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Last checked October 29, 2026

Free alternatives to Microsoft 365

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Microsoft 365 is the suite: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, and, until October 2026, Publisher. This page maps each piece to a free tool. The per-app pages go deeper. On July 1, 2026, Microsoft raised business list prices. A desktop-only path needs no server. A whole-team path means Nextcloud plus an office server you run.

IndividualsSmall teamsEnterprisesPrice checked

What you pay for Microsoft 365

On July 1, 2026, US list price: Business Basic $7, Business Standard $14, Microsoft 365 E3 $39, and Office 365 E3 $26. Those are per user, per month.

Microsoft's licensing note says Business Basic went from $6 to $7, Business Standard from $12.50 to $14, Microsoft 365 E3 from $36 to $39, and Office 365 E3 from $23 to $26. People who already pay keep the old price until they renew. Publisher leaves the suite in October 2026. Microsoft 365 subscribers lose it on or shortly after October 1, 2026. The Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams pages on this site cover those apps one by one.

Microsoft 365 website·Price page

For individuals, small teams, and enterprises. Its price on file: On July 1, 2026, US list price: Business Basic $7, Business Standard $14, Microsoft 365 E3 $39, and Office 365 E3 $26. Those are per user, per month. It is in the Office suites group.

How to switch

The closest free app on the checklist is Nextcloud. Cost and details. Move from Microsoft 365 to Nextcloud.

Need a server? DigitalOcean is one simple option. Railway is another.

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Desktop only, or the whole team

These scores are from the checklist on this page. A full score means it matches our checklist. It is not a drop-in replacement. We check each app against public docs and price pages.

Nextcloud is #1 (65). ONLYOFFICE is #2 (56). LibreOffice is #3 (48). Collabora Online is #4 (41).

Nextcloud

#1 · Closest

8 of 8 checked features. A full score means it matches our checklist. It is not a drop-in replacement.

What you give up: works with no server. You only get part of: word-style documents, spreadsheets, and slides, and 1 more.

ONLYOFFICE

#2

8 of 8 checked features. A full score means it matches our checklist. It is not a drop-in replacement.

What you give up: email, team chat, and a shared calendar. You only get part of: file sync.

LibreOffice

#3

8 of 8 checked features. A full score means it matches our checklist. It is not a drop-in replacement.

What you give up: email, file sync, and team chat, and 1 more.

Collabora Online

#4

8 of 8 checked features. A full score means it matches our checklist. It is not a drop-in replacement.

What you give up: email, file sync, and team chat, and 2 more.

Where they differ

  • Word-style documents

    Worth 8 points. Nextcloud does part of it. Browser editing needs Collabora or ONLYOFFICE on the same server. ONLYOFFICE does all of it. DOCX editing in the desktop apps and in the docs server. LibreOffice does all of it. Writer opens DOCX. Collabora Online does all of it. Browser editing based on LibreOffice.

  • Spreadsheets

    Worth 8 points. Nextcloud does part of it. Same office app as the documents. ONLYOFFICE does all of it. XLSX. LibreOffice does all of it. Calc opens XLSX. Collabora Online does all of it.

  • Slides

    Worth 6 points. Nextcloud does part of it. Same office app as the documents. ONLYOFFICE does all of it. PPTX. LibreOffice does all of it. Impress opens PPTX. Collabora Online does all of it.

  • Email

    Worth 8 points. Nextcloud does part of it. Nextcloud Mail is a client. The mail still lives on a mail server. ONLYOFFICE, LibreOffice, and Collabora Online do none of it.

  • File sync

    Worth 8 points. Nextcloud does all of it. File sync is the core app. ONLYOFFICE does part of it. The docs server edits files. It is not a OneDrive replacement by itself. LibreOffice does none of it. Collabora Online does none of it. It edits files that live in Nextcloud or another share.

  • Team chat

    Worth 6 points. Nextcloud does all of it. Nextcloud Talk is the chat and call app. ONLYOFFICE, LibreOffice, and Collabora Online do none of it.

  • A shared calendar

    Worth 6 points. Nextcloud does all of it. The calendar app is part of the hub. ONLYOFFICE, LibreOffice, and Collabora Online do none of it.

