Is there a free program like Microsoft Word?

Yes, several free programs do what Microsoft Word does: LibreOffice Writer (the most complete free desktop word processor — open source, offline, handles .docx well), Google Docs (free in the browser with real-time collaboration; the default choice if you mainly share documents), OneNote/Word for the web (Microsoft's own free browser version — genuinely free, lighter than desktop Word), and Apple Pages (free on Mac/iPad).

Honest trade-offs: complex Word documents (heavy tables, tracked changes across teams, macros) survive best in real Word — conversions occasionally shift formatting in LibreOffice and Google Docs. For everyday writing, letters, reports and CVs, the free options are simply fine, and have been for years.

Quick picker: collaboration → Google Docs; offline power features → LibreOffice; already in Microsoft-land → Word for the web.