The best free Microsoft Office alternatives of 2017

Microsoft Office is the king of office productivity suites, but it doesn't inspire warm, fuzzy feelings in all users. Parsing the ever-expanding list of features--many of which you'll never use--can feel like stepping into a cockpit without a pilot's license. The ribbon interface, introduced a decade ago, has many fans, but others pine for the static menus of the early aughts. Fortunately, alternatives abound, ranging from web apps to freemium and open source desktop installations, many of which are compatible with Microsoft Office docs. We compared six of the most popular free office suites to see how well they replicate the most commonly used features of Microsoft Office. WPS Office 2016 provides the most Office-like experience of any alternative.