Skip to content
ToolGPA

The Microsoft Excel Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Microsoft Excel 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.

Download the PDF
Pass it onEmailLinkedInXWhatsApp
ToolGPAOctober 2026

Microsoft Excel

The Insider’s Guide

Spreadsheet app sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser

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

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

3.4GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02Insider tipsWhat most people miss: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches
  3. 03What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  4. 04What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  5. 05Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  6. 06After you payGetting your money back, getting out, and getting help
  7. 07The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  8. 08Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  9. 09About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from Microsoft Excel’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Microsoft Excel’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

3.4

GPA, above 19 of the 21 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade

Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet application for organizing, calculating and charting data. A free version runs in the browser, while the Windows and Mac desktop apps come with a Microsoft 365 subscription or the one-time Office Home 2024 purchase. Paid subscriptions add Copilot, which edits formulas, tables and formatting on request.

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

Its own phone reviewers do grumble that the iPad app leaves out desktop features like data validation.
From our grade for ease of use
  1. 1

    Best for serious number work on Windows or Mac

    Excel is Microsoft's spreadsheet: PivotTables, Power Query and Python in the grid, and the browser version is free.

  2. 2

    Paid plans start at $8.33 a month when paid by the year

    As its pricing page puts it: $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal).

  3. 3

    There is a free plan

    Excel for the web is free for 1 person, with sharing, real-time collaboration and 5 GB of cloud storage. Microsoft lists the free plan as working on web, iOS and Android.

  4. 4

    It runs on 5 platforms

    Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.

  5. 5

    Copilot in Excel

    Edits formulas, tables and formatting from a written request and suggests formulas for the data. It needs a Microsoft 365 subscription and a workbook saved to OneDrive with AutoSave on.

  6. 6

    PivotTables and charts

    PivotTables calculate, summarize and analyze data to show comparisons, patterns and trends, and work with PivotCharts, slicers and timeline controls.

  7. 7

    Power Query

    Imports or connects to external data from files, databases, the web and Azure, then reshapes it before loading. It is available in Excel for Windows, Mac and the web; support on Mac and the web is newer than on Windows.

  8. 8

    Refunds: 30 days

    Excel is not sold on its own, so what you get is Microsoft's account-wide subscription policy, and that policy is better than most: 30 days from the purchase, and a stated right to your last renewal charge back if you cancel within 30 days of it. It falls short of an A because Microsoft writes in most cases rather than always, works out your eligibility only once you are already cancelling, and cuts your cloud storage to 5 GB on the way out.

  9. 9

    A 3.4 GPA, above 19 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 Microsoft Excel 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.

Microsoft Excel at a glance

Pricing
Free plan, from $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal)
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
1-month free trial of the Microsoft 365 home and business plans; business trials need a credit card.
Runs on
Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
Made by
Microsoft
Category
Spreadsheets & Databases
Our grade
3.4 GPA, very good
Store rating
4.7 on the App Store, 1,468,663 ratings

The report card

Best for serious number work on Windows or Mac

Excel is Microsoft's spreadsheet: PivotTables, Power Query and Python in the grid, and the browser version is free. The catch is the split. The full Windows and Mac apps need Microsoft 365 from $9.99 a month or a $179.99 one-time Office purchase, the free web and phone versions leave desktop features out and won't run macros, and Copilot is paid and capped.

ToolGPA report cardMicrosoft ExcelGraded Oct 10, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyCMicrosoft 365 Personal is $9.99 a month, which is exactly the middle price in this category, so an ordinary deal rather than a good one, although Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, 1 TB of storage and Copilot come along. Office Home 2024 is $179.99 once for one PC or Mac, with no upgrade to the next release.
Free plan and trialBExcel for the web is free for one person, with sharing, real-time collaboration and 5 GB of cloud storage, and the free plan covers iOS and Android too. What's missing: some desktop features, and macros that open in a browser but won't run.
FeaturesAIt covers the whole job and then some things no rival here has: PivotTables with slicers and timelines, Power Query for pulling in and reshaping outside data, Python formulas running pandas and Matplotlib in the grid, co-authoring, templates in over 40 categories, and Copilot on paid plans.
Ease of useA4.75 from 1,468,663 App Store ratings, which clears our bar on both counts, and most people have met Excel somewhere already. Templates give you a ready-made start. Its own phone reviewers do grumble that the iPad app leaves out desktop features like data validation.
Platforms and integrationsAThe full set: web, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, hooked into OneDrive, SharePoint, Power BI, SQL Server and Anaconda. The desktop apps go deepest, and Power Query on Mac and the web is newer than on Windows.
Grade point averageVery good, out of 4.03.4

