OnlyOffice
BeginnerOnlyOffice is a solid Google Docs alternative. Online office suite compatible with Microsoft Office. Self-hostable or cloud-based.
Information verified on October 12, 2026
Description
OnlyOffice is an online office suite that natively opens and saves in Microsoft Office formats. Compatibility surpasses LibreOffice for complex Word/Excel/PowerPoint documents. Available as cloud or self-hosted. Real-time collaboration works well. Open source for the community edition.
My take
The collaborative option I recommend: built into kDrive, compatible with Office formats. Only useful if you genuinely share documents with others. Details in chapter 7.
Key features
- Native .docx/.xlsx compatibility
- Real-time collaboration
- Nextcloud integration
- Self-hostable
- Desktop + cloud
- Open source
Strengths
- + Excellent Microsoft Office compatibility
- + Integrates with Nextcloud
- + Modern interface
Weaknesses
- − Open-core model (some paid features)
- − Fewer offline features than LibreOffice
Recommended for
- Nextcloud users
- Need for perfect Office compatibility
OnlyOffice vs Google Docs: the comparison
| Criterion | OnlyOffice | Google Docs |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (desktop editors, DocSpace Startup cloud with 2 GB). Business cloud at $20/admin/month, paid Enterprise server. | Free (Google account required) |
| Targeted ads on your data | No | Yes (Google ad profile) |
| Source code | Open (auditable) | Proprietary |
| Migration difficulty | Easy (1/5) | — |
Comparison
OnlyOffice stands out for its very faithful Microsoft Office compatibility. LibreOffice is more feature-complete. CryptPad encrypts everything but is more limited.
This topic is chapter 7 of my book
It answers these questions, among others:
- how do you convert your documents without breaking their layout?
- editing, storage, collaboration: which tool for each need?
- and what do you do with shared documents still in use?
Published 22/10/2026 by Éditions Eyrolles
Frequently asked questions
How much does OnlyOffice cost?
Free (desktop editors, DocSpace Startup cloud with 2 GB). Business cloud at $20/admin/month, paid Enterprise server.
How do you switch from Google Docs to OnlyOffice?
Estimated difficulty: Easy (1/5). Simple installation. Excellent Office compatibility. Nextcloud integration available.
Who is OnlyOffice for?
Users and organizations seeking an Office-compatible office suite with cloud option.
One spark a week
Every week in The Spark, I break down one tech story through the privacy lens. And what you can do about it, concretely.
Join 550+ readers. Unsubscribe in one click. Your data will never be shared.