Software:Comparison of word processors

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This is a comparison of word processing software.

General information

This table provides general information about selected word processors.

Word processor Developer Initial release Platform Latest release License Cost
Version Date
AbiWord AbiWord developer community,

originally SourceGear Corporation

1999-05-19 AmigaOS GPL-2.0-or-later No cost
BeOS
BSD
GNU/Linux
macOS
MorphOS
SkyOS
Unix
Windows
Zeta
Apache OpenOffice Writer Apache Software Foundation[lower-alpha 1] 2012-05-08 BSD Apache-2.0 No cost
GNU/Linux
macOS
Solaris/Illumos
Unix
Windows
AppleWorks Apple Inc. 1991 macOS Proprietary Cost
Windows
Applix Word Vistasource Inc. GNU/Linux 6.0 Proprietary Cost
1992 Windows
Atlantis Word Processor The Atlantis Word Processor Team 2000 Windows Proprietary No cost and cost
Bean James Hoover 2007-05-01 macOS Proprietary No cost[lower-alpha 2]
Calligra Words KDE 1998 BSD LGPL No cost
GNU/Linux
macOS
Windows
Collabora Online Writer Collabora 2019[lower-alpha 3] Android MPL-2.0 No cost, optional subscriptions with support available
2021[lower-alpha 4] BSD Build your own Build your own
2019[lower-alpha 3] ChromeOS
2019[lower-alpha 3] iOS
2019[lower-alpha 3] iPadOS
2016[lower-alpha 5] Linux Online server:
2015[lower-alpha 6] Desktop app:
2015[lower-alpha 6] macOS
2015[lower-alpha 6] Windows
CopyDesk Quark, Inc. 1991 macOS 7 2007 Proprietary Cost
Windows
EZ Word Andrew Project 1985 GNU/Linux 7.5 1996 MIT-CMU No cost
Unix
FrameMaker Adobe Systems Incorporated 1986 macOS 15.0 2019-08-22 Proprietary Cost
Unix
Windows
Gobe Productive Gobe Software 1998-08 BeOS 2.0.1[1] 2000-02-29 Proprietary Cost
2001-12-12[2] Windows 3.04[3] 2003-07-08
Google Docs Google 2006[lower-alpha 7] Android[lower-alpha 8] Rolling Rolling Proprietary Cost
ChromeOS[lower-alpha 9]
iOS[lower-alpha 8]
Linux[lower-alpha 9]
macOS[lower-alpha 8]
Windows[lower-alpha 8]
Hangul Haansoft 1989 Android 2022 2022 Proprietary Cost
GNU/Linux
iOS
macOS
Windows
Ichitaro JustSystems 1983-10 DOS 4.3 1989-12 Proprietary Cost
2004-12 GNU/Linux
1995-07 macOS
1993-04 OS/2
1993-04 Windows 2022 2022-02-10
InCopy Adobe Systems Incorporated 1999 macOS Proprietary No cost
Windows
Jarte[lower-alpha 10] Carolina Road Software, LLC 2001-07 Windows Proprietary No cost and cost
