What exactly are online document collaboration tools? Put simply, online document collaboration tools allow teams to work together in real time on the same documents. These online tools have a range of features that let users create and share documents, spreadsheets, databases and presentations in a secure environment without having to email documents back and forth.
Online Document Collaboration refers to a service or product that allows two or more parties to work together in real time on a document in a synchronized view without having to download, store, and open documents in a separate software program. AODC services and products make it easy for a team or group of people to all work from the same file, simultaneously .
Google Docs
With over 800 million active worldwide users, Google Docs is the most well-known of all the document collaboration software on this list.
However, many don’t realize that, in addition to adding comments and making edits to a finished draft, real-time online collaboration is possible with Docs.
Up to 200 people can simultaneously view a Doc, and 10 users can make simultaneous real-time edits.
All edits are automatically updated in the same master doc and saved in the cloud, so there is no need to create a new document for every draft. This version control feature prevents teams from making edits to outdated drafts.
Documents are shared via email or through a URL, and team leaders can select which specific employees can directly edit, suggest edits, or have view-only access.
The “Live Edits” feature shows real-time, color-coded updates that multiple people have made to a file. Users can track changes to see previous file versions without the new changes, approve or deny edits. They can also make comments in the sidebar, tag each other in these comments, or communicate via chat messaging.
Docs also allows users to save files in multiple formats, including PDF, plain text, web page, and rich text. It’s a wise choice for teams with a focus on user-friendly software, or for smaller companies that need a free editing tool.
Pricing and Plans
Google Docs can be purchased as a part of the G Suite product package or on its own. The below table compares the prices and plans of the free Google Docs Personal plan and the paid Google Docs Business Plan.
| Features | Personal Plan | Businesses Plan |
| Cost | Free | $10/user per month |
| iOS and Android Mobile App | ✓ | ✓ |
| Autosave | ✓ | ✓ |
| Real-Time Collaboration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Work Offline | ✓ | ✓ |
| Voice typing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Revision History | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comments and In-Line Edits | ✓ | ✓ |
| Includes Google Meet | X | ✓ |
| Cloud Storage | 15 GB per user | 100 GB per user |
Zoho WorkDrive
Zoho WorkDrive’s Writer is a real-time online document creation and editing platform ideal for businesses that have numerous files requiring frequent collaboration across devices.
It’s “blank page” interface is designed to eliminate distractions when writing or editing. For reviewers who must perform especially detailed edits, the tool’s “Focus Mode” highlights only one line of text at a time.
Zoho also comes with a virtual writing assistant, Zia, that scans documents for grammar errors and readability.
It integrates with Microsoft Word and WordPress and comes with a template library for drafting documents like HR policies and event invitations. Zoho WorkDrive includes a “Content Mask” feature that allows admins to hide sensitive information or specific parts of a document from selected reviewers. Its “Content Lock” lets the document’s creator select which parts of the text they don’t want to be changed.
Additional Zoho WorkDrive features include:
- Quick chat messaging tool
- Live cursors
- Offline editing
- Access receipts on collaborators
- Comments and user tagging
- Track changes
- Document merging
- Digital signatures
Pricing and Plans
Zoho WorkDrive offers three paid plans that can be paid monthly or annually. Additional storage is available for purchase.
| Features | Starter | Team | Business |
| Cost | $2.00/user per month | $4.00/user per month | $8.00/user per month |
| File Upload Limit | 1 GB | 5 GB | 50 GB |
| Storage | 1 TB/team | 3 TB/team | 5 TB/team |
| Team Folders/Subfolders | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| External File Sharing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| iOS and Android Mobile App | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Content Search Bar | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Real-Time Collaboration and Commenting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| File Activity Timeline | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| File Access Statistics | X | X | ✓ |
| Team Activity Timeline | X | X | ✓ |
| File Locking | X | X | ✓ |
Dropbox Paper
Dropbox Paper is similar to Box’s collaboration system in that, in the past, Dropbox was solely a tool to store and share files.