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 Microsoft Excel is for

  • Fits if you need a full desktop spreadsheet on Windows or Mac and will pay $9.99 a month
  • Works for analysts who work in PivotTables, Power Query and Python

Who it is not for

  • Skip it if you want the desktop app without paying, as only the web and phone versions are free
  • Not for you if your workbooks run on macros and you work in a browser, where they open but don't run
  • Pricey if Excel is the only app you want, since $9.99 a month pays for Word, PowerPoint and Outlook too
  • Watch out: Copilot needs a paid plan, has usage limits, and on shared plans works for the subscription owner only
  • Watch out: Business Basic has only web and phone Excel, business trials need a card, and Office 2024 gets no upgrade

Good to know

Good for

  • People who need a full desktop spreadsheet on Windows or Mac
  • Analysts working with PivotTables, Power Query and Python
  • Households: Microsoft 365 Family covers 1 to 6 people
  • Occasional users who only need the free browser version

Worth knowing

  • 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.

What people say

  • 4.7on the App Store, from 1,468,663 ratings

What they like

  • Commenters describe it as deeply rooted in business work and hard to replace, and two repeat the saying that everyone uses a small share of its features but never the same one.

What they don’t

  • Reviewers of the iPad and iPhone app report losing work when it opened an older copy of a file and then saved over the newer one.
  • Reviewers say the iPad and iPhone versions lack features of the desktop one, with data validation and the statistics add-in among those they miss.
  • Commenters and a reviewer complain about how it handles dates, such as turning imported values into dates or changing dates that had already been typed.

10 App Store reviews of the iPad and iPhone app, four of them more than three years old, and about 15 Hacker News comments from March to September 2026

Part 02 · Tips

Insider tips

What most people miss: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches

7

Things most people miss, each from its own help pages

The things about Microsoft Excel that are easy to miss until they cost you: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches at renewal or when you leave. Each one is from Microsoft Excel’s own pages, linked beside it.

Read on Oct 17, 2026. Read from Microsoft Support (refund policy, switching and expiring Microsoft 365 plans, Excel keyboard shortcuts, AutoRecover, Document Inspector) on 17 October 2026. Not tried out: these tips are what its own pages say.

  1. 1

    Renewal

    Forgot to cancel? You have 30 days after a renewal charge

    Microsoft's refund policy says you can get your latest renewal charge back if you cancel within 30 days of paying, but only once per Microsoft account for each product. Cancel at account.microsoft.com/services. If you bought it through Apple, Google or a shop, the refund is theirs to give.

    support.microsoft.com
  2. 2

    Pay less

    Moving to a cheaper plan starts on the Cancel page

    To drop to a plan with fewer features, go to account.microsoft.com/services, choose Manage, then Cancel subscription, and pick the plan you want there. You keep the current one until it ends and aren't charged for the new one until it renews into it.

    support.microsoft.com
  3. 3

    Leaving

    When Microsoft 365 ends, desktop Excel can only open files

    The apps stay installed but go into Reduced Functionality Mode. You can open, view and usually print workbooks, but not create, edit or save them until you renew. Free Excel for the web still works in a browser with your Microsoft account if you just need the odd edit.

    support.microsoft.com
  4. 4

    Leaving

    Move workbooks out of OneDrive before you stop paying

    Your OneDrive drops to the free 5 GB when the subscription ends. Over that, your files go read-only straight away, the account is frozen after three months, and after six months Microsoft might delete it all for good. Download what you need, or trim it under 5 GB.

