Microsoft Word Vs. Google Docs: Which Docs Tool is Best?

Whether taking notes, drafting business reports, or simply organizing your daily tasks, the right document management software will streamline your writing workflows and keep your docs organized.

Microsoft Word and Google Docs are two popular options, but which one shines brighter than the other?

Well, it really depends on how you work and how you’ll use them.

To help you decide between Microsoft Word vs Google Docs, we’ll compare the unique features and pricing models of each, along with their ease of use, speech-to-text tools, and integrations.

After the showdown, discover a free tool that’ll help you write faster, collaborate seamlessly, and take your productivity to the next level.

Microsoft Word vs Google Docs: Which Docs Tool Is Best?

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What is Microsoft Word?

Microsoft Word vs Google Docs: example of a Microsoft Word document

Microsoft Word is word processing software for creating professional and academic documents like letters, resumes, forms, and reports. It has basic to advanced text formatting options and saves Word documents in various file formats, including DOCX, TXT, ODT, RTF, and PDF. Launched in 1983 as a desktop app, Word was initially designed for offline use, with your Word document saved to your computer. Fast forward to today, and you can back up Word documents on OneDrive or Sharepoint, Microsoft’s cloud storage apps, and auto-save changes to your work. Besides the desktop version of Word, there are mobile and online versions (Word Online) for accessing files on the go and collaborating with your team using the co-authoring feature. However, they don’t have the full functionality of the desktop version.

Microsoft Word features

Microsoft Word has unique features that are limited or unavailable in Google Docs. Let’s take a look at what they are. 👀

Research

Microsoft Word’s Research feature comes in handy when you’re working on research papers and need to find and cite sources. Use it to search and pull info from various websites and journals. You get a preview of each resource and a link to read more. If the source is relevant to your paper, add citations and bibliographies for the source in styles that include APA, MLA, Chicago, or IEEE. Word also keeps your document organized. Add a Table of Contents to quickly navigate to different sections in your document. If you’ve got a bunch of tables or images, create a Table of Figures to keep track of them. 🔍

Illustrations

Microsoft Word vs Google Docs: screenshot of Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word’s illustration tools make adding high-quality visuals to your documents easy. Upload images from your computer, the platform’s native stock image library, or the internet. You can also add shapes and icons or take screenshots. Format these visuals by adjusting their size, brightness, and position. Need to ditch a photo’s background or add some cool shadows and reflections? There are tools for that too. Besides these basics, you can add SmartArt graphics, charts, and 3D models to your Microsoft Word documents. While you can’t design 3D models in Word, you can get them from the built-in 3D collection or upload your own.

Draw

Microsoft Word vs Google Docs: screenshot of Microsoft Word

If you like taking notes, scribbling ideas, or sketching diagrams by hand, you’ll love the Draw feature. It has a virtual pen, pencil, and highlighter to draw within your document, and you can customize these tools by changing their color and thickness. Plus, there’s an eraser (a digital one, of course) for making corrections. ✏️ Word also simplifies adding shapes and math equations. The Ink to Shape tool transforms rough sketches into clean shapes, perfect for neat diagrams and flowcharts. The Ink to Math tool converts handwritten math equations into clean formatted text, making them easier to read.

Read Aloud

After a long day of screen time, your eyes need a break. But hey, you still have stuff to read. What to do? Enter Microsoft Word’s Read Aloud feature. 🔊 Use it to read your Word document out loud. You can control its speed and pick a voice, male or female. This option is great for multitasking and proofreading. Listen to your document while doing other things, or catch those sneaky errors you missed when reading documents yourself.

Microsoft Word pricing

And if you’re a business, the pricing plans are different:

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