There are a lot of different office options available on Android these days, and while it’s easier than ever to deal with PowerPoint or Excel spreadsheets on the move, not everyone needs that sort of power on the move. A lot of the time, we just need a great word processor, whether that’s to type up our notes, get started on that essay or get out of the office and work on that assignment in comfort. In order to do that, you need a decent word processor, and regardless of whether you want something comprehensive or super-simple, our Top 10 list below should have something for everyone.
iA Writer
The most recent app in our lineup, iA Writer is the famous iOS and Mac app finally on Android. This is an excellent option if you’re looking for a distraction-free writing environment. Need a few more chapters of that book? Need to finish that dissertation? No matter what you need to write, iA Writer makes it super-easy to get your thoughts written down without any distractions, and it works great with a Bluetooth keyboard.
Office HD: TextMaker HD
So you have an Android tablet, and you want a more traditional desktop app experience? SoftMaker’s TextMaker HD is the closest you’re going to come to getting that experience. With menus and layouts that look like a Desktop app, TextMaker HD feels like a laptop word processor, and with a mouse and keyboard, you have an excellent setup. One for those used to something more traditional, this features all sorts of features, great compatibility with Microsoft Word and an awesome selection of fonts. It’s super quick, too.
Google Docs
Okay, so you’re fully committed to Google’s services and you want to streamline your writing as well? If that’s the case, then you’re probably already using this. If not, then what are you waiting for? Google Docs is super-easy to use, it saves every keystroke, there’s never a need to hit save and it’ll work great if you have another Android tablet or even a Chromebook. Either way, Google Docs is powerful and super-easy to get up to speed with.
Zoho Writer
Zoho Writer is a great little app for Android tablets as well as smartphones. It focuses on delivering a quality writing experience, and all the formatting options you could want are included as a result. These are easy to get to, and the touch-friendly interface is great, too. This ties in well with Dropbox and it’s completely free, with no strings attached!
Microsoft Word for Tablet
There’s no getting away from Microsoft it would seem, and now that they’ve embraced Android fully, it’s no wonder there are more people talking about Microsoft than there were a year or so ago. Word for Tablet is Microsoft’s way of giving Android users a decent experience on the move. Now if they’d just get rid of the Office 365 requirement then they’d be on to something.
Quip: Docs, Chat, Spreadsheets
Quip is an excellent app for those working in a team, whether that be a school project or a group working on something at work. You can use Quip to create your documents, but where it really shines is with chat and the ability to share drafts from within one app. If Google Drive and Docs aren’t your thing, then this is another way to get your team onboard with collaboration software, and you should definitely take a look.
WPS Office + PDF
WPS Office is in fact a complete suite, but the word processor portion is really good, so I’m throwing it in here. The touch-friendly interface has recently had an overhaul of sorts, and it works really well, it’s a great app for those looking for something dependable and versatile. We recently reviewed the app and you can read that here.
JotterPad (Writer)
JotterPad is my personal favorite when writing on my Nexus 9, and if you’re looking to write something with creative flare, then this is the best app to do it in. It’s extremely versatile, and just feels like a great environment to write in. It’s not perfect, that’s true, but it’s solid and it works well with Dropbox. Better on tablets than it is on smartphones, it’s platform agnostic as the files are just txt files, so you can use whatever you like on your PC.
Polaris Office + PDF
Polaris Office is another all-in-one, but the templates in the word processor are a big help here, and there’s a lot on offer besides just word processing. A longstanding option on Android, Polaris Office has been around for a while, and is well worth taking a look at. It might not be all that exciting, but it works, and works well.
Docs To Go Free Office Suite
Docs to Go is a pretty simple office suite for Android, but if you just want a straightforward way to view or edit documents on the move, then this is going to be just the thing. Simple and to the point, this is free to use and isn’t too complicated to get caught up in all the features.