{"slug": "onlyoffice", "name": "OnlyOffice", "category": "other", "category_name": "Other software", "description": "Office suite for documents, spreadsheets and presentations, with desktop and online editors.", "recommenders": 6, "commenters": 11, "warners": 3, "score": 2.87, "rising": -1.96, "first": "2025-11-09", "latest": "2026-10-24", "why": "Liked as a lighter, nicer-to-use alternative to LibreOffice and as a free, open-source stand-in for Microsoft Office when office needs are light.", "why_is_quote": false, "has_verdict": true, "sentiment": {"recommend": 6, "neutral": 2, "compare": 0, "warn": 3}, "spark": [1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], "listed": true, "loved": ["Office alternative", "Lighter than LibreOffice"], "caveat": "Openness disputes", "short_quote": "Switched to the free OnlyOffice a year ago and never looked back", "icon": true, "domain": "onlyoffice.com", "github_repo": null, "official_url": "https://www.onlyoffice.com/", "pricing": "open source", "aliases": ["OnlyOffice", "ONLYOFFICE"], "verdict": [{"text": "Liked as a lighter, nicer-to-use alternative to LibreOffice", "cites": [{"id": 760472305, "item_id": 47529519, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47529519", "by": "smcleod", "date": "2026-03-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I switched to OnlyOffice a year ago and other than its almost complete lack of settings it's been so much nicer to use.", "excerpt": "Not related to donations but product wise Libreoffice just feels so clunky and Java-ish to use. I switched to OnlyOffice a year ago and other than its almost complete lack of settings it's been so much nicer to use.", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "LibreOffice", "story": "LibreOffice and the Art of Overreacting"}, {"id": 753604000, "item_id": 47100250, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47100250", "by": "dizhn", "date": "2026-02-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I like OnlyOffice. Their desktop apps are much lighter and better looking.", "excerpt": "I don't like any of the libreoffice/openoffice behemoths. I only ever used them because there wasn't anything better/comperable, so I will stay away from that discussion. I like OnlyOffice. Their desktop apps are much lighter and better looking. They work fine for my light needs. They also do have a LOT more than just desktop apps. The last time I mentioned them I was informed they are Russian. If that matters to you", "context": "light office needs", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "", "story": "LibreOffice blasts OnlyOffice for working with Microsoft to lock users in"}, {"id": 750444336, "item_id": 46902771, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46902771", "by": "dizhn", "date": "2026-02-05", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I have super light office requirements these days and those are satisfied with OnlyOffice", "excerpt": "I have super light office requirements these days and those are satisfied with OnlyOffice (https://www.onlyoffice.com/). I do believe it's an Electron app but works quite fast in my personal experience. (Probably faster than LibreOffice if it's still like the last time I used it). It's open source: https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE/ I hadn't looked at the Github page in a while. They seem to have a ton of new features on", "context": "light office requirements", "use_case": "light office work", "switched_from": "LibreOffice", "story": "The New Collabora Office for Desktop"}]}, {"text": " and as a free, open-source stand-in for Microsoft Office when office needs are light.", "cites": [{"id": 773485088, "item_id": 48342818, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48342818", "by": "hbbio", "date": "2026-05-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "OnlyOffice is better than LibreOffice for people who want a more direct alternative to Microsoft Office", "excerpt": "OnlyOffice is better than LibreOffice for people who want a more direct alternative to Microsoft Office https://www.onlyoffice.com/ (it's AGPL... there is an ongoing dispute with a fork now)", "context": "", "use_case": "Microsoft Office alternative", "switched_from": "", "story": "Microsoft degrades functionality of perpetually-licensed offline products"}, {"id": 739083888, "item_id": 46192743, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46192743", "by": "mrbluecoat", "date": "2025-12-08", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Switched to the free OnlyOffice a year ago and never looked back", "excerpt": "Switched to the free OnlyOffice a year ago and never looked back: https://www.onlyoffice.com/desktop https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "Microsoft 365", "story": "Microsoft increases Office 365 and Microsoft 365 license prices"}, {"id": 753604000, "item_id": 47100250, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47100250", "by": "dizhn", "date": "2026-02-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I like OnlyOffice. Their desktop apps are much lighter and better looking.", "excerpt": "I don't like any of the libreoffice/openoffice behemoths. I only ever used them because there wasn't anything better/comperable, so I will stay away from that discussion. I like OnlyOffice. Their desktop apps are much lighter and better looking. They work fine for my light needs. They also do have a LOT more than just desktop apps. The last time I mentioned them I was informed they are Russian. If that matters to you", "context": "light office