OpenOffice vs LibreOffice: Which Free Office Suite Should You Install in 2026?

LibreOffice is the better pick for most people in the OpenOffice vs LibreOffice choice. Both are free, open-source suites with the same six programs, but LibreOffice keeps a regular two-branch release schedule while Apache OpenOffice ships maintenance releases only every so often. If Word, Excel and PowerPoint file fidelity matters more than anything, ONLYOFFICE is the other free suite worth installing.

The two projects share a history. LibreOffice says it was originally based on OpenOffice.org, and Apache OpenOffice is the version of OpenOffice.org that was donated to Apache in 2011. This guide compares them on updates, licences, file formats and platforms, then covers the free options that fill the gaps. Apache OpenOffice is not in Enlisted's catalogue, so it has no card, and its facts come from the project's own sites.

OpenOffice vs LibreOffice at a glance

On licences, Enlisted lists LibreOffice under GPL-3.0, while the project's own download page says the source code is licensed under the Mozilla Public License v2.0. Both are open-source licences and the suite is free either way. If you plan to redistribute or modify it, read the licence file in the version you download.

Is Apache OpenOffice still maintained?

Yes, at a slower pace. The Apache OpenOffice site lists version 4.1.16 as the latest release, published on 10 November 2025 as a security release with bug fixes and enhancements, in 41 languages. The project blog shows 4.1.14 in February 2023 and 4.1.15 in December 2023, so the gap between releases has grown. A post from September 2026 describes 4.1.17 as a maintenance release in preparation, built from backported fixes.

The project's own posts describe recent releases as maintenance and security updates rather than feature releases. For a home user who writes letters and keeps a simple spreadsheet, that can be enough. For anyone who opens documents from outside sources every day, a suite that ships fixes more often is the safer default.

How often is LibreOffice updated?

LibreOffice's release page describes two branches at the same time. One is the latest version, aimed at people who want new features. The other is a mature branch that the project recommends for enterprises and describes as stable for all users. You choose how much change you want.

Enlisted tracks commits to LibreOffice's core repository, and the card in the LibreOffice section below shows the latest one live. The repository is a read-only mirror: pull requests are not accepted there, and contributions go through Gerrit.

Do OpenOffice and LibreOffice open Word and Excel files equally well?

Both say yes, but neither makes it easy to check. The Apache OpenOffice product page says the software reads most file types of major competitors, and notes that it was the first package to use OpenDocument (ISO/IEC 26300) as its native format. It does not publish a format-by-format list. LibreOffice's pages mention OpenDocument and Microsoft Office formats, and Enlisted's listing describes it as built to open and save most common document formats and standards, again without a detailed matrix.

The practical advice is the same for both. Open a few of your real documents, especially ones with tables, tracked changes or complex layout, before you switch a whole team. Any suite other than Microsoft's own can shift formatting in complicated files. If that matters to you, see the free Microsoft Office alternatives guide, which compares how each suite handles Office formats.

Which one has better extensions and platform support?

Apache OpenOffice has an Extensions and Templates section on its site for adding functionality, templates and clipart. LibreOffice supports extensions built with its SDK and UNO APIs, plus macro scripting in StarBasic, according to Enlisted's listing.

On platforms, LibreOffice's download page offers Windows builds for x86-64 and ARM64, macOS builds for Apple silicon and Intel, and Linux packages for x86-64 and ARM64 in rpm and deb formats. OpenOffice's homepage points to Windows, macOS and Linux releases but does not spell out architectures as plainly, so check its download page if you run an ARM laptop.

Can you switch from OpenOffice to LibreOffice?

Usually without much friction. Both suites name OpenDocument as their native format, so files you saved in OpenOffice's own format are the same kind of file LibreOffice works with. Both also have the same six programs under the same names, so menus and habits carry over.

Two things deserve a check before you uninstall anything. First, any extensions or templates you rely on: look for a LibreOffice version of each one, because add-ons are published separately by each project. Second, any macros: test the important ones on a copy of your files, since scripting behavior can differ between suites.

LibreOffice: best default for a free desktop office suite

LibreOffice is a free office suite from The Document Foundation that bundles Writer for documents, Calc for spreadsheets, Impress for presentations, Draw for diagrams, Base for databases and Math for formulas. Unlike the browser-based tools below, it runs as a normal desktop install with no hosted service behind it.

It is the one to try first because it is actively developed, runs on all three major desktop systems and keeps your files on your own machine. The project's site invites donations, and nothing in Enlisted's data points to a paid tier of the suite itself.

• Best for: home users, students, small offices and schools that want a no-cost desktop suite.
• Watch out for: it is a desktop suite, so teams that want to co-edit documents in real time should look at the browser-based options below.

ONLYOFFICE: best when Microsoft file formats come first

ONLYOFFICE Docs is an open-source set of browser-based editors that treat docx, xlsx and pptx as native formats rather than imports. People can edit together live, it plugs into platforms such as Nextcloud, Moodle, Odoo and WordPress, and the code is AGPL-3.0.

A single user wants the other half of the product. The vendor's Desktop Editors page describes free apps for Windows, Linux and macOS that open DOCX, ODT, XLSX, ODS, CSV, PPTX and ODP files and can connect to services such as Nextcloud and ownCloud for team editing.

• Best for: people who exchange many Word, Excel and PowerPoint files and want those formats handled natively.
• Watch out for: the catalogue entry is the document server, meant for teams that host or embed it, so an individual should begin with the desktop editors. The ONLYOFFICE Docs page has licence and hosting details.

Collabora Online: best for LibreOffice in the browser

Collabora Online takes LibreOffice technology and serves it through a web page, so it shares LibreOffice's heritage but needs a server. Its own site claims compatibility with Microsoft and OpenDocument formats, names integrations with Nextcloud, ownCloud, WordPress, Moodle and SharePoint, and also describes Collabora Office apps for desktop and mobile.

In Enlisted's data the licence shows as Other, and the GitHub repository is mostly issue tracking plus release artifacts such as the container image and Helm chart, since coding takes place on the project's Gerrit instance.

• Best for: teams that already run Nextcloud or a similar file platform and want LibreOffice-style editing in the browser.
• Watch out for: it is not a drop-in desktop replacement for one person, because it needs a server to run.

What about WPS Office and SoftMaker Office?

Two more suites sit in the comparison table above, and both are closed source. WPS Office is a commercial suite built to open and save common Microsoft Office formats, runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS according to its site, and has a free plan. SoftMaker Office is sold either as a one-time purchase or as a subscription, so it is a paid option rather than a free one. Both are worth a look if you want a Microsoft-style interface without open source as a requirement.

If you are leaving Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace entirely, Enlisted lists Microsoft Office alternatives in one place.

Which should you choose, OpenOffice or LibreOffice?

The short version: install LibreOffice unless you have a specific reason to prefer the Apache licence, and treat OpenOffice as a legacy option. If you are also choosing between suites for a team, the wider list of free Microsoft Office and Google Workspace alternatives covers browser editors and self-hosted options, and the productivity category lists more tools. Enlisted explains its approach in how rankings work.