ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors review

ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors is the pick for people whose main worry is file compatibility. Ascensio System says the editors are built around native support for DOCX, XLSX and PPTX, keeping formatting, fonts, charts and styles intact, which reduces the broken layouts that come with converting files. The same app also edits PDFs as if they were documents, changing text, images and layout, and it can create and fill forms, so many users can drop a separate PDF editor. The interface uses tabs, which feels familiar to anyone coming from recent versions of Office. The desktop editors are free for personal and professional use on Windows, macOS and Linux, and mobile apps cover Android and iOS. Collaboration depends on where your files live: you connect the editors to ONLYOFFICE, Nextcloud, ownCloud, Seafile, Box or Dropbox to co-edit. Teams that want their own server pay for ONLYOFFICE Docs, starting with the Home edition at $149 per server per year. The optional AI Tools also need a provider you set up.

Who it is for

people who swap DOCX and XLSX files with Office users

Price

Desktop Editors free; ONLYOFFICE Docs Home from $149 per server per year.

For individuals working on documents across different devices $ 149 per server per year
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 14, 2026.

Key features

• Native DOCX, XLSX and PPTX editing that preserves formatting, fonts, charts and styles
• PDF editing of text, images and layout, plus fillable form creation
• Optional AI Tools that work with any provider, including MCP and web search
• Connects to ONLYOFFICE, Nextcloud, ownCloud, Seafile, Box and Dropbox for co-editing
• Tabbed interface with plugins, passwords, digital signatures and watermarks

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Free for personal and professional use, according to ONLYOFFICE
• Strength: Edits PDFs and builds fillable forms without a separate PDF app
• Strength: Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, with apps for Android and iOS
• Weakness: Real-time co-editing needs a connected cloud such as ONLYOFFICE or Nextcloud
• Weakness: Self-hosted ONLYOFFICE Docs is paid, starting with the Home edition at $149 per server per year
• Weakness: AI features need an AI provider you configure yourself

Key facts

• Desktop price: Free for personal and professional use
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
• Formats: DOCX, ODT, XLSX, ODS, CSV, PPTX, ODP, PDF
• Server option: Docs Home from $149 per server per year

Where it ranks

ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors is No. 2 in our Best Microsoft Office Alternatives verdict.