needs", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "", "story": "LibreOffice blasts OnlyOffice for working with Microsoft to lock users in"}, {"id": 750444336, "item_id": 46902771, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46902771", "by": "dizhn", "date": "2026-02-05", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I have super light office requirements these days and those are satisfied with OnlyOffice", "excerpt": "I have super light office requirements these days and those are satisfied with OnlyOffice (https://www.onlyoffice.com/). I do believe it's an Electron app but works quite fast in my personal experience. (Probably faster than LibreOffice if it's still like the last time I used it). It's open source: https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE/ I hadn't looked at the Github page in a while. They seem to have a ton of new features on", "context": "light office requirements", "use_case": "light office work", "switched_from": "LibreOffice", "story": "The New Collabora Office for Desktop"}, {"id": 803602305, "item_id": 50225144, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50225144", "by": "Grombobulous", "date": "2026-10-24", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I use OnlyOffice to handle documents and spreadsheets when I need to", "excerpt": "I also love the idea of ditching Microsoft and I have done so for my personal life, but if your work day lives and breathes documents, spreadsheets, and slide decks, there really is no better option out there than Microsoft Office. I\u2019d even go as far as arguing that it\u2019s priced very fairly and rather low compared to software of similar complexity. It\u2019s priced low enough that pretty much any business of any size can j", "context": "", "use_case": "documents and spreadsheets", "switched_from": "", "story": "Danish Government silently drops plan to dump MS Office"}]}, {"text": " The most common complaint is doubt about how open it really is", "cites": [{"id": 776019392, "item_id": 48501212, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48501212", "by": "kxxt", "date": "2026-06-12", "stance": "warn", "quote": "OnlyOffice desktop application is proprietary", "excerpt": "It would be more interesting to see the release of the desktop application of open-source Euro-Office because the CEF binary used in \"open-source\" OnlyOffice desktop application is proprietary. I have requested [1] the source of the CEF binary for at least two times, with no luck. [1]: https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE-data/build_tools_data/issues/4", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite desktop app", "switched_from": "", "story": "Euro-Office: First version of the open-source web office is here"}, {"id": 766546416, "item_id": 47909151, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47909151", "by": "stefankuehnel", "date": "2026-04-26", "stance": "warn", "quote": "the rights that community is supposed to get under the AGPL v3.0 license? Those rights are ignored", "excerpt": "Take a look at the README on their GitHub profile: https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE/.github/tree/bed623f6efcc76b4068d206877a6970f37249301/profile#%EF%B8%8F-legal-note Before they even explain what the project is or what it does, you're immediately greeted with a \"Legal note\". It literally takes up the whole screen. It feels like a \"WARNING. Private Property. NO TRESPASSING. Violators will be prosecuted!\" sign rather tha", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "", "story": "AGPLv3\u00a774 Empowers Users to Thwart Badgeware Like OnlyOffice"}, {"id": 773485088, "item_id": 48342818, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48342818", "by": "hbbio", "date": "2026-05-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "OnlyOffice is better than LibreOffice for people who want a more direct alternative to Microsoft Office", "excerpt": "OnlyOffice is better than LibreOffice for people who want a more direct alternative to Microsoft Office https://www.onlyoffice.com/ (it's AGPL... there is an ongoing dispute with a fork now)", "context": "", "use_case": "Microsoft Office alternative", "switched_from": "", "story": "Microsoft degrades functionality of perpetually-licensed offline products"}]}, {"text": ", with others noting PowerPoint compatibility problems and very few settings.", "cites": [{"id": 783628049, "item_id": 48976753, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48976753", "by": "mangecoeur", "date": "2026-07-20", "stance": "warn", "quote": "PowerPoint decks that look different or get corrupted when used across different Office suites, including ones that are focused on Microsoft compatibility like OnlyOffice.", "excerpt": "This is not true. In my company I decided we would not depend on Microsoft products. We use kSuite that offers everything MS does, ~90% cheaper. The one real problem we run into is PowerPoint decks that look different or get corrupted when used across different Office suites, including ones that are focused on Microsoft compatibility like OnlyOffice. Proprietary formats are a clear lock-in tool, because the cost of d", "context": "", "use_case": "PowerPoint compatibility", "switched_from": "", "story": "How proprietary formats have become Microsoft\u2019s main tool for lock-in"}, {"id": 760472305, "item_id": 47529519, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47529519", "by": "smcleod", "date": "2026-03-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I switched to OnlyOffice a year ago and other than its almost complete lack of settings it's