Comparison of word processor programs explained

This is a comparison of word processor programs.

General information

This table provides general information about selected word processor programs.

ProgramDeveloperInitial releasePlatformLatest releaseLicenseCost
Version Date
AbiWordAbiWord developer community, originally SourceGear Corporation1999-05-19AmigaOSrowspan="10"
BeOS
BSD
GNU/Linux
macOS
MorphOS
SkyOS
Unix
Windows
Zeta
Apache OpenOffice WriterApache Software Foundation2012-05-08BSDrowspan="6"
GNU/Linux
macOS
Solaris/Illumos
Unix
Windows
AppleWorksApple Inc.1991macOSrowspan="2"
Windows
Applix WordVistasource Inc.GNU/Linux6.0rowspan="2"
1992Windows
Atlantis Word ProcessorThe Atlantis Word Processor Team2000Windows
BeanJames Hoover2007-05-01macOS
Calligra WordsKDE1998BSDrowspan="4"
GNU/Linux
macOS
Windows
Collabora Online WriterCollabora2019Androidrowspan="9"
2021BSDBuild your ownBuild your own
2019ChromeOS
2019iOS
2019iPadOS
2016LinuxOnline server:
2015Desktop app:
2015macOS
2015Windows
CopyDeskQuark, Inc.1991macOS72007rowspan="2"
Windows
EZ WordAndrew Project1985GNU/Linux7.51996rowspan="2"
Unix
FrameMakerAdobe Systems Incorporated1986macOS15.02019-08-22rowspan="3"
Unix
Windows
Gobe ProductiveGobe Software1998-08BeOS2.0.1[1] rowspan="2"
2001-12-12[2] Windows3.04[3]
Google DocsGoogle2006AndroidRollingRollingrowspan="6"
ChromeOS
iOS
Linux
macOS
Windows
HangulHaansoft1989Android20222022rowspan="5"
GNU/Linux
iOS
macOS
Windows
IchitaroJustSystems1983-10DOS4.3rowspan="5"
2004-12GNU/Linux
1995-07macOS
1993-04OS/2
1993-04Windows20222022-02-10
InCopyAdobe Systems Incorporated1999macOSrowspan="2"
Windows
JarteCarolina Road Software, LLC2001-07Windows
KOffice KWordReginald Stadlbauer, KDE1998GNU/Linuxrowspan="2"
Windows
LibreOffice WriterThe Document Foundation2011-01-25BSDrowspan="5"
GNU/Linux
macOS
Unix
Windows
Lotus SymphonyLotus Software2008GNU/Linuxrowspan="3"
macOS
Windows
Lotus Word ProLotus Software1989Windows
LyXThe LyX Project1995GNU/Linux
Mariner WriteMariner software1996macOS3.7.2
MellelRedleX2002macOS
Microsoft WordMicrosoft CorporationAndroid162021rowspan="10"
1985AT&T Unix PC
1986Atari ST1.05
1983DOS6.0
iOS2.562021-12-12
1985macOS162021
1989OS/25.5
1990SCO Unix5.1
1989Windows162021
1983-10-25Xenix
Microsoft WorksMicrosoft Corporation1987-09-14DOSrowspan="3"
1988macOS
1991Windows
MonsterWriterMonsterWriter20201.4
NeoOffice WriterPlanamesa Software2003-06-22macOS
Nisus WriterNisus Software1989macOS6.5[4] rowspan="3"
2003macOS4.3 (Express)[5] 2022-09-01
2007macOS3.3 (Pro)[6] 2022-09-01
OnlyOffice Desktop EditorsAscensio System SIA2016GNU/Linuxrowspan="3"
macOS
Windows
OpenOffice.org WriterSun Microsystems
Oracle Corporation
2002-05BSDrowspan="6"
GNU/Linux
macOS
Solaris/Illumos
Unix
Windows
PagesApple Inc.2005-01-11iOSrowspan="2"
macOS
PolyEditPolySoft Solutions1998Windows
StarOfficeSun Microsystems1994GNU/Linuxrowspan="3"
macOS
Windows
TeXmacsJoris van der Hoeven1996?GNU/Linuxrowspan="3"
macOS
Windows
TedMark de Does1999Atari STrowspan="4"
BSD
GNU/Linux
Unix
TextEditApple Inc.1993?macOS
TextMakerSoftMaker2012-08Androidrowspan="7"
1987DOS
2002FreeBSD
2003-05?GNU/Linux
2022-06-08iOS
2018?macOS
1994-04?Windows
WPS OfficeKingsoft2012-03-23Android16.3.72022-07-22rowspan="6"
1988DOS
2014GNU/Linux11.1.0.116642022-06-08
2014iOS11.24.12022-07-14
2019macOS4.2.12022-07-15
1995?Windows11.2.0.111912022-07-05
WordPadMicrosoft Corporation1995Windows
WordPerfectCorel Corporation1980OpenVMS5.1rowspan="2"
Windows
Word processorDeveloperInitial releasePlatformLatest releaseLicenseCost
Version Date

Characteristics

This table gives characteristics of each word processor program.

