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The Numbers Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Numbers in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

Numbers

The Insider’s Guide

Apple's free spreadsheet app for Mac, iPad and iPhone

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among spreadsheet and database tools, read from Numbers’s own pages.

Made by Apple · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com

3.2GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05After you payGetting your money back, getting out, and getting help
  6. 06The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  7. 07Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  8. 08About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from Numbers’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Numbers’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

3.2

GPA, above 18 of the 21 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade

Numbers is Apple's spreadsheet app, free on Mac, iPad and iPhone and usable in a browser through iCloud.com. Instead of one fixed grid, each sheet is a canvas that can hold several tables, charts, text and images. An Apple Creator Studio subscription adds premium templates, a stock media library and Magic Fill, which suggests cell contents and formulas.

To get you started, here are 10 things to know about Numbers, taken from its own pages and our grades.

The catch is Excel: Apple's own list says macros, data validation, external data and slicers don't come across when you import a workbook.
From our report card of Numbers
  1. 1

    Best for a free spreadsheet on Apple devices

    Numbers is the spreadsheet that comes free on your Mac, iPad and iPhone, and pivot tables, charts and live collaboration cost nothing.

  2. 2

    Paid plans start at $10.75 a month when paid by the year for each person

    As its pricing page puts it: $12.99 per month or $129 per year for Apple Creator Studio.

  3. 3

    There is a free plan

    The app is free: creating, viewing and editing spreadsheets and collaborating in real time do not require a subscription. Premium templates and Magic Fill are paid.

  4. 4

    It runs on 3 platforms

    macOS, iOS and Web.

  5. 5

    Flexible canvas

    Tables, charts, text and images can be placed anywhere on a sheet, so one page can hold several separate tables alongside the charts that draw on them.

  6. 6

    Functions, pivot tables and categories

    Hundreds of functions, including XLOOKUP and RegEx, with a built-in function browser. Pivot tables and categories group and summarize a table's data.

  7. 7

    Charts

    2D and 3D charts including bar, column, line, area, pie, donut and radar, plus interactive column, bar, scatter and bubble charts that animate data.

  8. 8

    Refunds: no set window

    Numbers itself is free, so this is really about Apple Creator Studio, the subscription that adds premium templates and Magic Fill. Apple's media terms say every transaction is final: you can ask for a refund through Report a Problem, but the answer is Apple's call and no window is promised.

  9. 9

    A 3.2 GPA, above 18 of 21

    That is against the other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  10. 10

    Keep it

    To replace Numbers you would be making a spreadsheet engine with its formulas. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

Numbers at a glance

Pricing
Free plan, from $12.99 per month or $129 per year for Apple Creator Studio
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
Apple Creator Studio is free for 1 month for new subscribers, then renews automatically
Runs on
Web, macOS, iOS
Made by
Apple
Category
Spreadsheets & Databases
Our grade
3.2 GPA, very good
Store rating
4.6 on the App Store, 223,459 ratings

The report card

Best for a free spreadsheet on Apple devices

Numbers is the spreadsheet that comes free on your Mac, iPad and iPhone, and pivot tables, charts and live collaboration cost nothing. The catch is Excel: Apple's own list says macros, data validation, external data and slicers don't come across when you import a workbook. There's no Windows or Android app, and Magic Fill and premium templates need a $12.99 a month subscription.

