LibreOffice Reviews

“Free, powerful, but minor formatting quirks

Pros

It's easy to see changes and comments during peer reviews, and saving files in standard formats helps keep everyone in sync, even when using different software to edit.

Cons

However, you might notice some formatting or tracked changes look different when opening files in certain editors. It's a good idea to test your documents before sending them out for review to avoid any surprises.

“Budget-friendly with a slight learning curve

Pros

I guess it is a great tool for small businesses watching their budget. Even though it's free, it includes many of the same features you'd find in Microsoft applications.

Cons

The shortcut keys and macros work a bit differently here compared to Microsoft Office so there's a small learning curve but it's nothing too tricky to figure out. The real challenge is that there isn't a dedicated support team, fixes tend to happen only when someone has spare time, rather than being part of a clear, organized plan.

“Handles complex work easily

Pros

LibreOffice gives me everything I need to work on documents and spreadsheets reliably. It handles large texts and complex calculations with ease and I love that I can save my work in different file formats.

Cons

Importing files from other office suites can sometimes lead to unexpected formatting issues. I've also run into occasional trouble when saving files in specific formats.

“Excellent for academics

Pros

This software handled everything I needed like custom styles, cross-references, tables of contents and footnotes, without extra plugins or licensing fees. It made it easy to format my work exactly to my academic requirements.

Cons

Some Excel files that rely on Visual Basic scripts don't work perfectly, as certain macros may not run. This often requires me to adjust formulas manually to get things working

“Great for billing

Pros

We use LibreOffice Calc to manage all our billing spreadsheets and reports. The PDF export feature works perfectly for sending invoices to customers.

Cons

Files provided by vendors occasionally lose their formatting when opened here and support for macros can be inconsistent. That's something I regularly have to work around.

“Solid free alternative to competitors

Pros

It's free to download and includes all the same tools as Microsoft Office, making it a great alternative for anyone whose subscription expired or who doesn't want to pay just to create documents and spreadsheets.

Cons

It works a bit differently than Microsoft Office so there's a small learning curve. Switching between the two like using one at work and the other at home, can sometimes be confusing.

“Feature-rich but requires careful saving

Pros

The free version offers just as many options as Microsoft Word.

Cons

You'll need to take a few extra steps when saving documents to make sure they work properly in Microsoft Word.

“Affordable and versatile

Pros

It installs really quickly and is a much more affordable alternative to expensive software like Word. I also prefer it over OpenOffice as it supports more file formats for saving.

Cons

Honestly I'd completely forgotten about LibreOffice. As a longtime writer and published author, I really should have known better!

“completely free to use! saves money!

Pros

It's completely free to use and works a lot like Microsoft Office 365 in terms of features. That's a big deal when buying MS Office for multiple users gets really expensive.

Cons

If you're using LibreOffice, it's best to convert your files to DOCX or PDF before sharing them. A lot of people aren't familiar with LibreOffice's file extensions and might get confused.

“Plenty of features but GUI feels limited

Pros

It offers plenty of features and options for creating and editing documents.

Cons

There aren't as many options for graphical user interface objects compared to other software.

“clients love that it is free

Pros

My clients love that it's completely free. Most of them don't need all the advanced bells and whistles of Microsoft Word or Excel so this suite does everything they need perfectly. I also really like that it can open just about any file type you throw at it.

Cons

Not much to complain about. If I had to pick something, I'd say the look and feel is my least favorite part as it reminds me of something I might have programmed back in the �90s.

“Powerful tool for free

Pros

It's free and still powerful enough for pretty much any home user or small business.

Cons

It's a little different from Excel but you get used to it pretty quickly.

“Ideal for tight budgets

Pros

The software lets you create, edit, and manage all sorts of documents without any cost which is ideal for anyone working with a tight budget.

Cons

the only downside is that it doesn't integrate well with modern workplace tools.

“Lightweight and reliable

Pros

I like that the programs are smaller and simpler than the Windows versions. It helps my computer run faster.

Cons

I'm not sure there's anything I don't like about LibreOffice. It's a really solid set of programs for working with documents.

“Free for clients but menu layout feels awkward

Pros

The thing I liked the most was that LibreOffice was free and helped our non-commercial clients handle their office work easily without having to pay expensive licensing fees to big companies.

Cons

I wasn't a fan of how some document formats converted and I found the layout of some menu items a bit awkward.

“easy on the pocket

Pros

I really appreciate that Libre is free for us to use.

Cons

The user interface feels a little outdated to me but that's not a dealbreaker.

“great alternative to ms office

Pros

This software is the next best thing to Microsoft Office and it's completely free. It's a lifesaver for users who can't afford a subscription-based platform.

Cons

I don't like that sometimes my files need to be converted before they work properly.

“Perfect writing tool

Pros

It's easy to use and works perfectly as a writing tool.

Cons

Nothing to complain about here. The software is very easy to use.

“Low-cost and convenient but support is limited

Pros

I think it is a convenient, low-cost solution that works on just about any device or platform.

Cons

Support options are limited and you often have to do a lot of your own research to find answers.

“solid desktop database but needs better UX

Pros

It's free and open-source, plus it provides a solid desktop database option for non-Microsoft platforms. A big plus is that your information stays on your machine and doesn't get synced to the cloud.

Cons

Some aspects of the usability and user experience could be improved to match what's offered by commercial software.