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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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The verdict on

Numbers

55
User verdict / 100 High confidence Divided

Numbers by Apple is praised for its ease of use, aesthetic design, and integration within the Apple ecosystem, but recent updates have introduced significant frustration due to new subscription requirements for advanced features, persistent bugs, and a perceived decline in user-friendliness, especially for those accustomed to Excel.

4.6★ lifetime (212,164) Free to download since 2010 by Apple Inc. updated 0.3 mo ago recent negative 49% 100 reviews across 2 regions
Subscription/Paywall Usability/Intuition Bugs & Performance Excel Comparison Update Impact
5★31
4★10
3★10
2★11
1★38
recent reviews across 2 regions, vs the 4.6★ lifetime average

Numbers by Apple is a free spreadsheet application, generally appreciated for its intuitive interface and visual appeal, offering a viable alternative to Excel for many users. However, recent updates have led to user dissatisfaction with new paywalls for features, various bugs, and a less intuitive experience for some long-time users.

What users like

  • Easy to use and intuitive for many Apple usersR16R23R33R57
  • Visually pleasing and elegant designR14R42
  • Effective for personal record-keeping, budgeting, and project trackingR2R5R10R24
  • Free and avoids subscription costs for basic functionalityR17R33R78R96
  • Good for creating bespoke spreadsheets and offers unique features like multiple tables on a canvasR16R23R64

What users complain about

  • New subscription requirements for advanced features are widely dislikedR1R36R51R52
  • Frequent bugs and stability issues, including crashes and data lossR27R30R45R60
  • Less intuitive and harder to use compared to Excel for many usersR15R18R29R35
  • Compatibility issues with Excel, requiring conversions and lacking featuresR22R29R41R63
  • Problems with printing and text input after updatesR4R44
  • Interface changes and new features are perceived as making the app more complicated or less accessibleR8R32R49R54

Latest update · v15.3

What the developer says changed (the verdict above weighs this against what reviewers report):

For Apple Creator Studio Subscribers: • Open an image from Numbers directly in Pixelmator Pro on iPad and see the edited version in your spreadsheet • Generate custom, editable shapes from a text description to illustrate your spreadsheet For Everyone: • Hide or show individual sheets for quick navigation • Add colors to sheet tabs • More easily replace images in your spreadsheet from the Content Hub

Recurring themes

Subscription/Paywall negative
Many users are highly critical of Apple introducing subscription requirements for features, especially for an app that was previously free and included with hardware. They feel it goes against Apple's ethos and is a 'cash grab' for unnecessary AI features. This is a major point of contention in recent reviews, with many stating they will not subscribe.R1R36R51R52
Usability/Intuition mixed
While some users find Numbers easy to use and intuitive, especially those new to spreadsheets or within the Apple ecosystem, many others, particularly those migrating from Excel, find it less intuitive, difficult to navigate, and struggle to find functions. Recent updates are also cited as making the app more complicated.R15R16R18R23
Bugs & Performance negative
A significant number of recent reviews report various bugs, including app crashes, data loss, freezing tables, issues with text input, printing problems, and slow performance after updates. This directly contradicts the expectation of a stable Apple product and the general purpose of a productivity app.R4R21R27R30
Excel Comparison mixed
Numbers is frequently compared to Microsoft Excel. Some users find it a superior or equally good alternative, especially for personal use and its free nature. However, many others find it lacking in features, less powerful for serious business, or difficult to transition to due to different logic and interface, leading to compatibility issues.R15R17R19R22
Update Impact negative
Recent updates are a recurring source of frustration. Users report losing work, encountering new bugs, slower performance, and disliking changes to the interface and the introduction of AI features. The developer notes mention new features like hiding sheets and adding tab colors, but these are overshadowed by negative feedback on overall update experience.R4R8R38R49

Who it's for

Numbers is for Apple users who need a free, visually appealing, and relatively simple spreadsheet tool for personal organization, budgeting, or basic project tracking R2R5R10R24. It is particularly well-suited for those who prefer the Apple ecosystem and find Excel overly complex R16R23R96. It is not for users who require advanced Excel functionalities, macros, or seamless cross-platform compatibility with Microsoft Office R15R22R29. It is also not for users who are unwilling to pay for new subscription-based features or who are experiencing frequent bugs and performance issues with recent updates R51R60.

Evidence note: The recent reviews skew heavily negative, with a significant portion focusing on new subscription models and bugs. While the lifetime rating is high, the recent sentiment indicates a downward trajectory in user satisfaction, particularly concerning recent updates and changes to the app's monetization strategy.

