The Microsoft Lists Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Microsoft Lists 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.
Microsoft Lists
The Insider’s Guide
Information-tracking lists app included with Microsoft 365
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among spreadsheet and database tools, read from Microsoft Lists’s own pages.
Made by Microsoft · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Microsoft Lists’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Microsoft Lists’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 3 of the 21 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade
Microsoft Lists is the information-tracking app in Microsoft 365. Teams build a list from a template, an Excel or CSV file, an existing list or a blank start, add columns for different types of data, and look at the same items as a grid, a calendar or a gallery. Lists can be created in the Lists app, in SharePoint or as tabs in Microsoft Teams channels, and the app comes with Microsoft 365 business and enterprise plans rather than being sold on its own.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Microsoft Lists, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The help pages do point you to a work or school account.
- 1
Best for shared trackers for teams already on Microsoft 365
Lists is the tracker that comes with Microsoft 365 business plans: pick a template like Issue tracker or Asset manager, add your columns, and pin it as a tab in a Teams channel.
- 2
Paid plans start at $5.40 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $5.40 per user / month, paid yearly (Microsoft 365 Business Basic, no Teams).
- 3
You can try it first
One-month free trial of the Microsoft 365 business plans; a credit card is required to sign up
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Templates and imports
Ready-made templates such as Issue tracker, Asset manager, Event itinerary and Onboarding checklist. A list can also start from an Excel workbook, a CSV file, an existing list or a blank page.
- 6
Grid, calendar and gallery views
The same items can be shown as a list, a calendar or a gallery, and saved views can sort, group and filter them. A single view can display at most 5,000 items.
- 7
Conditional formatting
View formatting highlights rows that meet a condition, such as a status set to Blocked, and alternating row styles are built in. An advanced mode accepts JSON.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 3 of 21
That is against the other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Microsoft Lists you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Microsoft Lists at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $5.40 per user / month, paid yearly (Microsoft 365 Business Basic, no Teams)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- One-month free trial of the Microsoft 365 business plans; a credit card is required to sign up
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Microsoft
- Category
- Spreadsheets & Databases
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for shared trackers for teams already on Microsoft 365
Lists is the tracker that comes with Microsoft 365 business plans: pick a template like Issue tracker or Asset manager, add your columns, and pin it as a tab in a Teams channel. But you can't buy it by itself, the trial needs a card, the iPhone and Android apps were retired in mid-November 2025, and a view showing more than 5,000 items can hit the list view threshold.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | It comes with Microsoft 365 Business Basic, from $5.40 a user a month paid yearly without Teams, or $7.00 with, which is right at the lowest quarter for this category. SharePoint, business email and 1 TB of storage per user come along. You can't buy Lists alone, mind. |
| Free plan and trial | D | No free plan. There's a one-month free trial of the Microsoft 365 business plans, but you need a credit card to sign up, and that's the lowest rung we give a trial. Lists for personal Microsoft accounts only exists as a preview. |
| Features | C | It does the basics of a shared tracker: templates for issues, assets, events and onboarding, grid, calendar and gallery views, conditional formatting, and rules that email someone when an item changes. The listing names the ceilings: a view shows at most 5,000 items, and date-approaching rules stop at two per list. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: it's already inside the Microsoft 365 account your office has, and you start from a template, an Excel workbook or a CSV rather than a blank page. The help pages do point you to a work or school account. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | A browser, and a tab inside Microsoft Teams, with hooks into SharePoint, Power Automate, Power Apps and Excel. The phone apps are gone, so on mobile it's a browser or Teams, where members can view and edit lists but not create them. |
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 Lists is for
- Fits if your company already pays for Microsoft 365 and needs a shared tracker
- Works for teams that want the tracker as a tab in a Teams channel
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're not on Microsoft 365, as Lists isn't sold on its own
- Not for you if you want a phone app, because the iPhone and Android apps were retired in mid-November 2025
- Tight if one view has to show more than 5,000 items, which can run into the list view threshold
- Watch out: the one-month trial needs a credit card, and Lists for personal accounts is only a preview
- Watch out: on a phone, Teams members can view and edit lists but not create them
Good to know
Good for
- Organizations already paying for Microsoft 365 that need shared trackers
- Teams that want a tracker beside the conversation in a Teams channel
- Tracking issues, assets, events and onboarding from ready-made templates
Worth knowing
- Lists is not sold on its own: it comes with Microsoft 365 business and enterprise plans, which are priced per user.
