# AbiWord Reviews **Vendor:** Abisource **Category:** [Document Creation Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/document-creation) **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 19 ## About AbiWord AbiWord is a free, open-source word processor designed to be lightweight and efficient, making it ideal for users seeking a straightforward and functional text editing solution. Developed in C++, AbiWord operates across multiple platforms, including Linux, ReactOS, and Solaris. Its name is derived from the Spanish word "abierto," meaning "open," reflecting its commitment to open-source principles. Key Features and Functionality: - User-Friendly Interface: AbiWord offers a clean and intuitive interface, reminiscent of classic versions of Microsoft Word, facilitating ease of use for both new and experienced users. - Cross-Platform Compatibility: The application runs natively on various operating systems, including Linux, ReactOS, and Solaris, ensuring flexibility and accessibility for a diverse user base. - Comprehensive Word Processing Tools: AbiWord supports essential features such as lists, indents, character formatting, tables, styles, headers and footers, footnotes, templates, multiple views, page columns, spell checking, and grammar checking. - Collaborative Editing: Through the GOCollab system, AbiWord enables real-time collaboration over networks using protocols like TCP and XMPP, allowing multiple users to work on the same document simultaneously. - Extensive File Format Support: AbiWord includes import and export filters for various formats, including HTML, Microsoft Word (.doc), Office Open XML (.docx), OpenDocument Text (.odt), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and plain text (.txt). Its native file format, .abw, utilizes XML to promote interoperability and ease of access. Primary Value and User Solutions: AbiWord's primary value lies in its lightweight design and cross-platform support, making it an excellent choice for users with older hardware or those requiring a simple yet effective word processing tool. Its open-source nature ensures continuous development and community-driven improvements. The collaborative editing feature addresses the need for real-time document sharing and teamwork, enhancing productivity for users who require cooperative work environments. Additionally, its broad compatibility with various file formats ensures seamless document exchange and integration with other office applications. ## AbiWord Pros & Cons **What users like:** - Users appreciate the **automated document saving** feature of AbiWord, enhancing reliability and ease of use. (1 reviews) - Users appreciate the **excellent customer support** of AbiWord, enhancing their experience with efficient troubleshooting and assistance. (1 reviews) - Users appreciate the **ease of use** of AbiWord, benefiting from its smooth performance and simple file management. (1 reviews) - Users appreciate the **smooth performance** of AbiWord on low-resource systems, enhancing efficiency and file compatibility. (1 reviews) **What users dislike:** - Users note the **limited customization** of AbiWord, particularly regarding its multilingual grammar checker capabilities. (1 reviews) ## AbiWord Reviews ### 1. Lightness and efficiency in every document created in AbiWord **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Education Management | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** February 05, 2025 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** Its low resource consumption makes it run smoothly on any computer; AbiWord automatically saves documents. I also like its support for various formats such as XML and RTF, which makes easy to exchange files without any hassles related to conversion problems. I've often used the text synthesizer plug–in that with just a few clicks generates a condensed version of any content. **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** Not everything is perfect, its grammar checker plug–in has limited availability in more languages so having an accurate multilingual grammar checker would certainly make a big difference. **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** AbiWord's lightness doesn't overload the system and allows me to integrate text and images without the process being challenging, which makes quicker for me to create detailed reports for alumni without having to deal with incompatibilities or editing issues. ### 2. Easy processing and online document editing platform **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Suryabhan S. | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 17, 2024 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** AbiWord is a all time favourite software for the document management and editing work of files and docs in it. This is flexible and compatible with various thirl party applications and is easy to use and access on any type of device. Its flexiblity of using on any device and OS makes it so convinient for using at any time. This is giving the complete sete up for managing and organising the documents and verifying the content. It has the easy ability of scanning the data in the document and supports to scan and copy them. Giving so much of templates designs for creating projects and procurring the editings implemented, its is the best projects data managing software. **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** The software is little bit out dated, needs improvements and upgrades in its OS for better performance and processing speed. Which will also help in increasing the more latest AI tools. **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** AbiWord offering all the features in this which is making our work so easy and managed our documents and official content of our business related in organised way. The document editing features are very useful of it, making us to edit and make changes to any file type easily. In this it has become very for us to convert the docs to PDF format or vice versa. ### 3. Aboword: Lightweight and simple word precessor **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Sana H. | Human Resources Manager, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 26, 2023 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** Abiword is a lightweight application that isn't much space consuming on the computer. It is compatible on multiple platforms including wondows, Mac OS, Linux etc which makes it very convenient to use. It has got a very user friendly interface which is easy to navigate hence make it ideal for even beginners. Also, customizable features are a highlight. Above all, Abiword is compatible with many different file formats, including MS Word which makes it a good alternative to proprietary software **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** As far as I have used, I have found minimal downsides to the software. However, Abiword lacks some advanced features found in other word processors, such as collaboration tools and templates. Also, since its user base is smaller compared ro other word processors, the support and updates are less frequent **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** Abiword is helping me create professional documents in lesser time. It is easy to use and take up very less space on my system, which is one of the best features that I found ### 4. Simple and complete word processor **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Entertainment | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 18, 2023 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** It is simple but, at the same time, a complete word processor. Very easy to use. Lightweight on system resources. **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** Its