Word vs Google Docs on a phone: free editing limits and iOS 26

On a phone, Word lets you create, view and do basic editing of personal files without a qualifying Microsoft 365 plan, on screens up to 10.1 inches. With no subscription at all, it asks you to buy one only when you tap a premium feature. Google Docs is free; its one in-app purchase is Google AI Pro (5 TB) at $199.99. The App Store listing says Word requires iOS 26.0 or later.

What Microsoft says you can do without a plan

Microsoft splits plans into qualifying and non-qualifying. Microsoft 365 Family, Personal and the business and education plans qualify. Microsoft 365 Basic and one-time purchases like Office Home & Student don't. With a non-qualifying plan you can create and view files and do basic editing (for non-business accounts and files), but not use the app's extra features. If you don't have any subscription, Word shows a message to buy one when you touch a premium feature.

All of that comes with a size limit. On non-qualifying plans, editing works only on screens up to 10.1 inches. Some qualifying plans are capped at 10.9 inches in the Microsoft Copilot mobile app. Microsoft's own example: an iPad Pro with a 12.9-inch screen needs a qualifying plan with desktop apps to edit.

Phones are well under 10.1 inches, so on an iPhone the rule won't get in your way. On a large iPad it will.

Google Docs offline

Docs works without a connection once you turn it on. In the iPhone app, open Menu, then Settings, and switch on "Make recent files available offline". To keep one file, tap More next to it and choose Make available offline.

Sources

• Microsoft — What you can do in the Microsoft 365 apps on mobile devices with a Microsoft 365 subscription (checked Nov 9, 2026)
• Google — Work on Google Docs, Sheets, & Slides offline (checked Nov 9, 2026)
• Apple — Microsoft Word (checked Nov 9, 2026)
• Apple — Google Docs (checked Nov 9, 2026)
• Apple — iTunes Lookup API (checked Nov 9, 2026)