- The iOS and Android apps were retired in mid-November 2025. On a phone, Lists runs in a mobile browser or inside Teams.
- A list can hold up to 30 million items, but a view that shows more than 5,000 can run into the list view threshold.
- Help pages direct users to a work or school account. Lists for personal Microsoft accounts is offered only as a preview.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$5.40
A month to start, for each person
Microsoft Lists is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $5.40 per user / month, paid yearly (Microsoft 365 Business Basic, no Teams).
Lists for personal Microsoft accounts only exists as a preview.
Microsoft 365 Business Basic
$7.00
per user / month, paid yearly ($8.40 on a monthly subscription)
Lists with SharePoint, Teams, web and mobile Office apps, business email and 1 TB of storage per user. The version without Teams is $5.40.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard
$14.00
per user / month, paid yearly ($16.80 on a monthly subscription)
Everything in Basic plus desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, Loop and Clipchamp. The version without Teams is $10.79.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
$22.00
per user / month, paid yearly ($26.40 on a monthly subscription)
Everything in Standard plus device management, protection against phishing and malware, and sensitive-data controls. $18.79 without Teams.
Business Standard with Copilot
$23.50
per user / month, paid yearly
Business Standard with Microsoft 365 Copilot Business built into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams. $20.30 without Teams.
Business Premium with Copilot
$32.00
per user / month, paid yearly
Business Premium with Microsoft 365 Copilot Business included. The version without Teams is $28.80.
Trying it first
One-month free trial of the Microsoft 365 business plans; a credit card is required to sign up
Read from microsoft.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Lower per-user price when paid yearly
Business Basic is $7.00 per user a month paid yearly against $8.40 on a monthly subscription, Standard $14.00 against $16.80 and Premium $22.00 against $26.40.
Stated on microsoft.comNonprofit
Nonprofit grant and staff pricing
Eligible nonprofits get Microsoft 365 Business Basic as a grant, free for up to 300 users, with Business Standard at $3.50 and Business Premium at $5.50 per user a month, paid yearly.
Stated on microsoft.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Information-tracking lists app included with Microsoft 365. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: real-time collaboration, databases, templates, workflow automation.
A browser, and a tab inside Microsoft Teams, with hooks into SharePoint, Power Automate, Power Apps and Excel.
- Templates and imports
- Ready-made templates such as Issue tracker, Asset manager, Event itinerary and Onboarding checklist. A list can also start from an Excel workbook, a CSV file, an existing list or a blank page.
- Grid, calendar and gallery views
- The same items can be shown as a list, a calendar or a gallery, and saved views can sort, group and filter them. A single view can display at most 5,000 items.
- Conditional formatting
- View formatting highlights rows that meet a condition, such as a status set to Blocked, and alternating row styles are built in. An advanced mode accepts JSON.
- Rules
- A rule pairs a trigger, such as an item being modified or a column value changing, with an action such as emailing someone. Date-approaching rules are limited to two per list.
- Lists in Microsoft Teams
- A list can be added as a tab in a Teams channel, next to the conversation. Lists are created in the desktop or web version of Teams; on mobile, members can view and edit but not create them.
- Power Apps and Power Automate
- Forms can be extended with Power Apps and workflows built with Power Automate, using a list as the data source for a custom app.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Microsoft Teams
- SharePoint
- Power Automate
- Power Apps
- Excel
Microsoft Lists is made by Microsoft.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
3/21
Other spreadsheet and database tools it is graded above
Microsoft Lists's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 3 of the 21 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, and level with 4.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 13 of 21) and worst on free plan and trial (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $5.40 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 5 of the 20 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 2 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. Microsoft Lists’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 12 of 21
- DFree plan and trialAbove 0 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. Microsoft Lists is the marked dot.
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 Lists you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 14 of the 21 other spreadsheet and database tools grade higher. It costs $64.80 a year.
What you could make
- Templates: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- Databases with views, filters and links between them.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
What this rests on. Microsoft Lists’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 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Airtable, Smartsheet, Zoho Tables, Microsoft Access and Microsoft Planner
The 5 tools Microsoft Lists is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Airtable
Free plan · from $20/mo
Relational database platform for building team workflows and apps.