graphical user interface seems old. But it is just a look-and-feel issue, not a real problem. It could improve with a bit of enhancement on its GUI. **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** An easy an quick way to edit a text document. ### 5. Elegant and powerful word processor **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Manish G. | Engineering Officer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 01, 2022 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** This is frugal , elegant and powerful word processor offers variety range of tools.it is available for different operating systems.it also a web based service that allow multiple users to work on same document in real time. **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** It includes a US English -only grammar checking plugin. **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** Word document ### 6. Solidly Solid **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Adam B. | Pastor, Religious Institutions, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** November 13, 2019 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** I appreciate the way this application mimics but also is different from your standard word processor **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** Some of the dynamics of operation vary considerably from Microsoft word, but Can be navigated **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** Without Microsoft word, this is a wonderful tool to use ### 7. Simply the Best **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Emmanuel W. | Freelance Writer at upwork, Computer Networking, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** September 15, 2019 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** AbiWord software is simply one of the best word processing program with useful features that meet my everyday requirements both at office and at home. I really like it because it is easy and simple to operate and also it does not require a lot of time while booting. **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** I don't just like the fact that the software is 20 years old makes me feel it's outdated and outmoded. Asides that, AbiWord lacks certain adequate features that a perfect word processor should have. **Recommendations to others considering AbiWord:** Software is palatable and worth even second you spend on it , It is simply unique and incredible. I honestly recommended this advantageous word processor to everyone **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** To me I feel this software is really really good and has been so helpful in saving me time while processing documents on it, which if find very pleasing. ### 8. Best Microsoft Word Alternative **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Joel B. | Owner, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** July 24, 2019 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** AbiWord is an open source word processor very much like the widely known Microsoft Word. It is great for typing business documents and or business letters. It offers a very simplistic UI for new comers to better understand and is quite easy to navigate around. Much like Microsoft Word, AbiWord also has the save document function and can be shared between coworkers and friends. Although updates are scarce, I am very satisfied with the features that AbiWord currently has. **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** There is nothing really to dislike about AbiWord as it does all what I actually intended for it to do. I have not encountered any bugs for issues whilst using AbiWord and hope it continues on that path. It is also free and that is a great price. **Recommendations to others considering AbiWord:** I would definitely recommend for users with difficulty understanding how to use the current Microsoft word as AbiWord is very easy to use with its simple UI. **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** AbiWord is a free easy to use alternative to Microsoft Word. It offers users with the main features and functions that they will ever need for their work. ### 9. AbiWord is simple and productive **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Sam D. | Research Manager, Telecommunications, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 20, 2019 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** Abiword is one of the most consistent and reliable software word processor. I positively and realiticly like this software because is easy, simple and straight forward with it's operation and features. **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** The software is not sophisticated and mordernised, I really think it should be upgraded with smart office features and takes a lot of time to run on PC. **Recommendations to others considering AbiWord:** Abiword is Really simple and easy to use and operate, I fully recommend for everyone's use. **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** Abiword really makes office work so easy and simple to compute, such and incredible and reliable software. ### 10. Easy to use document work tool **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Emmanuel T. | Software Programmer, Internet, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** September 23, 2019 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** This word processing software provides me with the best document working experience. One really nice feature about this software is that it has the ability to save my document file in any format required **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** I don't think there is anything to dislike about this software **Recommendations to others considering AbiWord:** I will highly recommend this software for its versatility and professionalism. It will give you the ability to work with files in different languages. It's really a good software **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** Abiword has really save me the trouble of losing my documents unexpectedly because it has the ability to auto save my document. This has helped me from losing important file that I am currently working on ### 11. As simple as Abiword **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Walter B. | Freelance Writer at Upwork, Computer Software, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 13, 2019 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** Abiword is one of the best writing software I have ever come across. It is very simple, easy and comfortable to work with. I really like the software because it runs smoothly on PC and does not occupy alot of space **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** Not much negativity around the software but I really think Abiword software engineers should upgrade the software to have all necessary features and tools so as to enable users enjoy it to the fullest capabilities **Recommendations to others considering AbiWord:** Software is amazing and worth every time spent on it, such an incredible software I fully recommend to everyone **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** Since ### 12. A great alternative to Microsoft Word. **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Information Technology and Services | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** July 27, 2019 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** AbiWord is a free portable application. It is very easy to use and configure. AbiWord can be used on the go. It has mail merge capability. It supports many documents such as, HTML, RTF, open document , office XML, Ms word , word perfect etc. Overall, I think that anyone who