LibreOffice Vs OpenOffice – Who Wins in 2025?

One of our clients asked us recently: Is there an alternative to me paying for Microsoft Office?

Two products came into our minds: LibreOffice and Apache OpenOffice.

They’re both free. They’re both full-featured office suites. And they both claim to be the best alternative to Microsoft’s subscription-heavy ecosystem.

But which one should you install in 2025?

We’ll compare feature-by-feature

Looks / User Interface (UI)

LibreOffice
If you care about aesthetics and usability, LibreOffice feels like it belongs in this decade.

Yes, that’s right! Sorry Openoffice! 

The menus, toolbars, and buttons are larger, sharper, and more colourful—especially on high-res 2K or 4K monitors.

It feels familiar to Microsoft Office users, so the learning curve is minimal – infact in just a few hours you would not miss the Office environment!

OpenOffice
OpenOffice is… well… functional.

The design feels like it’s from the early 2010s—minimalistic, grey, and not exactly eye candy.

But there’s one gem here: Side Deck—a collapsible sidebar that puts your most-used tools just a cursor flick away.

And on older machines, OpenOffice’s lighter interface runs faster than LibreOffice.

Winner: LibreOffice — simply because it looks and feels modern.

Features & Capabilities

LibreOffice offers a richer set of tools and better compatibility with modern file formats, including Microsoft Office 2013/2016/2019/365 files and ODF 1.2.

You get:

• A better mail merge in Writer.
• Goal Seek in Calc.
• More import/export options.
• Faster updates with more frequent feature rollouts.

OpenOffice can still create spreadsheets, presentations, drawings, and databases—but its feature development has slowed.

It’s fine for everyday work, but if you need the latest tools, LibreOffice is ahead here.

Winner: LibreOffice — more features, more formats, better long-term prospects.

Usability & Customization

Both suites can run on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and both can open common document formats.

LibreOffice edges a bit ahead with:

• Macro support for automation
• Integration with GIMP and Inkscape (we love this feature!)
• Customizable toolbars and themes (And this too!)

OpenOffice fights back with:

• Built-in PDF export
• Strong pivot table support
• More lightweight footprint for older hardware

Winner: LibreOffice — thanks to deeper customization and macro power.

File Format Support

LibreOffice supports 100+ formats—including every major Microsoft Office format from 1997 to 2019, PDFs, images, and more.

OpenOffice? Officially supports MS Office formats up to 2003. Yes, you can open newer formats, but functionality is limited!!

Winner: LibreOffice — no contest.

Platform Support

LibreOffice runs on:

• Windows
• macOS
• Linux
• Android (via Collabora Office – it’s the same thing! )

OpenOffice runs on:

• Windows
• macOS
• Linux
• FreeBSD
• Solaris

However, there’s no official mobile app for OpenOffice in 2025, and cloud sync is non-existent.

Winner: LibreOffice — mobile support and cloud-friendly.

Security

LibreOffice has stronger encryption options, support for digital signatures, and frequent security updates.

OpenOffice offers:

• Basic password protection
• Secure HTTPS transfers
  …but fewer high-grade encryption features……

Winner: LibreOffice — better security in a world where it matters more than ever.

Community Support

LibreOffice has an extremely active community with forums (we are a part as a team!), mailing lists, Reddit threads, and constant updates.

New features drop multiple times a year – we love to see those – don’t we!

OpenOffice’s community is smaller and development is slower, but still supportive—especially for long-term, stability-focused users.

Winner: LibreOffice — more developers, more updates, more technical assistance!

Accessibility

Both suites offer:

• High contrast mode
• Text-to-speech integration
• Keyboard shortcuts
• Accessibility checkers

Tie here—both care about inclusive design.

Efficiency in Use

LibreOffice is lighter faster and better for fast-paced, modern workflows thanks to UI efficiency, macros, and tight integration with other software.

OpenOffice is better if you’re working with legacy files or older machines—where speed and lightness matter more than flashy features.

Microsoft Office Compatibility

LibreOffice wins again:

• High-fidelity importing of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files
• Keeps formatting intact
• Integrates with cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox

OpenOffice:

• Can open password-protected files without add-ons
• Handles VBA macros better in some cases

Winner: LibreOffice — closest thing to a free Microsoft Office.

Final Verdict

In 2025, LibreOffice is the better choice for most users—it’s more modern, supports more formats, updates regularly, and works on mobile.

OpenOffice still has a place—especially for older hardware or users who value stability over features—but development speed and compatibility have fallen behind.

LibreOffice vs OpenOffice: Pros & Cons Table

Need Help Switching Office Suites?

If you’re ready to ditch Microsoft Office but want the migration to be smooth, safe, and fully compatible with your existing documents, our team at Computer Technicians can help.

We can:

• Install and configure LibreOffice or OpenOffice for your workflow
• Migrate your old MS Office files without losing its formatting
• Train you or your staff (if you are a business) on the new suite
• Set up cloud syncing so you can work anywhere

📞 Call us on 0484 357 559 — and get a hassle-free Microsoft Office alternative running on your PC today.