- Airtable has a free plan. Microsoft Lists does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Airtable lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Microsoft Lists also covers templates.
- 3.0GPA
Smartsheet
Free trial · from $9/mo
Spreadsheet-style project and work management for teams.
- Only Smartsheet lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Microsoft Lists also covers databases and templates.
- Smartsheet also covers tasks, calendar, kanban boards and Gantt & timelines.
- 2.8GPA
Zoho Tables
Free plan · from $4/mo
Spreadsheet-style relational database with automations.
- Zoho Tables has a free plan. Microsoft Lists does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Zoho Tables lists iOS, Android and macOS apps.
- Microsoft Lists also covers templates.
- 2.0GPA
Microsoft Access
Free trial · from $9.99/mo
Windows desktop database app sold with Microsoft 365.
- Only Microsoft Lists lists a web app.
- Only Microsoft Access lists a Windows app.
- Microsoft Access can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
Microsoft Planner
Free trial · from $5.40/mo
Task and project planning app built into Microsoft 365.
- Only Microsoft Planner lists iOS and Android apps.
- Microsoft Lists also covers databases and workflow automation.
- Microsoft Planner also covers tasks, kanban boards and Gantt & timelines.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
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 Lists free?
No, Microsoft Lists is a paid product, but you can try it first. One-month free trial of the Microsoft 365 business plans; a credit card is required to sign up.
How much does Microsoft Lists cost?
Microsoft Lists lists 5 plans. Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $7.00 per user / month, paid yearly ($8.40 on a monthly subscription).
What platforms does Microsoft Lists work on?
Microsoft Lists is available on Web.
Does Microsoft Lists offer any discounts?
Microsoft Lists publicly lists the following: Lower per-user price when paid yearly; Nonprofit grant and staff pricing.
Does Microsoft Lists have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Microsoft Lists is listed for Web.
Does Microsoft Lists have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Microsoft Lists is listed for Web.
Is Microsoft Lists open source?
Microsoft Lists is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
What does Microsoft Lists integrate with?
Microsoft Lists's listing names Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Power Automate, Power Apps and Excel.
Who makes Microsoft Lists?
Microsoft Lists is made by Microsoft.
What are the alternatives to Microsoft Lists?
The closest alternatives to Microsoft Lists in our directory are Airtable, Smartsheet, Zoho Tables, Microsoft Access and Microsoft Planner.
How does Microsoft Lists compare with other spreadsheet and database tools?
Microsoft Lists's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 3 of the 21 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, and level with 4.
Is Microsoft Lists good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Microsoft Lists B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $5.40 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 5 of the 20 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Microsoft Lists?
To replace Microsoft Lists you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Microsoft Lists’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Microsoft's own pages on 6 October 2026. Its pricing page would not load when we went back to check it. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-02-11.
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.
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-lists
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/microsoft-365-plans-and-pricing
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/microsoft-365-business-basic
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/microsoft-365-business-standard
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/microsoft-365-business-premium
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/nonprofit-plans-and-pricing
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/lists/microsoft-lists-mobile-apps-retirement
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/lists/data-and-lists/what-is-a-list-in-microsoft-365
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/lists/create-a-list-from-the-lists-app
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/teams/platform/get-started-with-lists-in-teams
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/lists/data-and-lists/list-templates-in-microsoft-365
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/lists/documents-and-library/create-a-rule-to-automate-a-list-or-library
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/lists/data-and-lists/formatting-list-views
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/lists/data-and-lists/create-change-or-delete-a-view-of-a-list-or-library
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/lists/data-and-lists/list-view-threshold-for-large-lists-and-libraries
Part 07 · 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
- Microsoft Lists, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-lists
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
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 Lists: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-lists
Know someone choosing between spreadsheet and database tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-lists/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded spreadsheet and database tools after Microsoft Lists, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Spreadsheets & Databases Insider's GuideEvery one of the 22 spreadsheet and database tools we grade, compared
- Zoho Sheet Insider's GuideCollaborative online spreadsheet with a free version3.6 GPA
- Google Sheets Insider's GuideBrowser-based spreadsheet, free with a Google Account3.4 GPA
- Microsoft Excel Insider's GuideSpreadsheet app sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser3.4 GPA
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 Lists’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 Lists 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.