wants an alternative to Microsoft Word that's smaller in size, should try AbiWord. **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** There is nothing to dislike in this software because it is very easy to use and free platform. Everyone can use this software. **Recommendations to others considering AbiWord:** I would highly recommend this software to all the customers or clients. **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** It supports many documents such as, HTML, RTF, open document , office XML, Ms word , word perfect etc. ### 13. Amazing free and open source word processing tool. **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Information Technology and Services | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** July 22, 2019 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** It is very easy to use and configure. It is awesome word processing tool and it is free and open source. It's capability to support multiple languages.The program is available in most common languages. It is designed to handle different types of documents such as OpenOffice.org, Microsoft, and Word Perfect documents. It can also be used for creating Rich Text Format documents as well as HTML web pages. **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** There is nothing to dislike in this tool because it is very easy to use and open source platform. **Recommendations to others considering AbiWord:** I would highly recommend this platform to all the customers or clients. **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** It has a built-in spell checker that checks texts and documents against international dictionaries. As a result, spelling errors are quickly identified, even those ones that are often overlooked. ### 14. simple word processor **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Jonathan W. | CEO, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** May 22, 2019 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** A free and nice UI word processor. Easy to use and can be customized to provide a great writing experience. **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** Print preview requires an external image viewer program. **Recommendations to others considering AbiWord:** highly recommended if you deal with many documents that need editing. **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** AbiWord can open popular file formats. It offer also a great feature witch is collaboration. ### 15. Best open source word processing tool. **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Information Technology and Services | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** July 17, 2019 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** AbiWord is a free and open source word processing tool. It supports multiple languages and operating systems. It has a built-in-spell checker that checks texts and documents against international dictionaries. AbiWord offers mail merge capabilities which enable users to automatically create thousands of form letters in less time. **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** Because it is easy to use and free platform, there is nothing to dislike in this beautiful software. **Recommendations to others considering AbiWord:** I would highly recommend this platform to all the customers. **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** It has a set of plugins which can be used for importing documents and images, and summarizing texts. ### 16. Best Free Word Alternative **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Sasha H. | Temporary Associate, Design, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** December 11, 2018 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** Besides the fact that it’s free, I love that AbiWord can open many types of text documents. Being able to see your past save history is a really awesome feature. **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** The UI is outdated and definitely needs a makeover, but that doesn’t mean it’s hard to use. It’s just not aesthetically pleasing compared to the current design trends. **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** Saved me and my previous employer money on purchasing a word processor! Free software means major savings when you have to put software on multiple computers. ### 17. Very No Thrills but dependable **Rating:** 1.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Education Management | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** February 02, 2019 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** Abiword is free and opensource. It is also very lightweight on system resources **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** There are virtually no features that are found in other word processors. It has not been further developed in a very long time and the windows installer is gone. **Recommendations to others considering AbiWord:** If money is an issue for you then consider other free office suites such as Libre or OpenOffice **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** Abiword is good for a company that doesn't need much word processing and doesn't have the funds ### 18. Free Software **Rating:** 2.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Animation | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 30, 2019 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** It’s a free word processor and it’s similar to Microsoft word **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** Needs to improve on the print preview as it requires an external program to view **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** Was working for a startup and during the period where they were trying to analyze which software they required I used AbiWord to help me through the transition period ### 19. Definitely Not What It Used to Be **Rating:** 2.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Education Management | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 31, 2019 **What do you like best about AbiWord?** It attempts to provide another alternative to Microsoft Word **What do you dislike about AbiWord?** Development seems to have slowed, it's not the solid product it used to be. **Recommendations to others considering AbiWord:** It's a product I really wanted to see succeed, unfortunately it has not. **What problems is AbiWord solving and how is that benefiting you?** My primary use now is for fixing and saving Microsoft Word files that have become corrupted. - [View AbiWord pricing details and edition comparison](https://www.g2.com/products/abiword/reviews?section=pricing&secure%5Bexpires_at%5D=2026-05-15+16%3A27%3A44+-0500&secure%5Bsession_id%5D=b005e8be-241d-4240-9b3d-65436fff415a&secure%5Btoken%5D=cd7f56a6b117604344f1d29639592de53c7bd7a0e4b3e0a937a7d8706c06030a&format=llm_user) ## AbiWord Features **Design** - Graphics - Templates - Themes **Collaboration** - Multi-User Collaboration - Real-Time Communication **File Types** - Export - Import - Web Publishing **Edit & Revise** - Revision History - Suggestion Mode - Document Editor **Integrate & Embed** - Calendar - Website - Applications **Operating System** - PC Operating System - Mac Operating System - Linux Operating System **Generative AI** - AI Text Generation - AI Text Summarization - AI Text-to-Image - AI Text-to-Speech - AI Image-to-Text **Agentic AI - Document Creation** - Proactive Assistance ## Top AbiWord Alternatives - [LibreOffice Writer](https://www.g2.com/products/libreoffice-writer/reviews) - 4.1/5.0 (87 reviews) - [Microsoft Word](https://www.g2.com/products/microsoft-word/reviews) - 4.7/5.0 (1,981 reviews) - [Pages](https://www.g2.com/products/pages/reviews) - 4.3/5.0 (371 reviews)