Google Docs vs Microsoft Word: Which Should You Use?

Google Docs and Microsoft Word are the two most widely used word processors in the world, and for most New Zealand writers, students and businesses the real question is not which one is “better” but which one fits the way you work. Both let you write, format and share documents, both offer a free version and both can open the other’s files — yet they take very different approaches to pricing, collaboration and working offline. This guide compares them feature by feature, with current New Zealand pricing, so you can pick the right tool without the marketing spin.

What are Google Docs and Microsoft Word?

Google Docs and Microsoft Word are both word processors — programs for writing and formatting text documents such as letters, reports, essays and CVs. The difference is in where they live and how they started.

Microsoft Word is the older of the two, first released in 1983, and for decades it was a program you installed on your computer. Today it still has a powerful desktop app for Windows and Mac, but it also runs in a web browser and on phones and tablets. It is the word processor inside the Microsoft Office family and the Microsoft 365 subscription.

Google Docs launched in 2006 and was built for the web from the start. It runs inside your browser with nothing to install, saves your work automatically to Google Drive, and only recently added a proper offline mode. It is part of Google’s free personal account and the paid Google Workspace service for businesses. If you want to weigh up the two complete platforms rather than just the document apps, see our Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 comparison.

Google Docs vs Microsoft Word at a glance

At a glance, Google Docs is the simpler, cloud-first tool built around sharing, while Microsoft Word is the more powerful, feature-rich tool built around precise formatting and offline control. The table below summarises the main differences; each point is explained in detail further down.

Pricing: what each one costs in New Zealand

Both tools have a genuinely free version, and both have paid tiers that unlock the full desktop app, more storage and extra features. The key difference is that Microsoft charges mainly for the powerful desktop software, while Google charges mainly for business features and storage.

How much does Google Docs cost?

Google Docs is free for personal use. With any free Google account you get Docs, Sheets and Slides plus 15 GB of storage shared across Google Drive, Gmail and Google Photos — enough for thousands of text documents. There is no catch and no trial period for the core writing features.

If you need a custom business email address, more storage and admin controls, you move to paid Google Workspace. The entry Business Starter plan costs roughly NZ$10.50 per user per month on an annual commitment (about NZ$12.60 on the flexible monthly plan) and includes 30 GB of pooled storage per user. Standard and Plus plans add 2 TB and 5 TB of storage respectively. Our dedicated guide to Google Workspace pricing in NZ breaks down every tier.

How much does Microsoft Word cost?

Microsoft Word has a free browser version too. Word for the web is free with a Microsoft account and includes 5 GB of OneDrive cloud storage, though it has fewer features than the installed program.

The full desktop Word comes with a Microsoft 365 subscription. In New Zealand the current consumer prices are:

• Microsoft 365 Personal: NZ$17.00/month or NZ$179.00/year — for one person, 1 TB of cloud storage.
• Microsoft 365 Family: NZ$23.00/month or NZ$229.00/year — for up to six people, 1 TB each.
• Microsoft 365 Premium: NZ$37.00/month or NZ$369.00/year — adds the heaviest Copilot AI usage.
• Office Home 2024: NZ$259.00 one-off — the classic desktop apps on one PC or Mac, with no subscription, no cloud storage and no Copilot.

Businesses buy Word through separate Microsoft 365 Business plans. For a full walk-through of the editions and how to install them, see our guide on how to download Microsoft Word in New Zealand, or the Microsoft Word for Mac guide if you are on an Apple machine.

Features compared

Pricing aside, the daily experience of each tool is what matters most. Here is how they compare on the jobs people actually use a word processor for.

Writing and formatting

Microsoft Word wins on formatting depth. If you need precise control over page layout, styles, headers and footers, footnotes, tables of contents, mail merge, advanced typography or print-ready documents, Word has more tools and handles long, complex documents more reliably. It is the standard in law, academia and publishing partly for this reason.