ToolGPA report cardNumbersGraded Oct 10, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyAThe app is free and it's the whole spreadsheet, not a taster, in a category whose middle plan is $9.99 a month. The only paid part is Apple Creator Studio at $12.99 a month or $129 a year, and all that adds to Numbers is premium templates, stock media and Magic Fill.
Free plan and trialAMaking, editing and sharing spreadsheets is free, and so are pivot tables, charts, real-time collaboration and Excel import and export. There's no cap a normal person meets. Only the premium templates, the Content Hub and Magic Fill are held back.
FeaturesCHundreds of functions including XLOOKUP and RegEx, pivot tables, categories, 2D and 3D charts and several tables on one sheet. Apple's own compatibility list names the gap, and it's the one that matters: Excel macros, data validation, external data and slicers aren't supported.
Ease of useB4.6 from 223,459 App Store ratings, a shade under the 4.7 an A asks for. You start from a template rather than a blank grid, and there's a function browser built in for when a formula has you stuck.
Platforms and integrationsBMac, iPad and iPhone, plus a browser version at iCloud.com that someone on a PC can join, with sharing through iCloud or Box and hooks into Shortcuts. No Windows app and no Android app at all, so an A is out.
Grade point averageVery good, out of 4.03.2

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

Who Numbers is for

  • Fits if you own a Mac, iPad or iPhone and want a spreadsheet at no cost
  • Works for home budgets, invoices and checklists started from a template

Who it is not for

  • Skip it if your workbooks lean on Excel macros, data validation, external data or slicers, which don't import
  • Not for you if you want a Windows or Android app, as there isn't one and a PC only gets iCloud.com in a browser
  • Pricey if all you're after is Magic Fill or premium templates, since that means Apple Creator Studio at $12.99 a month
  • Watch out: the Creator Studio trial is 1 month, then it renews automatically

Good to know

Good for

  • Mac, iPad and iPhone owners who want a spreadsheet at no cost
  • Home budgets, invoices and checklists started from a template
  • Laying out several tables and charts on one sheet

Worth knowing

  • There are no Windows or Android apps; on a PC, Numbers is available only in a browser through iCloud.com.
  • Magic Fill, premium templates and the Content Hub need an Apple Creator Studio subscription at $12.99 per month or $129 per year.
  • Apple's compatibility list marks Excel macros, data validation, external data and slicers as not supported when a workbook is imported.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$10.75

A month to start, paid by the year, for each person. There is a free plan too

Numbers has a free plan. Paid plans start at $12.99 per month or $129 per year for Apple Creator Studio.

Making, editing and sharing spreadsheets is free, and so are pivot tables, charts, real-time collaboration and Excel import and export.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • Numbers

    $0

    Create, view and edit spreadsheets on Mac, iPad, iPhone and iCloud.com, with real-time collaboration, pivot tables, charts and Excel import and export.

  • Apple Creator Studio

    $12.99

    per month, or $129 per year

    Adds premium templates, the Content Hub media library, Magic Fill and image generation in Numbers, plus Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro and Pixelmator Pro.

The free plan

The app is free: creating, viewing and editing spreadsheets and collaborating in real time do not require a subscription. Premium templates and Magic Fill are paid.

Trying it first

Apple Creator Studio is free for 1 month for new subscribers, then renews automatically

Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 5, 2026.

Ways to pay less

  • Annual discount

    About 17% less on the yearly plan

    Apple Creator Studio is $129 per year or $12.99 per month. Twelve monthly payments come to $155.88, so the yearly plan costs about 17% less.

    Stated on apple.com

  • Education

    Students and educators: $2.99 a month

    Verified college students and educators pay $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year for Apple Creator Studio. Apple calls it a limited-time offer, and it cannot be shared through Family Sharing.

    Stated on apple.com

  • Other savings

    3 months free with a new Mac or iPad

    Buyers of an eligible new Mac or iPad can try Apple Creator Studio free for 3 months, claimed within 3 months of activating the device.

    Stated on apple.com

What the app costs elsewhere

Each country’s App Store price for “Monthly”, against $12.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.

CountryPrice thereIn dollarsAgainst the US
India₹ 399$4.1268% less
IndonesiaRp 99ribu$5.5457% less
Philippines₱ 399.00$6.3551% less
Turkey₺349,99$7.1245% less
Canada$17.99$12.65about the same
Australia$19.99$13.967% more
Germany12,99 €$14.5612% more
United Kingdom£12.99$17.1732% more

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

3

Places it runs: Web, macOS and iOS

Apple's free spreadsheet app for Mac, iPad and iPhone. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, AI features, real-time collaboration, templates, spreadsheets.

