The Best Free Google Docs Alternative

What Is Google Docs?

Google Docs is an online collaborative word processor that was launched by Google in 2006. Google created Google Docs after acquiring Writely in 2006. Writely was an online word processor created by Upstartle and Google built on that foundation to create Google Docs. 

Today, Google Docs is a vital part of the GSuite experience and is a popular tool that is used by many people around the world to collaborate and get work done. As part of the GSuite ecosystem, Google Docs integrates with other Google applications including Google Keep, which is Google’s version of a note-taking tool.

Google's strategic acquisition of companies enabled them to add useful features to Google Docs. For example, acquiring DocVerse enabled them to improve online collaboration while acquiring Quickoffice helped them improve compatibility with mobile devices.

Google Docs is frequently compared to Microsoft Word as it is a free alternative to the latter. It can be used via browser and also via mobile as an iOS and Android app. With Google Docs, you can edit and collaborate on shared documents with others online. 

Features of Google Docs

Google Docs is widely used today as it is a good tool to have for editing documents and collaborating with others online.

Editing documents in real-time with your team is easy to do with Google Docs. You simply need to share the document with your team members and ensure that they have editing rights. Alternatively, you can also restrict access to view only, or comment only. 

View-only access is good if you’re sharing documents outside of your business, while comments-only access allows your team members to give their comments on certain parts of the document. When commenting on the document, you can assign action items to team members so that they will get an email notification on their tasks.

This is especially handy when vetting through the work of a new staff member so that you can give comments on their work, getting them up to speed even quicker. You can also suggest changes within the document so that your team members can see exactly what you had in mind, before accepting the changes.

After sharing the document with your team, there will be an option for you to chat on the document itself. However, this chat function is very basic and is best used for quick clarifications and alignment.

Google Docs also has offline support so that you can edit your documents even without an internet connection. Your data will be synced on the cloud once you reconnect to the internet. Additionally, Google stores your document history in their servers so that you can revert back to a previous version if anything goes wrong. 

What Is Google Docs Good For?

Google Docs is best used for drafting long-form articles and outlines. It has a wide array of formatting options that allows you to easily type out large chunks of text. You can turn on its built-in autocorrect feature to make sure that your spelling and grammar are on point.

It is also common for teams to collaborate on Google Docs. This is because Google Docs supports real-time collaboration with up to 100 other people at the same time. 

The simple chat box feature also allows you to quickly send messages to your team members working on the same document. However, it is common for teams to toggle between Google Docs and another tool to communicate better as the chat function in Google Docs is fairly basic.

What Are Some Limitations of Google Docs?

Although Google Docs is a good tool to use when taking long-form notes, there are also some limitations that come with it.

Real-time communication within Google Docs is tricky as it only supports a basic chat function. The chat function is also not intuitive to use, which means that it takes some figuring out if you want to use it properly with your teammates.

In this sense, Taskade is the best free alternative to Google Docs when it comes to collaboration. This is because Taskade allows you to take long-form notes while supporting real-time editing and communication via built-in chat and video conferencing. This means that you can focus without having to break your flow by toggling between apps.

Even though Google Docs is good for taking notes, it simply doesn’t offer more than that. Tools such as Taskade allow you to take long-form notes, collaborate and communicate with your team in real-time. If you’re looking for a free all-in-one tool to take notes, to-do lists,  manage projects, and more, Taskade is your best alternative to Google Docs.

Is Google Docs Free?

Google Docs is free to use. You simply have to access it via your Google account to get started.

What Is Taskade?

Taskade is an online productivity and collaboration tool that was founded by John Xie, Dionis Loire, and Stan Chang in 2017. The Y Combinator-backed startup aims to help remote teams and individuals get work done faster and smarter.

Taskade is where remote teams get work done. With Taskade, you can take detailed notes, automate repetitive workflows, collaborate via built-in video chat with your team, and more, via an all-in-one unified workspace. 

Get a headstart on your projects and find a suitable structure for your notes via Taskade’s versatile collection of templates. Simply choose from a wide variety of templates and add them to your projects to get started instantly!

Taskade is a supercharged productivity app that both you and your team can use to collaborate on projects in real-time. Taskade’s free plan comes with unlimited projects and tasks so that you can get up and running as soon as you sign up!

Taskade is the best free Google Docs alternative. Get started instantly for free today.

Key Features of Taskade

• Project Views. Visualize your projects in several different ways. Cycle between the List, Mind Map, Org Chart, and Board views to work the way you want. 

