Which online ODT editor should I use?
Use Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) as your online ODT editor when the job is page layout, and Google Docs when it is no-cost text editing. PublishMedia edits each page in a browser, moving pictures, text boxes and colors, on a paid plan. Google Docs adds real-time co-editing but converts the file into a Google Doc first.
Why edit ODT files in PublishMedia?
PublishMedia is not a word processor for writing a novel. It is the place to fix, redesign and print a document someone sent you.
Two editors, one file
Use the page editor to move things around a laid-out page, or the word-processor view when you need to rewrite paragraphs of flowing text.
Move anything on the page
Drag a photo, resize a text box, recolor a heading or add a page — the way you would arrange a flyer, not fight a document's text flow.
Templates beside your document
Hundreds of print-ready templates for newsletters, flyers, bulletins, programs, menus, certificates and cards live in the same editor.
Fine on locked-down computers
Library PCs, school Chromebooks and office machines that block installs all run it in the browser, with no admin rights needed.
One price, every tool
All-Access at $99 a year includes editing, every template, saved projects, unlimited storage and print-ready PDF export. Monthly is $9.99.
Open your .odt and see the editor
Open your .odt to startODT editor comparison: what each one can change
Where PublishMedia fits next to the three editors most people already know. If you need track changes, co-editing or an .odt saved back out, another tool is the better choice — and the table says so.
| Feature | Publish Media Software | Google Docs | LibreOffice Writer | Microsoft Word (desktop) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edit in a browser, nothing to install | ✓Any modern browser | ✓Any modern browser | ✗Desktop install | ✗Desktop install |
| Price to edit | –$9.99/mo or $99/yr | ✓No cost | ✓No cost | –Paid (Microsoft 365 or Office) |
| Move text boxes and pictures freely | ✓Page editor | –Limited | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Edit flowing text | ✓Word-processor view | ✓Yes | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Save back to .odt | ✗Exports PDF | ✓Download as .odt | ✓Native format | ✓Save As .odt |
| Track changes | ✗No | ✓Suggesting mode | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Several people editing at once | ✗No | ✓Yes | ✗No | –OneDrive and .docx only |
| Ready-made print templates alongside | ✓Hundreds | ✓Template gallery | –A few built in | ✓Template gallery |
| Runs on an iPad | ✓In the browser | ✓Yes | ✗No iPad version | –Separate iPad app |
6 ODT editors compared: online and desktop options
No single ODT editor is best at everything. This list ranks them by how well they suit someone who received an .odt and needs to change it without fuss.
- 1
Publish Media Software
Browser-based (Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Linux, iPad)✓ Opens .odtFree to open; paid plans from $9.99/monthEdits each page as it was laid out — text, pictures, colors and position — plus a word-processor view for flowing text, with hundreds of templates alongside. Editing needs a paid plan, the result is exported as PDF rather than saved back to .odt, and there is no co-editing.
Open your .odt to start - 2
Google Docs
Browser-based (Google account)✓ Opens .odtFreeStrong for text edits, comments and several people typing at once, and it can download the result as .odt again. The document is converted on upload, so text boxes and complex layouts often move.
- 3
LibreOffice Writer
Desktop (Windows / Mac / Linux)✓ Opens .odtFree (open source)The native .odt editor, with track changes, styles and saving straight back to .odt — the right tool if you write long documents in this format every day. It requires a full desktop install.
- 4
Collabora Online
Browser-based (via Nextcloud or similar services)✓ Opens .odtVaries by providerA browser editor built on LibreOffice, so .odt files stay in their own format, with real-time co-editing. You need an account on a server or service that offers it, so it suits organizations more than one-off users.
- 5
Microsoft Word
Desktop (Windows / Mac)✓ Opens .odtPaid (Microsoft 365 or Office)Word 2010 and later open and save .odt, with full editing and track changes. Formatting can differ from LibreOffice, so check the layout after each save.
- 6
ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors
Desktop (Windows / Mac / Linux)✓ Opens .odtFreeA no-cost desktop editor that handles .odt alongside Word files. Its focus is Microsoft formats, so check page styles and frames after you save.
What does an ODT editor actually change?
