# Microsoft Word vs Document Editor

The clearest difference is monetization model: Microsoft Word at free with in-app purchases against Document Editor's subscription. Microsoft Word also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (3M vs 297). Document Editor's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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 Document Editor sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 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 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Microsoft Word has 3M ratings behind it against 297, 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 26% of Document Editor's.

Microsoft Word ships an update weekly, Document Editor every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft Word | Document Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-word/id586447913/reviews)** | [4.4 (297 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/document-editordocssheets/id1613320599/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3M** | 297 |
| Positive reviews | **36.9% of reviews** | 25.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#13** | — |
| Size | 527 MB | 118 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [palmmob](https://appshunter.io/developer/1370245851) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft Word

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

**Currently charting:** #13 Top Grossing · Productivity, #14 Top Free · Productivity, #91 Top Free, #186 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


### Document Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/document-editordocssheets/id1613320599)

Create, view, and edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations on your mobile device. This app offers compatibility with Microsoft Office and PDF formats, along with OCR and AI writing assistance for enhanced productivity.

**Highlights:** Create, edit, and view documents, Compatible with Microsoft Office and PDF, Spreadsheet editing and charting, Presentation creation and editing, OCR text recognition from images, Convert documents to PDF, AI writing and presentation generation

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Office Premium Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Office Premium quarterly | $9.99 | per 6 months |
| Office Premium quarterly | $11.99 | per 3 months |
| Office Premium Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| Office Premium Yearly | $25.99 | per year |
| Office Premium Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Office Premium Yearly | $30.99 | per year |
| Office Premium Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft Word free?

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

### Is Document Editor free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Microsoft Word or Document Editor?

Microsoft Word is rated higher. Microsoft Word averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3M ratings, while Document Editor averages 4.4 from 297 ratings.

### Do Microsoft Word or Document Editor have ads?

Neither Microsoft Word nor Document Editor shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Microsoft Word or Document Editor?

Microsoft Word ships an update weekly, and Document Editor every 2 months. Most recently, Microsoft Word was updated on September 24, 2026 and Document Editor on September 23, 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.*