Microsoft Office Vs. Apple iWork – Which Is Better?

When it comes to operating systems and productivity software, there is no matching the dominance of Microsoft. The company has many firsts to its credit, which explains why it is the industry leader. In office software segment, Microsoft currently has market share of over 40%. However, things are evolving fast, with growing preference for cloud-based solutions.

In recent years, Apple iWork has emerged as one of the challengers for Microsoft Office. iWork has relatively limited usage, but that does not undermine its potential. If you are wondering which is better between Microsoft Office vs. Apple iWork, here are some important things to understand.

Strengths – Both MS Office and Apple iWork have their respective advantages. In case of Microsoft Office, advantages include ease of use, more options to format images, more options to add special effects to fonts and shapes and easy sync with desktop PC. For Apple iWork users, the advantages include option for built-in charts, multiple apps to open documents and free to use for all iOS device owners.

Microsoft Word vs. iWork Pages – Both Microsoft and Apple have three primary software stacks – document, presentation and workbook / spreadsheet. Comparing Microsoft Word vs. Apple iWork Pages, most users will find both quite easy to use. While MS Word has more customization options for text, iWork Pages offers built-in charts functionality. Basic formatting options are largely the same for both. It includes things like text formatting, footers, custom headers, tables, paragraph styles, pictures and images formatting, and bulleted and numbered lists.

Microsoft PowerPoint vs. iWork Keynote – While Microsoft PowerPoint is more widely used, one drawback is that it cannot create complex charts without taking help from Excel. In comparison, iWork Keynote can create complex charts without the assistance of outside software. But when it comes to customization options for text, shapes and pictures, it is Microsoft PowerPoint that has more options. For folks who want to create truly unique presentations, PowerPoint may be the best choice.

Microsoft Excel vs. iWork Numbers – Microsoft Excel can carry out some very complex calculations and yet, it is easy to use. Other advantages of MS Excel include easily accessible menus and a wide variety of one-click functions. iWork Numbers is also easy, but beginners may face issues at times. Shortcuts are also a bit tougher to learn. However, iWork Numbers has much easier copy and paste functions. In comparison, Excel has a reputation of being nasty with copy and paste, especially for new users.

Microsoft Office vs. Apple iWork pricing – Microsoft Office is widely pirated. An obvious reason is that Windows OS is the most widely used operating system in the world for desktop PCs and laptops. Piracy is rampant because not everyone can afford to purchase Microsoft Office suite. Even in online version, only limited editing options and functions are available. Microsoft also has the Office 365 subscription plan, which again many people cannot afford. In comparison, Apple iWork is free for all iOS owners.

Updates – Both MS Office and Apple iWork get regular updates. So, there’s no real difference between the two in this context. Updates ensure bug fixes, maintain security and allow introduction of new features.

As is evident from above, it’s hard to tell which one is better between Microsoft Office and Apple iWork. Each have their own pros and cons. You can decide based on features that will be using more in your everyday work.