KOffice KWord Reginald Stadlbauer, KDE 1998 GNU/Linux GPL
LGPL
No cost
Windows
LibreOffice Writer The Document Foundation 2011-01-25 BSD MPL-2.0 No cost
GNU/Linux
macOS
Unix
Windows
Lotus Symphony Lotus Software 2008 GNU/Linux Proprietary ?
macOS
Windows
Lotus Word Pro Lotus Software 1989[lower-alpha 11] Windows Proprietary Cost
LyX The LyX Project 1995 GNU/Linux GPL-2.0-or-later No cost
Mariner Write Mariner software 1996 macOS 3.7.2 Proprietary Cost
Mellel RedleX 2002 macOS Proprietary Cost
Microsoft Word Microsoft Corporation Android 16 2021 Proprietary Cost
1985 AT&T Unix PC
1986 Atari ST 1.05 1986
1983 DOS 6.0 1993
iOS 2.56 2021-12-12
1985 macOS 16 2021
1989 OS/2 5.5 1991
1990 SCO Unix 5.1 1991
1989 Windows 16 2021
1983-10-25 Xenix
Microsoft Works Microsoft Corporation 1987-09-14 DOS Proprietary Cost
1988 macOS
1991 Windows
MonsterWriter MonsterWriter 2020 1.4 Proprietary Cost
NeoOffice Writer Planamesa Software 2003-06-22 macOS GPL No cost
Nisus Writer Nisus Software 1989 macOS 6.5[4] 2001 Proprietary Cost
2003 macOS 4.3 (Express)[5] 2022-09-01
2007 macOS 3.3 (Pro)[6] 2022-09-01
OnlyOffice Desktop Editors Ascensio System SIA 2016 GNU/Linux AGPL-3.0-only No cost
macOS
Windows
OpenOffice.org Writer Sun Microsystems[lower-alpha 12]
Oracle Corporation[lower-alpha 13]
2002-05 BSD Apache-2.0 No cost
GNU/Linux
macOS
Solaris/Illumos
Unix
Windows
Pages Apple Inc. 2005-01-11 iOS Proprietary Cost
macOS
PolyEdit PolySoft Solutions 1998 Windows Proprietary Cost
StarOffice Sun Microsystems 1994 GNU/Linux Proprietary Cost
macOS
Windows
TeXmacs Joris van der Hoeven 1996? GNU/Linux GPL-3.0-or-later No cost
macOS
Windows
Ted Mark de Does 1999 Atari ST GPL-2.0-only No cost
BSD
GNU/Linux
Unix
TextEdit Apple Inc. 1993?[lower-alpha 14] macOS BSD-3-Clause No cost
TextMaker SoftMaker 2012-08 Android Proprietary ?
1987 DOS
2002 FreeBSD
2003-05? GNU/Linux
2022-06-08 iOS
2018? macOS
1994-04? Windows
WPS Office Kingsoft 2012-03-23 Android 16.3.7 2022-07-22 Proprietary Cost
1988 DOS Dropped
2014 GNU/Linux 11.1.0.11664 2022-06-08
2014 iOS 11.24.1 2022-07-14
2019 macOS 4.2.1 2022-07-15
1995? Windows 11.2.0.11191 2022-07-05
WordPad Microsoft Corporation 1995 Windows Proprietary Cost
WordPerfect Corel Corporation 1980 OpenVMS 5.1 Proprietary Cost
Windows
Word processor Developer Initial release Platform Latest release License Cost
Version Date