been so much nicer to use.", "excerpt": "Not related to donations but product wise Libreoffice just feels so clunky and Java-ish to use. I switched to OnlyOffice a year ago and other than its almost complete lack of settings it's been so much nicer to use.", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "LibreOffice", "story": "LibreOffice and the Art of Overreacting"}]}], "praise": [{"label": "Office alternative", "summary": "Recommended as a direct replacement for Microsoft Office or Google Docs.", "quotes": [{"id": 773485088, "item_id": 48342818, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48342818", "by": "hbbio", "date": "2026-05-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "OnlyOffice is better than LibreOffice for people who want a more direct alternative to Microsoft Office", "excerpt": "OnlyOffice is better than LibreOffice for people who want a more direct alternative to Microsoft Office https://www.onlyoffice.com/ (it's AGPL... there is an ongoing dispute with a fork now)", "context": "", "use_case": "Microsoft Office alternative", "switched_from": "", "story": "Microsoft degrades functionality of perpetually-licensed offline products"}, {"id": 739083888, "item_id": 46192743, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46192743", "by": "mrbluecoat", "date": "2025-12-08", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Switched to the free OnlyOffice a year ago and never looked back", "excerpt": "Switched to the free OnlyOffice a year ago and never looked back: https://www.onlyoffice.com/desktop https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "Microsoft 365", "story": "Microsoft increases Office 365 and Microsoft 365 license prices"}, {"id": 733884752, "item_id": 45867797, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45867797", "by": "flakeoil", "date": "2025-11-09", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "There is also OnlyOffice as an alternative to Google Docs.", "excerpt": "Good point, but is Google Docs more compatible with MS Office than Libre Office? Can one work fricitonless between a Google Docs user and an MS Word user? There is also OnlyOffice as an alternative to Google Docs. https://www.onlyoffice.com/download-desktop", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: How would you set up a child\u2019s first Linux computer?"}]}, {"label": "Lighter than LibreOffice", "summary": "Users who left LibreOffice find it lighter, faster and nicer to use.", "quotes": [{"id": 760472305, "item_id": 47529519, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47529519", "by": "smcleod", "date": "2026-03-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I switched to OnlyOffice a year ago and other than its almost complete lack of settings it's been so much nicer to use.", "excerpt": "Not related to donations but product wise Libreoffice just feels so clunky and Java-ish to use. I switched to OnlyOffice a year ago and other than its almost complete lack of settings it's been so much nicer to use.", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "LibreOffice", "story": "LibreOffice and the Art of Overreacting"}, {"id": 753604000, "item_id": 47100250, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47100250", "by": "dizhn", "date": "2026-02-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I like OnlyOffice. Their desktop apps are much lighter and better looking.", "excerpt": "I don't like any of the libreoffice/openoffice behemoths. I only ever used them because there wasn't anything better/comperable, so I will stay away from that discussion. I like OnlyOffice. Their desktop apps are much lighter and better looking. They work fine for my light needs. They also do have a LOT more than just desktop apps. The last time I mentioned them I was informed they are Russian. If that matters to you", "context": "light office needs", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "", "story": "LibreOffice blasts OnlyOffice for working with Microsoft to lock users in"}, {"id": 750444336, "item_id": 46902771, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46902771", "by": "dizhn", "date": "2026-02-05", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I have super light office requirements these days and those are satisfied with OnlyOffice", "excerpt": "I have super light office requirements these days and those are satisfied with OnlyOffice (https://www.onlyoffice.com/). I do believe it's an Electron app but works quite fast in my personal experience. (Probably faster than LibreOffice if it's still like the last time I used it). It's open source: https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE/ I hadn't looked at the Github page in a while. They seem to have a ton of new features on", "context": "light office requirements", "use_case": "light office work", "switched_from": "LibreOffice", "story": "The New Collabora Office for Desktop"}]}, {"label": "Fits light needs", "summary": "Handles occasional documents and spreadsheets well enough for light users.", "quotes": [{"id": 753604000, "item_id": 47100250, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47100250", "by": "dizhn", "date": "2026-02-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I like OnlyOffice. Their desktop apps are much lighter and better looking.", "excerpt": "I don't like any of the libreoffice/openoffice behemoths. I only ever used them because there wasn't anything better/comperable, so I will stay away from that discussion. I like OnlyOffice. Their desktop apps are much lighter and better looking. They work fine for my light needs. They also