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Google Workspace alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Google Workspace: offline editing is limited to Chrome and Edge, and complex Office files can lose formatting on import. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Google Workspace, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Microsoft 365 currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Microsoft 365 logoMicrosoft 365Free plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +25 of 566.5
2Zoho Writer logoZoho WriterFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +44 of 462.6
3ONLYOFFICE logoONLYOFFICEOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +45 of 559.6
4Collabora Online logoCollabora OnlineOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +44 of 457.2
5Proton Docs logoProton DocsFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +24 of 453.6
  1. Microsoft 365 logo

    1. Microsoft 365Top pick

    Best for: Anyone who exchanges Office files daily or needs full desktop Excel and Word

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Google Workspace

    Full desktop Office apps and Exchange email for teams that live in .docx and .xlsx.

    Pros

    • Native .docx/.xlsx/.pptx support means perfect fidelity with most organisations
    • Desktop Excel and Word remain the most complete tools in their class
    • Home plans include 1 TB or more of OneDrive storage per person

    Cons

    • Subscription only for the current apps; costs add up over the years
    • Bundled Copilot features raised prices for people who don't want AI
    • Desktop apps feel heavy compared with web-first editors
    Visit Microsoft 365 Compare with Google WorkspaceDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Microsoft 365 a good Google Workspace alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Starting price
    $9.99/month or $99.99/year (Personal)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Family plan
    $12.99/month for up to 6 people
    Checked Oct 25, 2026microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    1 month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Cloud storage
    1 TB (Personal)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free web apps
    Word, Excel and PowerPoint on the web
    Checked Oct 25, 2026microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Zoho Writer logo

    2. Zoho Writer

    Best for: Small businesses on Zoho that want docs, mail merge and e-sign in one place

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Google Workspace

    Zoho Workplace bundles mail, Writer and Sheet for less per user.

    Pros

    • Free for individuals with real-time collaboration
    • Desktop apps with full offline mode on Windows, macOS and Linux
    • Built-in document automation, forms and e-signatures

    Cons

    • Fewer add-ons and templates than Google Docs or Word
    • Business features tie you into Zoho's suite
    • Automation features are metered by credits
    Visit Zoho Writer Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Zoho Writer a good Google Workspace alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, for individuals
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zoho.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Offline mode
    Desktop apps for Windows, Mac, Linux
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zoho.com(opens source in a new tab)
    AI assistant
    Zia, included free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zoho.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Automation credits
    200 free per month per org
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zoho.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. ONLYOFFICE logo

    3. ONLYOFFICE

    Best for: Teams wanting self-hosted, Office-compatible editing inside Nextcloud or similar

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Google Workspace

    Open-source docs you can self-host, keeping files on your own servers.

    Pros

    • Very close .docx/.xlsx/.pptx compatibility
    • Free desktop editors on Windows, macOS and Linux
    • Self-hostable server that integrates with Nextcloud, ownCloud and others

    Cons

    • Free community server has limits on simultaneous connections
    • Many editions and product names make choosing confusing
    • Advanced features sit in paid Enterprise editions
    Visit ONLYOFFICE Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is ONLYOFFICE a good Google Workspace alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    AGPLv3 (core of Docs)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026onlyoffice.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Desktop platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux
    Checked Oct 25, 2026onlyoffice.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    DocSpace Startup, up to 3 admins
    Checked Oct 25, 2026onlyoffice.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Business price
    $20 per admin/month (DocSpace)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026onlyoffice.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Integrations
    Nextcloud, ownCloud, Seafile, SharePoint
    Checked Oct 25, 2026onlyoffice.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Collabora Online logo

    4. Collabora Online

    Best for: Organisations that want self-hosted, real-time document editing with their own data control

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Google Workspace

    LibreOffice-based online editing that you host yourself or with a European provider.