Google Docs covers everything a typical writer needs — headings, lists, tables, images, comments, page numbers and a word count — and its clean interface is easier for beginners. Where it falls short is at the high end: very long documents, intricate layouts and some advanced print formatting are smoother in Word. For everyday letters, essays and reports, most people will not notice the difference. Google Docs also handles small touches well, such as how to strikethrough text in Google Docs.

Real-time collaboration

Google Docs was built for collaboration and still does it best. You share a document with a link, and several people can type in it at the same time, each with a coloured cursor, with changes appearing instantly. Comments, suggestions and version history are simple and reliable, and nobody needs to “send the latest version” by email.

Microsoft Word has caught up a lot. Co-authoring works well when documents are saved to OneDrive or SharePoint and edited in Word for the web or a recent desktop version. It is powerful but a little more complex to set up than sharing a Google link, and the experience is smoothest when everyone is inside the Microsoft ecosystem.

Working offline

Microsoft Word is the stronger choice when you are often offline. The desktop app works fully with no internet connection — useful on flights, in rural areas or anywhere with patchy broadband — and syncs your changes to the cloud when you reconnect.

Google Docs now has an offline mode, but it needs setting up in advance: you use the Chrome or Edge browser, turn on offline access, and the documents you want must be made available offline beforehand. It works well once configured, but it is not as effortless as Word’s always-on desktop app.

Templates and add-ons

Both tools offer ready-made templates for CVs, letters, invoices, meeting notes and more, so you rarely start from a blank page. Microsoft Word has a larger and more polished template library and a huge range of professional designs. Google Docs has a smaller gallery but adds third-party add-ons and tight links to the rest of Google Workspace. If you build business paperwork, our Google Docs invoice template for New Zealand shows how a template works in practice.

Phones and tablets

Both have free mobile apps for Android, iPhone and iPad, so you can read and make quick edits on the go. Google Docs feels more at home on a phone because it was designed for the cloud, and your documents sync automatically without a thought. The Word mobile app is capable too, and on smaller screens its core editing is free with a Microsoft account; some advanced features on tablets or when printing may prompt a Microsoft 365 subscription. For light edits on the move either app is fine; for serious writing, both are still best on a full keyboard and screen.

AI writing help: Copilot vs Gemini

Both companies have built AI assistants into their word processors, but the way you get them differs. Microsoft’s assistant is Copilot. Consumer Microsoft 365 plans (Personal, Family and Premium) now include Copilot features with usage limits — a major reason subscription prices rose in 2025 and 2026 — with the Premium tier getting the most usage. In the business versions of the Word app, Copilot requires a separate paid Microsoft 365 Copilot licence.

Google’s assistant is Gemini, built directly into Google Docs. A basic tier is now available to free personal Google accounts, while paid Google Workspace plans unlock fuller Gemini features across Docs, Sheets and more. Both assistants can draft text, summarise and rewrite, but treat their output as a first draft: always check facts, figures and tone yourself before sending anything important.

File formats and compatibility

File compatibility is where many people get caught out, so it is worth understanding clearly. Microsoft Word’s native format is .docx (older files use .doc). This is the format most New Zealand workplaces, universities and government agencies expect to receive.

Google Docs stores your work in its own online format, not as a file on your computer. When you need a .docx or a PDF, you use File → Download to export one. Google Docs can also open and edit .docx files directly, and Word can open files exported from Docs.

The practical catch is that converting between the two formats can shift complex formatting — fonts, spacing, tables, columns or tracked changes may not survive a round trip perfectly. For simple documents this rarely matters; for heavily formatted ones, finish the document in the program you will deliver it from. A useful habit is to keep your working copy in one tool and only export to the other at the final step, rather than editing back and forth across both.

Both tools can also save a finished document as a PDF, which is the safest way to send something you do not want the recipient to alter — a PDF looks identical on any device and preserves your layout exactly. If you need to go the other way and turn a PDF back into an editable document, see our guides on how to open a PDF in Word and converting a PDF to Google Docs. If you also work with free office suites, our explainer on ODT files and comparing office suites covers how the open OpenDocument format fits in.