do have a LOT more than just desktop apps. The last time I mentioned them I was informed they are Russian. If that matters to you", "context": "light office needs", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "", "story": "LibreOffice blasts OnlyOffice for working with Microsoft to lock users in"}, {"id": 750444336, "item_id": 46902771, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46902771", "by": "dizhn", "date": "2026-02-05", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I have super light office requirements these days and those are satisfied with OnlyOffice", "excerpt": "I have super light office requirements these days and those are satisfied with OnlyOffice (https://www.onlyoffice.com/). I do believe it's an Electron app but works quite fast in my personal experience. (Probably faster than LibreOffice if it's still like the last time I used it). It's open source: https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE/ I hadn't looked at the Github page in a while. They seem to have a ton of new features on", "context": "light office requirements", "use_case": "light office work", "switched_from": "LibreOffice", "story": "The New Collabora Office for Desktop"}, {"id": 803602305, "item_id": 50225144, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50225144", "by": "Grombobulous", "date": "2026-10-24", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I use OnlyOffice to handle documents and spreadsheets when I need to", "excerpt": "I also love the idea of ditching Microsoft and I have done so for my personal life, but if your work day lives and breathes documents, spreadsheets, and slide decks, there really is no better option out there than Microsoft Office. I\u2019d even go as far as arguing that it\u2019s priced very fairly and rather low compared to software of similar complexity. It\u2019s priced low enough that pretty much any business of any size can j", "context": "", "use_case": "documents and spreadsheets", "switched_from": "", "story": "Danish Government silently drops plan to dump MS Office"}]}, {"label": "Free and open source", "summary": "Commenters value that it is free and open source.", "quotes": [{"id": 739083888, "item_id": 46192743, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46192743", "by": "mrbluecoat", "date": "2025-12-08", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Switched to the free OnlyOffice a year ago and never looked back", "excerpt": "Switched to the free OnlyOffice a year ago and never looked back: https://www.onlyoffice.com/desktop https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "Microsoft 365", "story": "Microsoft increases Office 365 and Microsoft 365 license prices"}, {"id": 750444336, "item_id": 46902771, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46902771", "by": "dizhn", "date": "2026-02-05", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I have super light office requirements these days and those are satisfied with OnlyOffice", "excerpt": "I have super light office requirements these days and those are satisfied with OnlyOffice (https://www.onlyoffice.com/). I do believe it's an Electron app but works quite fast in my personal experience. (Probably faster than LibreOffice if it's still like the last time I used it). It's open source: https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE/ I hadn't looked at the Github page in a while. They seem to have a ton of new features on", "context": "light office requirements", "use_case": "light office work", "switched_from": "LibreOffice", "story": "The New Collabora Office for Desktop"}, {"id": 753604000, "item_id": 47100250, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47100250", "by": "dizhn", "date": "2026-02-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I like OnlyOffice. Their desktop apps are much lighter and better looking.", "excerpt": "I don't like any of the libreoffice/openoffice behemoths. I only ever used them because there wasn't anything better/comperable, so I will stay away from that discussion. I like OnlyOffice. Their desktop apps are much lighter and better looking. They work fine for my light needs. They also do have a LOT more than just desktop apps. The last time I mentioned them I was informed they are Russian. If that matters to you", "context": "light office needs", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "", "story": "LibreOffice blasts OnlyOffice for working with Microsoft to lock users in"}]}], "caveats": [{"label": "Openness disputes", "summary": "Commenters say a desktop component is proprietary and AGPL rights are not respected.", "quotes": [{"id": 776019392, "item_id": 48501212, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48501212", "by": "kxxt", "date": "2026-06-12", "stance": "warn", "quote": "OnlyOffice desktop application is proprietary", "excerpt": "It would be more interesting to see the release of the desktop application of open-source Euro-Office because the CEF binary used in \"open-source\" OnlyOffice desktop application is proprietary. I have requested [1] the source of the CEF binary for at least two times, with no luck. [1]: https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE-data/build_tools_data/issues/4", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite desktop app", "switched_from": "", "story": "Euro-Office: First version of the open-source web office is here"}, {"id": 766546416, "item_id": 47909151, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47909151", "by": "stefankuehnel", "date": "2026-04-26", "stance": "warn", "quote": "the rights that community is supposed to get under the AGPL v3.0 license? Those rights are ignored", "excerpt": "Take a look at the README on their GitHub profile: https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE/.github/tree/bed623f6efcc76b4068d206877a6970f37249301/profile#%EF%B8%8F-legal-note Before they even explain what the project is or what it does, you're immediately greeted with a \"Legal note\". It literally takes up the whole screen. It feels like a \"WARNING. Private Property. NO TRESPASSING. Violators will be prosecuted!