FR Create an account Create my account My documents
Sign in I have a code Create an account Create my account My documents

Word vs Paginel

The same .docx file, two ways of working on it.

Word is still the best for finishing a complex document on your own. Paginel is made for writing it together: without a Microsoft licence, with guests, offline. Here is where each one wins.

Create an account Create my account My documents See the table

A single .docx file, opened by each tool: each has its cursor in it.

In short Which one should you choose?

Keep Word if…

  • your documents are full of tables
  • you review with track changes
  • you need mail merge or a table of contents
  • the layout must be identical down to the pixel

Use Paginel if…

  • you write a .docx together, at the same time
  • some people have no Microsoft licence: they come in with a code
  • you work on Linux, or without a network
  • you like writing in Markdown and checking the PDF

Both together. The file stays a .docx: write it together in Paginel, finish it in Word.

In detail What really changes

The same file

Paginel converts nothing: it reads and writes the .docx itself. When saving, only what changed is rewritten; the rest (including what it cannot show yet, such as tracked changes or charts) is copied as it was. So you can move from one to the other.

Together, without OneDrive

  • In Word, co-editing needs a file on OneDrive or SharePoint. In Paginel, you open the file and share a link or a code.
  • Guests enter with a code and their name, without an account: for one session, 24 hours, 7 days, or until you remove the code. (Word for the web also allows a no-sign-in link, when the organisation permits it.)
  • Each section can have an owner, who decides what others do there: read, comment or edit.
  • Offline, the desktop app keeps your changes and merges them when you reconnect, with no conflicts to resolve.

Write, polish, check

Paginel shows the same document in three views: Markdown to write fast at the keyboard (the Word template brings the formatting), Edit to polish, PDF to see the pages exactly as they will come out. Word has no Markdown view.

AI: Copilot or your own agents

Word has Copilot built in, included in Microsoft 365 Personal and Family since 2025. Paginel has no built-in assistant: you connect the agent of your choice (through MCP or the API), in the sections you give it, under a person’s responsibility, and it can be paused. Paginel never sends your text to a model on its own.

Honestly What Paginel does not do (yet)

  • Paginel is in beta, open to everyone and free. It is a young product.
  • Tables cannot be edited yet: tables in a .docx show as plain lines (cells separated by tabs), on screen and in the PDF. Saving into the original file keeps them intact. A document full of tables is not for Paginel yet.
  • No track changes and no suggestion mode. Comments exist in Paginel, but are not yet written into the .docx.
  • No columns, no editable equations, no generated table of contents, no mail merge.
  • Without Microsoft’s fonts, Paginel uses free fonts with the same metrics (Calibri becomes Carlito, Arial becomes Liberation Sans), unless the document embeds its own: the layout is close to Word, not guaranteed identical.
  • Desktop app for macOS (Apple silicon) and Linux; Windows is planned, with no date. On phones and tablets: the browser only.
  • SharePoint, OneDrive and Dropbox: coming soon, no date.

The table Word and Paginel, point by point

Word and Paginel, point by point
Paginel Microsoft Word
The file Word leads: it is its own format.
.docx files Yes Read and written by Paginel itself; what it does not change stays as it was in the file. Yes The native format.
Page layout Partly Close to Word; free fonts with the same metrics. Yes (lead) The reference.
Tables No Not editable yet; kept intact in the file. Yes (lead) Complete.
Track changes No Not yet; kept in the file. Yes (lead)
Comments Partly Yes, not yet written into the .docx. Yes (lead)
PDF Yes PDF view identical to the export; PDF/A and tagged (accessible) PDF. Yes PDF and PDF/A export.
Together Paginel leads: it is made for this.
Real-time co-editing Yes (lead) Browser and desktop app, on the same document. Partly File on OneDrive or SharePoint, with AutoSave on.
Guests without an account Yes (lead) Code or link, for a time you choose; guests enter their name, no account. Partly OneDrive “Anyone” link: editing in the browser without signing in (shown as “Guest”); in organisations, admins can forbid it.
Sections and rights Yes (lead) Each section has an owner and its own rights: read, comment, edit. Partly Document protection, editing restrictions.
Offline Yes Desktop app; changes merge automatically on reconnection, no conflicts to resolve. Yes Word desktop, on files on your computer.
History, who wrote what Yes Versions, comparison, restore; author of every passage. Yes Version history (OneDrive, SharePoint).
Writing Two approaches.
Markdown Yes (lead) Markdown, Edit, PDF: three views of the same document. No Print and reading layouts; no Markdown view.
AI Partly Your own agents (MCP, API), in the sections you give them; no built-in assistant. Yes (lead) Copilot, included in Microsoft 365 Personal and Family (with usage limits); a paid add-on for businesses.
Price, devices, data Yours to weigh.
Price Free during the beta. Planned: a free plan, and €20 a year (VAT incl.) for unlimited use. Word for the web free with a Microsoft account; Microsoft 365 Personal €99 a year in France; Office 2024, €149 once.
Computers Partly macOS (Apple silicon) and Linux; Windows planned. Partly Windows and macOS; on Linux, the browser only.
Phone Partly Browser. Yes (lead) iOS and Android apps.
Where your data lives French company, hosted in France. Microsoft (United States): European data stays in the EU (EU Data Boundary), but is subject to US law (CLOUD Act).
On your own servers Coming soon Enterprise plan, planned after the beta. Partly (lead) SharePoint Server with Office Online Server.

Yes : the highlighted word marks the lead on that point.

. Our rule: say when another tool will suit you better, and what Paginel does not do yet. Spotted a mistake? Write to us and we will fix it.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Word licence to use Paginel?

No. Paginel reads and writes .docx files itself; you need neither Word nor a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Does a document edited in Paginel open in Word?

Yes, it is a .docx. What Paginel did not change is copied into the file as it was.

Does Paginel replace Word?

Not for everything: without editable tables or track changes, Word is still needed for some documents. Paginel is made for writing together, offline or with outsiders.

Does Paginel run on Linux?

Yes: a desktop app (.deb package) and the browser. Word does not exist for Linux, apart from the browser.

Try Paginel

The beta is open and free: create your account in a minute.

Create an account Create my account My documents See pricing

Other comparisons

Sources

Prices and features of other products checked on the date above, on their official pages. They change often: check before you decide.