Alternatives to Microsoft 365: cloud-based solutions
As we have reported earlier, Microsoft pushed the Office suite to the next step of its evolution: it now has Copilot on board, seamlessly integrated, and bears the name of Microsoft 365 Copilot as of January 15th, 2025. The Family and Personal subscription plans became a bit more expensive, adding $3 to the monthly price tag and $30 to the yearly offer. Not much, but in many cases, these productivity apps are an overkill anyway, so why pony up extra money if there are alternatives to Microsoft 365 that won’t cost a dime? Here’s a list of some of them, generally considered the best.
1. Google Workspace
Google Workspace. Snapped at workspace.google.com
Google Workspace, formerly known as G Suite, is actually the most popular cloud-based office and productivity suite in the world, according to Statista. The apps are Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail, and Google Drive, their names self-explanatory. Gemini, Google’s AI, is natively integrated in each of them, helping in the background.
Key features of Google Workspace
- Valid replacement for Microsoft Office applications for the vast majority of use cases, although some compatibility issues persist.
- Fully cloud-based, no programs to install, all you need is a browser.
- Offline mode available for Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar, and Gmail.
- Extensive collaboration features: sharing, threaded comments, version control.
Google Workspace pricing
- Free for personal use with 15GB of storage on Google Drive.
- Plans for businesses start from $7.2/month per user ($6 month for annual commitment).
We have a collection of programs by Google and for Google in the Informer catalog, check them out:
2. Zoho Workplace
Zoho Workplace. Snapped at zoho.com
Zoho is another developer of productivity programs that has been around for a long time. The suite, which underwent some transformations through the years, currently includes Zoho Writer, Sheet, Show, and WorkDrive, plus Meeting for calls, Cliq for messages, and Connect to build an internal social network on. These are divided into three suites, but are generally used in a single ecosystem.
Key features of Zoho Workplace
- AI-driven automation of routine tasks.
- Fully cloud-based, but with some installable apps enabling offline work.
- Focused on collaboration through communication.
Zoho Workplace pricing
- Same as Google Workspace, Zoho offers a free version for personal use with some limitations.
- Plans for businesses start from $3/month per user, if billed annually, and give from 30GB of mail storage space and 10GB on a shared cloud drive.
You can find Zoho Docs in the Informer Catalog:
3. ONLYOFFICE
ONLYOFFICE. Snapped at onlyoffice.com
While generally playing on the same field with the above-mentioned Google Workspace and Zoho Workplace, ONLYOFFICE is slightly different in what it offers and the overall positioning. In addition to the Text Editor, Presentation Editor, Spreadsheet Editor, ONLYOFFICE includes Form Editor and PDF Editor, plus ONLYOFFICE Projects, a separate solution that is fully integrated with the Docs suite (this is how all those Editors are called).
Key features of ONLYOFFICE
- Focused on business users more than private individuals.
- Easily integrates with various cloud storage providers.
- Strong focus on document security and privacy.
ONLYOFFICE pricing
- There is a basic free plan offering Docs and 2GB of cloud space.
- Paid plans start from $5/month per user, if billed annually.
Here is the Informer’s page of downloadable ONLYOFFICE Editors:
What else should we add to this list? Let us know in the comments!