\" sign rather tha", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "", "story": "AGPLv3\u00a774 Empowers Users to Thwart Badgeware Like OnlyOffice"}, {"id": 773485088, "item_id": 48342818, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48342818", "by": "hbbio", "date": "2026-05-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "OnlyOffice is better than LibreOffice for people who want a more direct alternative to Microsoft Office", "excerpt": "OnlyOffice is better than LibreOffice for people who want a more direct alternative to Microsoft Office https://www.onlyoffice.com/ (it's AGPL... there is an ongoing dispute with a fork now)", "context": "", "use_case": "Microsoft Office alternative", "switched_from": "", "story": "Microsoft degrades functionality of perpetually-licensed offline products"}]}, {"label": "PowerPoint compatibility", "summary": "Decks can look different or get corrupted when moved between office suites.", "quotes": [{"id": 783628049, "item_id": 48976753, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48976753", "by": "mangecoeur", "date": "2026-07-20", "stance": "warn", "quote": "PowerPoint decks that look different or get corrupted when used across different Office suites, including ones that are focused on Microsoft compatibility like OnlyOffice.", "excerpt": "This is not true. In my company I decided we would not depend on Microsoft products. We use kSuite that offers everything MS does, ~90% cheaper. The one real problem we run into is PowerPoint decks that look different or get corrupted when used across different Office suites, including ones that are focused on Microsoft compatibility like OnlyOffice. Proprietary formats are a clear lock-in tool, because the cost of d", "context": "", "use_case": "PowerPoint compatibility", "switched_from": "", "story": "How proprietary formats have become Microsoft\u2019s main tool for lock-in"}]}, {"label": "Few settings", "summary": "The app has almost no configuration options.", "quotes": [{"id": 760472305, "item_id": 47529519, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47529519", "by": "smcleod", "date": "2026-03-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I switched to OnlyOffice a year ago and other than its almost complete lack of settings it's been so much nicer to use.", "excerpt": "Not related to donations but product wise Libreoffice just feels so clunky and Java-ish to use. I switched to OnlyOffice a year ago and other than its almost complete lack of settings it's been so much nicer to use.", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "LibreOffice", "story": "LibreOffice and the Art of Overreacting"}]}, {"label": "Heavy daily use", "summary": "One user would pay for Microsoft Office if working with documents daily.", "quotes": [{"id": 803602305, "item_id": 50225144, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50225144", "by": "Grombobulous", "date": "2026-10-24", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I use OnlyOffice to handle documents and spreadsheets when I need to", "excerpt": "I also love the idea of ditching Microsoft and I have done so for my personal life, but if your work day lives and breathes documents, spreadsheets, and slide decks, there really is no better option out there than Microsoft Office. I\u2019d even go as far as arguing that it\u2019s priced very fairly and rather low compared to software of similar complexity. It\u2019s priced low enough that pretty much any business of any size can j", "context": "", "use_case": "documents and spreadsheets", "switched_from": "", "story": "Danish Government silently drops plan to dump MS Office"}]}, {"label": "AI features", "summary": "A prominent new AI feature was unwelcome to one user.", "quotes": [{"id": 750444336, "item_id": 46902771, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46902771", "by": "dizhn", "date": "2026-02-05", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I have super light office requirements these days and those are satisfied with OnlyOffice", "excerpt": "I have super light office requirements these days and those are satisfied with OnlyOffice (https://www.onlyoffice.com/). I do believe it's an Electron app but works quite fast in my personal experience. (Probably faster than LibreOffice if it's still like the last time I used it). It's open source: https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE/ I hadn't looked at the Github page in a while. They seem to have a ton of new features on", "context": "light office requirements", "use_case": "light office work", "switched_from": "LibreOffice", "story": "The New Collabora Office for Desktop"}]}], "who": [{"by": "dizhn", "context": "light office needs", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47100250", "date": "2026-02-21"}, {"by": "akho", "context": "parent of a 9-year-old", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45867174", "date": "2025-11-09"}], "tags": ["for light office needs", "Microsoft Office replacement", "for LibreOffice switchers", "desktop apps"], "use_cases": ["office suite", "documents and