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

Microsoft Word vs Google Docs

Microsoft Word 4.7★ · Free to download 75
Winner Microsoft Word
Google Docs 4.8★ · Free + IAP 70

For serious document creation and editing, Microsoft Word offers more robust features, but Google Docs is a strong contender for collaborative, cloud-based work, especially for casual users or those in a Google ecosystem.

Full reviews: Microsoft Word · Google Docs

Microsoft Word maintains its reputation as the 'gold standard' for word processing, despite mobile app bugs and subscription frustrations. Google Docs shines in collaboration and accessibility, though its mobile app is often seen as feature-limited compared to its web version.

Head to head

Features & Functionality edge: Microsoft WordR6R14R18R35
Microsoft Word Microsoft Word is praised for its comprehensive features, with users calling it the 'Gold Standard' and an 'essential component' for projects R14R35. However, some users on iPad and iPhone find the mobile apps lack desktop features like SmartArt and full ribbon customization, making them less powerful than the PC version R6R18. There are also frustrations with unwanted autocorrect and AI features like Copilot R49.
Google Docs Google Docs is appreciated for its collaborative features and ease of use, with some users preferring it over Word for its specific strengths R83R120. However, many users report that the mobile app is 'extremely limited' and has 'less features' compared to the web version . Specific complaints include difficulty with image sizing, cursor placement, and a lack of export options beyond docx .
Ease of Use & User Experience tieR1R8R9R19
Microsoft Word Word is generally considered user-friendly by many R8, but its mobile version presents significant usability issues. Users report the keyboard disappearing, difficulty scrolling long documents, and frequent sign-in requirements R1R9R19R38. Some also find it challenging to navigate certain features on mobile .
Google Docs Google Docs is often lauded for being 'simple to use' and 'accessible' R120. However, the mobile app struggles with basic interactions like cursor placement and deleting documents . Users also find the UI and organization to be poor, making it hard to find and manage files . The lack of split-screen support on iPad is also a significant drawback for some .
Reliability & Performance tieR3R15R21R25
Microsoft Word Microsoft Word users frequently report critical reliability issues, including documents not saving, app crashes, and data loss R21R25. Syncing problems across devices and a buggy iPad experience are also common complaints R3R15.
Google Docs Google Docs also faces significant performance and reliability concerns. Users experience 'absurd lag' when typing, making the app nearly unusable for some . There are reports of documents disappearing, files not opening, and the app kicking iPhones off Wi-Fi .
Price & Value edge: Google DocsR34R37R55R83
Microsoft Word Microsoft Word is free to download, but many users express frustration with its subscription model (Microsoft 365), reporting issues like being locked out of features, forced upgrades, and inability to save files without payment R34R37R55.
Google Docs Google Docs is generally praised for being free and accessible R83. However, some users are annoyed by 'paywall storage' and pop-ups related to Google's AI features .
Support & Updates tieR1R9R25R49
Microsoft Word Users express frustration with persistent bugs over '2 decades' and a lack of responsiveness to issues like keyboard problems and unwanted AI features R1R9R25R49.
Google Docs Some users hope developers will address performance issues . Recent updates have introduced new problems, such as command keys not working correctly on iPad and intrusive AI suggestions .
Pick Microsoft Word if

Pick Microsoft Word if you need the most comprehensive word processing features, are accustomed to its desktop version, and are willing to manage potential mobile app bugs or pay for a Microsoft 365 subscription R14R35.

Pick Google Docs if

Pick Google Docs if you prioritize free access, real-time collaboration, and integration within the Google ecosystem, especially for less complex documents or quick note-taking on mobile R83R120.

Evidence note: Both apps have a significant number of recent negative reviews focusing on mobile app performance and bugs, despite high lifetime ratings. For Microsoft Word, many negative reviews stem from issues with the mobile experience and subscription requirements, rather than the core word processing capabilities. For Google Docs, the mobile app is frequently criticized for being a stripped-down version of its web counterpart.