    Pros

    • Real-time co-editing on infrastructure you control
    • Built on LibreOffice by one of its main contributors
    • Free development edition for home use and testing

    Cons

    • Needs a file platform like Nextcloud and some server know-how
    • Interface still feels closer to LibreOffice than modern web apps
    • Production support requires a paid subscription
    Visit Collabora Online Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Collabora Online a good Google Workspace alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free edition
    CODE, for home use and testing
    Checked Oct 25, 2026collaboraonline.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Business price
    £2.60 per user/month (on-premise, up to 99 users)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026collaboraonline.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Desktop apps
    Windows, macOS, Linux
    Checked Oct 25, 2026collaboraonline.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Mobile apps
    iOS and Android
    Checked Oct 25, 2026collaboraonline.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Proton Docs logo

    5. Proton Docs

    Best for: Privacy-minded people who want Google Docs-style collaboration with encryption

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Google Workspace

    Encrypted docs and sheets inside Proton's privacy-focused mail and drive bundle.

    Pros

    • End-to-end encrypted with real-time collaboration
    • Included free with a Proton account
    • Pairs with Proton Mail, Drive and Pass in one bundle

    Cons

    • Fewer formatting options and templates than Google Docs
    • Young product still adding features
    • Free plan storage is small
    Visit Proton Docs Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Proton Docs a good Google Workspace alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    End-to-end encryption
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026proton.me(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    5 GB storage
    Checked Oct 25, 2026proton.me(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $4.99/month (Drive Plus, 200 GB)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026proton.me(opens source in a new tab)
    Spreadsheets
    Proton Sheets, imports Excel files
    Checked Oct 25, 2026proton.me(opens source in a new tab)

The best Google Workspace alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Microsoft 365 logo

Best Google Workspace alternative for most people

Microsoft 365

Full desktop Office apps and Exchange email for teams that live in .docx and .xlsx.

ONLYOFFICE logo

Best Google Workspace alternative for a free option

ONLYOFFICE

Open-source docs you can self-host, keeping files on your own servers.

Zoho Writer logo

Best Google Workspace alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Zoho Writer

Zoho Workplace bundles mail, Writer and Sheet for less per user.

Collabora Online logo

Best Google Workspace alternative for open source

Collabora Online

LibreOffice-based online editing that you host yourself or with a European provider.

CryptPad logo

Best Google Workspace alternative for self-hosting

CryptPad

End-to-end encrypted collaborative documents, free on public instances.

Proton Docs logo

Best Google Workspace alternative for Mac

Proton Docs

Encrypted docs and sheets inside Proton's privacy-focused mail and drive bundle.

Microsoft 365 logo

Best Google Workspace alternative for Windows

Microsoft 365

Full desktop Office apps and Exchange email for teams that live in .docx and .xlsx.

Zoho Writer logo

Best Google Workspace alternative for Linux

Zoho Writer

Zoho Workplace bundles mail, Writer and Sheet for less per user.

Microsoft 365 logo

Best Google Workspace alternative for iPhone and Android

Microsoft 365

Full desktop Office apps and Exchange email for teams that live in .docx and .xlsx.

Microsoft 365 logo

Best Google Workspace alternative for working in the browser

Microsoft 365

Full desktop Office apps and Exchange email for teams that live in .docx and .xlsx.

Google Workspace alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Google Workspace?

Microsoft 365 ranks first right now. Full desktop Office apps and Exchange email for teams that live in .docx and .xlsx. Zoho Writer and ONLYOFFICE follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Google Workspace?

Yes. Microsoft 365 (free plan + paid), Zoho Writer (free plan + paid), ONLYOFFICE (open source) and Collabora Online (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Google Workspace?

Yes: ONLYOFFICE, Collabora Online and CryptPad. ONLYOFFICE, Collabora Online and CryptPad can also be self-hosted.

Which Google Workspace alternatives work on Linux?

Zoho Writer, ONLYOFFICE and Collabora Online run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Google Workspace?

The complaints we hear most: offline editing is limited to Chrome and Edge; complex Office files can lose formatting on import; per-user prices have risen as Gemini features were bundled in.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Google Workspace, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.