No Windows app and no Android app at all, so an A is out.
From our grade for platforms and integrations
Flexible canvas
Tables, charts, text and images can be placed anywhere on a sheet, so one page can hold several separate tables alongside the charts that draw on them.
Functions, pivot tables and categories
Hundreds of functions, including XLOOKUP and RegEx, with a built-in function browser. Pivot tables and categories group and summarize a table's data.
Charts
2D and 3D charts including bar, column, line, area, pie, donut and radar, plus interactive column, bar, scatter and bubble charts that animate data.
Real-time collaboration
Share a spreadsheet publicly or with specific people through iCloud or Box and see their changes as they happen. Collaborators can join from a Mac, iPad, iPhone or a PC browser.
Excel and CSV files
Imports and edits Microsoft Excel and CSV files and exports to Excel, CSV, TSV and PDF. Apple publishes a feature-by-feature list of what carries over from Excel.
Magic Fill and premium content
For Apple Creator Studio subscribers, Magic Fill suggests contents or formulas for empty cells from patterns in nearby data. Subscribers also get premium templates and the Content Hub's photos and graphics.

Where it runs

  • Web
  • macOS
  • iOS

What it works with

  • iCloud
  • Box
  • Shortcuts
  • Messages
  • Pixelmator Pro

Numbers is made by Apple.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

18/21

Other spreadsheet and database tools it is graded above

Numbers's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 18 of the 21 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade.

It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 18 of 21) and worst on features (C, above 0).

Its paid plans start at $10.75 a month when paid by the year for each person, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 14 of the 20 others that charge start lower.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 5 tools score higher and cost less.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 22 spreadsheet and database tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Numbers’s own letter is outlined.

  • AValue for moneyAbove 17 of 21
  • AFree plan and trialAbove 18 of 21
  • CFeaturesAbove 0 of 21
  • BEase of useAbove 13 of 21
  • BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 3 of 21

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 22 spreadsheet and database tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Numbers is the marked dot.

C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$1$2$5$10$20$50More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessNumbersMicrosoft ExcelZoho SheetLibreOffice CalcGoogle SheetsGrist

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

Keep it

To replace Numbers you would be making a spreadsheet engine with its formulas. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 18 of the 21 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade. It costs $129 a year.

What you could make

  • Templates: an app builder makes this well.

What you could not

  • A spreadsheet engine with its formulas.
  • Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
  • Several people working in it at the same moment.
  • It plugs into other products, iCloud, Box and Shortcuts among them.
  • AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.

What this rests on. Numbers’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

Part 05 · Refunds

After you pay

Getting your money back, getting out, and getting help

CRefunds
BSupport

What happens once you have paid: whether you can get your money back, how to leave, and how to reach a person when something goes wrong. Each is graded from Numbers’s own terms and help pages.

Refunds and cancelling

CGrade

Ordinary · checked Oct 18, 2026

Numbers itself is free, so this is really about Apple Creator Studio, the subscription that adds premium templates and Magic Fill. Apple's media terms say every transaction is final: you can ask for a refund through Report a Problem, but the answer is Apple's call and no window is promised. Cancelling is easy and takes two taps in Settings, and your spreadsheets stay editable afterwards. No refund as a rule, but a clean exit, so a C.

Refund window
No set window
How you cancel
Yourself, in settings
Getting your money back

The Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions state that all transactions are final. Apple's help page says some purchases might be eligible for a refund and that you ask through the Report a Problem site, choosing a reason, with 24 to 48 hours for an update. It states no window, adds that eligibility varies by country or region, and notes that consumer-law rights still stand where they apply.

