# Microsoft Word vs Forma

The clearest difference is ads: Microsoft Word at none against Forma's shown. Microsoft Word also leads on ratings volume (3M vs 26K) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). Forma's advantage is review sentiment (70% vs 37%) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Microsoft Word sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Forma sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Microsoft Word against 4.7 for Forma. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Microsoft Word has 3M ratings behind it against 26K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 37% of Microsoft Word's written reviews are positive against 70% of Forma's.

Microsoft Word ships an update weekly, Forma every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft Word | Forma |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-word/id586447913/reviews)** | [4.7 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forma-pdf-document-editor/id1658514439/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3M** | 26K |
| Positive reviews | 36.9% of reviews | **69.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#12** | #123 |
| Size | 529 MB | 203 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [BPMobile](https://appshunter.io/developer/1085442365) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft Word

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

**Currently charting:** #12 Top Free · Productivity, #14 Top Grossing · Productivity, #84 Top Free (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


### Forma

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forma-pdf-document-editor/id1658514439)

**Currently charting:** #123 Top Grossing · Productivity (US App Store)

This AI-powered app allows users to edit, fill, sign, scan, and convert PDF documents. It offers features like text editing, form filling, e-signatures, OCR scanning, and file conversion. An AI assistant can summarize, rewrite, or generate content, and users can create invoices and resumes.

**Highlights:** AI-powered PDF editing, Fill and e-sign forms, Built-in OCR scanner, Convert PDFs to various formats, AI assistant for content generation, Create and send invoices, Resume builder

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Forma Pro | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Forma Pro | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Forma Pro | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Forma Pro | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Forma Pro | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Forma Pro | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Forma Pro | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Forma Pro | $9.99 | per month |
| 1 month Pro 100Gb storage | $10.99 | per month |
| 1 year Pro 10Gb storage | $19.99 | per year |
| Forma Pro | $20.99 | per year |
| 1 year Pro 100Gb storage | $24.99 | per year |
| Forma Pro | $24.99 | per year |
| Forma Pro | $29.99 | per year |
| Forma Pro | $39.99 | per year |
| Forma Pro | $39.99 | per year |
| Forma Pro | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Useful features like autofill and cloud sync
- 🚀 Seamless document management

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and glitches
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🚫 Limited editing capabilities

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect document formatting after editing
- Inability to load or edit pre-existing documents
- Unexpected charges and billing issues

**Requested features**

- Undo/redo functionality
- Ability to edit existing text in documents
- Support for more file formats
- Stylus support for precise editing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft Word free?

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

### Is Forma free?

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

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

Microsoft Word is rated higher. Microsoft Word averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3M ratings, while Forma averages 4.7 from 26K ratings.

### Do Microsoft Word or Forma have ads?

Forma shows ads; Microsoft Word does not.

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

Microsoft Word ships an update weekly, and Forma every 3 weeks. Most recently, Microsoft Word was updated on October 28, 2026 and Forma on October 28, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Microsoft Word or Forma?

Microsoft Word currently peaks at #12 in the App Store charts, and Forma at #123. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*