Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Microsoft Word vs Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word 4.7★ · Free to download 65
Winner Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel 4.8★ · Free to download 70

Microsoft Excel has a slight edge over Microsoft Word due to its slightly better reliability and fewer critical bugs reported by users, especially on mobile devices.

Full reviews: Microsoft Word · Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word and Excel are both essential productivity tools, but their mobile app experiences are often criticized for limited functionality and bugs compared to desktop versions. Excel generally performs slightly better with fewer critical issues like data loss, while Word struggles with persistent keyboard and saving problems on mobile.

Head to head

Features and Functionality (Mobile) tieR6R12R18R21
Microsoft Word Microsoft Word's mobile app is seen as having solid potential but falls short of desktop versions and Apple's native alternatives, lacking features like SmartArt and full customization options R6R18R58. Users also report issues with basic functions like printing and saving documents R12R21.
Microsoft Excel Microsoft Excel's mobile app is also criticized for missing many simple features found in the desktop version, such as VBA macros, keyboard shortcuts, and the ability to select multiple cells with control R66R72. Some users wish for full desktop functionality on iPad .
Ease of Use (Mobile) tieR3R19R24R43
Microsoft Word Word's mobile app is described as difficult and unfriendly, especially for users with accessibility needs R24. Specific complaints include a terrible scroll feature that jumps around in long documents R19, issues with autofill, and highlighting R3. The layout and formatting on iPad are also considered terrible R43.
Microsoft Excel Excel's mobile app is often described as not user-friendly, with clunky and non-intuitive button placements . Users find copying and pasting difficult to locate, and adjusting cell boundaries challenging . The preformatted pages are also an eye-strain for some .
Reliability and Bugs (Mobile) edge: Microsoft ExcelR1R3R9R15
Microsoft Word Word users frequently report critical bugs such as the keyboard disappearing, requiring reinstallation R1R9. The app also crashes, leading to data loss, with users claiming it doesn't save even after manual attempts R15R21. Syncing issues and being locked out of apps are also common complaints .
Microsoft Excel Excel users also experience bugs, including freezing , cell editing issues where the spacebar doesn't work correctly , and problems with toolbars disappearing R72. Some users report data loss and crashes on iPadOS . However, critical issues like permanent file corruption or widespread data loss seem less prevalent than in Word.
Sign-in and Account Management tieR4R7R37R40
Microsoft Word Many Word users are frustrated by constant sign-in requirements and authentication issues R4R7R40. Some also report being forced into new subscriptions or locked out of their apps despite existing payments R37R55.
Microsoft Excel Excel users also complain about having to sign in repeatedly R79. Linking to Microsoft accounts can be difficult, and some users express frustration with the number of steps required just to log in .
AI Integration (Copilot) edge: Microsoft ExcelR46R48R49R95
Microsoft Word Word users express significant irritation with the intrusion of 'Copilot,' reporting that it slows everything down, makes documents incompatible, and imposes unwanted formatting R48R49. Some also dislike pop-ups pushing them to use Copilot R46.
Microsoft Excel Excel users have mixed feelings about Copilot. One user praises it as a 'game changer' for cutting down research time on complex functionalities . However, another user reports not being able to use Copilot anymore R95.
Pick Microsoft Word if

You primarily need a word processor for basic text editing and document creation on a desktop, where its core functionality is more stable and comprehensive . You prefer it over Google's version for writing .

Pick Microsoft Excel if

You need a powerful spreadsheet tool for data organization, analysis, and budgeting . You are comfortable with its desktop version and need mobile access for monitoring data, despite some limitations . You might also benefit from Copilot's assistance with complex functions .

Evidence note: Both apps are free to download but require a Microsoft 365 subscription for full editing features, which influences some negative reviews related to payment and access. The recent reviews for both apps show a negative skew, largely due to mobile app performance issues, sign-in frustrations, and the introduction of AI features.

