OnlyOffice

OnlyOffice is a comprehensive open-source office suite developed by Ascensio System SIA, a company headquartered in Riga, Latvia. Since its initial release in 2009, OnlyOffice has grown to become one of the most compelling European alternatives to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, offering a full suite of productivity tools including document editors, spreadsheets, presentations, and collaborative features that rival those of major tech giants.

Latvian Roots and European Data Sovereignty

Being headquartered in Latvia, an EU member state since 2004, gives OnlyOffice a strong foundation in European data protection. Latvia operates under the full scope of GDPR and has implemented robust national data protection laws. This European jurisdiction means that OnlyOffice cloud services are subject to stringent privacy regulations, providing users with legal protections that are often stronger than those in non-EU jurisdictions.

For organizations with strict data sovereignty requirements, OnlyOffice offers comprehensive self-hosting options. The entire suite can be deployed on your own servers, whether on-premises or in a European cloud provider of your choice. This gives organizations complete control over their data and ensures compliance with even the most demanding regulatory requirements.

Microsoft Office Compatibility

One of OnlyOffice's most significant strengths is its exceptional compatibility with Microsoft Office formats. The suite natively supports OOXML formats (DOCX, XLSX, PPTX) and has been engineered from the ground up to ensure pixel-perfect rendering of Microsoft documents. Unlike some open-source alternatives that struggle with complex formatting, OnlyOffice maintains document fidelity even with advanced features like macros, embedded objects, and complex layouts.

This compatibility extends to real-time collaboration. Multiple users can work on the same document simultaneously, with changes synced instantly. The collaboration features include commenting, track changes, version history, and the ability to tag other users. This makes OnlyOffice a viable drop-in replacement for Microsoft 365 in enterprise environments where document compatibility is crucial.

Complete Office Suite

OnlyOffice includes a full range of productivity applications. The Document Editor provides comprehensive word processing capabilities with support for styles, tables, images, charts, and equations. The Spreadsheet Editor offers over 450 functions, pivot tables, conditional formatting, and chart creation. The Presentation Editor enables creating professional slideshows with transitions, animations, and presenter notes.

Beyond the core editors, OnlyOffice includes project management tools, CRM functionality, mail aggregation, and a calendar. The Workspace edition bundles all these features into an integrated platform that can serve as a complete collaboration hub for organizations. PDF editing and form creation capabilities round out the feature set.

Deployment Options

OnlyOffice provides flexible deployment options to suit different needs. The Desktop Editors are free applications available for Windows, macOS, and Linux that work offline with local files. The cloud-hosted Docs service provides a ready-to-use solution without infrastructure management. For those requiring maximum control, the Docs Community Edition is freely available for self-hosting on your own servers.

Integration capabilities are extensive. OnlyOffice can be embedded into platforms like Nextcloud, ownCloud, Seafile, Alfresco, SharePoint, Confluence, and many others. This makes it an excellent choice for organizations that want to add document editing capabilities to their existing infrastructure while maintaining data sovereignty.

Open Source Philosophy

OnlyOffice's editors are released under the AGPLv3 license, ensuring transparency and the ability to audit the code. The open-source nature means that security researchers can examine the codebase for vulnerabilities, and organizations can verify that the software behaves as expected. The project maintains an active GitHub presence with regular updates and community contributions.

The company follows an open-core model where the basic editors are fully open source, while some enterprise features require a commercial license. This sustainable approach has allowed OnlyOffice to maintain active development while keeping the core product freely available.

Security Features

OnlyOffice implements robust security measures including JWT authentication for document server connections, HTTPS encryption for data in transit, and granular access permissions. The self-hosted editions allow organizations to implement their own security policies, encryption at rest, and network isolation. Document access can be controlled through expiring links, password protection, and permission levels that restrict viewing, editing, or downloading.

Pricing and Value

The pricing structure is designed to be accessible. Desktop applications are completely free for personal and commercial use. The self-hosted Community Edition is free for installations with up to 20 concurrent connections. Cloud-based Docs start from 4 euros per user per month, which includes document editors with collaboration features. The Workspace edition, which adds project management and CRM, is priced higher but provides a comprehensive collaboration platform.

Who Should Use OnlyOffice

OnlyOffice is ideal for organizations that need excellent Microsoft Office compatibility while maintaining European data sovereignty. It's particularly well-suited for businesses already using platforms like Nextcloud that want to add document editing capabilities. The self-hosting option makes it attractive for government agencies, healthcare organizations, and enterprises with strict compliance requirements. Individual users and small teams will find the free desktop editors and community edition more than sufficient for most productivity needs.