Should I use Microsoft Word on a Mac or a cheaper alternative?

Ed doesn't want to pay an annual subscription for Office 365 and he's looking for a compatible rival

I chose Microsoft Word for Mac when I switched to a MacBook Pro some years ago. As a writer, I have a very large number of Word files, but with Microsoft moving to an annual subscription model, the cost of remaining with Word is looking prohibitive.

Is there is a cheaper way of carrying on with Word, or, failing that, an alternative word processor with which I'll still be able to open and edit my existing Word documents? Ed

Microsoft would prefer both Mac and Windows users of Office to move to the online version, Office 365, but it's still entirely up to you. In fact, you can already use some Microsoft Office programs online, including Word, without paying Microsoft a penny. All you have to do is create a Microsoft Account using any working email address - it doesn't have to be a Microsoft email address - and you can use online versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint with free online storage in OneDrive. This is exactly the same as Google's online suite. The main difference is that Microsoft's programs are better, except for multiuser simultaneous editing.