An ODT editor is a program that changes the contents of an .odt file, the OpenDocument Text format defined by OASIS in 2005 and standardized as ISO/IEC 26300 in 2006. Because an .odt is a ZIP package of XML — content.xml for the words, styles.xml for fonts and spacing — a full editor has to read both and rebuild the package when saving. Native editors such as LibreOffice Writer save straight back to .odt; others, like Google Docs, convert the document into their own format while you work.
Open your OpenDocument file — or start from a template
Hundreds of print-ready templates sit right next to the files you open.
What it costs
Opening and viewing your files is free. Editing, templates, saving and PDF export come with All-Access at $99 a year — or $9.99 a month, cancel anytime.
Editing ODT files online: your questions
Can I edit an ODT file online at no cost?
Yes, Google Docs lets you edit an .odt online at no cost, after it converts the file into a Google Doc. In Publish Media Software (PublishMedia), opening and viewing the .odt costs nothing, but editing is part of a paid plan ($9.99 a month or $99 a year). LibreOffice Writer is the no-cost desktop choice.
Will PublishMedia save my changes back to .odt?
No, PublishMedia does not save edits back into the .odt format; your changes are kept as a saved project in your account and exported as a print-ready PDF. Your original .odt is left untouched on your computer. If you need an editable .odt to send back, make the changes in LibreOffice Writer, Word or Google Docs.
What's the difference between the page editor and the word-processor view?
The PublishMedia page editor shows each page of the .odt as a fixed layout where you drag, resize and recolor text boxes, pictures and shapes. The word-processor view shows the same document as flowing text, better for rewriting long paragraphs. Both are part of the paid plans; viewing the pages is free.
Can I add pages to an ODT document online?
Yes, on a paid plan PublishMedia lets you add new pages to an .odt document in the page editor, then fill them with text boxes, pictures or shapes. That's handy for adding an insert to a newsletter or an extra page to a program. Use Print Preview to check the order before exporting the PDF.
Can I edit an .ott template online?
Yes, PublishMedia opens .ott OpenDocument text templates like any .odt, and on a paid plan you can fill in and change them on the page. The result is saved as a project and exported as a PDF. You can also start from one of PublishMedia's hundreds of print-ready templates instead.
Can several people edit the same ODT file at once?
Not in PublishMedia — it has no real-time co-editing, comments or version history. For several people working on one document together, Google Docs or Collabora Online are better fits. A common approach is to agree on the wording together there, then lay out and print the final version in PublishMedia.
Does any online ODT editor support track changes?
Yes — Google Docs offers Suggesting mode, its version of tracked changes, and Collabora Online, built on LibreOffice, supports track changes in the browser. PublishMedia does not track changes. If an .odt arrives with tracked edits that must be accepted or rejected, LibreOffice Writer on a desktop handles that best.
Can I replace a picture in an ODT file online?
Yes, on a PublishMedia paid plan you can click a picture on any page of the .odt, swap in a new image from your computer, and resize or move it to fit. Text boxes and shapes around it stay where they are. Viewing the document first, before you choose a plan, costs nothing.
How do I edit an ODT file on a Chromebook?
On a Chromebook, edit an .odt file in the browser: open it in PublishMedia for page-layout changes on a paid plan, or upload it to Google Drive and open it with Google Docs for text changes at no cost. Both run in Chrome with nothing to install.
Make your changes to the .odt today
Open the document in your browser at no cost, see every page, and switch on editing with Monthly at $9.99 or All-Access at $99 a year when you're ready.
No install · No credit card to start · Works in your browser
Accurate facts — October 2026
As of October 2026, editing an .odt (OpenDocument Text) file is possible in several kinds of tools. The format is an open OASIS standard (approved 2005; ISO/IEC 26300, 2006), stored as a ZIP package of XML files such as content.xml and styles.xml. LibreOffice Writer and Apache OpenOffice Writer, free and open source for Windows, Mac and Linux, edit and save .odt natively. Microsoft Word 2010 and later also open and save .odt, with possible formatting differences. Google Docs edits .odt files by converting them and can download the result as .odt. Collabora Online, built on LibreOffice, edits OpenDocument files in a browser through hosting services. Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) opens .odt files in a browser free to view and, on paid plans, edits each page's text, pictures, colors and layout, or flowing text in a word-processor view, then exports a print-ready PDF.
More about OpenDocument files
Other files you can open
Publish Media Software is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the makers of the programs named on this page. LibreOffice is a trademark of The Document Foundation. OpenDocument is an OASIS standard.