  • Works with no server

    Worth 4 points. Nextcloud does none of it. The hub is a server. Desktop clients talk to it. ONLYOFFICE does all of it. Desktop editors run with no server. LibreOffice does all of it. The desktop apps need no server. Collabora Online does none of it. It is a server.

Also ranked: Thunderbird is #5 (28). mailcow is #6 (20).

How close is it?

How this works

A full score means it matches our checklist. It is not a drop-in replacement. #1 is the closest free app that did not pay us. An ad, when one is sold, is marked and sits after #1. Paying does not change the score. Open source means you can use, change, and share the code. Run it yourself means the app can live on a computer you control.

  1. #1 · ClosestOpen sourceNotes on the review

    Nextcloud

    Dropbox you run yourself, plus the apps you turn on.

    8 of 8 checked features. A full score means it matches our checklist. It is not a drop-in replacement.

    What you give up: works with no server. You only get part of: word-style documents, spreadsheets, and slides, and 1 more.

    Last checked October 29, 2026 · License: AGPL-3.0

    MacWindowsLinuxiOSAndroidWebRun it yourself
    Cost and detailsHow to switchWebsite
  2. #2Open sourceNotes on the review

    ONLYOFFICE

    Browser editors for DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX.

    8 of 8 checked features. A full score means it matches our checklist. It is not a drop-in replacement.

    What you give up: email, team chat, and a shared calendar. You only get part of: file sync.

    Last checked October 29, 2026 · License: AGPL-3.0 (community docs)

    WebRun it yourselfMacWindowsLinux
    Cost and detailsWebsitePaid link · We may earn a fee. That fee does not change the score.
  3. #3Open sourceNotes on the review

    LibreOffice

    A desktop suite that opens Office files.

    8 of 8 checked features. A full score means it matches our checklist. It is not a drop-in replacement.

    What you give up: email, file sync, and team chat, and 1 more.

    Last checked October 29, 2026 · License: MPL-2.0

    MacWindowsLinux
    Cost and detailsWebsite
  4. #4Open sourceNotes on the review

    Collabora Online

    LibreOffice in the browser for a file share.

    8 of 8 checked features. A full score means it matches our checklist. It is not a drop-in replacement.

    What you give up: email, file sync, and team chat, and 2 more.

    Last checked October 29, 2026 · License: MPL-2.0

    WebRun it yourself
    Cost and detailsWebsite
  5. #5Open sourceNotes on the review

    Thunderbird

    A desktop and Android mail client under MPL-2.0.

    8 of 8 checked features. A full score means it matches our checklist. It is not a drop-in replacement.

    What you give up: word-style documents, spreadsheets, and slides, and 2 more. You only get part of: a shared calendar.

    Last checked October 29, 2026 · License: MPL-2.0

    MacWindowsLinuxAndroid
    Cost and detailsWebsite
  6. #6Open sourceNotes on the review

    mailcow

    A Docker mail server with SOGo webmail and Rspamd.

    8 of 8 checked features. A full score means it matches our checklist. It is not a drop-in replacement.

    What you give up: word-style documents, spreadsheets, and slides, and 3 more. You only get part of: a shared calendar.

    Last checked October 29, 2026 · License: GPL-3.0

    WebRun it yourselfLinux
    Cost and detailsWebsite

Feature by feature

Full means it does the whole job. Partial means it does some of it. Missing means it does not. Not checked counts as zero. The number under each feature is how much it counts. A bigger number moves the score more.

Scroll sideways to see every app.

