Microsoft Office has been one of the most popular productivity software suites in the world, with programs like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as lesser-known but equally useful tools like Outlook, OneNote, and OneDrive. For years, Office 365 has been the go-to choice for individuals and businesses alike. But things have been changing within the Office 365 universe. In recent years, Microsoft has focused on a subscription-based pricing model, phasing out many of its standalone products. The goal is to create an ecosystem that links all the tools together, both online and offline, rather than treating them as separate applications. Office 365 offers a comprehensive, all-in-one digital workspace, including cloud storage, backup and syncing, communication tools, and productivity apps. It's the perfect choice for those who want to have all their essential work tools in one place.

That being said, there are several Office suites that are emerging as an equal competitor to Office 365. One such option is WPS Office, which offers many of the same features as Microsoft 365 but at a lower price point. So, if you're looking for a powerful, cost-effective productivity suite, it's definitely worth checking out. This article will be a comparison of WPS Office and Microsoft 365 to enlighten the users regarding their software choices.

1. User Interface

The interface of an office suite is a crucial element that can greatly affect the user experience. When it comes to WPS Office and Office 365, both offer a clean and user-friendly interface with a similar design philosophy. There are some clear distinctions between the two. Office 365 has a classic interface that users of Microsoft Office products will find familiar. The ribbon toolbar, which has been a staple of Office for many years, remains the centerpiece of the UI. The ribbon is customizable, so you can place your most frequently used tools where you want them. You can personalize a quick-access toolbar as well. The interface of Office 365 is well-organized and easy to navigate.

While WPS Office has a more modern and sleek interface that looks a bit more polished compared to Office 365. It features a tabbed interface that allows users to switch between documents quickly. The interface is customizable, and you can choose different themes or even create your own. One notable difference is that WPS Office has a sidebar that houses commonly used tools. This makes it easy to access formatting and editing tools while keeping the main interface uncluttered. WPS Office and Office 365 offer a user-friendly interface, but WPS Office's modern and sleek design might be more appealing to some users. And also, the tabbed interface and sidebar in WPS Office offer an advantage in terms of navigation and ease of access to commonly used tools.

2. Features

WPS Office offers a range of features that are designed to be user-friendly, including the ability to switch between a classic interface and a more modern one. It also offers a wide range of templates for users to choose from, making it easy to create professional-looking documents. Besides that, WPS Office offers a PDF to Word-converter, which is very useful for users who need to edit or work with PDF files.

Meanwhile, Office 365 has a wide range of features that are designed to be more comprehensive and tailored to different user needs. One of the key advantages of Office 365 is its cloud-based approach, which makes it easy to access documents from anywhere, collaborate with others in real-time, and take advantage of advanced AI-powered features like dictation and translation.

Office 365 includes a range of tools like Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams, which can help users to manage their work more effectively. It also offers advanced features like Skype for Business and Yammer, which can be useful for large organizations or teams working remotely. While Office 365 offers a more comprehensive range of features, WPS Office is more streamlined and user-friendly. For users who prioritize ease-of-use and a more traditional interface, WPS Office may be a better choice. However, for larger organizations or teams that require advanced features like cloud-based collaboration, Office 365 may be a better fit.

3. Pricing and Plans

Office 365 offers a range of subscription plans, including Personal, Family, and Business, with varying price points and features. The Personal plan, for example, costs $6.99 per month and includes access to Microsoft's core Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote) on one device, 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage, and other features like advanced security and support. On the other hand, WPS Office offers both a free version and a paid version. The free version provides access to basic features like Writer, Spreadsheets, and Presentation, while the paid version offers more advanced features like OCR technology and cloud storage.

The annual subscription for WPS Office Premium is $29.99 per year, which is significantly cheaper than the Personal plan for Office 365. One major difference between the two is the number of devices you can use the software on. While the Personal plan for Office 365 only allows access on one device, the WPS Office Premium subscription allows access on up to nine devices, which is a great value for small businesses and individuals who use multiple devices. While Office 365 may be a popular choice for businesses and professionals who require advanced features, WPS Office is a great choice for those who need basic office tools and are on a budget. With its low cost, multiple device accessibility, and basic features, WPS Office is definitely worth considering.

4. Security

Both WPS Office and Office 365 take security seriously and provide a range of security features to protect user data. However, there are some differences in their approach to security. Office 365 is a cloud-based suite of applications, which means that all the data is stored on Microsoft's servers. This can be a concern for some users who may not want to store their data on a third-party server and may prefer to store their data locally on their own device. While Microsoft does use various security measures to protect user data, such as encryption and multi-factor authentication, there is always a risk that data could be compromised through a breach of Microsoft's servers.

In contrast, WPS Office is a desktop-based suite of applications, which means that all the data is stored locally on the user's device. This can be seen as a more secure option, as the data is not stored on a third-party server and is less vulnerable to being accessed by unauthorized parties. Additionally, WPS Office also provides various security features such as document password protection and data backup to protect user data.

5. Collaboration

Office 365's collaboration tools are designed to help teams work together more effectively, no matter where they are located. With real-time co-authoring in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, multiple users can work on the same document simultaneously, making changes and edits as needed. Office 365's cloud-based storage and file-sharing capabilities make it easy to share documents with team members, even if they are not in the same location. Similarly, WPS Office also offers real-time collaboration features that allow multiple users to work on the same document at the same time. Users can share documents via email or cloud-based storage, and collaborate on a document in real-time using the WPS Office app. However, compared to Office 365, the collaboration features of WPS Office are not as extensive, and the app can sometimes experience syncing issues, making real-time collaboration more challenging. In terms of overall collaboration capabilities, Office 365 offers a more robust suite of tools and features.

However, for users who do not require extensive collaboration features or are looking for a more affordable option, WPS Office may be a better choice. WPS Office also offers a one-time payment option, making it a more budget-friendly choice for users who do not want to commit to a monthly or annual subscription. Ultimately, the choice between WPS Office and Office 365 depends on the individual user's needs and priorities.

6. Compatibility

Both Office 365 and WPS Office provide compatibility with a wide range of devices and platforms including Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone (iOs) and Android. Moreover, Office 365 provides seamless integration with other Microsoft services, such as OneDrive and SharePoint, allowing users to access their documents and collaborate on them from anywhere. However, WPS Office provides a high level of compatibility with Microsoft Office file formats, allowing users to open and edit files created in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

7. Customer Support

Office 365 and WPS Office have made significant efforts to ensure their services are accessible to users around the world offering support for multiple languages, including English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and many others. However, WPS Office has a language detection feature that can detect the language of the user's text and automatically set the correct language settings. They also have support centers that offer FAQs, tutorials, and community forums to help users understand their features in-depth along with email support for customers who require more personalized assistance.

WPS Office VS. Office 365

Top Reasons Why WPS Outshines Office 365

WPS Office is a free, user-friendly office suite which could be customized according to the needs of the user. It is compatible with Microsoft Office documents and has a user-friendly interface, making it a good choice for individuals and small businesses on a tight budget who want to work with others who use Office 365. While Office 365 is a popular choice, WPS Office provides an appealing alternative for those who want a no-cost solution for basic office tasks. Also, WPS Office provides cloud based services to users enabling them to collaborate and share their work. To download the WPS Office free version, users can simply visit their website or click here.