Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Microsoft Word vs Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Word 4.7★ · Free to download 75
Winner Microsoft Word
Microsoft PowerPoint 4.7★ · Free to download 60

Microsoft Word is the better choice for general document creation and editing due to its core functionality, despite some recent frustrations, while PowerPoint is suitable for presentations but suffers from more significant usability and stability issues on mobile.

Full reviews: Microsoft Word · Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Word and PowerPoint both offer essential productivity tools, but recent user reviews highlight challenges with both apps, particularly on mobile devices. Word maintains its strong reputation for writing and editing, though some users find it more complicated now, while PowerPoint struggles with glitches and payment requirements for full functionality.

Head to head

Features & Functionality edge: Microsoft WordR16R28R34R36
Microsoft Word Microsoft Word is praised for being a great tool for writing, essays, and schoolwork, with users finding it accurate and precise R16R28R34R36. However, some users report issues with specific features like CoPilot not opening or being difficult to turn off R4. The app is also criticized for lacking macros or quick keys on iPad and for poor multi-person collaboration .
Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft PowerPoint is seen as excellent for assignments, business, and conference presentations, offering professional and engaging features . Users appreciate its creative aspects and helpful hints . However, some find it difficult to change backgrounds or pictures on templates and note that many features require payment R72.
Ease of Use edge: Microsoft WordR5R8R1R9
Microsoft Word Many users find Microsoft Word user-friendly and accessible R5R8. However, a significant number of recent reviews indicate that the app has become more complicated, with basic tasks like printing requiring multiple steps R1R9. Editing on iPhone is described as virtually impossible due to selection issues and keyboard layout R37, and the iPad version is also found hard to use R19R51.
Microsoft PowerPoint Some users find PowerPoint straightforward and easy to use, especially for work . However, many others describe it as confusing and difficult, particularly on mobile devices R69. Issues include the keyboard not showing up without a mouse or keyboard and the app being unusable on mobile .
Reliability & Performance edge: Microsoft WordR25R35R49R4
Microsoft Word Microsoft Word receives complaints about frequent crashes, documents being deleted before saving, and random teleporting within documents R25R35R49. Users also report bugs like rapid scrolling, inconsistent formatting between apps, and issues with exporting to PDF R4. Some experience problems with documents not loading on iPads .
Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft PowerPoint is frequently described as glitchy, slow, and prone to crashing . Users report issues like the app kicking them off, not reopening after initial use, and changing fonts or adding bullet points without command . Image loading is also cited as slow .
Price & Value edge: Microsoft WordR7R13R27R47
Microsoft Word Microsoft Word is free to download but requires signing in, which some users view as a privacy concern and a way to collect data R7. Many users express frustration with the subscription model, feeling forced to pay for access to their own documents or for features that were once free R13R27R47. Some find it costly .
Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft PowerPoint is also free to download but users report that most or all functionality requires payment, with some calling it a "scam" R61R64R72R73. It costs around £8-9 a month and cannot be bought separately from other Microsoft products R61R73.
Pick Microsoft Word if

You need a robust word processor for writing and editing, especially if you are a student or professional who relies on its core features, and you are comfortable with a subscription model R16R34R36.

Pick Microsoft PowerPoint if

You primarily need to create presentations and are willing to navigate its mobile interface challenges or use it on a larger device like a tablet or computer, and you accept the subscription cost for full features R69.

Evidence note: Both apps have a high lifetime rating, but recent reviews, especially for PowerPoint, are heavily skewed negative, focusing on mobile usability and payment requirements. The free-to-download model for both apps leads to many negative reviews from users who expect full functionality without a subscription, creating an asymmetry with paid users who self-select as satisfied.

Frequently asked

Is Microsoft Word free to use?
Microsoft Word is free to download, but many users report that full functionality and access to documents often require a paid subscription, with some features being locked behind a paywall R7R13R27R47.
How much does Microsoft PowerPoint cost?
Microsoft PowerPoint is free to download, but users indicate that most or all features require payment, costing around £8-9 a month and often bundled with other Microsoft products R61R64R72R73.
Which app is better for mobile editing?
Neither app is highly praised for mobile editing; Word users find editing and text selection on iPhone virtually impossible and the iPad version hard to use R37R19R51, while PowerPoint is described as unusable and glitchy on mobile, with keyboard issues R69.

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. [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
  2. [R28] Microsoft Word 5/5 · US IMPORTANT: Is amazing !!! So so accurate. So precise
  3. [R34] Microsoft Word 5/5 · US Great for new writers: This is the app to help you be this best writer you can be
  4. [R36] Microsoft Word 5/5 · US LOVE THIS!!!!!!: im a middle schooler and this app helps so much with my essays.
  5. [R5] Microsoft Word 5/5 · US Review: I love this app, very accessible
  6. [R8] Microsoft Word 5/5 · US Pastor Edwin Rios: Great program and user friendly application
  7. [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.
  8. [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.
  9. [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
  10. [R35] Microsoft Word 2/5 · US No.: It would be great if the App didn’t close out the app and deleted documents before I could save
  11. [R49] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Can’t use: Would love to use the app, but it crashes frequently.
  12. [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.
  13. [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
  14. [R13] Microsoft Word 2/5 · US Keeps signing me out: Of course I love Word. I’m paying for it. But my frustration is how many times I get logged out and keep getting asked to buy the product. The product I have and am paying for. Sometimes it won’t log me in and I have to close the program to try, try again. It’s like your date from last night answering the phone and asking, “So wait… Who’s this?”
  15. [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.
  16. [R47] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US No longer free: I think it’s bs whoever owns ChatGPT would take away the free option without a trial screw like everybody else you know just screw us like everybody else is
  17. [R61] Microsoft PowerPoint 1/5 · GB TERRIBLE: I had no access to anything and I didn’t have a keyboard so I paid around £8-9 and I still couldn’t do anything! What a scam! Terrible service! Disappointed and angry! 10 pounds wasted and 30 minutes of my life gone too
  18. [R64] Microsoft PowerPoint 1/5 · GB why do you have to pay?: Absolutely useless! You can't anything ill just downlond an app that actually lets me use it
  19. [R72] Microsoft PowerPoint 3/5 · GB Good but not the best: I mean it’s good but you basically have to pay for most or all of it except what presentation you chose I would give it two or three stars
  20. [R73] Microsoft PowerPoint 1/5 · GB Terrible cost: It costs £8 a month and you can’t even buy it seperate from all Microsoft ads
  21. [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
  22. [R19] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US IPAD Utility for Excell: Really awful. No words to describe how hard on IPAD it is to use
  23. [R51] Microsoft Word 2/5 · GB Apple Interface: Not sure about this on an iPad, I’m always struggling compared to my Windows laptop.
  24. [R69] Microsoft PowerPoint 3/5 · GB it’s alright but….: i use this on a school account but it seems really glitchy and kinda difficult to use on a phone, j recommend it on a laptop or computer or tablet/ipad a

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