    support.microsoft.com
  5. 5

    Shortcut

    Ctrl+E fills a column from one example you type

    Type how you want the first row to look, like a first name pulled out of a full name, and Flash Fill (Ctrl+E) does the rest. Also worth learning: Ctrl+T makes a table, Alt+= adds an AutoSum, F4 flips a reference to absolute, and Ctrl+1 opens Format Cells.

    support.microsoft.com
  6. 6

    Setting

    Shorten the AutoRecover gap so a crash costs less work

    In File, Options, Save, tick "Save AutoRecover information every x minutes" and "Keep the last autorecovered version if I close without saving". Microsoft suggests a small number like 5 or 10. Files kept in OneDrive or SharePoint can use AutoSave instead, which saves as you go.

    support.microsoft.com
  7. 7

    Privacy

    Run Inspect Document before you send a workbook out

    File, Info, Check for Issues, Inspect Document finds comments, your name in the file's properties, hidden rows and hidden sheets. Use it on a copy. Undo may not bring things back, and removing hidden rows with data in them can change your formulas' results.

    support.microsoft.com

Part 03 · Pricing

What it costs

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

$8.33

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

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

What's missing: some desktop features, and macros that open in a browser but won't run.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • Free

    $0

    Excel for the web for 1 person, with sharing and real-time collaboration and 5 GB of cloud storage. Works on web, iOS and Android.

  • Microsoft 365 Personal

    $9.99

    per month, or $99.99 per year

    1 person signed in on up to 5 devices, 1 TB of cloud storage, and the Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook desktop apps with Copilot.

  • Microsoft 365 Apps for business

    $10.00

    per user / month, paid yearly

    Desktop versions of Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook for up to 300 employees, with 1 TB of cloud storage per user.

  • Microsoft 365 Family

    $12.99

    per month, or $129.99 per year

    Everything in Personal for 1 to 6 people, with 1 TB of storage per person. AI features are for the subscription owner only.

  • Microsoft 365 Premium

    $19.99

    per month, or $199.99 per year

    Everything in Family, plus extensive Copilot usage and agentic AI features such as advanced research and analytics.

  • Office Home 2024

    $179.99

    one-time purchase for 1 PC or Mac

    Classic 2024 desktop versions of Excel, Word, PowerPoint and OneNote, with no upgrade path to the next major release.

The free plan

Excel for the web is free for 1 person, with sharing, real-time collaboration and 5 GB of cloud storage. Microsoft lists the free plan as working on web, iOS and Android.

Trying it first

1-month free trial of the Microsoft 365 home and business plans; business trials need a credit card.

Read from microsoft.com on Oct 5, 2026.

Ways to pay less

  • Annual discount

    Save up to 17% by paying yearly

    Microsoft 365 Personal is $99.99 a year against $9.99 a month, Family $129.99 against $12.99 and Premium $199.99 against $19.99.

    Stated on microsoft.com

  • Education

    Students save 50% on Microsoft 365 Personal

    Verified college and university students get Microsoft 365 Personal at half price. Student status has to be re-verified each year to keep the discount.

    Stated on microsoft.com

  • Education

    Office 365 A1 free for eligible schools

    Educators and students with an eligible education email address get Office 365 A1 at no cost, which includes the web versions of Excel and the other core apps.

    Stated on microsoft.com

  • Nonprofit

    Nonprofit staff pricing on Microsoft 365 E3

    Eligible nonprofits can buy Microsoft 365 E3, with desktop, web and mobile versions of Excel, for $9.75 per user / month paid yearly.

    Stated on microsoft.com

  • Lifetime license

    Office Home 2024 one-time purchase

    $179.99 buys the classic 2024 desktop versions of Excel, Word, PowerPoint and OneNote for 1 PC or Mac, with no subscription.

    Stated on microsoft.com

What the app costs elsewhere

Each country’s App Store price for “Microsoft 365 Personal”, against $9.99 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
Turkey₺329,99$6.7133% less
India₹ 689$7.1229% less
IndonesiaRp 136ribu$7.6124% less
Philippines₱ 489.00$7.7822% less
BrazilR$ 50,90$10.17about the same
Australia$16.00$11.1712% more
Germany10,00 €$11.2112% more
United Kingdom£8.49$11.2212% more

Part 04 · Features

What it does

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

5

Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android

Spreadsheet app sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, AI features, real-time collaboration, templates, spreadsheets.