Security and privacy

Both services store your documents in the cloud by default, which raises reasonable privacy questions for New Zealand users. Both Microsoft and Google encrypt files in transit and at rest, offer two-step verification, and let you control who a document is shared with — and sharing settings are the most common cause of accidental exposure, so check them before sending a link.

Under New Zealand’s Privacy Act 2020, organisations handling personal information remain responsible for it even when it sits on an overseas cloud service. Microsoft operates a New Zealand cloud region and publishes data-residency options for business customers; Google stores Workspace data across its global network with contractual data-protection terms. For sensitive personal, financial or health information, check your organisation’s policy, use strong account security, and consider a fully offline option such as LibreOffice or OpenOffice where cloud storage is not appropriate.

Common mistakes to avoid

A few avoidable errors cause most of the frustration people have with these tools. Watch for these:

• Emailing the wrong format. Sending a Google Docs link to someone who needs a .docx file, or a .docx to someone with no Word, causes needless back-and-forth. Export to the format your recipient expects.
• Assuming formatting survives conversion. Complex layouts can break when moving between Word and Docs. Do a final check in the program you will deliver from.
• Over-sharing by link. “Anyone with the link can edit” is convenient but risky. Set view-only or restrict access for anything confidential.
• Relying on Google Docs offline without setting it up. If you did not enable offline access beforehand, you cannot open your documents on a plane. Turn it on while you still have internet.
• Paying for more than you need. If you only write simple documents, the free Word for the web or free Google Docs may be all you ever need — a paid subscription is not compulsory.
• Treating AI output as final. Copilot and Gemini make mistakes. Always proofread and fact-check before you rely on anything they produce.

Which should you use?

The right choice comes down to how you work, not which brand is bigger. Here is a simple way to decide.

Choose Google Docs if…

Google Docs suits you if you work mostly online, collaborate often, and value simplicity and zero cost. It is ideal for students, small teams, volunteers, and anyone who writes letters, notes and everyday documents and wants to share and edit them with others in real time. If you already use Gmail, it is the natural fit.

Choose Microsoft Word if…

Microsoft Word suits you if you need advanced formatting, work with long or print-ready documents, are often offline, or must match a workplace that runs on .docx and Microsoft 365. It is the safer choice for legal, academic and corporate work where exact layout and compatibility are non-negotiable.

A free middle ground

You do not have to choose only one, and you do not have to pay. Many New Zealanders use free Google Docs for drafting and collaboration, then export a .docx for final delivery. If you want a free, fully offline desktop word processor that saves in Word-compatible formats, free suites such as LibreOffice are worth a look — see our roundup of OpenOffice alternatives for the options. The best tool is simply the one that matches your documents, your budget and the people you share with.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is Google Docs or Microsoft Word free?

Both have a genuinely free version. Google Docs is free with any Google account and includes 15 GB of shared storage. Microsoft offers Word for the web free with a Microsoft account and 5 GB of OneDrive storage. The full desktop Word needs a paid Microsoft 365 subscription or a one-off Office purchase.

Can Google Docs open Microsoft Word files?

Yes. Google Docs can open and edit .docx and .doc files directly, and you can download any Google document back out as a .docx or PDF. Very complex formatting may shift during conversion, so check the final file in the program you will deliver it from.

Which is better for working offline?

Microsoft Word is better for offline work because its desktop app runs fully without an internet connection. Google Docs has an offline mode, but you must turn it on in Chrome or Edge and mark documents for offline use before you lose connection.

Is Google Docs or Word better for collaboration?

Google Docs is generally smoother for real-time collaboration: you share a link and several people edit at once with instant updates. Microsoft Word supports co-authoring too when files are stored on OneDrive or SharePoint, but it takes a little more setup.

Do I need to pay for AI features in either one?

Consumer Microsoft 365 plans now include Copilot AI with usage limits, with the Premium tier getting the most. Google builds Gemini into Docs, with a basic tier available to free personal accounts and fuller features on paid Google Workspace plans. Always check AI output before relying on it.