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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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Is it worth paying for

Numbers

40
Value score / 100 Worth paying? No Skip it

Numbers by Apple is generally considered a user-friendly and powerful spreadsheet application, especially for personal use and within the Apple ecosystem, but recent updates introducing subscription models and AI features have led to significant user dissatisfaction and complaints about forced paywalls and reduced functionality.

Free to download seen up to $129.00 4.6★ lifetime (212,168) since 2010

Numbers is praised for its ease of use and integration within the Apple ecosystem, making it suitable for personal and most business applications R14R46. However, recent updates have introduced subscription models and AI features, which many long-time users perceive as a cash grab and a degradation of the previously free and reliable app R1R2R3R6.

Free vs paid

Historically, Numbers was included free with Apple hardware, providing a fully functional spreadsheet application R1R28R46. However, recent updates have introduced a paywall or subscription for certain features, including AI capabilities and templates, which many users find unnecessary and intrusive R1R2R3R15. The core spreadsheet functionality may still be available for free, but users report being nagged to upgrade and encountering features behind a paywall .

Value complaints

  • Many users are upset about the introduction of a subscription model or paywall for an app that was previously free and included with Apple hardware, viewing it as a "cash grab" or "extortion".R1R2R3R6
  • Users complain about new AI features and "Creator Studio" being pushed, which they find useless, intrusive, and often behind a paywall, cluttering the interface and making the app more complicated.R1R3R5R15
  • Some users state they would rather pay for Microsoft 365 or use Google Sheets if they have to pay for a spreadsheet application, citing better functionality and compatibility.R2R18R40
  • The pricing for the subscription is not always clear or posted beforehand, leading to frustration.R20

Where it delivers

  • Numbers is praised for being user-friendly, easy to navigate, and straightforward, especially for those familiar with Apple devices.R7R25R26R28
  • It is considered a powerful and fully featured spreadsheet application that gets the job done for personal and most business needs, offering more functionality than some competitors.R7R11R14R19
  • Users appreciate its integration with other Apple apps and the ability to have more than one sheet on a page.R14R28R53
  • Some users find it superior to Excel, describing it as smoother, more intuitive, and less obfuscated by menus.R11R46R49R55
Worth paying if

Based on the reviews, it is not worth paying for Numbers, as the paid features (primarily AI and templates) are widely considered useless and an unnecessary addition to a previously free and functional app R1R3R15R16.

Skip / stay free if

You are a long-time Apple user who expects Numbers to be a free, no-nonsense spreadsheet tool included with your hardware R1R6R16R28. You do not want or need AI features in your spreadsheet application R1R3R15R16. You are looking for a powerful spreadsheet comparable to Excel for serious business or scientific uses, as Numbers is still considered less robust in some areas R14R23R92. You are experiencing crashes, data loss, or performance issues with recent updates R10R12.

Evidence note: The reviews show a strong negative sentiment regarding recent updates and the introduction of subscriptions/paywalls, heavily skewing recent feedback. While many positive reviews praise the app's core functionality and ease of use, these often predate or ignore the monetization changes. There is no specific information on what features are exactly behind which price points, only general complaints about paywalls and AI features.

Frequently asked

Is Apple Numbers free to use?
Historically, Numbers was free and included with Apple hardware, but recent updates have introduced paywalls and subscriptions for certain features like AI and templates, leading to significant user dissatisfaction R1R2R16R20.
Does Numbers offer as much functionality as Microsoft Excel?
Numbers is considered a solid performer with many useful features and more than enough formulas for personal and most business applications, but it is generally not seen as a full equivalent to Excel for serious business or science uses R14R23R92.
Are there issues with recent updates to Numbers?
Yes, recent updates have been criticized for adding nothing useful, making the app more complicated, causing crashes, data loss, and performance issues, and introducing unwanted AI features and subscription prompts R4R5R10R12.

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. [R1] 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
  2. [R2] 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?
  3. [R3] 1/5 · CA Apple Creator Studio ruined these apps: 🤮🤮🤮 Pass on the subscription for on-device features.
  4. [R6] 1/5 · CA You are not Microsoft…: We buy you hardware to use this software, and now there is no difference between Apple and Microsoft. So maybe, after 15 years with Apple, it’s time to reconsider our relationship.
  5. [R5] 1/5 · CA Allow menu item customization like macOS: Recent update shoehorns in image generation, causing the sort/organize functionality to be a tap and scroll away. It used to be in the top menu, immediately accessible Provide options to allow menu item customization rather than forcing everybody to have the image generation button in the top menu
  6. [R15] 1/5 · CA they even disabled collaboration in 14.5: ver15 is such a lack of taste, Microsoft-type of product. starts with the icon, and then the pop ups, the purple useless ai nonsense.
  7. [R18] 1/5 · CA We are the minority: So many more are using Excel. I receive spreadsheets in Excel and have to convert to sent to most people. So, why should I start paying for inconvenience
  8. [R40] 1/5 · CA If I am going to pay “extra” I am going to buy MS 365: I am not paying Apple for (what I consider) second class office software. If I am going to pay, it isn’t going to be for Apple Numbers. Sorry Apple, you have lost the plot.
  9. [R20] 1/5 · CA No Way: Subscription? And you don’t even post the price beforehand. Really?
  10. [R7] 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.
  11. [R25] 5/5 · CA Numbers: It’s super easy tp use, I love it
  12. [R26] 5/5 · CA good: eSy
  13. [R28] 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
  14. [R11] 5/5 · CA Simple and powerful: Just love Numbers… it’s way more functional than it’s main competitor and fully featured.
  15. [R14] 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
  16. [R19] 5/5 · CA Excellent spreadsheet!: Amazing spreadsheet to use!
  17. [R53] 5/5 · AU Awesome for CSV & Calc: Numbers is the go to for Excel level forms in Mac, perfect for my spreadsheets, great for CSV conversions and super easy to setup and then paste into Pages docs when desired.
  18. [R46] 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'... ;)
  19. [R49] 5/5 · CA Very good: Stop paying Microsoft for excel! Number is just as good
  20. [R55] 5/5 · AU Easy To Use: Easy to use and most importantly it works without bugs, not unlike Excel!!!
  21. [R16] 1/5 · CA This was free and never great. Just adequate: Don’t want stupid AI or subscription or upgrade ads
  22. [R23] 4/5 · CA Well.: Still not comparable with Excel though
  23. [R92] 4/5 · AU Don’t limit any more: Numbers lacks a lot of features of Excel. If it was more powerful, I would use it more. However, it is good and I use it, but only sometimes.
  24. [R4] 1/5 · CA Every update is a step backwards: Another update that adds nothing useful and makes the app more complicated to use!
  25. [R10] 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.
  26. [R12] 2/5 · CA Avoid updating: I made the fatal mistake of updating and now numbers is slow as anything. Flipping between screens is painful and the program has even crashed a couple times. For a spreadsheet program, sad.

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