Characteristics

This table gives characteristics of each word processor.

Word processor Grammar checker Cross referencing Bibliography Graphic editing Mail merging Spell checker Smartfont typography[lower-alpha 15] Math support Conditional text LTR/RTL
AbiWord Yes ? ? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Yes
AppleWorks ? ? Yes Yes ?
Atlantis Word Processor No Yes ? Yes No Yes ? No ? No
Apache OpenOffice Writer Yes[lower-alpha 16] Yes ? Yes Yes Yes Yes[lower-alpha 17] Yes[7] Yes[8] Yes
Bean No ? ? No No Yes ?
Collabora Online Writer Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes
CopyDesk No ? ? No Yes ?
FrameMaker No Yes[9] ? Yes No Yes No Yes[10] Yes[11] ?
GNU TeXmacs No Yes Yes Yes[lower-alpha 18] No Yes Yes Yes Yes ?
Google Docs Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Han/Gul Yes ? ? Yes Yes Yes No Yes ?
Ichitaro Yes[lower-alpha 19] ? ? Yes[lower-alpha 19] No ?
InCopy No ? ? No Yes Yes[12] ?
Jarte No ? ? No No Yes ? ?
KWord Yes ? ? Yes Yes Yes No ?
LibreOffice Writer Yes[lower-alpha 20] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes[13] Yes[14] Yes
IBM Lotus Symphony No ? ? Yes Yes Yes No ?
Lotus Word Pro Yes ? ? Yes Yes Yes No ?
LyX Yes[15] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Mariner Write No ? ? No Yes Yes No ? ?
Mathematica No ? ? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ?
Mellel Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Microsoft Word Yes[lower-alpha 21] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No[lower-alpha 22] Yes[lower-alpha 23] No Yes
Microsoft Works Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No ? ?
MonsterWriter No Yes Yes No No Yes ? Yes No ?
NeoOffice Writer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
OnlyOffice Desktop Editors Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No
OpenOffice.org Writer Yes[lower-alpha 16] Yes ? Yes Yes Yes Yes[lower-alpha 17] Yes[16] Yes[17] Yes
Pages Yes No Yes[lower-alpha 24] Yes No Yes Yes Yes[lower-alpha 25] ?
StarOffice Writer No ? ? Yes Yes Yes Yes[lower-alpha 17] ?
Ted No ? ? No No Yes ?
TextEdit Yes ? ? Yes No Yes Yes ?
TextMaker Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
WordPad No No Yes
WPS Office Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
WordPerfect Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No ?
Word processor Grammar checker Cross referencing Bibliography Graphic editing Mail merging Spell checker Smartfont typography[lower-alpha 15] Math support Conditional text LTR/RTL

Operating system compatibility

This table shows the operating systems supported by the latest word processor version

Word processor Windows Mac OS X GNU/Linux BSD BeOS/Zeta AmigaOS/MorphOS UNIX Other
AbiWord Yes No Yes Yes No No No QNX, Solaris
AppleWorks Yes Yes No No No No No No
Applix Word Yes No Yes No No No No No
Atlantis Word Processor Yes No No No No No No No
Apache OpenOffice Writer Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes OpenVMS
Bean No Yes No No No No No No
Collabora Online Writer Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Android
ChromeOS
iOS
iPadOS
CopyDesk Yes Yes No No No No No No
EZ Word No No Yes No No No Yes No
FrameMaker Yes Yes[lower-alpha 26] No No No No Yes[lower-alpha 27] No
Gobe Productive Yes No No No No No No No
Google Docs Yes Yes Yes No No No No Android
ChromeOS
iOS
iPadOS
GNU TeXmacs Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No
Groff Yes No Yes Yes No No No No
Han/Gul Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
Ichitaro Yes No Yes No No No No No
InCopy Yes Yes No No No No No No
Jarte Yes No No No No No No No
KWord Yes[lower-alpha 28] No Yes Yes No No Yes No
LibreOffice Writer Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No
IBM Lotus Symphony Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
Lotus Word Pro Yes No No No No No No No
LyX Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes OS/2
Haiku
ChromeOS
Mariner Write No Yes No No No No No No
Mathematica Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes No
Mellel No Yes No No No No No No
Microsoft Word Yes Yes No No No No No No
Microsoft Works Yes No No No No No No No
NeoOffice Writer No Yes No No No No No No
Nisus Writer No Yes No No No No No No
OnlyOffice Desktop Editors Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
OpenOffice.org Writer Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes OpenVMS
Pages No Yes No No No No No iOS
PolyEdit Yes No No No No No No No
StarOffice Writer Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
Ted No No Yes Yes No No Yes Atari ST
TextEdit No Yes No No No No No No
TextMaker Yes Yes Yes No No No No Android
WPS Office Yes Yes Yes No No No No Android
WordPad Yes No No No No No No No
WordPerfect Yes No No[lower-alpha 29] No No No[lower-alpha 30] No[lower-alpha 31] OpenVMS[lower-alpha 32]
Word processor Windows Mac OS X GNU/Linux BSD BeOS/Zeta AmigaOS/MorphOS UNIX Other

Import or open capabilities

This table gives a comparison of the file formats each word processor can import or open.

