Apache OpenOffice vs LibreOffice
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Apache OpenOffice provides a full-featured office suite including Writer, Calc, and Impress, compatible with Microsoft Office and OpenDocument formats. It runs natively on Windows, macOS, and Linux, offering a cost‑free solution for students, small businesses, and open‑source enthusiasts. The suite is community‑maintained, supports a wide range of file types, and includes tools for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, and databases, all without any licensing fees.
LibreOffice is a fully-featured office suite that includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, drawing, and database tools. It supports a wide range of file formats, including Microsoft Office formats, making it easy to collaborate across platforms. The suite is community-driven, regularly updated, and available on all major desktop operating systems. Its open-source nature ensures transparency, security, and the ability to customize or extend functionality through extensions.
- Completely free with no hidden costs
- Runs on all major desktop operating systems
- Supports both Microsoft and OpenDocument formats
- Extensible via community extensions
- Completely free with no hidden costs
- Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux
- High compatibility with Microsoft Office files
- Extensible via a robust extensions ecosystem
- No native cloud‑based collaboration like some competitors
- Limited mobile support; primarily desktop only
- User interface feels dated compared to newer suites
- User interface feels dated compared to some commercial suites
- Limited native cloud collaboration features
- Performance can be slower with very large documents
More alternatives & similar tools
Alternatives to Apache OpenOffice
View all →
Free Microsoft Office-compatible suite with TextMaker, PlanMaker, and Presentations
Alternatives to LibreOffice
View all →Free Microsoft Office-compatible suite with TextMaker, PlanMaker, and Presentations
The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataBoth suites are free, desktop‑only office packages; LibreOffice generally offers richer features and better support, while OpenOffice is a solid, minimal alternative.
Key differences
- •LibreOffice includes pivot tables in Calc, while OpenOffice does not mention them.
- •LibreOffice provides a larger extensions ecosystem and UNO API for deeper automation.
- •LibreOffice lists documentation as a support channel in addition to forums and email; OpenOffice only lists forums and email.
- •OpenOffice’s tagline emphasizes “full localization” for many languages, a point not specified for LibreOffice.
- •Both lack native cloud collaboration, but LibreOffice notes slower performance with very large documents.
Pricing & value
Both are free, open‑source desktop applications with no hidden costs.
Ease of use / learning curve
Both have dated UIs; no specific usability advantage is documented for either.
Features & depth
LibreOffice adds pivot tables, broader extension repository, and UNO API; OpenOffice lacks these mentions.
Integrations & ecosystem
LibreOffice’s larger extensions ecosystem and UNO API enable more integrations than OpenOffice.
Collaboration
Neither product offers native cloud‑based collaboration per the provided facts.
Support
LibreOffice lists documentation plus forums and email; OpenOffice only lists forums and email.
Security & privacy
Both are open source with regular updates; no specific security differences are noted.
Choose Apache OpenOffice if…
Users needing a simple, fully localized desktop suite with minimal extra features.
Choose LibreOffice if…
Users wanting richer spreadsheet tools, broader extensions, and more support resources.
Common questions
Is there any cost difference between Apache OpenOffice and LibreOffice?
No. Both are free, open‑source desktop applications.
Which suite offers more advanced spreadsheet capabilities?
LibreOffice, because it explicitly includes pivot tables and broader data‑analysis functions.
What support options are available for each product?
OpenOffice provides email and community forums; LibreOffice adds documentation to community forums and email.