OpenOffice Reviews & Product Details

Apache OpenOffice is a free and open-source productivity suite that offers a comprehensive set of applications for various office tasks. It includes Writer for word processing, Calc for spreadsheets, Impress for presentations, Draw for graphics, Base for database management, and Math for formula editing. Designed to be compatible with other major office suites, Apache OpenOffice supports the OpenDocument Format (ODF) and can handle files from Microsoft Office and other formats. Its user-friendly interface and extensive language support make it accessible to a global audience. As a mature and powerful product with a history spanning over two decades, Apache OpenOffice provides a reliable and cost-effective solution for individuals, businesses, and educational institutions seeking a versatile office suite without licensing fees.

Seller

The Apache Software Foundation

Discussions

OpenOffice Community

Solution Type

Best-of-Breed

Value at a Glance

Averages based on real user reviews.

Time to Implement

3 months

Return on Investment

15 months

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Top-Rated Alternatives

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User Insights

Average based on 312 real user reviews.

Implementation Time

3 months

Perceived Cost

$$$$$

OpenOffice Reviews FAQs

Generated using AI

Last updated: Nov 01, 2026

What is OpenOffice, and what problem is it built to solve?

OpenOffice is a community-led software project with development dating back to 1999. It describes itself as a community of developers and users, rather than simply a group of projects sharing a server.

What company sizes and industries is OpenOffice the best fit for?

OpenOffice’s strongest fit in the reviewer-reported data is small businesses, with positive use also represented in mid-market and enterprise organizations. The industries span a broad range, with recurring representation in areas such as technology, education, and writing-related work.

Small businesses: The most prominent company-size segment, including freelancers and self-employed users.
Mid-market organizations: Also represented across everyday office and administrative work.
Enterprise organizations: Positive use appears in larger organizations, often for routine documents and spreadsheets.
Technology and software: A recurring industry group for document and spreadsheet work.
Education: Includes academic and training-related use.
Writing and editing: Includes document creation, editing, and publishing tasks.
Marketing and financial services: Both appear among the represented industries.

What customer support options does OpenOffice provide, and how do users find the overall support experience?

OpenOffice’s support experience is community-led, with forums and online community help serving as useful ways to find answers. The experience can be uneven: community assistance is valued, while limited technical support and difficulty finding documentation can make problems slower to resolve.

What is the experience like for teams switching to OpenOffice from another tool?

Moving to OpenOffice from Microsoft Office—particularly Microsoft 365, Office 365, Word, and Excel—has often been driven by licensing costs, the preference for open-source software, or the need to work across different operating systems. Familiar office-suite conventions can make the change manageable, though users may need time to adjust to different menus and workflows. The main trade-offs are that advanced features and formatting may not carry over exactly, especially when exchanging files with Microsoft Office users.

What features or capabilities could make OpenOffice even more useful?

OpenOffice could be more useful with improvements that make everyday work easier and file sharing more dependable. Commonly requested areas include:

Modernize the interface: Refresh the visual design and make menus, icons, and commonly used commands easier to find.
Improve file compatibility: Preserve layouts, formulas, and other details more consistently when opening and saving files from other office suites.
Expand advanced office capabilities: Add or refine spreadsheet functions and other advanced tools users expect from established office software.
Strengthen collaboration and access: Add cloud-based collaboration and easier access to documents across devices.
Enhance presentation tools: Provide more creative templates and make slide editing and formatting more straightforward.

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Ron F.

Humanities / Social Science Teacher

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

Updated 7/20/2026

Originally submitted 1/6/2021

"Perhaps the best free alternative to MS Office!"

3.5/5

What do you like best about OpenOffice?

A good, intuitive interface and the stability of the suite as well as its ability to open and save doc, docx, ppt and pptx files. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about OpenOffice?

Not being 100%-compatible with all of its (commercial) competitors is something that could certainly be improved. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering OpenOffice:

You need to check free templates - there is likely to be something there you will need for work. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is OpenOffice solving and how is that benefiting you?

No need to obtain a commercial licence - as a school teacher, and a tutor who often works remotely I can recommend it to my students knowing it will not cost them a penny to obtain a fully legal copy of it! Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite

KOSTIANTYN S.

Creative Copywriter

Marketing and Advertising

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

Updated 6/16/2026

Originally submitted 4/9/2025

"A double alternative for same tasks"

4.5/5

What do you like best about OpenOffice?

