Comparison
A free alternative to Microsoft Word, with no account and no upload
Need to edit a Word document (.docx) without a Microsoft 365 licence, without creating an account, or without handing a contract to an online service? Here is how ElniDocs compares with the most widely used options, point by point.
In short
ElniDocs is a free word processor that opens and saves Word files (.docx) right in the browser: no account, no installation, and the document never leaves your device. Word for the web and Google Docs require an account and store your files in their cloud; LibreOffice Writer works locally but has to be installed. For writing together at the same time, Word for the web and Google Docs remain the better choice.
Point-by-point comparison
| Criterion | ElniDocs | Microsoft Word for the web | Google Docs | LibreOffice Writer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Advantage: Free, no subscription | With reservations: Free with a Microsoft account; full features with Microsoft 365 (paid) | Advantage: Free with a Google account | Advantage: Free (open-source software) |
| Account required | Advantage: No | Drawback: Yes, a Microsoft account | Drawback: Yes, a Google account | Advantage: No |
| Installation | Advantage: None: in the browser | Advantage: None: in the browser | Advantage: None: in the browser | Drawback: Software to install (Windows, macOS, Linux) |
| Where your files go | Advantage: Stay on your device | Drawback: Uploaded to OneDrive (Microsoft's cloud) | Drawback: Uploaded to Google Drive (Google's cloud) | Advantage: Stay on your device |
| Without a connection | Advantage: Yes, once the page has loaded | Drawback: No | With reservations: Partly: offline mode to turn on in Chrome or Edge | Advantage: Yes |
| Word files (.docx) | Advantage: Opens and saves .docx, exports to PDF | Advantage: Opens and saves .docx | Advantage: Opens, edits and exports .docx | Advantage: Opens and saves .docx |
| Writing together at the same time | Drawback: No (comments and tracked changes are kept in the file) | Advantage: Yes | Advantage: Yes | Drawback: No |
Price
- ElniDocs
- Advantage: Free, no subscription
- Microsoft Word for the web
- With reservations: Free with a Microsoft account; full features with Microsoft 365 (paid)
- Google Docs
- Advantage: Free with a Google account
- LibreOffice Writer
- Advantage: Free (open-source software)
Account required
- ElniDocs
- Advantage: No
- Microsoft Word for the web
- Drawback: Yes, a Microsoft account
- Google Docs
- Drawback: Yes, a Google account
- LibreOffice Writer
- Advantage: No
Installation
- ElniDocs
- Advantage: None: in the browser
- Microsoft Word for the web
- Advantage: None: in the browser
- Google Docs
- Advantage: None: in the browser
- LibreOffice Writer
- Drawback: Software to install (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Where your files go
- ElniDocs
- Advantage: Stay on your device
- Microsoft Word for the web
- Drawback: Uploaded to OneDrive (Microsoft's cloud)
- Google Docs
- Drawback: Uploaded to Google Drive (Google's cloud)
- LibreOffice Writer
- Advantage: Stay on your device
Without a connection
- ElniDocs
- Advantage: Yes, once the page has loaded
- Microsoft Word for the web
- Drawback: No
- Google Docs
- With reservations: Partly: offline mode to turn on in Chrome or Edge
- LibreOffice Writer
- Advantage: Yes
Word files (.docx)
- ElniDocs
- Advantage: Opens and saves .docx, exports to PDF
- Microsoft Word for the web
- Advantage: Opens and saves .docx
- Google Docs
- Advantage: Opens, edits and exports .docx
- LibreOffice Writer
- Advantage: Opens and saves .docx
Writing together at the same time
- ElniDocs
- Drawback: No (comments and tracked changes are kept in the file)
- Microsoft Word for the web
- Advantage: Yes
- Google Docs
- Advantage: Yes
- LibreOffice Writer
- Drawback: No
Comparison made on October 19, 2026 from each product's public pages. Their offers may change: check them on their websites.
When ElniDocs is the better choice
- The document is confidential (a contract, a medical record, a payslip) and must not leave your computer.
- You have no Microsoft 365 licence and do not want to create an account to fix three lines.
- You are on a computer where you cannot install anything: a locked-down work PC, a Chromebook, a borrowed laptop.
- You work on the move without a reliable connection: once loaded, ElniDocs works offline.
When another tool is a better fit
- Several people write in the same document at the same time: Word for the web and Google Docs do it live.
- You need advanced Word features (macros, add-ins, very complex layouts): desktop Word or LibreOffice Writer go further.
- You still open old .doc files (Word 97-2003) or .odt files: LibreOffice Writer reads them, ElniDocs does not yet.
- You want your documents on all your devices without doing anything: Microsoft's or Google's cloud takes care of it. With ElniDocs, save them in a synced folder.
Switching to ElniDocs
- Open the ElniDocs editor for Word files: nothing to install, no account.
- Drop your .docx file, or start from a blank page or a template.
- Edit it with the ribbon, then save it as .docx or PDF on your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is ElniDocs really free?
Yes: every feature is free, with no subscription, no adverts and no watermark. ElniDocs has no server processing your documents: your device does the work, which costs next to nothing to run.
Will a file edited in ElniDocs then open in Microsoft Word?
Yes: the document is saved in the standard .docx format, with its styles, tables, images, headers, comments and tracked changes. Still, check how a very elaborate layout looks before an important send.
Can I use ElniDocs at work?
Yes. As no file is uploaded, it also suits internal or confidential documents. You can check it: cut the connection once the page has loaded, and everything keeps working.
Why compare with Word for the web rather than desktop Word?
Because it is the free version of Word, the one people use when they have no licence. Desktop Word is more complete, but it needs a Microsoft 365 subscription or a purchased licence.