spreadsheets", "powerpoint compatibility", "office suite desktop app", "microsoft office alternative", "light office work"], "compared": [{"slug": "libreoffice", "name": "LibreOffice", "co": 7, "switched_from": 2, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "microsoft-office", "name": "Microsoft Office", "co": 6, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45864732", "title": "Ask HN: How would you set up a child\u2019s first Linux computer?", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50223844", "title": "Danish Government silently drops plan to dump MS Office", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48974476", "title": "How proprietary formats have become Microsoft\u2019s main tool for lock-in", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48490564", "title": "Euro-Office: First version of the open-source web office is here", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48341578", "title": "Microsoft degrades functionality of perpetually-licensed offline products", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47907543", "title": "AGPLv3\u00a774 Empowers Users to Thwart Badgeware Like OnlyOffice", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {"neutral": 1, "recommend": 1}, "2025-12": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-01": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-02": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-03": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-04": {"warn": 1}, "2026-05": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-06": {"warn": 1}, "2026-07": {"warn": 1}, "2026-08": {}, "2026-09": {}, "2026-10": {"neutral": 1}}, "quotes": [{"id": 803602305, "item_id": 50225144, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50225144", "by": "Grombobulous", "date": "2026-10-24", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I use OnlyOffice to handle documents and spreadsheets when I need to", "excerpt": "I also love the idea of ditching Microsoft and I have done so for my personal life, but if your work day lives and breathes documents, spreadsheets, and slide decks, there really is no better option out there than Microsoft Office. I\u2019d even go as far as arguing that it\u2019s priced very fairly and rather low compared to software of similar complexity. It\u2019s priced low enough that pretty much any business of any size can j", "context": "", "use_case": "documents and spreadsheets", "switched_from": "", "story": "Danish Government silently drops plan to dump MS Office"}, {"id": 783628049, "item_id": 48976753, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48976753", "by": "mangecoeur", "date": "2026-07-20", "stance": "warn", "quote": "PowerPoint decks that look different or get corrupted when used across different Office suites, including ones that are focused on Microsoft compatibility like OnlyOffice.", "excerpt": "This is not true. In my company I decided we would not depend on Microsoft products. We use kSuite that offers everything MS does, ~90% cheaper. The one real problem we run into is PowerPoint decks that look different or get corrupted when used across different Office suites, including ones that are focused on Microsoft compatibility like OnlyOffice. Proprietary formats are a clear lock-in tool, because the cost of d", "context": "", "use_case": "PowerPoint compatibility", "switched_from": "", "story": "How proprietary formats have become Microsoft\u2019s main tool for lock-in"}, {"id": 776019392, "item_id": 48501212, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48501212", "by": "kxxt", "date": "2026-06-12", "stance": "warn", "quote": "OnlyOffice desktop application is proprietary", "excerpt": "It would be more interesting to see the release of the desktop application of open-source Euro-Office because the CEF binary used in \"open-source\" OnlyOffice desktop application is proprietary. I have requested [1] the source of the CEF binary for at least two times, with no luck. [1]: https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE-data/build_tools_data/issues/4", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite desktop app", "switched_from": "", "story": "Euro-Office: First version of the open-source web office is here"}, {"id": 773485088, "item_id": 48342818, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48342818", "by": "hbbio", "date": "2026-05-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "OnlyOffice is better than LibreOffice for people who want a more direct alternative to Microsoft Office", "excerpt": "OnlyOffice is better than LibreOffice for people who want a more direct alternative to Microsoft Office https://www.onlyoffice.com/ (it's AGPL... there is an ongoing dispute with a fork now)", "context": "", "use_case": "Microsoft Office alternative", "switched_from": "", "story": "Microsoft degrades functionality of perpetually-licensed offline products"}, {"id": 766546416, "item_id": 47909151, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47909151", "by": "stefankuehnel", "date": "2026-04-26", "stance": "warn", "quote": "the rights that community is supposed to get under the AGPL v3.0 license? Those rights are ignored", "excerpt": "Take a look at the README on their GitHub profile: https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE/.github/tree/bed623f6efcc76b4068d206877a6970f37249301/profile#%EF%B8%8F-legal-note Before they even explain what the project is or what it does, you're immediately greeted with a \"Legal note\". It literally takes up the whole screen. It feels like a \"WARNING. Private Property. NO TRESPASSING. Violators will be prosecuted!