In recent years, word processing programs have played a pivotal role in the daily lives of students, home users, businesses, and everyone else in between. From drafting school assignments to creating complex business proposals at work, most of us have been using word processing softwares for the better part of our lives.
For the longest time, the title for the best word processor was held by Microsoft. With Google Docs now growing in popularity, though, an extra choice for those looking for an alternative has been added in this formerly-cornered industry.
Each provides plenty of useful resources and tools to help you accomplish your word processing tasks. So when it comes to Google Docs vs Microsoft Word, which is better for your needs? That depends entirely on what you are trying to achieve and the applications of word documents for your case.
A word processor is a device or computer program that can be used to create, edit, save, and print written documents. Word processors mainly come in three types:
Both Microsoft Word and Google Docs fall into the category of software word processors, and there are a few key differences that set these programs apart, so we’ll go ahead and break them down further below.
Google Docs is an online word processor that lets you create, revise, and share word documents with other users in real-time. It’s part of Google’s Office Suite and is available for free to anyone who has a computer or mobile phone (Android & iOS) with an internet connection.
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Developed in 1983 by Microsoft, Microsoft Word is the most commonly used word processing program to date. It is an extension of the Microsoft Office Suite which uses the “.docx” file format. It is often referred to as simply Word or MS Word.
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While Google Docs and Microsoft Word are standards in the word processing world, there are some inherent drawbacks that leave people to wonder: is there a better alternative to Docs and Word?
Thanks to the new wave of word processors on the market, there is definitely a better option for your business or personal documentation needs.
Almanac is an innovative document editor and an async collaboration tool that can power all the word processing needs of your establishment. In a world where remote work is quickly becoming a norm, it has reinvented the ways in which we communicate with our employees.
Almanac provides in-house tools for messaging, suggestions, feedback, and other forms of communication that companies use to organize themselves. One of its hallmark features is the ability to assign tasks to another user’s to-do list, a feature that would have certainly created the need for project management tools like Asana or Hive in the past.
In a demanding workspace, Almanac’s sell relies on being an organizational tool that offers an array of unique admin capabilities. In the post-Microsoft era, it has stepped up to the demands of users asking for universal login options, advanced security controls, and better user provisioning. And unlike other competitors, Almanac charges its users based on the strength of their business.
Once you are signed up with Almanac, they will offer you a custom contract and invoicing features that ensure you get the best value for your money. They also offer bulk importing and asset management so you can transition from other platforms hassle-free.
If you are intrigued about the software’s capabilities, start with Almanac’s beta pricing to gain exclusive access to their platform.
You can see how we stack up against Word and Google Docs here:
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Confluence is a project management platform that allows you to create, collaborate, and organize all your work in one place. Spaces are virtual databases used within Confluence to help your team plan, organize, and share ideas with other members.
This platform is meant for a crowded productivity software space where knowledge management meets collaboration. It’s suited for teams of any size and type, from a small internet start-up to a multi-level corporate entity that needs rigor behind its internal processes.
Confluence offers infrastructure and professional management tools to users. In addition to their own dedicated servers, as well as a data center that’s integrated with laaS providers like AWS and Azure, you also get the option to host on the Confluence Cloud.
But, Confluence doesn’t have a robust search feature, security system, or user-friendly organization, making it sometimes a challenging platform to use.
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Notion is a productivity tool that has garnered over 4 million users worldwide. It’s an all-in-one workplace where you can strategize, collaborate, and collocate. It lets you create, share, and manage new tasks through its own databases.
This tool lets you build a dynamic workspace through its customization features, like kanban view, a calendar, and spreadsheets that can monitor workflow and record data pertaining to your internal applications.
Notion branches many elements of your project into individual blocks so you can design your own layouts and toolkits with the help of text, images, checklists, bullet points, and codes.
However, the app can be confusing and hard to navigate when you’re getting started — there’s definitely a learning curve. It’s also missing some specific features, such as the ability to group rows in a table and the ability to integrate with third-party services.
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Dropbox Paper is an online task management tool that lets you create documents, coordinate workflow amongst team members, and drive your projects to appropriate marketplaces. If the Google Docs vs Microsoft Word discussion has taught us anything, it's that some alternatives like Paper are a sound choice for time-sensitive projects that need an influx of creativity.
With Dropbox Paper you can achieve efficient project planning, build new proposals, and maintain employee relations. Paper’s dashboard includes features like to-do lists with due dates, timelines with project milestones, cloud storage, and other database management tools.
A few cons of Dropbox Paper are the slightly updated UI, and the fact that sequential sequences for dates and calendaring are a bit scattered. Much like Notion, there are limited choices for highlighting and formatting, which makes it a difficult tool to use if you need to do a lot of customization.
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Slite is a documentation tool and a knowledge-sharing app suited for business collaborations. In the post Google Docs vs Microsoft Word era, cloud-based platforms like Slite have brought new structuring tools for remote teamwork in an organization.
Manage your teams with essential tools such as embed integrations, clear permissions systems, and its included search engine. Slite can adapt to a new team or workspaces with the help of its UI, and its other features allow you to work collaboratively.
Slite can help manage knowledge-based workspaces by accumulating all the project data, meeting notes, and knowledge base onto a single platform. It can help improve your decision-making power by regulating recurring tasks in a fairly efficient manner.
Despite Slite’s impressive interface and functional attributes, some shortcomings of the platform include importing and exporting limitations, as well as difficulty creating automatically updated and discoverable knowledge bases.
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For the longest time, Word was the industry standard for the casual user and most global enterprises. However, with the introduction of Google Docs, a much overdue source of competition in this formerly monopolized industry was finally created. But which is the best word processor? What about neither…
Now, Almanac has added another fantastic choice for those who are looking to shift away from those antiquated writing tools to a more modern alternative. Thanks to this asynchronous work platform’s efficiency and effectiveness, Almanac is quickly becoming both a viable option and a leading contender in the word processing market.
Whether it's about managing a multi-layered team or collaborating with other creators, Almanac has got it all covered. If you are looking to build and manage a dynamic workspace on a single platform, you can’t go wrong with Almanac.
To learn more about how they can help you better manage your teams and draft documents with ease, contact their friendly sales team today.