  • List View. This is the default view on Taskade. Create new lists here.
  • Board View. This view lets you work horizontally like a Kanban board. Visualize your workflow and tasks in this full-width view.
  • Mind Map View. This view lets you work in a horizontal tree-structured manner and map out what you have in mind.
  • Action View. Work in table view and stay organized with your task due dates, and more.
  • Org Chart View. Break down larger tasks into smaller ones to help you get things done.

• Real-time Communication. Chat and video conference with your team while collaborating in real-time on the same page. 
• 500+ Templates. Choose from 500+ templates across 26 categories to improve your productivity and workflows. Customize existing templates or create new ones across your workspaces.
• Search. Search within projects or globally across workspaces and subspaces. Instantly browse and jump between projects anywhere in the Taskade.
• Zoom In, Zoom Out. Get a bird’s-eye view of the workflow by zooming out on all project views, or zoom in to focus on a specific area.
• Fold/Unfold. Fold (collapse) a parent task/bullet element to hide its subtasks. Indent outline elements with ⌨️ Tab and unfold lists with ⌨️ Shift+Tab.
• Multi-Select. Select and format multiple blocks or bulk assign them as tasks to other team members. You can also copy, paste, or indent selected blocks.

• Customize Sub-Tasks. Customize the format of your sub-tasks at individual levels. Choose from headings, numbered lists, shapes, and more.
• Recurring Tasks. Add due dates with start and end times to tasks within your project and set them to repeat daily, weekly, monthly, or even yearly.
• Move Tasks. Move and copy selected tasks to other projects across any workspace. You’ll receive a pop-up notification on completion.
• User Roles & Permissions. Manage collaborators and assign user roles/editing privileges (Owner, Admin, Editor, Checker, Viewer).

• Sort Tasks. Sort sub-tasks/children elements by completed/uncompleted stats or the due date. Task sorting can be accessed from a convenient pop-up menu.
• Keyboard Shortcuts. Navigate projects, create content blocks, reorder elements, and complete tasks using a set of handy keyboard shortcuts.

• Team Calendar. Aggregate all tasks and projects in a shared calendar. The Taskade calendar integrates with Google (two-way), Apple, and Outlook. 
• Reorder Tasks. Lists in Taskade aren’t set in stone. Reorder tasks and find them a new home with intuitive drag-and-drop mechanics.
• Project History. See all the changes made by you and other collaborators. Click on the entries to navigate to the edited items within the project.
• Version History. Taskade saves snapshots of your project so that you can restore a previous version of your project with a single click.

• Export and Print. You can export your projects as plain text or markdown files. Attach them to emails, presentations, or for print.

• Cloud File Upload. Share files directly from Google Drive, Dropbox, Instagram, and Box in your projects with our integrations.
• Breakdown Larger Tasks. Organize your thoughts with Taskade’s unlimited hierarchy to break down large projects into tasks.
• Quick Search. Use CMD / CTRL + K to jump between any projects within Taskade web and apps.

For an exhaustive list of Taskade’s features, click here.

Taskade Pros

• You can use Taskade for free by yourself or with others! Our free-forever plan is loaded with features.
• Collaborate in real-time on the same project with Taskade
• Free built-in video call and chat function in each project
• Customizable templates to give you a headstart
• Visualize each project in multiple views, from List, Board, Mind Map, Action Sheet, and Org Chart View.
• Fold completed blocks and tasks to keep your project organized
• Work and chat in the same window, within the same app
• Frequent updates based on user/your feedback and suggestions

Taskade Cons

• No custom APIs (yet)

Taskade Pricing

Taskade Free Plan

• Unlimited Tasks & Projects
• Unlimited Members & Guests
• Unlimited Folders & Teams
• Templates, Calendar, Repeat Tasks
• Real-time Collaboration
• Built-in Free Chat and Video Call

Taskade Unlimited Plan - Starts from $5/month

• Everything in Free, plus:
• Version History
• Advanced Permission
• Cloud Upload Integration
• 2-Way Calendar Integration

Click here for more information.

Is Taskade Right for You?

Taskade can be used by individuals and teams working from anywhere. Use Taskade individually or collaborate with your team on detailed note-taking, weekly agendas, team meetings, project management, product roadmaps, and more. 

Make use of customizable board views to visualize your projects into digestible smaller tasks. Multiple board views are available even on Taskade’s free plan, allowing you to get more work done the smarter way. 

Collaborate with your team in real-time with free and unlimited chat and video conferencing available on every project. Automatic syncing ensures that your data is always up to date across devices.

Taskade is the simplest way to create task lists, checklists, and workflows. Manage projects and get more work done the simple way with Taskade.

Taskade is the best free Google Docs alternative. Try Taskade for free today.