Stated on support.apple.com
How to cancel Numbers

Apple Creator Studio is a subscription billed by Apple, cancelled in your own account settings. On iPhone or iPad you open Settings, tap your name, tap Subscriptions and cancel; on a Mac you do it from your account in the App Store. Apple also lets you cancel on the web through your Apple Account. For a trial, Apple says to cancel at least 24 hours before it ends.

  1. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings and tap your name
  2. Tap Subscriptions
  3. Tap the subscription you want to end
  4. Tap Cancel Subscription, scrolling down if the button is not in view
  5. If there is no Cancel button, or the date shows in red, it is already cancelled
Stated on support.apple.com
What you keep afterwards

Apple says Keynote, Pages, Numbers and Freeform documents remain unchanged and can still be edited after a Creator Studio subscription ends, though no new edits using paid features are possible. Anything you made or added from the Content Hub while subscribed stays licensed in the context of the work you made it for.

Stated on apple.com
Renewals

Apple's terms say subscriptions renew automatically until cancelled in the Manage Subscriptions part of account settings. The Creator Studio page's small print repeats that the plan renews at $12.99 a month or $129 a year until cancelled. Neither page mentions a reminder before a yearly renewal, and neither offers a refund after one.

Stated on apple.com

In your favour

  • The app itself is free, so the only thing to cancel is the optional Creator Studio subscription.
  • You cancel it yourself in Settings in about four taps, with nobody to write to.
  • Your Numbers spreadsheets stay editable after the subscription stops, minus the paid extras.
  • A refund request goes through Apple's Report a Problem site and gets an update in 24 to 48 hours.

Watch out for

  • Apple's terms say all transactions are final, so a refund is a request and not a right.
  • No refund window is stated anywhere, and eligibility varies by country.
  • The plan renews by itself and no page promises a reminder before a yearly renewal.
  • On a free trial you have to cancel at least 24 hours before it ends to avoid the charge.

Customer support

BGrade

Good · checked Oct 18, 2026

Numbers has no support team of its own; you get Apple's, and that is a lot: a chapter-by-chapter user guide for each platform, a huge public forum, chat through the Messages app and a phone line in the countries Apple lists. What's missing is any promise about it. The contact page states no hours and no reply time, and live support isn't offered everywhere, so it stops at a B.

Ways to get help

  • Live chat

    The Contact Apple Support page offers a chat with Apple that opens in the Messages app on your device. It covers Apple products in general rather than Numbers in particular.

    Stated on support.apple.com

  • Phone

    The same contact page lists live phone support country by country. Where a region is not on the list, Apple does not offer it, and many of the numbers only work from inside their own country.

    Stated on support.apple.com

  • Help centre

    The Numbers Support site gathers Apple's articles on formulas, categories, templates and converting files, and links a full Numbers User Guide for Mac, iPad and iPhone. It is open to everyone.

    Stated on support.apple.com

  • Community or forum

    Apple Communities is a public forum where Apple customers ask and answer questions. The Numbers support page links straight to it.

    Stated on discussions.apple.com

Not listed on Numbers’s pages: email, contact form or ticket.

When people answer

Its pages do not say.

How fast it says it replies

Its pages do not say.

What depends on your plan

Its pages do not say.

In your favour

  • You can reach Apple live, by chat or by phone, without paying for Creator Studio first.
  • The Numbers User Guide is thorough and comes in a version for Mac, iPad and iPhone.
  • Apple Communities is public, so you can read other people's answers before asking.

Watch out for

  • No hours and no reply time are stated on Apple's contact page.
  • Live support isn't offered in every country, and Apple says so on the page.
  • There is no queue just for Numbers: you go through Apple's general support.

What these two grades rest on. Read on 18 October 2026: the Apple Creator Studio page and its small print and FAQ, the Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions, Apple's help articles on requesting a refund and cancelling a subscription, the Contact Apple Support page, the Numbers Support page and User Guide, and Apple Communities. Nobody here cancelled a plan, asked for a refund or contacted Apple's support. They are graded apart from the five that make the GPA. How we grade refunds and support.