\" sign rather tha", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "", "story": "AGPLv3\u00a774 Empowers Users to Thwart Badgeware Like OnlyOffice"}, {"id": 760472305, "item_id": 47529519, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47529519", "by": "smcleod", "date": "2026-03-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I switched to OnlyOffice a year ago and other than its almost complete lack of settings it's been so much nicer to use.", "excerpt": "Not related to donations but product wise Libreoffice just feels so clunky and Java-ish to use. I switched to OnlyOffice a year ago and other than its almost complete lack of settings it's been so much nicer to use.", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "LibreOffice", "story": "LibreOffice and the Art of Overreacting"}, {"id": 753604000, "item_id": 47100250, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47100250", "by": "dizhn", "date": "2026-02-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I like OnlyOffice. Their desktop apps are much lighter and better looking.", "excerpt": "I don't like any of the libreoffice/openoffice behemoths. I only ever used them because there wasn't anything better/comperable, so I will stay away from that discussion. I like OnlyOffice. Their desktop apps are much lighter and better looking. They work fine for my light needs. They also do have a LOT more than just desktop apps. The last time I mentioned them I was informed they are Russian. If that matters to you", "context": "light office needs", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "", "story": "LibreOffice blasts OnlyOffice for working with Microsoft to lock users in"}, {"id": 750444336, "item_id": 46902771, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46902771", "by": "dizhn", "date": "2026-02-05", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I have super light office requirements these days and those are satisfied with OnlyOffice", "excerpt": "I have super light office requirements these days and those are satisfied with OnlyOffice (https://www.onlyoffice.com/). I do believe it's an Electron app but works quite fast in my personal experience. (Probably faster than LibreOffice if it's still like the last time I used it). It's open source: https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE/ I hadn't looked at the Github page in a while. They seem to have a ton of new features on", "context": "light office requirements", "use_case": "light office work", "switched_from": "LibreOffice", "story": "The New Collabora Office for Desktop"}, {"id": 744848423, "item_id": 46553026, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46553026", "by": "KronisLV", "date": "2026-01-09", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "use something like OnlyOffice or paid someone that provides managed Nextcloud hosting", "excerpt": "If I was better versed in writing and happened to be someone relevant, at the very least I\u2019d support the viewpoint that open source is good for preventing takeovers and software dependencies turning hostile (e.g. Valkey and OpenSearch at least existing) and preventing being held financially hostage in times of uncertainty (e.g. many Linux server side distros are free and FOSS relational DBs won\u2019t bankrupt you). Yet p", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "", "story": "European Commission issues call for evidence on open source"}, {"id": 739083888, "item_id": 46192743, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46192743", "by": "mrbluecoat", "date": "2025-12-08", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Switched to the free OnlyOffice a year ago and never looked back", "excerpt": "Switched to the free OnlyOffice a year ago and never looked back: https://www.onlyoffice.com/desktop https://github.com/ONLYOFFICE", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "Microsoft 365", "story": "Microsoft increases Office 365 and Microsoft 365 license prices"}, {"id": 733884752, "item_id": 45867797, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45867797", "by": "flakeoil", "date": "2025-11-09", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "There is also OnlyOffice as an alternative to Google Docs.", "excerpt": "Good point, but is Google Docs more compatible with MS Office than Libre Office? Can one work fricitonless between a Google Docs user and an MS Word user? There is also OnlyOffice as an alternative to Google Docs. https://www.onlyoffice.com/download-desktop", "context": "", "use_case": "office suite", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: How would you set up a child\u2019s first Linux computer?"}, {"id": 733874785, "item_id": 45867174, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45867174", "by": "akho", "date": "2025-11-09", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "with music, kiwix,  music-experimantation stuff, programming things, and onlyoffice", "excerpt": "I have a 9-yo. We experimented with time limits &c, but that just leads to endless discussions on the size and applicability if thise limits. Now he has a mostly-airgapped Thinkpad (with music, kiwix, music-experimantation stuff, programming things, and onlyoffice), and doesn't know the ipad's passcode. The laptop has nftables set up so that only an ssh connection to my laptop works, which I use to update it, add con", "context": "parent of a 9-year-old", "use_case": "office suite for child's laptop", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: How would you set up a child\u2019s first Linux computer?"}]}