Excel is among the world’s hottest spreadsheet packages, with an estimated 1.1 billion individuals utilizing it for knowledge group, evaluation, and reporting.
Whereas it’s a commendable knowledge system for groups inside a enterprise, it’s not free. A standalone copy of Excel prices $159.99, and a private Workplace subscription is $69.99 per 12 months for one consumer.
Microsoft Excel is perhaps the massive cheese of information evaluation and administration, however it’s not the one software on the town.
So, whether or not you’re in search of a free different, a cloud-based answer, or a software with extra superior options, this text has one thing for you.
The Prime 15 Greatest Excel Alternate options
- Google Sheets
- Airtable
- Zoho Sheets
- Smartsheet
- WPS Workplace
- LibreOffice Calc
- Numbers (Apple)
- Tableau
- Quip
- Calc (Apache OpenOffice)
- Gnumeric
- EtherCalc
- OnlyOffice
- ClickUp
- Hancom Workplace
1. Google Sheets
- Worth: Free for private use and small groups; paid plans begin at $6 a consumer per thirty days for enterprise groups.
- Greatest for: Groups already utilizing Google Drive.
- What we like: That is one of the best, free Excel different that provides real-time collaboration.
Dropped at you by the Google Drive suite of apps, Google Sheets is a top-tier alternative for anybody in search of an Excel different.
This cloud-based spreadsheet app has most of the identical options as Excel (charts, formulation, and real-time collaboration), making it one of the best free Excel different.
That stated, when you don’t thoughts paying a charge, you will get extra storage and superior options with different instruments on this listing.
Professionals
- Free to make use of
- Straightforward collaboration
- Cloud-based and accessible from wherever
Cons
- Restricted options in comparison with Excel
- Might be slower than desktop functions
- Could are compatible points with Microsoft Workplace information
2. Airtable
- Worth: Free for private use and small groups; paid plans begin at $12 a consumer per thirty days for enterprise groups.
- Greatest for: Groups that want a database answer.
- What we like: Airtable’s superior options mix spreadsheet and database parts.
Airtable is a cloud-based platform that mixes spreadsheet and database options. It is designed to be versatile and customizable and affords quite a lot of views, together with grid, calendar, and Kanban.
Professionals
- Combines spreadsheet and database options, providing a novel method to knowledge administration
- Designed to be a collaborative answer for groups, together with real-time collaboration and commenting options
- Provides a spread of templates for various use instances, together with challenge administration and content material planning
- Integrates with a spread of different apps and platforms, together with Slack and Zapier
- Provides a free model, in addition to paid choices for companies that want extra storage or superior options
Cons
- Restricted superior options in comparison with different spreadsheet functions
- Is probably not appropriate for big datasets or advanced knowledge evaluation
- Customization choices could also be restricted for some customers
3. Zoho Sheet
- Worth: Free for private use and small groups; paid plans begin at $5 a consumer per thirty days for enterprise groups.
- Greatest for: Companies that want a whole enterprise answer.
- What we like: Zoho Sheets scale back the time spent fascinated about model management or initiatives requiring a number of individuals. Because it’s cloud-based, different crew members can see the doc in actual time.
Zoho Sheet is a cloud-based spreadsheet utility that is a part of the Zoho suite of apps. It affords most of the identical options as Excel, together with charts and formulation, and likewise integrates with different Zoho apps, equivalent to Zoho CRM and Zoho Tasks.
Professionals
- Provides a spread of spreadsheet options, together with charts and formulation
- Helps Microsoft Workplace information
- Integrates with different Zoho apps, together with Zoho CRM and Zoho Tasks
- Provides a free model, in addition to paid choices for companies that want extra storage or superior options
Cons
- Restricted superior options in comparison with different spreadsheet functions
- Not as well-known as another alternate options, so help choices could also be restricted
4. Smartsheet
- Worth: Provides a free trial, however paid plans begin at $14 a consumer per thirty days. It’s $25 a consumer per thirty days for enterprise groups.
- Greatest for: Groups that want a challenge administration answer.
- What we like: Smartsheet is your one-stop store for planning, monitoring, automating, and reporting on all of your initiatives. You’ll be able to preserve everybody within the loop in order that nothing falls delayed.
Smartsheet is a cloud-based platform that is designed for challenge administration. It affords quite a lot of options, together with Gantt charts, useful resource administration, and collaboration instruments.
It additionally integrates with different apps, together with Microsoft Workplace and Google Drive. Smartsheet affords a free trial and paid choices for companies that want extra storage or superior options.
Professionals
- Combines spreadsheet and challenge administration options, providing a novel method to process and challenge administration
- Provides a spread of templates for various use instances, together with challenge monitoring and price range planning
- Integrates with a spread of different apps and platforms, together with Salesforce and Jira
Cons
- Restricted superior options in comparison with different spreadsheet functions
- Is probably not appropriate for advanced knowledge evaluation or monetary modeling
- Customization choices could also be restricted for some customers
5. WPS Workplace
- Worth: Free for private use and small groups, paid plans begin at $29.99 a 12 months for premium options.
- Greatest for: People and companies who want a full-featured workplace suite.
