# Apple iWork

11 Hacker News commenters recommended Apple iWork and 10 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Light, simple word processing and spreadsheet apps that people prefer to Microsoft's and Google's and keep using for years. Critics mainly object to subscription ads in the apps.

## Why people recommend it

- Preferred over Microsoft and Google suites (3 comments): "I personally prefer all their productivity software to Google's or Microsoft's, and it's not a close race" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47249954)) "I haven't needed Office in well over 15 years given iWork and Google Docs." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46192408)) "Apple's office suite is my favorite I've ever used, and it's not close." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47505580))
- Covers everyday office needs (3 comments): "for a free package, it meets many users needs perfectly fine" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47843322)) "which does all I need out of an office suite" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45840220)) "Apple's iWork software is perfectly fine." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46198389))
- Favorite office suite for many (3 comments): "Apple's office suite is my favorite I've ever used, and it's not close." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47505580)) "Apple's office suite is still my favorite" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47844653)) "I also like Apple's office suite" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47507817))
- Light, runs well on modest hardware (2 comments): "Apple's productivity programs are so light I can leave them open in the background and forget they're running for months at a time" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47506167)) "Safari, iWork, Logic, even Final Cut run perfectly fine in 8Gb" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47249425))

## What people warn about

- Subscription ads inside the apps (3 comments): "Apple Creator Studio ads in the former iWork Apps (including abusing toolbar icons for it)" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49180134)) "iWork apps now have advertisements for updating to an Apple Creator Studio subscription." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49131713)) "ads in iWork applications" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47006463))
- Seen as weak for professional work (3 comments): "Apple apps are a complete joke in the professional world." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47510578)) "is worlds better than Apple's office suite" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47505136)) "anything by Apple last place" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47505858))
- Free status and subscription move disputed (2 comments): "I have never considered macOS or Apple Office suites as "free" or cheap" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46848748)) "with their move to the subscription version" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47056176))
- Slow feature updates, weak keyboard support (2 comments): "destroyed the iWork suite while taking forever to even manage feature parity" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46615572)) "I generally find these apps and others lacking on the keyboard front" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47506751))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [LibreOffice](https://hackerapproved.com/p/libreoffice.md): 345 recommend
- [Microsoft Office](https://hackerapproved.com/p/microsoft-office.md): 256 recommend
- [Microsoft 365](https://hackerapproved.com/p/microsoft-365.md): 151 recommend
- [Google Workspace](https://hackerapproved.com/p/google-workspace.md): 107 recommend
- [OnlyOffice](https://hackerapproved.com/p/onlyoffice.md): 58 recommend

## Where to get it

- [Visit the official site](https://www.apple.com/apps/)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Apple iWork", https://hackerapproved.com/p/iwork/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).