Many businesses, households, and other consumers want a hands-on experience with office software before committing to it. 

In addition to my List of Free or Open Source Office Software Suites and Apps, which features tools you can use indefinitely without a free trial, here are quick links to trial versions of popular office software solutions.

Comparison Table of Free Office Software Trials

Suite	Duration	Devices	Programs	Price to Buy	Operating Systems	Cloud Service	Other Features
Microsoft Office 365 (also Office 2013) Free Trial	30 Days	multiple	2013 versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, Access	$99.99-$399.99 USD annually	Windows, Mac	SkyDrive	Academic and desktop version (Office 2013) pricing alternatives available
Google Docs for Business Free Trial	30 Days	multiple	Docs, Sheets, Slides, tons of apps	$50 USD/user annually		Google Drive
Kingsoft Office 2012 Free Trial	30 Days	single	Writer, Spreadsheets, Presentations	$19.95 - $69.95 USD	Windows		Also comes in Kingsoft Free Office 2012, or programs can be purchased individually
ThinkFree Office Free Trial	30 Days	single	Write, Calc, Show	$49.95 USD	Windows, Mac, Linux	ThinkFree Online Service Account
WordPerfect Office X Standard Free Trial	30 Days	single	WordPerfect, Quattro Pro, Presentations, Lightning, eBook Publisher Add-on	199.99 USD	Windows		You can also opt to buy it and get a 30-day money back guarantee
Ability Office	Email for Details	single	Write, Spreadsheet, Presentation	$39.99 USD	Windows
Softmaker Office 2012	30 Days	single	TextMaker, PlanMaker, Presentations	$29.95 - $119.95 USD	Windows
Celframe Office	30 Days	single	Write, Spreadsheet, Power Presentation	$79.40 - $249.18 USD	Windows, Mac

Before You Download

When you download free office software trials, you typically are agreeing to some additional stipulations. In the fine print, you will notice a range of considerations, from opting to have advertisements sent to your contact email to absolving the company of data loss liabilities.

These terms of the agreement will likely require you to digitally check mark or sign in with an email or other contact information in order to access the free trial. While this does not necessarily mean you shouldn't go for it, you do need to read the details so you know what exactly you are agreeing to.

Backup Data Before and During a Free Trial

While the majority of free trials for office software go smoothly, it always pays to be careful with important documents. Just keep in mind that the free trial is intended to be just that--a testing period.

Backup data before starting the free trial but also backup all data you may create or edit in the trial programs.

Additional Options

Hopefully this comparison helps you decide on the right trial productivity product for your projects.

Keep in mind that some suites you may be familiar with were not listed here because they may no longer offer free trials, such as with Apple's iWork suite, which is relatively cheap to purchase.

Another great way to try out office software before investing in a full-fledged version is to take advantage of Student or Academic Versions of Office Software Suites and Apps.

Hence, you may also want to refer to this more complete Index of Popular Office Software Suites and Apps.

Academic office suites typically contain fewer programs, you will still have access to the basics and the pricing tiers are usually lower. That way, you can get to know the program before deciding what you prefer to use as a professional, business organization, or household.