Frequently asked

Are Microsoft Word and Excel free to use on mobile?
Microsoft Word and Excel are free to download, but many users report that full editing capabilities and premium features require a Microsoft 365 subscription R72R119. Some users express frustration over being locked out or forced to pay again despite existing subscriptions R37R55.
How do Word and Excel mobile apps compare to their desktop versions?
Both Word and Excel mobile apps are widely reported to have significantly limited functionality compared to their desktop counterparts, lacking features like SmartArt, VBA macros, and full customization options R6R18R58R66. Users often find the mobile experience clunky and less efficient R66.
Do Microsoft Word and Excel mobile apps have issues with signing in?
Yes, both Microsoft Word and Excel mobile apps frequently frustrate users with persistent sign-in issues, requiring repeated authentication or making it difficult to link to existing Microsoft accounts R4R7R40R79.
Are there common bugs in Microsoft Word's mobile app?
Yes, common bugs in Microsoft Word's mobile app include the keyboard disappearing, requiring reinstallation R1R9, frequent crashes and data loss R15, issues with saving documents R21, and a problematic scroll feature that jumps around R19.
How is the AI Copilot feature received in these apps?
In Microsoft Word, the AI Copilot feature is largely criticized for being intrusive, slowing down the app, making documents incompatible, and imposing unwanted formatting R46R48R49. In Microsoft Excel, Copilot receives mixed reviews, with one user praising it as a 'game changer' for research, while another reports not being able to use it R95.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 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. [R6] Microsoft Word 3/5 · US MS iPad apps need full attention: Microsoft Office Apps on iPad: Solid Potential, But Falls Short of Apple’s Native Alternatives (3/5 stars) I’ve been using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on my iPad for work and personal projects, hoping for a seamless experience that matches the desktop versions. While the apps have improved over the years and offer good cross-platform compatibility with O
  2. [R12] Microsoft Word 3/5 · US Can’t print: Can’t or save into a word doc
  3. [R18] Microsoft Word 3/5 · US SmartArt: The option to have SmartArt and other desktop features available on Windows and Mac for iPad would be ideal.
  4. [R21] Microsoft Word 3/5 · US College student: I am a college student who uses word for every assignment. I have found that after writing 43 different PDF documents word had started not saving my documents even after manually saving. Other than that I have had a good user experience while using this app.
  5. [R3] Microsoft Word 3/5 · US Bugs: Overall pretty solid, works pretty good on my laptop but the iPad version is very buggy for some reason . Sometimes when i try to autofill it will fill with the most random word. Also when i try to highlight a word it will bug out and keep deselecting it.
  6. [R19] Microsoft Word 2/5 · US The scroll feature is terrible.: I love word so much. But using it on a phone or an iPad absolutely sucks. The scroll feature is absolutely awful, especially when you have documents that are extremely long. It jumps all over the places, takes you back to the beginning of the page. You can be 400 pages in and it’ll scroll up to the top. And it takes minutes to scroll all the way back down. Please f
  7. [R24] Microsoft Word 3/5 · US Unfriendly with voiceover: I find using this app on my iPhone as a iOS user very difficult and unfriendly right now I am looking for settings to have it read aloud to me with the read aloud feature, and cannot easily find them. You do not make it easy for a blind person who is using their hands, gestures, swiping, etc. to use this app. Changes should be made.
  8. [R43] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Terrible on the iPad: Formatting, layouts, and trying to make an official document on the iPad is a terrible experience.
  9. [R1] Microsoft Word 2/5 · US Buggy: On iPhone 14, the keyboard keeps disappearing and I have to reinstall every time to get it back. Annoying.
  10. [R9] Microsoft Word 3/5 · US What’s up with the keyboard: I have to reinstall the app anytime I want to be able to edit on my phone. The keyboard refuses to come up every time I open it after.
  11. [R15] Microsoft Word 3/5 · US Bug: I keep getting kicked out the app
  12. [R4] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Sign in not working: 365 sign in not working
  13. [R7] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Why do i have to sign in every time: Your product sucks - a 40 year user
  14. [R37] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Basic to Personal: Why do I have 365 Basic? I’m locked out of my apps and being forced to pay again to move to 365 Personal? Is this a joke? How many subscriptions do I need to use your products???
  15. [R40] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Might be OK if I could ever sign in: Every time I try to use Microsoft products there is about a 50% chance I get stuck in authentication hell.
  16. [R46] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Not user friendly: I am tired of the pop-ups pushing me to use Co-pilot. And, docs that are sent in Word are not Easley transferred to iBooks, which I prefer so that I can highlight a document and save the highlights. If that is possible in Word, it is not obvious
  17. [R48] Microsoft Word 3/5 · GB Irritating Word: The intrusion of "copilot" and with correction bubbles popping up (even after disabling them under review) is irritating. It sometimes imposes unwanted formatting on the page - this is due to developers trying to make themselves seem crucial (so they keep their jobs). Word is meant to be a word-processing system for writing documents, not a tryout for youngsters trying to avoid re
  18. [R49] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Stop with the AI copilot !!!: Please ! Your copilot is a mess! Slows everything down and makes every document non compatable !!
  19. [R95] Microsoft Excel 4/5 · US Copilot: I can’t use copilot anymore….?
  20. [R55] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US Sucks: Why I am being asked to buy 365 when I already subscribe
  21. [R72] Microsoft Excel 3/5 · US Typical Microsoft: Does not support vba macros Does not support editing without paying Wow i can see my data but….. Sometimes the bottom and top toolbars disappears when you scroll down and you have to hit fx to get it back or scroll up. This is not always convenient. This is cumbersome and can lead to errors
  22. [R119] Microsoft Excel 1/5 · US Knock off the subscriptions: i purchased lifetime access and now am told I need a recurring subscription just to look at products that I created years ago. Get over the subscription threats, OpenOffice does the same thing. For free.
  23. [R58] Microsoft Word 1/5 · US I can’t use word document: If I’m using the Magic Keyboard why can’t I have all the word features and customized ribbons.. like the developer tab.. I feel bummed.. I use the word document so much.. why can’t I use it all word features if I have key board? Why can’t u have a unified interface for Mac and IPad..
  24. [R66] Microsoft Excel 3/5 · US Almost the Excel I know for my PC: Microsoft deliberately makes using this software on an iPad more difficult and less efficient. Some basic, non complicated features, like holding control to select multiple cells, are not available. Lots of things like that which are just strange not to allow and really destroy efficiency. Overall I can still get the job done, it just feels intentionally limit
  25. [R79] Microsoft Excel 1/5 · US SIGN IN FOR OUTLOOK SUCKS: SIGNING IN EACH TIME I NEED TO USE A SPREADSHEET IS INSANE

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store