codecs embody DOCX, DOC, TXT, HTML, and EPUB.
It’s price noting that you just seemingly can’t export a file in Apple’s .pages format except the unique file was created within the Pages app. However, you possibly can import, edit, and save these proprietary information in OnlyOffice simply fantastic.
Foundry
Past the basics, you possibly can defend doc information, encrypt them, add your signature, view their phrase rely, set the creator, and so forth. And should you’ve related a suitable cloud service, you possibly can collaborate remotely with different customers to make edits in actual time.
One in every of my favourite options is the built-in plugin library that allows you to depend on much more functionalities in a doc. So, for instance, you may add a third-party AI assistant to investigate your file and assist you form its content material.
Spreadsheets
Likewise, OnlyOffice’s spreadsheet editor affords a Microsoft Excel-like expertise. You may carry out all the actions you’d count on from such software program, together with fixing formulation, constructing dynamic charts, analyzing information, and illustrating. You may import XLXS, XLTX, CSV, OTS, and Numbers information, whereas exporting, as talked about above, excludes the .numbers format for non-Apple information.
Foundry
Displays
You guessed it, the presentation editor in OnlyOffice certainly mimics Microsoft PowerPoint. By default, you’ve obtained a number of slide layouts that allow you to simply prepare the specified content material, be it textual content or media, on the display screen. The app additionally affords a plethora of animation and transition kinds, letting you carry your work to life.
Just like the recognized alternate options, you too can set customized backgrounds, insert hyperlinks, graphs, and photographs, and preview the ultimate consequence. A number of the codecs you possibly can import embody PPTX, PPT, PPSX, ODP, and Keynote.
Foundry
PDFs
Final however not least, OnlyOffice features a primary PDF viewer and editor. In contrast to Apple’s native Preview app, OnlyOffice permits you to really tweak the content material in a PDF doc, so you possibly can tweak the textual content and add shapes, drop-down menus, and fields for viewers to fill in. That’s along with the common annotation instruments, comparable to highlighting and doodling.
It’s actually not as superior as a devoted, premium PDF editor. Nevertheless, since OnlyOffice primarily acts as a free various to Phrase, Excel, and PowerPoint, it’s actually a welcome bonus perk that’s dependable for primary PDF manipulation.
Have a look to see hoe OnlyOffice compares to different PDF Editors in our spherical up of the Greatest PDF editors for Mac. We additionally consider some free PDF editors.
Do you have to change to OnlyOffice?
As we’ve established, OnlyOffice is actually a free Microsoft 365 clone. In case you depend on Microsoft’s workplace suite and are bored with its recurring charges, then OnlyOffice might act as a wonderful various.
The app usually maintains the doc formatting, so the structure ought to persist even when others view your information utilizing completely different software program. On condition that OnlyOffice is free to make use of, options no adverts, helps the most well-liked doc codecs, and packs the generally used modifying options, there’s no hurt in giving it a shot to verify if it will possibly efficiently change your current productiveness suite. Had my private workflow prolonged past Apple units, I might have actually ditched iWork in favor of it.