ProgramGrammar checkerCross referencingBibliographyGraphic editingMail mergingSpell checkerSmartfont typographyMath supportConditional textLTR/RTL
AbiWord???
AppleWorks???
Atlantis Word Processor???
Apache OpenOffice Writer?[7] [8]
Bean???
Collabora Online Writer
CopyDesk???
FrameMaker[9] ?[10] [11] ?
GNU TeXmacs?
Google Docs
Han/Gul???
Ichitaro???
InCopy??[12] ?
Jarte????
KWord???
LibreOffice Writer[13] [14]
IBM Lotus Symphony???
Lotus Word Pro???
LyX[15]
Mariner Write????
Mathematica???
Mellel
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Works??
MonsterWriter??
NeoOffice Writer
OnlyOffice Desktop Editors
OpenOffice.org Writer?[16] [17]
Pages?
StarOffice Writer???
Ted???
TextEdit???
TextMaker
WordPad
WPS Office
WordPerfect?
Word processorGrammar checkerCross referencingBibliographyGraphic editingMail mergingSpell checkerSmartfont typographyMath supportConditional textLTR/RTL

Operating system compatibility

This table shows the operating systems supported by the latest program version

ProgramWindowsmacOSGNU/LinuxBSDBeOS/ZetaAmigaOS/MorphOSUNIXOther
AbiWord
AppleWorks
Applix Word
Atlantis Word Processor
Apache OpenOffice Writer
Bean
Collabora Online Writer
CopyDesk
EZ Word
FrameMaker
Gobe Productive
Google Docs
GNU TeXmacs
Groff
Han/Gul
Ichitaro
InCopy
Jarte
KWord
LibreOffice Writer
IBM Lotus Symphony
Lotus Word Pro
LyX
Mariner Write
Mathematica
Mellel
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Works
NeoOffice Writer
Nisus Writer
OnlyOffice Desktop Editors
OpenOffice.org Writer
Pages
PolyEdit
StarOffice Writer
Ted
TextEdit
TextMaker
WPS Office
WordPad
WordPerfect
Word processorWindowsMac OS XGNU/LinuxBSDBeOS/ZetaAmigaOS/MorphOSUNIXOther

Import or open capabilities

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

ProgramHTMLLaTeXODF .odtRTFWord [[DOC (computing)|.doc]]WordPerfectOOXML .docxSXWUOF
AbiWord
Atlantis Word Processor
Apache OpenOffice Writer
Bean
Collabora Online Writer
CopyDesk
FrameMaker
GNU TeXmacs
Google Docs
Ichitaro
InCopy
Jarte[18]
KWord[19]
LibreOffice Writer
IBM Lotus Symphony
Lotus Word Pro
LyX
Mariner Write
Mathematica
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Works
NeoOffice Writer
OnlyOffice Desktop Editors
OpenOffice.org Writer
Pages
PolyEdit
StarOffice Writer
Ted
TextEdit
TextMaker
WPS Office
WordPad
WordPerfect
Word processorHTMLLaTeXODF .odtRTFWord [[DOC (computing)|.doc]]WordPerfectOOXML .docxSXWUOF

Export or save capabilities

This table gives a comparison of the file formats each program 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.

ProgramHTMLLaTeXODF .odtPDFRTFWord .docWordPerfectOOXML .docxUOF
AbiWord[20] [21]
Atlantis Word Processor
Apache OpenOffice Writer
Bean
Collabora Online Writer
CopyDesk
FrameMaker
GNU TeXmacs
Google Docs
Ichitaro
InCopy
Jarte
KWord
LibreOffice Writer
IBM Lotus Symphony
Lotus Word Pro
LyX
Mariner Write
Mathematica
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Works
NeoOffice Writer
OnlyOffice Desktop Editors
OpenOffice.org Writer
Pages
PolyEdit
StarOffice Writer
Ted
TextEdit
TextMaker
WPS Office
WordPad
WordPerfect
Word processorHTMLLaTeXODF .odtPDFRTFWord .docWordPerfectOOXML .docxUOF

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Productive BeOS. https://web.archive.org/web/20011223101948/http://www.gobe.com/storegobeproductive.html. 2001-12-23.
  2. Web site: Windows Release. https://web.archive.org/web/20020204040701/http://www.gobe.com/press/pr12_12_2001.html. 2002-02-04.
  3. Web site: Gobe Corporation. https://web.archive.org/web/20031004234541/http://gobe.com/. 2003-10-04.
  4. Web site: Nisus Software History.
  5. Web site: Nisus Writer Express - version history and archive.
  6. Web site: Nisus Writer Pro - version history and archive.
  7. Web site: Math Objects. 26 July 2013.
  8. Web site: Developing conditional content. 26 July 2013.
  9. Web site: Adobe FrameMaker 9 * About cross-references . Help.adobe.com . 2012-12-13.
  10. Adobe Systems, "Edit equations," , [retrieved January 21, 2012]
  11. Adobe Systems, "About conditional text," , [retrieved January 21, 2012]
  12. Adobe Systems, "Use conditional text," , [Retrieved January 21, 2012]
  13. Web site: Math Guide - Using the Formula Editor. LibreOffice Documentation Team. July 14, 2015. 39–46, 51–68. March 22, 2015.
  14. LibreOffice, "Defining Conditions" , [Retrieved March 8, 2013]
  15. http://wiki.lyx.org/Tools/LyX-GrammarChecker LyX wiki | Tools / LyX Grammar Checker
  16. Web site: Math Objects. 26 July 2013.
  17. Web site: Developing conditional content. 26 July 2013.
  18. Requires Microsoft's free Office Compatibility Pack
  19. http://www.koffice.org/news/koffice-2-2-released/
  20. Web site: FaqCreatingPDFs - AbiWiki . Abisource.com . 2010-11-27 . 2012-12-13 . 2009-10-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091030153108/http://www.abisource.com/twiki/bin/view/Abiword/FaqCreatingPDFs . dead .
  21. Web site: AbiWord v2.6.5 ChangeLog . Abisource.com . 2012-12-13 . 2008-12-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081217104337/http://www.abisource.com/changelogs/2.6.5.phtml . dead .