The full set: web, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, hooked into OneDrive, SharePoint, Power BI, SQL Server and Anaconda.
From our grade for platforms and integrations
Copilot in Excel
Edits formulas, tables and formatting from a written request and suggests formulas for the data. It needs a Microsoft 365 subscription and a workbook saved to OneDrive with AutoSave on.
PivotTables and charts
PivotTables calculate, summarize and analyze data to show comparisons, patterns and trends, and work with PivotCharts, slicers and timeline controls.
Power Query
Imports or connects to external data from files, databases, the web and Azure, then reshapes it before loading. It is available in Excel for Windows, Mac and the web; support on Mac and the web is newer than on Windows.
Python in Excel
Python formulas run in the grid using Anaconda libraries such as pandas and Matplotlib. It comes with eligible Microsoft 365 plans; a $24 per user / month add-on gives faster premium compute.
Co-authoring
Several people can work in one workbook stored in OneDrive or SharePoint Online and see each other's changes within seconds. In the Windows and Mac apps this requires a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Templates
Microsoft offers free Excel templates in more than 40 categories as ready-made starting points for common spreadsheets.

Where it runs

  • Web
  • macOS
  • Windows
  • iOS
  • Android

What it works with

  • OneDrive
  • SharePoint
  • Power BI
  • Microsoft Copilot
  • SQL Server
  • Anaconda

Microsoft Excel is made by Microsoft.

Part 05 · Standing

Where it stands

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

19/21

Other spreadsheet and database tools it is graded above

Microsoft Excel's GPA of 3.4 is higher than 19 of the 21 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, and level with 1.

It stands best on ease of use (A, above 20 of 21) and worst on value for money (C, above 4).

Its paid plans start at $8.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 11 of the 20 others that charge start lower.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 4.0 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.

Each grade against the category

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

  • CValue for moneyAbove 4 of 21
  • BFree plan and trialAbove 8 of 21
  • AFeaturesAbove 19 of 21
  • AEase of useAbove 20 of 21
  • APlatforms and integrationsAbove 19 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. Microsoft Excel is the marked dot.

C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$1$2$5$10$20$50More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessMicrosoft 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 Microsoft Excel 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 3.4 is higher than 19 of the 21 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade. It costs $99.99 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, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
  • Several people working in it at the same moment.
  • It plugs into other products, OneDrive, SharePoint and Power BI among them.
  • AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
  • The depth: we grade its features A, which means it covers the whole job.

What this rests on. Microsoft Excel’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 06 · Refunds

After you pay

Getting your money back, getting out, and getting help

BRefunds
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 Microsoft Excel’s own terms and help pages.

Refunds and cancelling

BGrade

Good · checked Oct 18, 2026

Excel is not sold on its own, so what you get is Microsoft's account-wide subscription policy, and that policy is better than most: 30 days from the purchase, and a stated right to your last renewal charge back if you cancel within 30 days of it. It falls short of an A because Microsoft writes in most cases rather than always, works out your eligibility only once you are already cancelling, and cuts your cloud storage to 5 GB on the way out.

Refund window
30 days
How you cancel
Yourself, in settings
Getting your money back

Microsoft's subscription refund policy says that in most cases a refund is available within 30 days of the initial purchase, or before the first recurring billing date, whichever comes first. It adds that you are entitled to a refund of your most recent recurring charge if you cancel within 30 days of that payment, once per Microsoft account per subscription product. Prorated refunds exist only in listed countries.

Stated on support.microsoft.com
How to cancel Microsoft Excel

A Microsoft 365 subscription bought from Microsoft is ended by signing in to the Microsoft account services page and choosing Cancel subscription, which may be labelled Upgrade or Cancel. The refund policy page says eligibility is worked out automatically during that cancellation. A subscription bought through the App Store, Google Play or a retailer is cancelled with whoever took the payment.

