DOCX, ODT and RTF all represent editable text documents, but they were designed with different priorities.
DOCX: the mainstream modern choice
DOCX is the natural choice for many current Microsoft Word workflows. It supports structured content such as styles, tables and images and is widely supported by modern office software.
Choose DOCX when recipients expect Word compatibility or when the document uses features that are common in modern office suites.
ODT: the open-standard option
ODT is part of the OpenDocument family and is strongly associated with LibreOffice and OpenOffice. It is useful when an open document standard is preferred or when the workflow is centered on software that uses OpenDocument natively.
Conversion between ODT and DOCX is often practical, but complex formatting should still be checked after the conversion.
RTF: simple and broadly compatible
RTF is an older rich-text format designed for interoperability. It supports basic formatting but does not represent every feature available in modern document formats.
Its simplicity can be useful when working with older or unusual software, but it is not normally the best choice for complex modern documents.
Quick reference
| Format | Good fit | |---|---| | DOCX | Modern editing and broad Word compatibility | | ODT | OpenDocument workflows and LibreOffice | | RTF | Basic rich text and legacy compatibility |
You can convert between these formats with Document Tools.
The practical rule
Choose the format that matches the software and editing needs of the people who will receive the file. A theoretically “better” format is not better if the next application in the workflow cannot handle it correctly.