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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Microsoft Word vs Microsoft 365 Copilot

Microsoft Word 4.7★ · Free to download 75
Winner Microsoft Word
Microsoft 365 Copilot 4.7★ · Free + IAP 60

For core document creation and editing, Microsoft Word remains the more reliable choice, while Microsoft 365 Copilot offers advanced AI assistance but struggles with usability and consistency.

Full reviews: Microsoft Word · Microsoft 365 Copilot

Microsoft Word is a long-standing document editor, praised for its accessibility and utility, despite some recent complaints about complexity and mobile performance. Microsoft 365 Copilot, an AI assistant, is lauded for its powerful capabilities but frequently criticized for its buggy interface, subscription requirement, and intrusive nature.

Head to head

Features and Functionality tieR4R8R16R21
Microsoft Word Microsoft Word is generally appreciated for its core document creation and editing capabilities, with users calling it a "great program and user friendly application" and "excellent tool" R8R16. However, some users report issues with specific features like exporting to PDF R4 and a lack of advanced features like macros on iPad R21.
Microsoft 365 Copilot Microsoft 365 Copilot is praised for its powerful AI capabilities, with users calling it "the best AI" and "the future" . It helps with complex problem-solving, writing, and can remember past conversations . However, it's also criticized for frequent errors, misinterpreting requests, and sometimes messing up documents R63R70.
Ease of Use edge: Microsoft WordR1R5R8R9
Microsoft Word Many users find Microsoft Word easy to use and accessible R5R8. However, a significant number of recent reviews indicate a decline in usability, with some finding it "stupid and difficult" and noting that tasks now take more steps R1R9. Mobile versions, particularly on iPad and iPhone, are often described as hard to use for editing and prone to glitches R19R37.
Microsoft 365 Copilot Microsoft 365 Copilot faces considerable criticism for its user interface and overall ease of use. Reviewers describe it as "too complicated," "buggy," and a "product that was rushed out the door" . Users also complain about constant interface changes and the app being forced upon them R67.
Reliability and Performance edge: Microsoft WordR3R23R25R32
Microsoft Word While many users consider Word a reliable tool R32, there are numerous complaints about performance issues. These include documents being deleted or not saving R23, frequent crashes R25, and bugs like rapid scrolling or text disappearing . Some users also report issues with loading documents on Apple devices R3.
Microsoft 365 Copilot Microsoft 365 Copilot's reliability is a major concern for users. Many report "continual errors" and the app "not working" R70. Specific issues include the text window freezing, agents getting into loops, and the app being "riddled with issues" R108. Some users also mention it messing up documents R63.
Price and Value edge: Microsoft WordR7R14R27R61
Microsoft Word Microsoft Word is free to download but requires signing in, which some users perceive as a privacy concern R7. There are complaints about needing a subscription to access features or documents, with some feeling it's a "stupid subscription fee" R27. The cost is sometimes mentioned as "a bit expensive" R14.
Microsoft 365 Copilot Microsoft 365 Copilot is free to download but requires a subscription to function, leading to strong negative reactions from users who state, "App does not work unless you pay" R61. Some users feel it's not worth the cost given its performance issues, especially when compared to free alternatives .
Support and Updates tieR1R6R9R67
Microsoft Word Reviews for Word don't directly address support quality, but users express frustration with recent updates that they feel have made the app more complicated or less functional R1R6R9. There's a sentiment of "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it" R6.
Microsoft 365 Copilot Microsoft 365 Copilot users frequently complain about constant interface changes and the removal of useful features, such as voice conversations and chat search functionality R67. The app also has issues with persistent login problems and being forced upon users .
Pick Microsoft Word if

Pick Microsoft Word if you need a reliable, widely compatible document editor for general writing and editing tasks, especially if you are comfortable with its traditional interface and are less reliant on advanced mobile editing features R8R16.

Pick Microsoft 365 Copilot if

Pick Microsoft 365 Copilot if you require an AI assistant for complex problem-solving, generating text, or integrating AI into your workflow, and are willing to tolerate its current usability issues and subscription requirement for its powerful capabilities .

Evidence note: Many recent negative reviews for Microsoft Word focus on issues with mobile versions and perceived over-complication, while positive reviews often refer to its long-standing utility. For Microsoft 365 Copilot, a significant portion of negative reviews stem from its subscription requirement and intrusive nature, which can skew perceptions of its core AI functionality.