Individuals collapse with more restrictions when office processors are required only. That's why there is no reason to pay for private users, but the pirate licenses are unacceptable. So, the free software is a decision. OpenOffice suggests a pack of tools for texts, sheet calculations, database editing, making presentations, and drawing. All that users are used to seeing in office packs is available, but with an emphasis on a minimalist interface. It means there are no design surpluses, but the functionality is the same as in other similar products.

OpenOffice works with dozens of file formats, integrating itself with the Windows or Linux environment. Embedded in context menus, it saved information to standalone files as well as read other formats. OpenOffice doesn't give in to performance to Microsoft Office and bears the same workloads when compared using the same parameters of hardware. The main difference is that OpenOffice is free to use, but the support of the community is available due to forums and the developer's blog. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about OpenOffice?

In my opinion, there are no issues to pay extra attention to. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

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Verified User in Entertainment

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

2/15/2024

"Open Office the free Office solution"

4.5/5

What do you like best about OpenOffice?

This is a free product that replaces many costly office products such as MS Word, MS Access and MS Excel spreadsheet, it is easy to use or install, also available for multiple platforms. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about OpenOffice?

Less features are available as in some of the higher end products Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Current UserValidated ReviewerSource: Organic Review from User Profile

Raymond A.

Researcher and writer

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

6/28/2023

"An outstanding alternative office suite"

4.5/5

What do you like best about OpenOffice?

OpenOffice is a full featured office suite that can replace MS Office for most users.

It can import documents created in MS Office- the import is usually flawless.

OpenOffice offers a good number of language patches that enable multilingual users to choose different languages quite easily. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about OpenOffice?

OpenOffice receives fairly regular updates, but has not been updated as frequently as LibreOffice.

Also, the interface is slightly dated and could use a more modern appearance. This is a minor complaint. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

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Anil N.

Management

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

12/14/2023

"Open Office with automation"

4.5/5

What do you like best about OpenOffice?

there are useful Options in open office to automate the daily activities, Easy of Use Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about OpenOffice?

Formulas are not able to fulfill some calculations in the open office Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

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Mario C.

Diseñador web

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

6/15/2023

"A free office suite that fulfills its purpose."

3.5/5

What do you like best about OpenOffice?

I love that with a free version you can access office formats and create documents with potential similar to that of other more well-known programs. The usage is very similar to other applications, making it very intuitive to use. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about OpenOffice?

There are formats that later do not open in other office suites. The keyboard shortcuts also drive me a little crazy. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

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Ramsay C.

CEO

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

8/13/2023

"OpenOffice Adequate for my business."

4.5/5

What do you like best about OpenOffice?

I have used OpenOffice from new and found it adequate for my business. Occasionally I looked at MS Office, more gongs, whistles and complications better served outside both programs. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about OpenOffice?

It is difficult to find fault as it is my go-to App. It probably lacks a bit of functionality here and there, but doesn't everything. My biggest problem is Windows storage which is driving me towards Google. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Validated ReviewerSource: Organic

Adrián A.

Funcionario de carrera en Dpto Informática Tributaria en Agencia Tributaria

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

6/5/2023

"Very useful for writing texts"

4.5/5

What do you like best about OpenOffice?

The main thing is that it is free. It is compatible with the office package that comes with Windows and the functionalities are very similar. I use it daily and it is very useful to me. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about OpenOffice?

What I like least about this tool, which encompasses several different ones, is that it seems like a copy of another, but this one does it for free, which gives it a great advantage. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

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Moises Abraham L.

abogado

Banking

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

12/8/2022

"The best review"

4/5

What do you like best about OpenOffice?

What I like most about openoffice is that it is very practical, and similar to microsoft office, it is easy to learn, it fulfills its purpose of replacing the premium office for free, it has almost the same characteristics, its spreadsheet performs very well. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about OpenOffice?

What I dislike about open office is its appearance is not very friendly, it lacks colors to identify many options, that would make it much easier for people like me who need glasses to use a computer, they could improve that point for the user experience Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

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M H.

Online Music Promoter

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

11/19/2022

"Before LibreOffice, there was OpenOffice. Many good things to come!"

3.5/5

What do you like best about OpenOffice?

OpenOffice, a great alternative of LibreOffice, already promised a well designed and fully functional office suite for cross-platform users. The software is free to use and has all the functionality you might expect from a full-fledged office program pack. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about OpenOffice?

At a certain point, I ran into some program problems across my devices. And, although I am sure they are fixed right now, at that time, I choose to switch from OpenOffice to Libre office. I instantly fell in love with the easy design layout, whereas OpenOffice had a bit more clutter in the top bar (at that time). Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.