Frequently asked

Is Numbers still free to use?
Numbers is free to download and use for basic functionalities, but recent updates have introduced a paywall for certain advanced features, particularly those related to Apple Creator Studio and AI, which many users are unhappy about R33R51R70R92.
How does Numbers compare to Excel?
Numbers is often considered easier to use and more visually appealing for basic tasks than Excel, especially within the Apple ecosystem, but it is generally seen as less powerful and lacking features for serious business or scientific applications, with compatibility issues when converting files R15R29R41R64.
Are there many bugs or performance issues with Numbers?
Recent reviews indicate that Numbers has several bugs, including frequent crashes, data loss, freezing tables, and issues with text input and printing, with some users reporting slower performance after updates R4R27R30R45.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 100 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R16] 5/5 · GB Easy to use; great results: I find using Numbers to be much easier than alternative options. Having each sheet just be a plain canvas onto which you can put Tables, Charts, Text or Pictures feels easy to work with and the output often ends up being easier to read.
  2. [R23] 5/5 · GB Easy to use: Numbers is an underrated productivity tool. It's intuitive, flexible and perfect for creating bespoke spreadsheets tailored to the way I work. I use it daily to manage projects in my architectural practice and find it far easier to use than many alternatives.
  3. [R33] 5/5 · GB First try of using numbers: Well it’s easy to use as it’s like Microsoft excel but it’s free. Most importantly of all, subscription is not needed to use which a bonus! you can come and go as you please with an eye for detail or a quick spreadsheet on the go it’s takes a long while to get it ready as well as it’s not specifically complicated. The Only issue I find is when I’m trying to merge a
  4. [R57] 5/5 · CA It gets the job done: It’s very intimidating at first especially if you are used to using a different software, but as soon as you learn how to navigate around it, it’s very user friendly. It took me less than 5 minutes to get acquainted and comfortable with this software. If you have an iphone, it’s as easy to navigate and as straightforward as an iphone.
  5. [R14] 5/5 · GB Elegant and functional: It’s visually pleasing to work in Numbers, as a design person, I appreciate the aesthetics, as well the functionality.
  6. [R42] 5/5 · GB VERY CLEAR AND MODERN: I LIKE THIS PRODUCT
  7. [R2] 5/5 · GB Great App: I use this in sync with my own bank and it works perfectly. Thank you
  8. [R5] 4/5 · GB Idris: Great for,keeping up with my Quran schedule and stuff
  9. [R10] 5/5 · GB Record keeping: Great for keeping track of weights for my little flock
  10. [R24] 5/5 · GB Keeps everything on track: I use this app for so many projects and it’s absolutely brilliant for keeping all my projects on track. Mathematically it saves me so much time.
  11. [R17] 4/5 · GB not excel: Its not Excel but works great for keeping track of stuff and no subscvription
  12. [R78] 4/5 · CA My go to spreadsheet: I have been using spreadsheets for about 40 years - first ones were on paper. My spreadsheet use currently is plain vanilla (not complicated). I like that this app is integrated well with many of the other Apple apps, and of course it is easy to use. I also very much appreciate that it is included with the OS so that it does not become another app I have to update or pay a
  13. [R96] 5/5 · CA Number One in my heart: Why try to use Excel when you get Numbers for free on Mac? It’s much more intuitive and designed specifically for the Apple ecosystem. If you’re a fan of the brand, you’ll finally enjoy 'playing with numbers'... ;)
  14. [R64] 4/5 · CA Great spreadsheet: While NOT a full equivalent to Excel for serious business or science uses, Numbers is a solid performer with some very useful features. The ability to have more than one sheet on a page is excellent. It features more than enough formulas for personal and most business applications. It is fast and clean to use. It would be nice if it could copy formulas in multiple columns or row
  15. [R1] 1/5 · GB Adverts: Not as bad as it was but non removable advertising still. Why? Just makes the whole thing look cheap. Apple is meant to be premium.
  16. [R36] 1/5 · GB This is a dark time for apple and the future: Sad times ahead for apple and the future apple eco system as they enter a paywall access to software. Dark times ahead and very much against the apple ethos, and it’s all about profit.
  17. [R51] 1/5 · CA Subscription!?: I only use the app maybe a handful of time a year, such as to do my taxes today. I just found out it is behind a pay wall now. I am a creative director, I don’t need excel and word in my daily work, so paying a premium to buy Apple Hardware made sense since there are apps, such as this one, that it is included and doesn’t need a subscription. What were they thinking? I don’t need A