Frequently asked

Is Microsoft Word free to use on mobile devices?
Microsoft Word is free to download, but many users report being locked out of features or unable to save documents without a Microsoft 365 subscription, leading to frustration over unexpected payment requirements R34R37R55.
How does Google Docs compare to Microsoft Word for collaboration?
Google Docs is highly praised for its real-time collaboration features, allowing users to easily share and work on documents together across various platforms R86R120. While Microsoft Word also offers collaboration through OneDrive and Microsoft 365, the reviews do not highlight it as strongly as a unique selling point for the mobile app.
Which app is better for editing long documents on a mobile device?
Neither app is ideal for editing long documents on mobile, but Microsoft Word receives specific complaints about its 'terrible' scroll feature that jumps around and makes navigating long documents difficult on phones and iPads R19R38. Google Docs users also report issues like not returning to the last edited spot after leaving a document R102.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 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. [R6] Microsoft Word 3/5 · US MS iPad apps need full attention: Microsoft Office Apps on iPad: Solid Potential, But Falls Short of Apple’s Native Alternatives (3/5 stars) I’ve been using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on my iPad for work and personal projects, hoping for a seamless experience that matches the desktop versions. While the apps have improved over the years and offer good cross-platform compatibility with O
  2. [R14] Microsoft Word 5/5 · US The Gold Standard: Respected everywhere
  3. [R18] Microsoft Word 3/5 · US SmartArt: The option to have SmartArt and other desktop features available on Windows and Mac for iPad would be ideal.
  4. [R35] Microsoft Word 5/5 · US Essential component of any successful project or business should include a good wor: Essential component of any successful project or business should include a strong and effective word processing program like Microsoft Word and Microsoft has developed the backbone
  5. [R1] Microsoft Word 2/5 · US Buggy: On iPhone 14, the keyboard keeps disappearing and I have to reinstall every time to get it back. Annoying.
  6. [R8] Microsoft Word 5/5 · US Friendly use: Great product
  7. [R9] Microsoft Word 3/5 · US What’s up with the keyboard: I have to reinstall the app anytime I want to be able to edit on my phone. The keyboard refuses to come up every time I open it after.
  8. [R19] Microsoft Word 2/5 · US The scroll feature is terrible.: I love word so much. But using it on a phone or an iPad absolutely sucks. The scroll feature is absolutely awful, especially when you have documents that are extremely long. It jumps all over the places, takes you back to the beginning of the page. You can be 400 pages in and it’ll scroll up to the top. And it takes minutes to scroll all the way back down. Please f
  9. [R3] Microsoft Word 3/5 · US Bugs: Overall pretty solid, works pretty good on my laptop but the iPad version is very buggy for some reason . Sometimes when i try to autofill it will fill with the most random word. Also when i try to highlight a word it will bug out and keep deselecting it.
  10. [R15] Microsoft Word 3/5 · US Bug: I keep getting kicked out the app
  11. [R21] Microsoft Word 3/5 · US College student: I am a college student who uses word for every assignment. I have found that after writing 43 different PDF documents word had started not saving my documents even after manually saving. Other than that I have had a good user experience while using this app.
  12. [R25] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US 2 decades of bugs: For 2 decades and almost 4 degrees I’ve put up with the crashes, bugs, and nonsense that comes with this godforsaken software because it came free at my high-school and every university I’ve been to, but I would rather pay money I don’t have than lose one more draft to the ether because Word claimed it saved and showed the blue check mark of lies only to delete the last several
  13. [R34] Microsoft Word 2/5 · US High payment low reward: Great if you’re extremely creative and have a ton of time. Also if you cancel because of how expensive it is. You can’t save the files you created.
  14. [R37] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Basic to Personal: Why do I have 365 Basic? I’m locked out of my apps and being forced to pay again to move to 365 Personal? Is this a joke? How many subscriptions do I need to use your products???
  15. [R55] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Sucks: Why I am being asked to buy 365 when I already subscribe
  16. [R83] Google Docs 5/5 · US Excellent: For a free application, Google Docs is an excellent word processor, although I have Microsoft Word, I often use Google Docs because of the features it has that Word lacks.
  17. [R49] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Stop with the AI copilot !!!: Please ! Your copilot is a mess! Slows everything down and makes every document non compatable !!
  18. [R86] Google Docs 4/5 · US Great way to share documents: Things I love: it is cross platform (works on PC, iPad and iPhone); it lets me not only share documents but collaborate real-time (as does Sheets). Things I don’t love: organizing and finding files is not as easy as in Explorer or Finder. Formatting options for documents are minimal - if I want good formatting, I need to export it elsewhere. I then have the opt
  19. [R120] Google Docs 5/5 · US Google Docs is great!: I use Google Docs to write and edit everything. Simple to use and easy to share with others. Love it!
  20. [R38] Microsoft Word 4/5 · US On my second book: I am currently writing my second book using Word. I am a writer, not a computer expert. So, I’m not saying these issues can’t be fixed. What I’m saying is that I don’t want to take the time to learn a computer program when I should just be writing. Why do I type three words and then Word acts like I pressed the return button? Why do I have trouble scrolling to the bottom of my d
  21. [R102] Google Docs 3/5 · GB Coming out of a document then coming in again.: Sometimes I leave a document I am in the middle of compiling, in this case a book, to check a spelling on google. Nine times out of ten, if I tap back on the docs icon, it brings me to the first page of my document when in fact it comprises hundreds of pages. Not bringing me back to where I left off is humongously frustrating!

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store