  1. Sign in to the Microsoft account services and subscriptions page with the account that holds the subscription
  2. Find the Microsoft 365 subscription and select Cancel subscription, which may read Upgrade or Cancel
  3. Read the Please review section at the top of the cancellation page
  4. Work through the rest of the page, including the cheaper plans Microsoft offers instead
  5. At the bottom of the page, confirm that you do not want the subscription to continue
Stated on support.microsoft.com
What you keep afterwards

Microsoft says cancelling drops your storage to 5 GB of cloud storage plus 15 GB of Outlook.com storage, and that on a Family or Premium plan everyone sharing it is cut back as well. Over that allowance you cannot upload, edit or sync new files to OneDrive and cannot send or receive Outlook.com email, and after 6 months Microsoft may delete your OneDrive and everything in it.

Stated on support.microsoft.com
Renewals

With recurring billing on, Microsoft bills on the renewal date, monthly or yearly depending on the plan. Turning recurring billing off stops the next charge while the subscription keeps working normally until its expiry date. The page states no reminder before a renewal, and says a subscription paid for with a download code or single-use token cannot have recurring billing turned on at all.

Stated on support.microsoft.com

In your favour

  • Thirty days from the purchase to change your mind, which is as long as anyone in this category gives.
  • A renewal you forgot about is not money lost: Microsoft states a right to that charge back within 30 days.
  • You end it yourself in your Microsoft account, with nobody to write to and no notice period.
  • Switch recurring billing off and Excel keeps working as normal until the expiry date.

Watch out for

  • Microsoft says not every cancellation ends in a refund and only tells you once the cancellation is under way.
  • The refund on a renewal charge is a one-off, per Microsoft account and per subscription product.
  • Cancelling drops you to 5 GB of cloud storage, and files over that may be deleted after six months.
  • Buy it in the App Store, on Google Play or from a retailer and they decide the refund, not Microsoft.

Customer support

BGrade

Good · checked Oct 18, 2026

Pay for Microsoft 365 and a person is reachable: the contact page says live chat with a Microsoft specialist sits behind the self-help suggestions. It is not an A because Microsoft never publishes hours or a reply time for that consumer chat. Stated hours and a phone number are for business admins only, and even they are told to go to their reseller if they bought through one.

Ways to get help

  • Live chat

    The Contact Us page says it shows self-help options first and that more help is available if you need it, including live chat with a Microsoft specialist. It does not say when that chat is open.

    Stated on support.microsoft.com

  • Phone

    For Microsoft 365 for business, Microsoft publishes a per-country support number for admins, with a PIN sent to the details held in the admin centre if you call from an unregistered number. No number is given for consumer plans.

    Stated on learn.microsoft.com

  • Help centre

    The Excel help and learning site carries written articles, videos and training on formulas, charts, PivotTables, importing data and troubleshooting across Windows, Mac, web and mobile, open without signing in.

    Stated on support.microsoft.com

  • Community or forum

    Microsoft Q&A has a public Microsoft 365 and Office tag where users and Microsoft staff post questions and answers, free to read and post in.

    Stated on learn.microsoft.com

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

When people answer

Hours are stated only for business subscriptions: technical support in English 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with local languages varying by country, and billing support in English from 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Friday, in most countries. Nothing on the consumer contact page says when its chat is staffed.

Stated on learn.microsoft.com
How fast it says it replies

Its pages do not say.

What depends on your plan

The business routes are for admins of a Microsoft 365 for business subscription, and the page says admins who bought everything through a partner should go to that partner. It also says an admin choosing a contact method is shown the expected wait time. Anyone on a Personal, Family or Premium plan uses the general Contact Us page.

Stated on learn.microsoft.com

In your favour

  • Microsoft says a specialist, not a bot, is on the other end of the consumer chat.
  • Business admins get a published phone number and technical support in English around the clock.
  • The Excel help site is one of the largest in this category and open to free users too.

