What online word processor is best for you?

With almost everything moved ‘online’ it’s not surprising that our favourite productivity tools are there as well. Of course, that now means that we have a choice between programs. It’s time to answer that “age old question” (from 2006 🤣) Microsoft or Google. Let’s start with the loudest question – Microsoft Word Online vs Google Docs!

When comparing Word Online and Google Docs together, I could sit back and simply type up a list of the technical differences, the features and the menus and the ribbons, but let’s be honest that’s probably not what you’re really interested in.

At the end of the day you want to know what features you can’t live with out (a bit much? 😀), so let’s rewrite the story and actually look at the options that you will use.

Web-Browser Windows

Let’s start with how they look online.

It’s probably just me, but I prefer to have Google Workspace in Google Chrome, and Microsoft Office Online in Microsoft Edge – so that’s what all of my images will be.

However, it’s important to note that they work in any web browser on any operating system.

Ignoring the menu vs ribbon (discussed in the previous post, link at the bottom) there is a lot of similarity.

Which isn’t surprising when you think that they basically do the same thing.

Google Docs in Chrome

The Google Docs screen with sample text. Microsoft Word vs Google Docs — Google Docs in Chrome

Word Online in Edge

Word Online full screen with sample text. Microsoft Word Online vs Google Dcos — MS Word Online in Edge

Standard Commands

Let’s just agree that the basics are honestly pretty much the same.

The file options of New, Open, Save, Print and Close are the same on most programs anyway.

With the standard text formatting, again matching. From character formatting (Bold, Italic, Underline, Subscript, Superscript, Strikeout, Font, Colour, Highlighting et cetera) through to paragraph formatting like left alignment, left, right centre, justified, indents, et cetera.

Let’s also add in here the everyday editing commands of Undo, Cut, Copy and Paste, not forgetting Redo.

Working with Others

Today, the point of moving your information online is

To have your information with you everywhere
Working quickly and easily with others – i.e. sharing

I’m going to break this into two parts – the actual sharing, and then the collaborative working.

Sharing Documents

Recently it’s been Google that’s become the king of sharing, i.e. sending a link to others.

Docs has a prominent button in the top right-corner that says share. Oh wait a min, so does Word.

Clicking on the buttons give you a fairly similar dialog box.

They both allow you to create general sharing links – with view or edit permissions.

Alternatively you can create personalised links (to an email address) for better security.

The Difference – Downloading

If you need to share the document as it looks now, then you’ll need to download a copy and attach it to an email.

This is where they are different.

Microsoft has it’s own file type (.docx) which the file will be saved locally in, however, Google doesn’t have their own version.

Instead Google Docs let’s you download (File > Download) your file in a number of formats, including Word, Open Office, PDF and more.

So, if you need to have or share fixed copies of files, you might prefer using Word Online. Not only because it’s a built in file type, but because if you save a Word file into Google Drive it takes up a lot more space than a Google Doc will.

Collaborative Working

Of course the point to sharing files is so that you can work with others, on the same file at the same time.

No more, sending a file, someone else makes changes and sends it back.

Now everyone (with an editing link) can access the same file, as the same time and work on it.

Word Online Editing

Word Online has large comments and editing buttons next to share in the top right corner — Word Online – Comments and Editing

Google Editing

Underneath the Share button (top right) is a small pencil on the toolbar, this is the editing options. Comments can be found in the speech bubble to the left of the share option. — Google Docs – Comments and Editing

You can see in the images above, that they do have the same options and comments are basically identical.

It’s the editing command that appears different.

Microsoft offers: Editing, Reviewing and Viewing, while Google has Editing, Suggesting and Viewing.

(Such a huge difference 😂)

The type of link shared defines the editing option, but if you need to change it (and you’ve got the permission to do that), I think that Word Online has a clearer option with the text on the button, and it’s between comments and share.

To see more about the editing in Office Online, take a look at my YouTube video: Editing Command: How to Review Documents in Microsoft Office Online

More than just text

Today’s documents are often more than just text, and both programs have an Insert option.

Tables, Charts, Drawings, Symbols and Equations (although I’ve never used that in any of my files) have become standard items to be added to our documents.

With larger documents, a Table of Contents (TOC) at the beginning can make navigation easier – fortunately both offer this command.

When you take a look at the additional options available – Docs has more commands listed.

Including: Smart chips (?), Drop-down, Watermark, and Bookmarks.

However, one thing that I couldn’t see listed – Video. What makes it interesting is that it is available in Word.

If you create more than standard content in your documents, then you need to consider what do you really need to use?

For larger files, where you want to add bookmarks to specific areas then will be better.

But if you’re adding multi-media then Word gives you that all important video option.

Next Steps

For standard content in your files, thinking Word vs Docs, there is no real difference between the two options.

It’s only as you need more specific options, that the differences start to show.

What do you need to add to your documents? Which one has these commands?

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