Free Microsoft Excel alternatives
Top Spreadsheets & Databases like Microsoft Excel
The most popular alternative to Microsoft Excel is Google Sheets, which has a free version. Other great alternatives to Microsoft Excel are LibreOffice, Numbers, Zoho Sheet, and ONLYOFFICE.
Most alternatives to Microsoft Excel are in the Spreadsheets & Databases category, compared here by price, platform and features.
All Microsoft Excel alternatives
Google Sheets is Google's browser-based spreadsheet, made for working on the same file with others at the same time. It supports formulas, pivot tables, charts, connected data sources and add-ons, and Apps Script can automate tasks or link sheets to other Google services. It is free with a Google account; Gemini AI features and business controls come with paid Google Workspace plans.
11 Google Sheets alternativesPros
- Real-time co-editing works smoothly in the browser
- Free with a Google account, with easy sharing and comments
- Apps Script and add-ons automate tasks across Google services
Cons
- Slows down noticeably with very large datasets
- Fewer advanced analysis features than desktop Excel
- Gemini features require a paid Google Workspace plan
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesLibreOffice is a desktop office suite maintained by The Document Foundation, with Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base and Math. It uses the OpenDocument format natively and opens and saves Microsoft Office files. It is free for any use, works fully offline and can be extended with community extensions and templates.
12 LibreOffice alternativesPros
- Free for any use, with no account or subscription
- Full suite with Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw and Base
- Native OpenDocument support and fully offline use
Cons
- Interface feels dated next to Microsoft 365
- Complex Office files can lose formatting
- No real-time collaboration in the desktop apps
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceNumbers is Apple's free spreadsheet app for Mac, iPhone and iPad, also available in the browser on iCloud.com. Instead of one large grid, each sheet is a free-form canvas where tables, charts, text and images can be placed side by side. It includes several hundred functions, pivot tables and real-time collaboration through iCloud, and can import and export Excel files.
7 Numbers alternativesPros
- Free on Apple devices, with a browser version on iCloud.com
- Free-form canvas mixes tables, charts and text on one sheet
- Polished templates produce good-looking sheets with little effort
Cons
- Fewer advanced functions and analysis tools than Excel
- Excel files with macros or complex formatting do not convert cleanly
- No native apps for Windows or Android
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryCategoriesZoho Sheet is a cloud spreadsheet from Zoho for building and sharing spreadsheets with real-time co-editing, comments and cell-level change history. It handles pivot tables, data cleaning and imports from Excel and CSV files, while the Zia assistant suggests charts and answers questions about the data. It is free for individuals and part of paid Zoho Workplace plans for businesses.
8 Zoho Sheet alternativesPros
- Free for individuals, with real-time co-editing and comments
- Cell-level change history makes edits easy to trace
- Zia assistant suggests charts and answers questions about the data
Cons
- Fewer add-ons and third-party integrations than Google Sheets
- Most valuable for companies already using the Zoho ecosystem
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesONLYOFFICE is an office suite from Ascensio System with editors for documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDFs and forms, built around Microsoft Office formats. The desktop and mobile apps are free, and the online editors can be self-hosted or integrated into Nextcloud and other platforms, with paid cloud and enterprise editions. It supports real-time co-editing, plugins and AI assistants.
12 ONLYOFFICE alternativesPros
- Strong compatibility with Microsoft Office formats
- Free desktop and mobile apps, plus self-hostable online editors
- Real-time co-editing and Nextcloud integration
Cons
- A self-hosted server needs technical setup
- Enterprise features and support require paid editions
- Fewer advanced features than Microsoft Office
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceWPS Office is an office suite developed by Kingsoft that combines a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation app and PDF tools in one interface with document tabs. It is compatible with Microsoft Office formats and available on desktop and mobile. The free version shows ads, while a paid subscription removes them and unlocks extra PDF features, cloud storage and WPS AI.
12 WPS Office alternativesPros
- Tabbed interface for documents, sheets, slides and PDF tools
- Good compatibility with Microsoft Office formats
- Free on desktop and mobile, including Linux
Cons
- The free version shows ads
- Extra PDF tools and WPS AI require a subscription
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryAirtable combines the look of a spreadsheet with a relational database, letting teams link records across tables and view them as grids, kanban boards, calendars, galleries or forms. Interfaces, automations and AI features turn bases into lightweight internal apps for content calendars, product roadmaps or inventories. A free plan exists, with paid plans adding capacity and admin features.
12 Airtable alternativesPros
- Linked records give spreadsheet users real relational database power
- Grid, kanban, calendar, gallery and form views on the same data
- Interfaces and automations turn bases into lightweight internal apps
Cons
- Free plan limits on records and automations are reached quickly
- Paid seats get expensive for larger teams
- Complex bases can slow down and take effort to maintain
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryGrist is a relational spreadsheet from Grist Labs that combines a familiar grid with typed columns, linked tables and custom layouts. Formulas are written in Python, and granular access rules control who can see or edit each row or column. It is open source under Apache 2.0, can be self-hosted or run as a desktop app, and is also offered as a hosted service with a free tier.
8 Grist alternativesPros
- Formulas are written in Python, a big plus for technical users
- Granular access rules down to individual rows and columns
- Open source and self-hostable, with a desktop app option
Cons
- Less familiar than a classic spreadsheet for Excel users
- Smaller template and integration ecosystem than Airtable
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategoriesPlatforms
Microsoft Excel vs its alternatives at a glance
Pricing, platforms and the key features of Microsoft Excel, compared with its most popular alternatives.
| App | Pricing | Platforms | AI assistant | Formulas | Pivot tables | Plugins & extensions | Real-time collaboration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Web, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android | ||||||
| Freemium | Web, iPhone, Android | ||||||
| FreeOpen source | Windows, Mac, Linux | ||||||
| Free | Web, Mac, iPhone | ||||||
| Freemium | Web, iPhone, Android | ||||||
| FreemiumOpen source | Web, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android, Self-hosted |
Microsoft Excel alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Microsoft Excel?
The most popular alternative to Microsoft Excel is Google Sheets: Online spreadsheet with live collaboration and Apps Script automation. Other great alternatives are LibreOffice, Numbers, Zoho Sheet, and ONLYOFFICE.
Is there a free alternative to Microsoft Excel?
Yes, 8 alternatives are free or have a free plan, including Google Sheets, LibreOffice, Numbers, and Zoho Sheet.
Is there an open source alternative to Microsoft Excel?
Yes, 3 open source alternatives are listed, including LibreOffice, ONLYOFFICE, and Grist.
Is Microsoft Excel free?
Microsoft Excel has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features.
Compare Microsoft Excel with its alternatives
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