Watch out for

  • No hours and no reply time are published for the consumer chat, so the wait is unknowable in advance.
  • You are shown self-help suggestions before the chat is offered.
  • There is no phone number for consumer plans: the published numbers are for business admins.
  • Bought a business plan through a reseller? Microsoft sends you to the reseller for help.

What these two grades rest on. Read on 18 October 2026: Microsoft's subscription refund policy, its articles on cancelling a Microsoft 365 subscription and on recurring billing, the Services Agreement, the Contact Us page, the Microsoft 365 for business support page, the Excel help site and the Microsoft Q&A Office tag. Excel is not sold separately, so these are account-wide rules. Nobody here cancelled a plan or contacted its support. They are graded apart from the five that make the GPA. How we grade refunds and support.

Part 07 · Alternatives

The alternatives

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

Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc, Numbers, Zoho Sheet and WPS Spreadsheet

The 5 tools Microsoft Excel is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

Part 08 · 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 Microsoft Excel free?

Microsoft Excel has a free plan. Excel for the web is free for 1 person, with sharing, real-time collaboration and 5 GB of cloud storage.

How much does Microsoft Excel cost?

Microsoft Excel lists 6 plans. Free: $0.

What platforms does Microsoft Excel work on?

Microsoft Excel is available on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.

Does Microsoft Excel offer any discounts?

Microsoft Excel publicly lists the following: Save up to 17% by paying yearly; Students save 50% on Microsoft 365 Personal; Office 365 A1 free for eligible schools; Nonprofit staff pricing on Microsoft 365 E3; Office Home 2024 one-time purchase.

How is Microsoft Excel rated?

Microsoft Excel's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1,468,663 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 7, 2026.

Is Microsoft Excel any good?

We have not tested Microsoft Excel, so this is what reviewers say. Often praised: Commenters describe it as deeply rooted in business work and hard to replace, and two repeat the saying that everyone uses a small share of its features but never the same one.

Does Microsoft Excel have a Linux app?

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

Is Microsoft Excel open source?

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

Does Microsoft Excel 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 Microsoft Excel integrate with?

Microsoft Excel's listing names OneDrive, SharePoint, Power BI, Microsoft Copilot, SQL Server and Anaconda.

Does Microsoft Excel have a student discount?

Students save 50% on Microsoft 365 Personal. Verified college and university students get Microsoft 365 Personal at half price.

Does Microsoft Excel have a free trial?

Yes. 1-month free trial of the Microsoft 365 home and business plans; business trials need a credit card.

Who makes Microsoft Excel?

Microsoft Excel is made by Microsoft.

What are the alternatives to Microsoft Excel?

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

Does Microsoft Excel give refunds?

Microsoft's subscription refund policy says that in most cases a refund is available within 30 days of the initial purchase, or before the first recurring billing date, whichever comes first.

How do I cancel Microsoft Excel?

A Microsoft 365 subscription bought from Microsoft is ended by signing in to the Microsoft account services page and choosing Cancel subscription, which may be labelled Upgrade or Cancel.

What happens to my data if I cancel Microsoft Excel?

Microsoft says cancelling drops your storage to 5 GB of cloud storage plus 15 GB of Outlook.com storage, and that on a Family or Premium plan everyone sharing it is cut back as well.

How do I contact Microsoft Excel support?

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

How does Microsoft Excel compare with other spreadsheet and database tools?

Microsoft Excel's GPA of 3.4 is higher than 19 of the 21 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, and level with 1.

Is Microsoft Excel good value for money?

ToolGPA grades Microsoft Excel C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 11 of the 20 others that charge start lower.

Could I make my own version of Microsoft Excel?

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

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Microsoft Excel’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 Microsoft's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Its pricing page would not load when we went back to check it. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-08-15.

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 Microsoft. Prices change, so check microsoft.com before you buy.

Part 09 · 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, "Microsoft Excel: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-excel

Know someone choosing between spreadsheet and database tools?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-excel/guide

ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa

See our other guides

The best-graded spreadsheet and database tools after Microsoft Excel, 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 Microsoft Excel’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. Microsoft Excel is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Microsoft. Prices and plans change: check microsoft.com before you buy.