Dropbox Paper is a completely free document editing tool that lets simultaneous users make real-time edits and suggestions. As with Zoho WorkDrive, Dropbox Paper’s interface is uncluttered and free of distractions like menus and toolbars, which are only available when specific text is highlighted.
In addition to making live line edits, users can use the comment and tagging features to make suggestions in the sidebar. They can also mark comments as unread, and edit and delete past comments. Comment history is also available.
While primarily a file editing tool, Dropbox Paper also offers project timelines. This allows admins to manage deadlines, use task management features, and set project milestones to ensure responsibilities are clear.
It’s a good choice for businesses that require specific document outlines, have a high number of people collaborating on files, and those that rely heavily on images and URLs when creating content.
Additional Dropbox features include:
- Real-time comment notifications
- Searchbar
- Pre-made template library
- Keyboard shortcuts for document formatting
- Emoji comment reactions
- Drag-and-drop image insertion
- Automatic image gallery creation
- Link embedding
- Ability to connect multiple documents
Paper is 100% free to use.
Notion
Notion is a real-time collaboration app designed to replace a variety of popular workflow management tools like Trello, Confluence, and Asana.
It has the most customizable interface of any tool on this list, allowing users to create their own sidebar file organization system, add action items, and create tags and labels for files.
In addition to standard features like live co-authoring and editing, Notion provides version history, unlimited team member access to documents, and multiple view options.
It’s ideal for companies who need to consolidate the number of collaboration software programs they’re currently using, but still, need project collaboration features.
Additional Notion features include:
- Distraction-free interface
- Mobile and desktop versions
- Keyboard shortcuts
- User tagging
- Commenting feature
- Due dates
- Notifications
- Drag-and-drop content organization
- Kanban board and to-do list formats
- Template library
Pricing and Plans
Notion offers one free plan and three paid plans, billed monthly or annually. The most important file collaboration tools come with the Team or Enterprise plans.
| Features | Personal Plan | Personal Pro | Team Plan | Enterprise Plan |
| Cost | Free | $4.00/user per month | $8.00/user per month | Unlisted |
| Android and iOS Mobile App | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Guest Access | 5 maximum | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Version History | X | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Commenting and Real-Time Editing | X | X | ✓ | ✓ |
| Advanced Permissions | X | X | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wiki | X | X | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multiple Views | X | X | ✓ | ✓ |
| App Integration | X | X | ✓ | ✓ |
Collaboration Tool: Microsoft Word
Who hasn’t heard of Microsoft Word? The famous editor has been around for over 3 decades and continues to be one of the most popular editors out there. Word has become second nature for most of the PC users out there when they think about writing, editing, and formatting text files. The famous ribbon-style formatting toolbar gives a bunch of options to users to edit their documents however they like.
Now with the Word online, Microsoft has taken the classic Word editor over to the cloud, trying to compete with a new generation of editors that have emerged. Word online provides collaboration features that allow people to edit simultaneously and forget about the to-and-fro email chains. Users can also translate documents in your non-native language with just a click.
Word also offers dedicated Android and iOS apps to take your work with you wherever you go.
Slack
A collaboration tool which needs no introduction
TODAY’S BEST DEALSVISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Excellent interface+Impressive free version
REASONS TO AVOID
-Some might want more depth in security
Slack is without doubt a mighty collaboration tool, with millions of users around the globe. It’s an incredibly smart platform, and you can get it on mobile and desktop devices. It allows for the sending of direct messages (DMs) and files to a single person or a group of employees, and there’s the ability to organise conversations into different channels (perhaps for specific projects, one for technical support, general chat, and so forth).
The app also supports video calling. You can use the feature to talk to your colleagues about projects and work in-depth, without having to type everything into a DM. While this isn’t a replacement for cloud storage services, you are able to drag, drop and share files with your colleagues directly within Slack. It’s also compatible with services such as Google Drive, Dropbox and Box.
To round things off, Slack even has a free version, although unsurprisingly it has limitations (in terms of the number of messages stored, overall storage space and so forth).
Conclusion
Online document collaboration is an efficient way for distributing documents between multiple people or companies. Online document collaboration makes working on documents with others as easy as working on them with yourself.