LibreOffice has always been a free alternative to Microsoft Office. However, the productivity suite’s provider has confirmed that some versions will need a $9 “convenience fee” for users looking to download the latest version of the open-source office software suite. Such users will have to pay the fee if they choose to download their copy from the Mac App Store. LibreOffice project curators, The Document Foundation (TDF) confirmed the charge is only applicable to this one particular way of obtaining the productivity suite. It added that all proceeds from the new Mac App Store version “will be invested to support the development of the LibreOffice project”.
Incidentally, LibreOffice is not being transitioned to a “Premium” or “Paid” version and is still free to download and use.
Users can easily obtain the latest copy, or the update, for the LibreOffice suite from the product’s official website. The software is currently available without any charge via its website, and users can obtain a copy for just about every device they own, including for Macs without paying the convenience fee.
There’s no difference in the functionality between the free and paid version of LibreOffice. Moreover, a paid version of LibreOffice has long been available on the Mac App Store and it cost a little more than $10. The paid version has traditionally received three years of dedicated technical support from Collabora, a collaboration software consulting firm.
LibreOffice works reliably on all the popular versions of the operating systems. Documents created using LibreOffice can be easily opened and edited across multiple platforms, including Microsoft Office. This is because the software relies on OpenDocument Format (ODF), a fully open and ISO standardized file format.