Word processor HTML LaTeX ODF .odt RTF Word .doc WordPerfect OOXML .docx SXW UOF
AbiWord Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Atlantis Word Processor No No Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No
Apache OpenOffice Writer Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Bean Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No
Collabora Online Writer Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
CopyDesk Yes No No Yes Yes Yes
FrameMaker No No No Yes Yes No
GNU TeXmacs Yes[lower-alpha 33] Yes[lower-alpha 34] No No No No No No No
Google Docs No No Yes No Yes No Yes No No
Ichitaro Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No
InCopy No No No Yes Yes No
Jarte No No No Yes Yes No Yes[18]
KWord Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes[19] Yes No
LibreOffice Writer Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
IBM Lotus Symphony Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No
Lotus Word Pro Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No No
LyX Yes Yes Yes Yes Depends[lower-alpha 35] No No No No
Mariner Write No No No Yes No No
Mathematica Yes Yes No Yes No No
Microsoft Word Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
Microsoft Works Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
NeoOffice Writer Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
OnlyOffice Desktop Editors No No Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No
OpenOffice.org Writer Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Pages No No No Yes Yes No Yes No
PolyEdit No No No Yes Yes Yes
StarOffice Writer Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Ted No No No Yes No No No No No
TextEdit Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes
TextMaker Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
WPS Office Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
WordPad Yes No Yes Yes No No Yes No No
WordPerfect Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
Word processor HTML LaTeX ODF .odt RTF Word .doc WordPerfect OOXML .docx SXW UOF

Export or save capabilities

This table gives a comparison of the file formats each word processor can export or save. In some cases, omitting an Export format (Microsoft Word's omission of WordPerfect export is the best known example) was a sales rather than a technical measure.

Word processor HTML LaTeX ODF .odt PDF RTF Word .doc WordPerfect OOXML .docx UOF
AbiWord Yes Yes Yes Partial[lower-alpha 36][20] Yes Yes No[lower-alpha 37] Yes[22] No
Atlantis Word Processor Yes No No No Yes Yes No Yes No
Apache OpenOffice Writer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes
Bean Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No
Collabora Online Writer No No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes No
CopyDesk Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
FrameMaker Yes No No Yes Yes No No No No
GNU TeXmacs Yes[lower-alpha 38] Yes[lower-alpha 39] No Yes No No No No No
Google Docs No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No
Ichitaro Yes No Yes No Yes Yes No No No
InCopy No No No Yes Yes No No
Jarte Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No No
KWord Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
LibreOffice Writer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes
IBM Lotus Symphony Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No
Lotus Word Pro Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes No No
LyX Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Mariner Write No No No Yes Yes No No
Mathematica Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No
Microsoft Word Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No
Microsoft Works Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes No No
NeoOffice Writer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
OnlyOffice Desktop Editors Yes No Yes Yes No No No Yes No
OpenOffice.org Writer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes
Pages No No No Yes Yes Yes No Yes
PolyEdit Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes
StarOffice Writer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No
Ted Yes No No Yes Yes No No No No
TextEdit Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No
TextMaker Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
WPS Office Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No
WordPad No No Yes No Yes No No Yes No
WordPerfect Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Word processor HTML LaTeX ODF .odt PDF RTF Word .doc WordPerfect OOXML .docx UOF