- What we like: WPS is the bomb when you want an all-in-one software program on your workplace duties. The options are easy and user-friendly, so you do not have to be a tech guru to determine it out.
WPS Workplace is a collection of workplace functions that features a phrase processor, presentation software program, and spreadsheet utility. It affords most of the identical options as Excel, together with charts and formulation, and likewise helps Microsoft Workplace information.
Professionals
- Provides a full suite of workplace productiveness instruments, together with spreadsheet, doc enhancing, and presentation software program
- Helps a variety of file codecs, together with Microsoft Workplace information
- Integrates with different WPS apps, together with WPS PDF and WPS Cloud
Cons
- Could are compatible points with Microsoft Workplace information
- Restricted superior options in comparison with different spreadsheet functions
- Not as well-known as another alternate options, so help choices could also be restricted
6. LibreOffice Calc
- Worth: Free and open-source.
- Greatest for: People and companies who want a full-featured spreadsheet utility without cost.
- What we like: With LibreOffice, your papers will look slick and arranged, it doesn’t matter what they’re for. The key is in LibreOffice’s highly effective styling system and structuring instruments. These options do all of the heavy lifting so as to focus in your content material.
LibreOffice Calc is a free and open-source spreadsheet utility a part of the LibreOffice suite of apps. It affords most of the identical options as Excel, together with charts and formulation, and likewise helps Microsoft Workplace information.
LibreOffice Calc is extremely customizable and affords quite a lot of extensions.
Professionals
- Free and open-source
- Contains superior options
- Helps Microsoft Workplace information
Cons
- Not as user-friendly as different alternate options
- Restricted help choices
7. Numbers (Apple)
Worth: Free for Mac/iOS customers.
Greatest for: People and companies that use Apple merchandise.
What we like: Nice for Apple customers, this software makes crunching numbers and coming into knowledge simple. As a result of it is a part of the Apple ecosystem, you get top-notch safety to maintain all of your delicate information secure and sound.
Numbers is a spreadsheet utility that is a part of the Apple iWork suite of apps. It is designed particularly for Apple customers and affords most of the identical options as Excel, together with charts and formulation.
Numbers additionally integrates with different Apple apps, together with Keynote and Pages.
Professionals
- Free to make use of for Apple customers
- Integrates with different Apple apps
- Consumer-friendly interface
Cons
- Restricted collaboration options
- Restricted superior options in comparison with Excel
- Solely out there on Apple gadgets
8. Tableau
- Worth: Provides a free trial; paid plans begin at $12 a consumer per thirty days for people and $70 a consumer per thirty days for enterprise groups.
- Greatest for: Companies that want superior knowledge visualization instruments.
- What we like: Nice for knowledge visualization, Tableau is an actual champ in terms of crunching your knowledge shortly. It hooks up on to your Excel spreadsheets, so you do not have to ditch them. Plus, with Tableau, you get candy visualizations which can be simple on the eyes.
Tableau is an information visualization software that enables customers to create interactive dashboards, studies, and charts. It affords superior options for knowledge evaluation, together with knowledge mixing and mapping.
Tableau is a superb alternative for companies that want to visualise advanced knowledge meaningfully.
Professionals
- Nice for knowledge visualization
- Provides superior options for knowledge evaluation
- Provides a free trial
Cons
- Costly for paid choices
- Steep studying curve for superior options
- Requires some data of information evaluation
9. Quip
- Worth: Free for private use; paid plans begin at $10 a consumer per thirty days for enterprise groups.
- Greatest for: Groups that want a collaborative answer that integrates communication instruments.
- What we like: Quip combines spreadsheet and communication options. This software is a game-changer when taking notes, enhancing paperwork, and organizing process lists along with your crew and associates. It makes you a professional in any respect these duties very quickly!
Quip is a cloud-based platform that mixes spreadsheet and communication options. It is designed as a crew answer with real-time collaboration and chat options. Quip additionally integrates with different apps, together with Salesforce and Slack.
Professionals
- Combines spreadsheet and communication options
- Actual-time collaboration and chat options
- Integrates with different apps
Cons
- Restricted superior options in comparison with different alternate options
- Restricted formatting choices
- Restricted customization choices
10. Calc (Apache OpenOffice)
- Worth: Free and open-source.
- Greatest for: People and companies who want a full-featured spreadsheet utility without cost.
- What we like: Open-source and customizable, Calc boasts the potential to effortlessly open and save spreadsheets within the Microsoft Excel file format. The software program affords many options that outclass Excel, equivalent to a system that robotically creates a collection for graphing primarily based on the consumer’s knowledge structure.
Calc is a free and open-source spreadsheet utility that is a part of the Apache OpenOffice suite of apps.
It affords most of the identical options as Excel, together with charts and formulation, and likewise helps Microsoft Workplace information. Calc is extremely customizable and affords quite a lot of extensions.
Professionals
- Free and open-source
- Contains superior options
- Helps Microsoft Workplace information
Cons
- Could are compatible points with Microsoft Workplace information
- Not as user-friendly as different alternate options
- Restricted help choices
11. Gnumeric
- Worth: Free and open-source.
