LibreOffice vs OpenOffice - Which Free Office Suite?
Short answer: LibreOffice, and it is not close. Both suites descend from the same OpenOffice.org codebase, but since the 2010 split nearly all development energy moved to LibreOffice. OpenOffice today receives mostly maintenance releases; LibreOffice ships major updates twice a year.
Actively developed, far better Microsoft Office compatibility (docx, xlsx, pptx), modern interface options and regular security updates. The free office suite that keeps pace.
Download LibreOffice →The classic continuation. Fine on very old hardware and familiar to long-time users, but it cannot save modern Microsoft formats and updates are rare.
Download Apache OpenOffice →The differences that matter
Microsoft format support: LibreOffice reads and writes docx/xlsx/pptx well. OpenOffice can open them but still saves only the old doc/xls/ppt formats, which alone disqualifies it for anyone exchanging files in 2026.
Development pace: LibreOffice: two major releases a year, monthly fixes, thousands of commits. OpenOffice: occasional maintenance releases from a small team. Security response time follows the same pattern.
Interface: LibreOffice offers optional ribbon-style layouts alongside the classic toolbars. OpenOffice keeps the 2005 look, which some genuinely prefer.
Why does OpenOffice still exist?
Trademark history. The OpenOffice name went to the Apache Foundation while the developer community moved to LibreOffice. The brand recognition of “OpenOffice” keeps download numbers high, but momentum tells the real story.
FAQ
Will my old .odt files work in either? Yes, both use the OpenDocument format natively and are fully compatible with each other’s files.
Is either fully compatible with complex Excel spreadsheets? LibreOffice Calc handles most real-world workbooks including many macros (with Basic rewrites). Very heavy VBA or Power Query workbooks are still a reason to keep Excel.