See also

Notes

  1. 2011 – present.
  2. No cost since 3.0.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 The app uses LibreOffice kit technology and is based on Collabora Online for which development started in 2013.
  4. Version 21.11. Using LibreOffice kit technology, development started in 2013.
  5. Version 1.0. Using LibreOffice kit technology, development started in 2013.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Version 4.4.
  7. Development started 2006.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Offline editing when used with Chrome or Edge web browser.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Offline editing when used with Chrome web browser.
  10. Free and Pro
  11. Originally Samna Ami Pro.
  12. 1999 – 2009.
  13. 2010 – 2011
  14. Approximate date. As part of NeXT's OPENSTEP which later became part of Mac OS X.
  15. 15.0 15.1 Advanced typography refers to either support for Apple Advanced Typography or advanced OpenType typography features and all OpenType layout tables or Graphite font technology.
  16. 16.0 16.1 Via extensions.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 Support for Graphite Font Technology from version 3.2.
  18. Only own graphics.
  19. 19.0 19.1 For Japanese.
  20. 4 languages on default installation and over 30 languages via extensions.
  21. Support for additional languages available via language packs.
  22. Partial support for some OpenType features in MS Word 2010, ie. ligatures, old-style figures, but not true small caps.
  23. LaTeX, MS Equation and MathType.
  24. End notes/bibliography supported with EndNote X2 (third party)
  25. With third party add-ons: LaTeX or MathType.
  26. Version 7.1 and earlier.
  27. Version 8 and earlier.
  28. Alpha.
  29. Since 2000.
  30. Last: AOS up to WP4.1 in 1987.
  31. Since 1994.
  32. Can run unsupported Version 5.1.
  33. With MathML support.
  34. With BibTeX support.
  35. With external program.
  36. Linux ver.
  37. Disabled.[21]
  38. With MathML equations.
  39. With BibTeX bibliography.

References

  1. "Productive BeOS". http://www.gobe.com/storegobeproductive.html. 
  2. "Windows Release". http://gobe.com/press/pr12_12_2001.html. 
  3. "Gobe Corporation". http://gobe.com. 
  4. "Nisus Software History". https://nisus.com/about/history.php. 
  5. "Nisus Writer Express - version history and archive". https://nisus.com/Express/versions.php. 
  6. "Nisus Writer Pro - version history and archive". https://nisus.com/pro/versions.php. 
  7. "Math Objects". http://www.openoffice.org/documentation/manuals/oooauthors/MathObjects.pdf. 
  8. "Developing conditional content". http://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Documentation/OOoAuthors_User_Manual/Writer_Guide/Developing_conditional_content. 
  9. "Adobe FrameMaker 9 * About cross-references". Help.adobe.com. http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FrameMaker/9.0/Using/WSFA7402BF-4AA8-4a80-ABC9-70B8FCE2C8E4.html. 
  10. Adobe Systems, "Edit equations," <http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FrameMaker/9.0/Using/WSF12494BC-2ECA-4d4d-8BA8-2CC2CB9B9E1A.html>, [retrieved January 21, 2012]
  11. Adobe Systems, "About conditional text," <http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FrameMaker/9.0/Using/WSF778A159-48A7-4f26-B04E-79509DDB38E8.html>, [retrieved January 21, 2012]
  12. Adobe Systems, "Use conditional text," <http://help.adobe.com/en_US/InCopy/6.0/WS745C7188-1C17-4eae-8680-2F7C80DE6849.html>, [Retrieved January 21, 2012]
  13. "Math Guide - Using the Formula Editor". LibreOffice Documentation Team. March 22, 2015. pp. 39–46, 51–68. https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/images/2/26/MG44-MathGuide.pdf. 
  14. LibreOffice, "Defining Conditions" <https://help.libreoffice.org/Writer/Defining_Conditions>, [Retrieved March 8, 2013]
  15. LyX wiki | Tools / LyX Grammar Checker
  16. "Math Objects". http://www.openoffice.org/documentation/manuals/oooauthors/MathObjects.pdf. 
  17. "Developing conditional content". http://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Documentation/OOoAuthors_User_Manual/Writer_Guide/Developing_conditional_content. 
  18. Requires Microsoft's free Office Compatibility Pack
  19. [1]
  20. "FaqCreatingPDFs - AbiWiki". Abisource.com. 2010-11-27. http://www.abisource.com/twiki/bin/view/Abiword/FaqCreatingPDFs. 
  21. "Plugin Matrix - AbiWiki". http://www.abisource.com/wiki/PluginMatrix. 
  22. "AbiWord v2.6.5 ChangeLog". Abisource.com. http://www.abisource.com/changelogs/2.6.5.phtml.