Maximize Your Budget: Office Productivity Software for Business and Nonprofits

Office software has become a very important part of our daily work lives; allowing us to create, edit and share documents, spreadsheets, and presentations with ease. There are several office software options available including Microsoft Office Professional, Google Workspace, LibreOffice, and Ability Office Professional. In this article, we will compare these software options based on their cost, benefits, online meeting abilities, and operating systems.

Cost Benefits

The cost of office software is a big consideration, especially for individuals and small businesses with limited budgets. Microsoft Office Professional is available through a subscription-based service, with plans starting at $12.00 per user/month. Google Workspace also offers a subscription-based service, with plans starting at $6 per user/month. On the other hand, LibreOffice is completely free to use, while Ability Office Professional can be purchased for a one-time fee of $79.99 for 5 Users and 10 PCs.

Microsoft Office Professional and Google Workspace may be appear to be expensive options, they offer additional features such as advanced security controls, email clients, calendar management, and cloud storage that can be beneficial for businesses of all sizes. While big businesses with complex needs may benefit from the additional features, small businesses can also benefit from cloud-based solutions like Google Workspace, as well as other less expensive options like LibreOffice and Ability Office Professional, which offer similar functionality without the added cost.

Cloud Hosting and IT Maintenance

Cloud hosting is becoming a popular way of using office software, as it eliminates the need for businesses to invest in expensive hardware and pay for IT staff to maintain it. Google Workspace is hosted completly in the cloud, while Microsoft Office Professional can be used both on the cloud and offline. Both options provide easy access to files from anywhere with an internet connection, and automatic updates that eliminate the need for manual installations. On the other hand, LibreOffice and Ability Office Professional require manual installations and regular updates by staff, which can be costly and time-consuming.

Online Meeting Abilities

The ability to host online meetings and collaborate with team members remotely has become increasingly important in today’s workplace. Microsoft Office Professional and Google Workspace both offer real-time collabration features and online meeting capabilities. Microsoft Office Professional includes Skype for Business for video conferencing and collaboration, while Google Workspace includes Google Meet for online meetings and Google Hangouts for team messaging.

LibreOffice and Ability Office Professional do not offer online meeting capabilities, but they do include other features that can be useful for businesses. LibreOffice includes a PDF editor and a suite of programs for graphic design, while Ability Office includes a database management program and spreadsheet software.

Operating Systems

Another critical consideration when choosing office software is the operating system it supports. Microsoft Office Professional is available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, while Google Workspace is web-based and available on all platforms with a web browser. LibreOffice is available on Windows, Mac, and Linux, while Ability Office Professional is only available on Windows.

While Microsoft Office Professional and Google Workspace offer the most comprehensive support for multiple operating systems, LibreOffice is a good choice for businesses that use multiple operating systems and need software that can run on all of them. Ability Office Professional, while only available on Windows, offers a one-time purchase option, making it a more cost-effective option for Windows users.