# Microsoft Word vs Forms

The clearest difference is rating: Microsoft Word at 4.7 against Forms's 3.8. Microsoft Word also leads on review sentiment (37% vs 0%) and ads (none vs shown). Forms's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Microsoft Word sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Forms sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Microsoft Word holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Microsoft Word has 3M ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of Microsoft Word's written reviews are positive against 0% of Forms's.

Microsoft Word ships an update weekly, Forms every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft Word | Forms |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-word/id586447913/reviews)** | [3.8 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forms-spreadsheet-integration/id1585552942/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3M** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **36.9% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#14** | — |
| Size | 527 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [Pratheesh Bennet](https://appshunter.io/developer/1548251165) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft Word

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-word/id586447913)

**Currently charting:** #14 Top Grossing · Productivity, #15 Top Free · Productivity, #103 Top Free, #189 Top Grossing (US App Store)

Create, edit, and share documents on your mobile device. This powerful word processor offers templates, formatting tools, and collaborative features to help you write impactful text documents, resumes, and more. Your office moves with you, allowing for seamless editing and sharing from anywhere.

**Highlights:** Create and edit documents, Modern templates, Rich formatting and layout options, Reading view, Collaborate with comments, Version history, Simplified sharing

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Office 365 Personal | $5.99 | per month |
| Office 365 Personal | $6.99 | per month |
| Office 365 Home | $9.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $9.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal Student | $9.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Family | $12.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Premium Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Microsoft Copilot Pro | $20.00 | per month |
| Office 365 Personal | $69.99 | per year |
| Office 365 Home | $99.99 | per year |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $99.99 | per year |
| Microsoft 365 Family | $129.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless sync between devices
- 📝 Great for writing and editing
- 🔒 Secure document storage
- 💡 Helpful for school and work

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and data loss
- ⏱️ Laggy and slow performance
- 💰 Expensive subscription required
- 🤔 Limited functionality compared to desktop

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent saving and syncing between devices
- Cursor positioning issues when editing text
- Formatting problems when importing documents
- Unreliable text selection and highlighting

**Requested features**

- Improved mouse/trackpad support
- Built-in citation and bibliography tools
- More customization options for formatting
- Ability to edit documents offline


### Forms

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forms-spreadsheet-integration/id1585552942)

Instantly create smart forms with AI or design your own. Customize templates, scan paper forms, and export data to Google Sheets, Excel, or PDFs. Offers offline use and professional branding options.

**Highlights:** AI-powered form creation, Customizable form templates, Scan and digitize paper forms, Export data to Google Sheets, Excel, PDF, Offline form building and filling, Add branding elements to PDFs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Build Unlimited Forms & Fields | $1.99 | per month |
| One-time purchase for lifetime | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Export Features | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft Word free?

Microsoft Word is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Forms free?

Forms is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Microsoft Word or Forms?

Microsoft Word is rated higher. Microsoft Word averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3M ratings, while Forms averages 3.8 from 8 ratings.

### Do Microsoft Word or Forms have ads?

Forms shows ads; Microsoft Word does not.

### Which is updated more often, Microsoft Word or Forms?

Microsoft Word ships an update weekly, and Forms every 3 days. Most recently, Microsoft Word was updated on September 25, 2026 and Forms on June 5, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*