  18. [R52] 1/5 · CA A subscription for Numbers??: Just don’t bother. Use google spreadsheet or pay for Office365 (which is much cheaper, offers more functionalities and compatibility). I honestly can’t understand this motive, is Apple trying to kill its own apps by pushing away customers?
  19. [R27] 3/5 · GB USE EVERYDAY: I use this app everyday for work and while it is useful it is a pain to use at times and is very buggy (when trying to add a name to a document you have to touch the screen lower than where you should otherwise it just opens the document). There are several other bugs which i wouldn’t mind usually but as i use it all the time I do get frustrated on a daily basis. Not up to the usual
  20. [R30] 2/5 · GB Mostly good: There is just one annoying intermittent problem with saving. If I try to export to CSV or save the sheet, it just loads indefinitely. Even force closing Numbers doesn’t help, the only solution is to restart the Mac
  21. [R45] 1/5 · GB Buggy: Consistently crashes when trying graph just 500kb of data, and doesn’t save the results when it crashes.
  22. [R60] 2/5 · CA App keeps crashing: The app itself is great, when it works. It keeps crashing on my iPhone 17 Pro Max. When it crashes, I lose data that I have inputted into my spreadsheets which is incredibly annoying.
  23. [R15] 3/5 · GB Non Intuitive for an Excel guy: I used Excel for years and when I found myself in the Apple ecosystem I found Numbers much less intuitive. It does the job - eventually, but I miss the easy production of macros in particular. It’s certainly pretty, if that’s your main aim.
  24. [R18] 1/5 · GB Too different from Excel: Nothing is intuitive, unlike other mac products
  25. [R29] 3/5 · GB Not as good as Excel: Not as good as Excel
  26. [R35] 1/5 · GB Awful: Not straight forward software
  27. [R22] 1/5 · GB Not as good as excel: Lots of features missing
  28. [R41] 1/5 · GB Numbers 1, Excel 10: Very poor and clunky copy of Excel. The default format is useless to me and not easy to replicate a normal spreadsheet format. I avoid this load of junk like the plague
  29. [R63] 5/5 · CA Numbers: It would be nice if converting files to excel was simplified so that sending someone files from Mac to PC was easier
  30. [R4] 1/5 · GB Won’t print. My spreadsheet will not print. Is it the printer: Since installing the latest version text input into a cell will not work. The other entry methods, numbers, dates and functions are ok but cannot type in any text. Please fix soon!!! This has been a much used app and I have been delighted with it prior to this latest update. Just installed iOS 7.0.4 and Numbers is working again!!!!
  31. [R44] 1/5 · GB Disappointed: I have a brother JC572 printer, I cannot print numbers from it, neither can I send numbers from my email, just won’t allow me to do it. Additionally I make a careful note of my passwords as I have to change them frequently because once I put a new password in when I use it next time it won’t allow me in. I have had these issues for a couple of years and despite help from friends who
  32. [R8] 3/5 · GB New numbers: Since using the New Numbers I can’t use the useful top function bar on my Mac book. No options are available. It is blank. I have tried looking up a fix but nothing available. Just wonder if it just me. I went back to using the old Numbers app and it works on that application.
  33. [R32] 2/5 · GB Magic fill: It is a great annoyance that it keeps jumping up at every cell. Filling tables takes twice as long now
  34. [R49] 1/5 · GB Bring back the old version!: I may be old school but this new version I still can’t get used to it.
  35. [R54] 1/5 · CA Every update is a step backwards: Another update that adds nothing useful and makes the app more complicated to use!
  36. [R21] 2/5 · GB Difficulties with tables freezing: I have difficulty in correcting data, the Backspace button does not eliminate the cell amount to enable the correct one to replace it
  37. [R19] 4/5 · GB Evolving: Trying to get rid of Excel and move to numbers. Wish me luck. Learning day by day….
  38. [R38] 1/5 · GB .: Told me I had to update to continue to use numbers, lost all my work in update, wish I never purchased a Mac or used their apps!
  39. [R70] 1/5 · CA No Way: Subscription? And you don’t even post the price beforehand. Really?
  40. [R92] 1/5 · CA SAME ON YOU (PURE GREED): Long ago I payed for all these apps now you want to charge a Sub to use them like adding planed absence to all my apple products is nt bad enough… now you want to suck every drop of life out of your customers… Seriously like all the trillionaire aren’t rich enough Line MUST GO UP ^ sadness… I have lost hope … I think the Human race is doomed to fail .. so nature can take

Synthesized from 100 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store