Google Docs Alternatives (2026): 10 Editors Compared

Google Docs made shared writing feel normal. You send a link, everyone types at once, and nobody has to email version seven of a file again. It's a brilliant default, but it isn't the right home for every business. Some owners want more privacy, some need to work offline on a train, and some simply prefer files they can keep on their own machine.

Below you'll find ten Google Docs alternatives in no particular order, sorted A to Z. I've included smaller, privacy-first and open source editors alongside a few names you'll know, because the smaller ones often solve one problem very well. Everything comes from each tool's own website. If you build lots of repeat documents, my guide to reusable document templates still applies wherever you write.

Google Docs alternatives at a glance

In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site describes a free plan, a free edition or free software. Limits on storage, members or features vary, so check the current details before you move your working files.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Apple Pages	Apple document app	Polished layouts on Mac, iPhone, iPad and iCloud	Yes
Collabora Online	Self-hosted online suite	Editing office files on your own server	Yes
Craft	Docs and notes app	Beautiful notes, briefs and linked pages	Yes
CryptPad	Encrypted open source suite	Private documents with end-to-end encryption	Yes
LibreOffice Writer	Desktop word processor	Offline writing and long documents	Yes
Microsoft Word for the web	Browser word processor	Word files edited in a browser	Yes
Nuclino	Team docs and wiki	Internal knowledge bases and team notes	Yes
ONLYOFFICE Docs	Online office suite	Office-format files with real-time co-editing	Yes
Proton Docs	Encrypted document editor	Private collaboration inside encrypted cloud storage	Yes
Zoho Writer	Cloud word processor	Online writing with offline editing and automation	Yes

Ten Google Docs alternatives from A to Z

Apple Pages

Best for: Apple users who want good-looking documents and can share them through iCloud with people on other devices.

Collabora Online

Best for: Organisations that want browser editing of office files on their own infrastructure or through a hosting partner.

Craft

Best for: Solo founders and creatives who like tidy, visual documents and nested pages for plans and client briefs.

CryptPad

Best for: Privacy-minded teams who want encrypted, open source document editing without handing files to a big platform.

LibreOffice Writer

Best for: Anyone who wants a free desktop word processor that works offline and handles long reports or manuscripts.

Microsoft Word for the web

Best for: People who swap Word files with clients and want to edit them in a browser with a Microsoft account.

Nuclino

Best for: Small teams who want a quick shared wiki of linked documents instead of a folder full of loose files.

ONLYOFFICE Docs

Best for: Teams who need strong compatibility with office file formats and like the option of an open source version.

Proton Docs

Best for: Business owners who want collaborative documents with end-to-end encryption alongside private cloud storage.

Zoho Writer

Best for: Small businesses already using business apps from the same maker, or anyone wanting document automation features.

What matters when you replace Google Docs

Most people don't leave because Docs is bad. They leave because one thing about it doesn't fit. Name that one thing first, then judge each editor against it.

• Real-time co-editing. If your team writes together, check that several people can type in the same document at once and see each other's cursors.
• Comments and suggestions. Clients often want to suggest edits rather than change your words. Look for a suggestion or review mode.
• Offline access. If you write on the move, make sure the editor works without a connection and syncs cleanly afterwards.
• File formats. If you trade documents with clients, check how well the editor opens and saves common office files.
• Privacy. If you handle sensitive client material, look at where files are stored and whether they're encrypted end to end.
• Sharing controls. You want to choose who can view, comment or edit, and switch links off when a project ends.

Which kind of Google Docs alternative suits your business

• Browser word processors suit owners who want the same link-and-type habit, just with a different account or file format.
• Encrypted editors suit coaches, consultants and agencies who hold private client notes and want fewer people able to read them.
• Self-hosted and open source suites suit businesses with a technical helper who'd like the files to live on their own server.
• Desktop word processors suit writers who work offline and keep long documents as files they own.
• Docs-plus-wiki tools suit small teams who mostly write internal notes, processes and how-to pages.

If your documents are really a shared workspace of notes, tasks and databases, my guide to Notion alternatives covers that wider group of tools.

Questions to ask before you leave Google Docs

• Who else edits my documents, and will they need a new account to join me?
• Do my clients expect office files, PDFs or a shared link?
• How many old documents do I need to move, and which ones can stay where they are?
• Will I need to write without internet access?
• Does anyone on my team need extra accessibility features, such as screen reader support?
• If I stopped using this editor tomorrow, how easily could I export everything?

Moving your files out of Google Docs without chaos

1. Download a full copy of your documents first and keep it somewhere safe.
2. Decide which folders are live work and which are archive. Only move the live ones at first.
3. Open a handful of tricky documents in the new editor, such as ones with tables, images or tracked comments, and check how they look.
4. Rebuild your most used templates in the new tool so new work starts there by habit.
5. Tell clients and collaborators where new documents will live and send fresh share links.
6. Keep the old account readable for a while so nobody loses a link they still need.

Common mistakes when switching from Google Docs

• Moving everything in one weekend, then spending weeks fixing broken formatting.
• Forgetting that comments and suggestion history may not travel with the file.
• Choosing a private, encrypted editor but then sharing open links to it in public channels.
• Picking a desktop app for a team that really needs to edit the same file at the same time.
• Leaving clients to find the new links on their own instead of telling them.

Do you make document editors or online writing tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

Settling on your Google Docs replacement

Choose two editors that fit the reason you're leaving, whether that's privacy, offline work or file formats. Write one real document in each, share it with a colleague or client and ask them to comment. Keep the editor that felt natural for both of you, move live work across first, and leave your archive where it sits until you're sure.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free alternative to Google Docs?

Yes. Every editor on this list has a free plan, free edition or free software according to its own site. Limits differ, so check storage and member limits before your whole team joins.

Which Google Docs alternatives work offline?

Desktop word processors work offline by design, and some online editors offer offline modes or desktop apps. Check offline support on the tool's own site before you rely on it while travelling.

Can I move my Google Docs files to another editor?

You can download your documents in common office formats and open them elsewhere. Simple documents usually come across well, while complex tables, comments and suggestions may need tidying.

Are encrypted document editors harder to use?

Not usually for everyday writing. The main differences tend to be around sharing and account recovery, so read how each one handles lost passwords before you store client files.

Do my clients need an account to edit my documents?

It depends on the editor and your sharing settings. Some allow comments or editing by link, others ask guests to sign up, so test it with one friendly client first.