Feature comparison. Full, partial, missing, or not checked.
FeatureNextcloud#1 · 658 of 8 checked featuresONLYOFFICE#2 · 568 of 8 checked featuresLibreOffice#3 · 488 of 8 checked featuresCollabora Online#4 · 418 of 8 checked featuresThunderbird#5 · 288 of 8 checked featuresmailcow#6 · 208 of 8 checked features
Word-style documentsCounts for 8PartialBrowser editing needs Collabora or ONLYOFFICE on the same server.FullDOCX editing in the desktop apps and in the docs server.FullWriter opens DOCX.FullBrowser editing based on LibreOffice.MissingMissing
SpreadsheetsCounts for 8PartialSame office app as the documents.FullXLSX.FullCalc opens XLSX.FullMissingMissing
SlidesCounts for 6PartialSame office app as the documents.FullPPTX.FullImpress opens PPTX.FullMissingMissing
EmailCounts for 8PartialNextcloud Mail is a client. The mail still lives on a mail server.MissingMissingMissingFullA desktop mail client for any IMAP account.FullA mail server you run, with webmail.
File syncCounts for 8FullFile sync is the core app.PartialThe docs server edits files. It is not a OneDrive replacement by itself.MissingMissingIt edits files that live in Nextcloud or another share.MissingMissing
Team chatCounts for 6FullNextcloud Talk is the chat and call app.MissingMissingMissingMissingMissing
A shared calendarCounts for 6FullThe calendar app is part of the hub.MissingMissingMissingPartialCalendar support depends on the account.PartialSOGo includes a calendar.
Works with no serverCounts for 4MissingThe hub is a server. Desktop clients talk to it.FullDesktop editors run with no server.FullThe desktop apps need no server.MissingIt is a server.FullThe app is on the computer. Mail still needs a server somewhere.MissingIt is a server.

What it costs

Nextcloud

Free plan
The server is free to host. Nextcloud GmbH sells enterprise support. Many hosting companies sell managed Nextcloud.
They host it
No hosted price on file.
Run it yourself
Setup: medium. A small team fits in Docker or a snap. Backups, upgrades, and the office suite are the ongoing work. You need a small server. Prices depend on your host.

ONLYOFFICE

Free plan
You can run the free version on your own server. You don't pay for each person. We don't list a price for the hosted version. Not checked.
They host it
No hosted price on file.
Run it yourself
Setup: medium. Plan on Docker or a small virtual machine. A paid hosted plan, if there is one, is separate from the free copy you run yourself.

LibreOffice

Free plan
The desktop apps are free to download.
They host it
No hosted price on file.
Run it yourself
This app does not run on your own computer. The desktop apps are not a server. Collabora Online is the browser version.

Collabora Online

Free plan
You can run the free version on your own server. You don't pay for each person. We don't list a price for the hosted version. Not checked.
They host it
No hosted price on file.
Run it yourself
Setup: medium. Typically deployed next to Nextcloud. It is a server, not a laptop app.

Thunderbird

Free plan
The desktop and Android apps are free to download from Thunderbird.
They host it
No hosted price on file.
Run it yourself
This app does not run on your own computer. Thunderbird is a client. The mail still lives on a provider or on a server such as mailcow.

mailcow

Free plan
The software is free to run. You pay for the machine, DNS, and a way to send mail that other servers will accept.
They host it
No hosted price on file.
Run it yourself
Hard. Docker Compose on a Linux host, plus DNS records for the domain. The project documents IMAP, SMTP, SOGo, and Rspamd as part of the stack. You need a small server. Prices depend on your host.

Side by side

Two free apps from this list, scored on the same checklist.

Did you switch?

If you left Microsoft 365, tell us if it worked and how long it took. Notes stay private until we approve them. Nothing is shown until at least five are approved.

How did it go?

Closest pair

Move from Microsoft 365 to Nextcloud

Nextcloud replaces OneDrive, calendar, and Teams chat. Documents need Collabora or ONLYOFFICE. Mail needs its own server.

Read how to switch

Related alternatives

Office suites alternatives

Switch guides

Free apps in this group

Questions

What if I only need Word, Excel, and PowerPoint?
Install LibreOffice. It opens DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX on Mac, Windows, and Linux, with no server. ONLYOFFICE has desktop editors too. You do not get Outlook, OneDrive, or Teams from those apps.
What if the whole team needs files, mail, and chat?
Nextcloud covers files, calendar, and Talk. Add Collabora or ONLYOFFICE on the same server for docs in the browser. Mail is a separate server, such as mailcow, plus Thunderbird on the desktop. That is several apps, not one installer.
Did the price go up in 2026?
Yes, for business list prices, on July 1, 2026. Business Basic went from $6 to $7. Business Standard went from $12.50 to $14. Microsoft 365 E3 went from $36 to $39. Office 365 E3 went from $23 to $26. Current customers keep the old price until renewal. Those figures are on Microsoft's licensing page.
What about school email on Office 365 A1?
That is a different plan. Web-direct sales of Office 365 A1 stopped on November 5, 2026. The plan retires at renewal on or after January 1, 2028. The no-cost student plan A0 does not include Exchange Online. The education page on this site has the dates and the checklist.