- Greatest for: People who want a light-weight and free spreadsheet utility.
- What we like: Gnumeric is the last word software for retaining observe of knowledge in lists, organizing numeric values in columns and rows, and executing advanced calculations simply. Its distinctive characteristic set allows you to outline every calculation step and modify particular steps later, supplying you with full management over your work.
Gnumeric is a free and open-source spreadsheet utility designed to be light-weight and quick.
It affords most of the identical options as Excel, together with charts and formulation, and likewise helps Microsoft Workplace information. Gnumeric is a superb alternative for people who want a easy and free spreadsheet utility.
Professionals
- Free and open-source
- Light-weight and quick
- Helps Microsoft Workplace information
Cons
- Restricted superior options in comparison with Excel
- Restricted help choices
12. EtherCalc
- Worth: Free and open-source.
- Greatest for: People and companies who want a easy cloud-based spreadsheet utility.
- What we like: Cloud-based and open-source, Ethercalc is a flexible software for small to mid-sized companies in finance and healthcare. It has real-time knowledge pulled from third-party apps and may work with CSV, Microsoft Excel, and JSON information.
EtherCalc is a cloud-based and open-source spreadsheet utility designed to be easy and light-weight. It affords primary options for creating and enhancing spreadsheets and permits real-time collaboration.
Professionals
- Cloud-based and open-source
- Easy and light-weight
- Actual-time collaboration options
Cons
- Restricted superior options in comparison with different alternate options
- Restricted formatting choices
- Restricted customization choices
13. OnlyOffice
- Worth: Free for private use and small groups; paid plans begin at $5 a consumer per thirty days for enterprise groups.
- Greatest for: Companies that want a full-featured workplace suite.
- What we like: OnlyOffice affords a full suite of workplace functions. It’s a free, open-source system that mixes doc, challenge, buyer relationship, and e-mail administration in a single place.
OnlyOffice is designed to be a whole enterprise answer, providing a spread of options for crew collaboration, together with doc sharing, real-time collaboration, and model management.
It additionally integrates with a spread of different apps and platforms, together with Nextcloud and ownCloud.
Professionals
- Full suite of enterprise instruments, together with spreadsheet, doc enhancing, and presentation software program
- Provides superior collaboration options, together with real-time collaboration, doc sharing, and model management
- Integrates with a spread of different apps and platforms, together with Nextcloud and ownCloud
Cons
- Restricted superior options in comparison with different spreadsheet functions
- Not as well-known as another alternate options, so help choices could also be restricted
14. ClickUp
- Worth: Free; paid plans begin at $5 a consumer per thirty days.
- Greatest for: People or groups who need a one-stop-shop for all their productiveness wants.
- What we like: Since your Desk is immediately related to your workflow in ClickUp, your entire progress, updates, and process statuses are robotically mirrored as you go. You’ll be able to even pull real-time reporting for a high-level overview of your work anytime.
ClickUp is an all-in-one productiveness software that particular person customers and groups depend on to handle and set up their initiatives in a single place.
It affords a whole bunch of customizable options and over 15 distinctive methods to visualise your work, together with a Desk view.
Like Excel, Desk view allows you to handle, edit, and set up your duties into clear columns and rows. In contrast to Excel, you additionally achieve the advantages of a strong challenge administration software program to maneuver your work alongside.
You may as well collaborate in actual time with crew members.
Professionals
- Nice for knowledge visualization
- An all-in-one productiveness software so you possibly can handle and set up your initiatives in a single place
- All your progress, updates, and process statuses are robotically mirrored as you go
Cons
- Might be advanced and complicated for customers
- Cell app is proscribed
15. Hancom Workplace
- Worth: Begins at $59 a consumer.
- What we like: Hancom Workplace affords 4 major options, that are appropriate with workplace packages: Phrase, Cell, Present, and PDF.
- Greatest for: Groups who need a full suite of instruments and real-time collaboration with one another.
Hancom affords 4 major options, that are appropriate with workplace packages: Phrase, Cell, PDF, and Present.
The Excel different, Cell, allows you to create spreadsheets and displays and gives 1 GB of free on-line storage, and like Google Sheets, you possibly can collaborate with colleagues on Hancom Workplace paperwork.
Most notably, Hancom lets you edit and consider your paperwork in your cellular gadget, if you wish to change your spreadsheet away out of your laptop. Hancom doesn’t require any Workplace set up.
Professionals
- Full suite of productiveness instruments
- Actual-time collaboration options
- Cell app lets you work from wherever
Cons
- Costly for paid choices
- Not many tutorials can be found, so the training curve could also be steep
One thing For Everybody
Whereas Microsoft Excel stays essentially the most broadly used spreadsheet software program, loads of glorious alternate options can be found for customers in search of a extra specialised or streamlined method to knowledge administration.
Whether or not you want a collaborative answer for crew initiatives, a extra complete suite of enterprise instruments, or a easy however efficient spreadsheet editor, there’s an alternate on the market that may meet your wants.
By contemplating the options and downsides of every choice, you possibly can select one of the best Excel different on your particular person necessities and work extra effectively and successfully along with your knowledge.