Alternatives · Spreadsheets

Microsoft Excel alternatives

Microsoft Excel compared with 9 alternatives: Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc, Numbers, Zoho Sheet, WPS Spreadsheet and 4 more.

Microsoft Excel has a free plan. Paid plans start at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal). All 9 alternatives are free or have a free plan.

9 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 9, 2026 · Where the facts come from

At a glance

Tool	Price	Free plan	Runs on
Microsoft ExcelThis tool	Free plan · from $9.99/mo	Yes	Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
Google Sheets	Free plan · from $7/mo	Yes	Web, iOS, Android
LibreOffice Calc	Free	Free	macOS, Windows, Linux
Numbers	Free plan · from $12.99/mo	Yes	Web, macOS, iOS
Zoho Sheet	Free plan · from $2.50/mo	Yes	Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
WPS Spreadsheet	Free plan · from $5.83/mo	Yes	Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Grist	Free plan · from $8/mo	Yes	Web, macOS, Windows, Linux
Proton Sheets	Free plan · from $3.99/mo	Yes	Web, iOS, Android
Quadratic	Free plan · from $18/mo	Yes	Web, macOS, Windows, Linux
Sourcetable	Free plan · from $29/mo	Yes	Web

How each one differs from Microsoft Excel

Google Sheets
Browser-based spreadsheet, free with a Google Account
Free plan · from $7/mo
- Google Sheets starts at $7 per user / month with a 1-year commitment (Workspace Business Starter). Microsoft Excel starts at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal).
- Only Microsoft Excel lists Windows and macOS apps.
- Microsoft Excel also covers templates.
Suits: Teams that edit and review the same spreadsheet together in a browser
Google Sheets vs Microsoft Excel Google Sheets pricing and details
LibreOffice Calc
Free, open-source spreadsheet for Windows, macOS and Linux
Free
- LibreOffice Calc is free. Microsoft Excel starts at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal).
- Only LibreOffice Calc lists a Linux app.
- Only Microsoft Excel lists a web app.
- Only Microsoft Excel lists iOS and Android apps.
- LibreOffice Calc is open source, according to its own site.
Suits: People who want a full desktop spreadsheet at no cost
LibreOffice Calc vs Microsoft Excel LibreOffice Calc pricing and details
Numbers
Apple's free spreadsheet app for Mac, iPad and iPhone
Free plan · from $12.99/mo
- Numbers starts at $12.99 per month or $129 per year for Apple Creator Studio. Microsoft Excel starts at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal).
- Only Microsoft Excel lists Windows and Android apps.
Suits: Mac, iPad and iPhone owners who want a spreadsheet at no cost
Numbers vs Microsoft Excel Numbers pricing and details
Zoho Sheet
Collaborative online spreadsheet with a free version
Free plan · from $2.50/mo
- Zoho Sheet starts at $2.50 per user / month, billed annually (Zoho WorkDrive Starter). Microsoft Excel starts at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal).
Suits: Individuals who want a spreadsheet at no cost on web, desktop and mobile
Zoho Sheet vs Microsoft Excel Zoho Sheet pricing and details
WPS Spreadsheet
Excel-compatible spreadsheet app in the WPS Office suite
Free plan · from $5.83/mo
- WPS Spreadsheet starts at $5.83 per month, billed $69.99 per year (WPS Pro+). Microsoft Excel starts at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal).
- Only WPS Spreadsheet lists a Linux app.
Suits: People who want a free spreadsheet app that opens and saves Excel files
WPS Spreadsheet vs Microsoft Excel WPS Spreadsheet pricing and details
Grist
Open-source relational spreadsheet with Python formulas
Free plan · from $8/mo
- Grist starts at $8 per user / month, billed annually. Microsoft Excel starts at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal).
- Only Grist lists a Linux app.
- Only Microsoft Excel lists iOS and Android apps.
- Grist is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Grist also covers databases.
Suits: Spreadsheet users who have outgrown a single sheet and need linked tables
Grist vs Microsoft Excel Grist pricing and details
Proton Sheets
End-to-end encrypted online spreadsheets inside Proton Drive
Free plan · from $3.99/mo
- Proton Sheets starts at $3.99 per month, billed yearly (Drive Plus). Microsoft Excel starts at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal).
- Only Microsoft Excel lists Windows and macOS apps.
- Proton Sheets is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Microsoft Excel also covers templates.
Suits: People who want spreadsheets the provider itself cannot read
Proton Sheets vs Microsoft Excel Proton Sheets pricing and details
Quadratic
AI spreadsheet with Python, SQL and live data connections
Free plan · from $18/mo
- Quadratic starts at $18 per user / month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly). Microsoft Excel starts at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal).
- Only Quadratic lists a Linux app.
- Only Microsoft Excel lists iOS and Android apps.
- Quadratic is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Microsoft Excel also covers templates.
Suits: Analysts who want Python and SQL next to spreadsheet formulas
Quadratic vs Microsoft Excel Quadratic pricing and details
Sourcetable
AI spreadsheet that queries databases and business apps
Free plan · from $29/mo
- Sourcetable starts at $29 per user / month. Microsoft Excel starts at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal).
- Only Microsoft Excel lists Windows, macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- Microsoft Excel also covers templates.
Suits: Analysts who want to query databases and SaaS data without writing SQL
Sourcetable vs Microsoft Excel Sourcetable pricing and details

Limits worth knowing in Microsoft Excel

The Windows and Mac apps need a Microsoft 365 subscription or a one-time Office purchase; only the web and mobile versions are free.
Excel for the web and the mobile apps have many, but not all, desktop features; macro-enabled workbooks open in a browser but the macros do not run.
Copilot needs a paid subscription, has usage limits, and on shared plans works for the subscription owner only.
Microsoft 365 Business Basic ($7.00 per user / month paid yearly, or $5.40 without Teams) includes only the web and mobile versions of Excel.

Microsoft Excel pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to Microsoft Excel?

The alternatives to Microsoft Excel in this directory are Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc, Numbers, Zoho Sheet, WPS Spreadsheet, Grist, Proton Sheets, Quadratic and Sourcetable. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Microsoft Excel.

Is there a free alternative to Microsoft Excel?

Yes. LibreOffice Calc is free to use. Google Sheets, Numbers, Zoho Sheet, WPS Spreadsheet, Grist, Proton Sheets, Quadratic and Sourcetable have a free plan alongside paid ones.

Which Microsoft Excel alternatives work on Linux?

The Microsoft Excel listing does not include a Linux app. LibreOffice Calc, WPS Spreadsheet, Grist and Quadratic list one.

Is there an open-source alternative to Microsoft Excel?

LibreOffice Calc and Grist are described as open source on their own sites.

When were these prices checked?

Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Oct 9, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.