Office Online vs Live Documents

Struggling to choose between Office Online and Live Documents? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Office Online is a Office & Productivity solution with tags like word-processing, spreadsheets, presentations, online, collaboration.

It boasts features such as Web-based version of Microsoft Office, Allows viewing, editing and sharing of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote files, Collaboration tools like comments, chat and co-authoring, Integration with OneDrive for cloud storage, Mobile optimization for use on phones and tablets and pros including Free to use, Accessible from any device with a web browser, Real-time collaboration, No need to purchase or install Office suite, Files saved to the cloud for easy access.

On the other hand, Live Documents is a Office & Productivity product tagged with realtime, collaborative, document-editing, word, excel, powerpoint.

Its standout features include Real-time collaborative editing, Simultaneous editing by multiple users, Edit Microsoft Office files, Version history, Comments and annotations, Access controls and permissions, Offline editing, Integrations with cloud storage, Mobile apps, and it shines with pros like Increased productivity from seamless collaboration, No waiting for others to finish editing, Easy tracking of changes, Reduced emailing files back and forth, Works across locations and time zones.

Feature	Office Online	Live Documents
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Office & Productivity	Office & Productivity

Product Overview

Office Online

Description: Office Online is a web-based version of Microsoft Office that allows users to view, edit, and share Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote files using a web browser. It offers limited functionality compared to the desktop Office suite but is free to use.

Live Documents

Description: Live Documents is a real-time collaborative document editing software. It allows multiple people to edit documents like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint at the same time from different locations. Changes made by one person are instantly visible to others.

Key Features Comparison

Office Online Features

• Web-based version of Microsoft Office
• Allows viewing, editing and sharing of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote files
• Collaboration tools like comments, chat and co-authoring
• Integration with OneDrive for cloud storage
• Mobile optimization for use on phones and tablets

Live Documents Features

• Real-time collaborative editing
• Simultaneous editing by multiple users
• Edit Microsoft Office files
• Version history
• Comments and annotations
• Access controls and permissions
• Offline editing
• Integrations with cloud storage
• Mobile apps

Pros & Cons Analysis

Office Online

Pros

• Free to use
• Accessible from any device with a web browser
• Real-time collaboration
• No need to purchase or install Office suite
• Files saved to the cloud for easy access

Cons

• Limited functionality compared to desktop Office
• Requires an internet connection to use
• Lacks some advanced features like macros
• File formatting may change when viewed on desktop
• Storage limits with free OneDrive account

Live Documents

Pros

• Increased productivity from seamless collaboration
• No waiting for others to finish editing
• Easy tracking of changes
• Reduced emailing files back and forth
• Works across locations and time zones

Cons

• Potential for editing conflicts
• Learning curve for some users
• Requires subscription
• Limited free version
• Not as full-featured as Office 365

Pricing Comparison

Office Online

• Freemium

Live Documents

• Subscription-Based