Frequently asked

Is Microsoft Word still good for basic document editing?
Yes, Microsoft Word is still considered a great program and user-friendly application for basic document creation and editing, despite some users finding recent versions more complicated R8R9R16.
Does Microsoft 365 Copilot offer a free version?
Microsoft 365 Copilot is free to download but requires a subscription to function, meaning users cannot access its features without paying R61.
Are there issues using Microsoft Word on mobile devices?
Yes, many users report difficulties using Microsoft Word on mobile devices like iPads and iPhones, citing issues with editing, selecting text, glitches, and a lack of features like macros R3R19R21R37.
Is Microsoft 365 Copilot reliable?
Microsoft 365 Copilot's reliability is a frequent concern, with users reporting continual errors, freezing text windows, and the app sometimes messing up documents R63R70R108.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 110 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R4] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Awful: Please remove CoPilot or allow us to turn it off. Also I edited a document but when I export to pdf it exports the unedited version. Fix your app. I want to type words and print them to pdf. It’s not that complicated, yet it can’t even do that.
  2. [R8] Microsoft Word 5/5 · US Pastor Edwin Rios: Great program and user friendly application
  3. [R16] Microsoft Word 5/5 · US Word: Esta aplicación es excelente herramienta de trabajo que puedes llevar a todos lados y poder realizar las actividades escolares laborales y crear en Word es una maravilla
  4. [R21] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US No macros or quick keys: The IPAD version has no macros or quick keys making it almost worthless
  5. [R1] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Stupid and difficult: Your Microsoft program is quite stupid and difficult to use. There is no save button. There is no way to sort things out into a particular folder. And labels at the top of the page don’t seem to make a whole lot of sense you’ve made things very difficult for where they were 15 years ago. Microsoft sucks.
  6. [R5] Microsoft Word 5/5 · US Review: I love this app, very accessible
  7. [R9] Microsoft Word 2/5 · US Word has become more complicated: I find that what use to be single step for printing etc. now takes 2 or 3 or more steps. It is not an easy program.
  8. [R3] Microsoft Word 3/5 · US Loadind: The issue I have experienced using word on Apple devices IPad for example is that you can load Resumes, Report layouts. It tells me that it is an internet issue but it works for apple labtop so it leads me to believe there is an issue with your software. The other things is why not add templates that are downloaded with the app so that at least we would have some default templates to go o
  9. [R23] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Extremely difficult to use: It froze for a moment and then directly deleted my document. Give me back my document!!!!! · translated
  10. [R25] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Just download Google Docs.: Word is diabolically awful, the editor feature simply doesn’t work, like it literally changes words spelt right to a wrong spelling, and god forbid you try to get it to edit your grammar, the majority of the time it’s just wrong. The app randomly teleports me to random spots in my doc, and frequently deletes random words or sentences. It also crashes at least once every
  11. [R32] Microsoft Word 5/5 · US Never change!: Love word. Will go to my grave using word.
  12. [R7] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US No privacy: requires signing in! its just a pdf editor, why would it need sign in?! you know why?! BECAUSE THE WANT YOUR DATA!!!!!!!! i downloaded other free and offline and ad-less apps that dont require signing in instead of this trash. every big company wants to steal your data. stop supporting them. let them die
  13. [R14] Microsoft Word 5/5 · US Necesario: Es bueno tenerlo, un poco costoso y con dificultad con respecto al Word de Microsoft
  14. [R27] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Garbage: This program is antiquated garbage made worse only by the fact that I don’t even own a program that I purchase anymore. I have to pay a stupid subscription fee to be able to access my work documents outside of my work season. As soon as I find an alternative, I will switch to that never use a Microsoft product again.
  15. [R61] Microsoft 365 Copilot 1/5 · US Subscription Only: App does not work unless you pay. Bill gate deserves colon cancer.
  16. [R6] Microsoft Word 3/5 · GB If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.: I preferred the old version. Sorry!
  17. [R67] Microsoft 365 Copilot 1/5 · US Killing me: Stop changing the interface constantly. I want to work. You people make it SO hard to get work done on this monopoly platform.
  18. [R19] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US IPAD Utility for Excell: Really awful. No words to describe how hard on IPAD it is to use
  19. [R37] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Editing is a disaster on iPhone: Editing and selecting text on iPhone is virtually impossible. The default autosave setting then preserves bad edits automatically. The keyboard layout for editing consumes way too much display real estate leaving almost nothing of the document to view, and the selection handles are impossible to move properly. In short, typical of the mediocre software I've come to
  20. [R63] Microsoft 365 Copilot 3/5 · US Copilot: Sometimes copilot is great! But other times copilot messes up my document so badly that I have to start over and fix the mess. One time copilot reworded everything in a way that was completely wrong and another time I asked copilot to put in bullets exactly as the highlighted example I gave and copilot did then opposite!!
  21. [R70] Microsoft 365 Copilot 2/5 · US Continual errors on anything I ask: Use to be great now I get forbidden errors on everything
  22. [R108] Microsoft 365 Copilot 1/5 · US That app used to work fine…now not so much: Until about a month ago the app was actually very good. It ties in with my work paid Copilot subscription so my chats cross platforms nicely…but recently the following has broken and has made this app almost useless: -I can write one chat…when I try writing another prompt the text window is frozen and I have to reboot -Some of my agents now get in a lo

Synthesized from 110 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store