Review: Microsoft Office Online vs. Apple iWork for iCloud vs. Google Drive

11.06.2014
Over the past few weeks I've regaled you with detailed reviews of the three major online office productivity suites: Microsoft Office Online with Word Online, Excel Online, and PowerPoint Online; Apple's iWork for iCloud with Pages, Numbers, and Keynote for iCloud; and Google Drive (aka Google Apps) with Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Which suite is for you There is no clear winner in this horse race, so your specific needs will dictate that choice.

All of these browser-based products are free for personal use. MicrosoftMicrosoft Office Online and GoogleGoogle Drive are also available in paid plans for businesses. Enigmatically, Apple calls iWork for iCloud a "beta," and hasn't yet committed on pricing for the final, shipping version. However, keep in mind that iWork for iOS and iWork for OS X are both free for those who bought Apple machines after September 2013. As of this moment, iWork for iCloud is free to everyone, thus giving Apple a nice boost in the "value" category. Alles zu Google auf CIO.de Alles zu Microsoft auf CIO.de

[ Read the individual reviews: Google Drive leads in features, lags in ease-of-use | Apple's iWork for iCloud is elegant but limited | Office Online is great for Word and Excel, not PowerPoint | Get the latest insight on the tech news that matters from InfoWorld's Tech Watch blog. ]

All of the programs in the suites are accessed using one of the major browsers. None of them require you to install, activate, or maintain any programs on your local computer. Log on, use the browser-based app, and walk away.

I approached each of the suites from the perspective of a Windows and Office user, taking special interest in the way each handles Office document compatibility. Compatibility with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents may or may not be important to you. I also ran the suites with a keyboard and mouse. You screen-tappers will certainly have a different perspective. Both Office Online and iWork for iCloud are more functional than Google Drive on mobile devices, whether you access them via mobile browser or use the native mobile client.

My reviews concentrated on the three traditional key productivity products: word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation apps. All of the suites also include mail, calendar, contacts, notes, and other apps, but I did not consider them in this review. I did discuss storing, managing, and accessing files in Microsoft OneDrive (formerly SkyDrive), Google Drive, and Apple iCloud. All three suites push you into a cloud walled garden, with limited file handling and interoperability with other cloud storage services.

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