Part 06 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc and Zoho Sheet

The 4 tools Numbers is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

  • 3.4GPA

    Microsoft Excel

    Free plan · from $9.99/mo

    Spreadsheet app sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser.

    • Only Microsoft Excel lists Windows and Android apps.
    Numbers and Microsoft Excel compared in full
  • 3.4GPA

    Google Sheets

    Free plan · from $7/mo

    Browser-based spreadsheet, free with a Google Account.

    • Only Numbers lists a macOS app.
    • Only Google Sheets lists an Android app.
    • Numbers also covers templates.
    Numbers and Google Sheets compared in full
  • 3.0GPA

    LibreOffice Calc

    Free

    Free, open-source spreadsheet for Windows, macOS and Linux.

    • Only Numbers lists a web app.
    • Only Numbers lists an iOS app.
    • Only LibreOffice Calc lists Windows and Linux apps.
    Numbers and LibreOffice Calc compared in full
  • 3.6GPA

    Zoho Sheet

    Free plan · from $2.50/mo

    Collaborative online spreadsheet with a free version.

    • Only Zoho Sheet lists Windows and Android apps.
    Numbers and Zoho Sheet compared in full

Part 07 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

21

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is Numbers free?

Numbers has a free plan. The app is free: creating, viewing and editing spreadsheets and collaborating in real time do not require a subscription.

How much does Numbers cost?

Numbers lists 2 plans. Numbers: $0.

What platforms does Numbers work on?

Numbers is available on macOS, iOS and Web.

Does Numbers offer any discounts?

Numbers publicly lists the following: About 17% less on the yearly plan; Students and educators: $2.99 a month; 3 months free with a new Mac or iPad.

How is Numbers rated?

Numbers's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 out of 5 from 223,459 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.

Does Numbers have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Numbers is listed for macOS, iOS and Web.

Does Numbers have a Windows app?

No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Numbers is listed for macOS, iOS and Web.

Is Numbers open source?

Numbers is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.

Does Numbers work offline?

Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.

What does Numbers integrate with?

Numbers's listing names iCloud, Box, Shortcuts, Messages and Pixelmator Pro.

Does Numbers have a student discount?

Students and educators: $2.99 a month. Verified college students and educators pay $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year for Apple Creator Studio.

Does Numbers have a free trial?

Yes. Apple Creator Studio is free for 1 month for new subscribers, then renews automatically.

Who makes Numbers?

Numbers is made by Apple.

What are the alternatives to Numbers?

The closest alternatives to Numbers in our directory are Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc and Zoho Sheet.

Does Numbers give refunds?

The Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions state that all transactions are final.

How do I cancel Numbers?

Apple Creator Studio is a subscription billed by Apple, cancelled in your own account settings.

What happens to my data if I cancel Numbers?

Apple says Keynote, Pages, Numbers and Freeform documents remain unchanged and can still be edited after a Creator Studio subscription ends, though no new edits using paid features are possible.

How do I contact Numbers support?

Numbers's pages list these ways to get help: live chat, phone, help centre and community or forum.

How does Numbers compare with other spreadsheet and database tools?

Numbers's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 18 of the 21 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade.

Is Numbers good value for money?

ToolGPA grades Numbers A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $10.75 a month when paid by the year for each person, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 14 of the 20 others that charge start lower.

Could I make my own version of Numbers?

To replace Numbers you would be making a spreadsheet engine with its formulas.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Numbers’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Apple's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-05-03.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Apple. Prices change, so check support.apple.com before you buy.

Part 08 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

3,189

Tools graded, in 94 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 3,189

    tools graded

  • 94

    categories

  • 426

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "Numbers: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/apple-numbers

Know someone choosing between spreadsheet and database tools?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/apple-numbers/guide

ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa

See our other guides

The best-graded spreadsheet and database tools after Numbers, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Numbers’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Numbers is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Apple. Prices and plans change: check support.apple.com before you buy.