Skip to main content

Google makes Quickoffice free, includes 10GB of storage

google officially replaces quickoffice drive
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Google has removed the price tag from its Quickoffice software for iOS and Android and is now offering it for the princely sum of nothing.

Quickoffice is a well regarded office suite with a clean and intuitive design that lets you create and edit Microsoft Office documents, spreadsheets and presentations on your mobile device. Integration with Google Drive means files can be stored and shared across devices.

Google bought the company behind the app in June last year, though until now smartphone and tablet users had to pay upwards of $15 for the software.

“Everyone likes free stuff, which is why starting today we’re making Quickoffice available for free, for everyone,” Google vice president of engineering Alan Warren wrote in a blog post Thursday announcing the news.

He added, “You’ll notice a number of new features, including a refreshed icon, the ability to create .ZIP folders, and view charts in Excel and PowerPoint files. Plus, the new app works across devices so you don’t have to worry about installing separate versions anymore when you go from using your phone to editing on your tablet.”

Warren notes in the blog post that previous versions of Quickoffice (Pro and Pro HD) have been removed from both the iTunes store and Google Play. While these older versions can still be used, Warren advises moving to the new app to take advantage of the new features. iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users upgrading to iOS 7 will definitely want to switch to the latest version of Quickoffice as the Pro and Pro HD versions are not fully compatible with Apple’s latest mobile operating system.

Also, if you sign into your Google account from the new Quickoffice app before September 26, you’ll score yourself an extra 10GB of storage, though the Mountain View company says the extra space is “for two years”. Presumably this means a payment will be required for more storage after this time, provided you’ve hit your overall free limit.

Apple this month started offering its iWork office suite – comprising Pages, Numbers, and Keynote – for free to new iDevice owners, though no doubt many will now be interested in taking a look at Quickoffice too.

Quickoffice for iOS 

Quickoffice for Android

Editors' Recommendations

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
The best Mint alternatives: 10 great budgeting apps for 2024
A render of the Mint app on an iPhone.

Digital products, despite their popularity, can also be discontinued. One such example is Mint, a personal finance application that has been helping users manage their money, budget, and pay bills since 2007. Unfortunately, Mint is shutting down.

However, there are many other similar apps available in the market that are worth considering. Moreover, like Mint, many of these alternatives are also free. These apps are available on Android and iOS and work on devices like the Google Pixel 8 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Most are among the best personal finance apps of 2023.
When is Mint shutting down?
Intuit, which has owned Mint since 2009, announced in November 2023 that it was discontinuing the Mint website and mobile apps. On January 1, 2024, Mint will shut down and go offline for good.
Why is Mint going away?
According to Mint's parent company, Intuit, the Mint app is going away so its features can be consolidated into the Credit Karma app (which Intuit also owns). In a statement sent to The Verge, a Credit Karma spokesperson said, "We’re excited to welcome all Intuit Mint users to join Intuit Credit Karma where they will have access to Credit Karma’s suite of products, features, tools and services."
Credit Karma

Read more
Google just redesigned one of its biggest apps, and it’s bad
Google Chat app on the Play Store.

Google Chat — Google's business-oriented messaging platform that is similar to Slack and Microsoft Teams — just got a big update for its Android and iOS apps. The update dramatically changes how you navigate the app and, uh, well, it sure is something.

Google Chat's mobile app used to be broken up into two pages: Chat (direct messages between you and other users) and Spaces (larger chat rooms for multiple people). As with most apps, you switched between these with a navigation bar at the bottom of your screen.

Read more
I record interviews for work. These are my favorite free recorder apps
The iPhone 14 Pro and Google Pixel 7 Pro's voice recording apps running together.

The Voice Recorder app on a phone (left) and the Voice Memos on another phone Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Before you head to the app store on your phone to buy a voice-recording app, take a moment to consider the apps that may already be installed on your phone. Why? In my experience, they're likely all you really need. I’ve recorded interviews and voice-overs for work for years, and I’ve found the two best examples come preinstalled on your phone already, so they’re entirely free to use.

Read more