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

Google Sheets vs Microsoft Excel

Google Sheets 4.8★ · Free + IAP 75
Winner Google Sheets
Microsoft Excel 4.8★ · Free to download 60

Google Sheets is generally preferred for its free synchronous utility and accessibility across devices, while Microsoft Excel is favored by long-time users for its powerful desktop features, despite mobile app limitations.

Full reviews: Google Sheets · Microsoft Excel

Google Sheets offers strong collaborative features and accessibility for free, making it a good choice for many users, though its mobile app can be limited compared to the web version. Microsoft Excel, while powerful on desktop, struggles with mobile app functionality and frequent login issues, despite its loyal user base.

Head to head

Features and Functionality tieR4R8R15R16
Google Sheets Google Sheets is praised for its free synchronous utility and ability to handle large volumes of data, making it useful for small businesses and community projects R8. However, users frequently note that the mobile app lacks significant features found in the web browser version, such as advanced right-click options, multitasking on iPad, and the ability to create forms R22R16R15R30. Some users also report issues with basic functions like checkboxes and viewing sum rows R4.
Microsoft Excel Microsoft Excel is recognized as a powerful program with extensive features on its desktop version, which users depend on daily for various tasks like budgeting, shopping lists, and data analysis . However, the mobile app is consistently criticized for missing many simple and basic features available on the desktop, such as VBA macros, keyboard shortcuts, and full control over cell selection R69. Copilot functionality is mentioned as a game-changer for some users , but others report issues with it .
Ease of Use and User Interface tieR1R2R7R10
Google Sheets Users find Google Sheets useful and convenient for mobile editing, especially for accessing spreadsheets on the go R2R41. However, many complain about the mobile app's UI, stating it's not good, hard to navigate, and unoptimized for iOS devices R10R19. Specific issues include difficulty finding sheets, problems with external keyboard data entry on iPad, and a lack of right-to-left page formatting for Arabic users R7R1. Some also find it different and harder to learn if they are used to Excel .
Microsoft Excel Microsoft Excel is described as easy to use and powerful for managing data by some users . However, many find the mobile app difficult to use, not user-friendly, and clunky with non-intuitive button placements . Issues include preformatted pages being eye-strains, difficulty with copying and pasting, and toolbars disappearing R69. Users also report problems with cell editing, such as the spacebar not working correctly and inability to move character by character .
Reliability and Performance tieR19R24R36R40
Google Sheets Google Sheets users report frequent crashing, especially with large datasets or conditional formatting, making the app unusable for some R24R36R40R54. There are also complaints about data disappearing and the app not staying open in the background, leading to constant reloading R19R51. Some users also experience issues with the app redirecting from the web version and then being unable to use the web version R46.
Microsoft Excel Microsoft Excel also faces significant reliability issues, with users reporting frequent app crashes, freezing, and data loss, particularly on iPadOS R88. Some users experience files refusing to load or becoming permanently broken after zooming . There are also complaints about syncing issues with the desktop version and the 'Recent' list not updating properly .
Price and Value edge: Google SheetsR8R41R52R69
Google Sheets Google Sheets is valued for being a free and useful tool, offering powerful functionality without cost R8R41. Some users express confusion or frustration about in-app purchases, particularly when expecting a completely free experience R52.
Microsoft Excel Microsoft Excel is free to download, but users often discover that editing functionality requires a paid subscription R69R114. This paywall is a significant point of contention, with some users feeling ripped off, especially those who purchased lifetime access previously R114. There are also issues with subscriptions not activating correctly .
Support and Updates tieR3R13R21R45
Google Sheets Users express frustration with Google Sheets' lack of updates for iOS features, expecting parity with Android R3R45. There are also calls for Google to address specific bugs and missing functionalities, such as landscape printing and better keyboard support on iPad . The app's logo rebrand was also negatively received by some R13R21.
Microsoft Excel Microsoft Excel users frequently complain about updates negatively impacting functionality, such as disabling printing or exporting to PDF, or removing copy/paste menus . There are also issues with the app forgetting credentials and requiring frequent sign-ins, which users believe is a deliberate strategy to push subscriptions .
Pick Google Sheets if

You need a free, collaborative spreadsheet tool that offers good accessibility across various devices, especially if you are comfortable using the web browser version for more advanced tasks R8R41. It's also a good choice if you are looking for a tool for small businesses or community projects .

Pick Microsoft Excel if

You are a long-time, power user of Microsoft Excel's desktop version and need to perform complex data analysis or rely on its extensive features, understanding that the mobile app will have significant limitations . It's also suitable if you are deeply integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem and value its core functionalities despite the mobile app's shortcomings .

Evidence note: Both apps have a significant number of negative reviews regarding their mobile app functionality, often comparing them unfavorably to their respective web or desktop versions. Many of the negative reviews for Google Sheets focus on the app's limitations compared to the web version, while for Microsoft Excel, they often highlight issues with paid features, login problems, and general instability.

Frequently asked

Is Google Sheets mobile app as functional as its web version?
No, Google Sheets' mobile app is frequently reported by users to be less functional than its web browser version, missing features like advanced right-click options, multitasking on iPad, and comprehensive form creation capabilities R22R16R30R46.
Does Microsoft Excel's mobile app require a subscription for editing?
Yes, while Microsoft Excel's mobile app is free to download, users report that editing functionality typically requires a paid subscription, leading to frustration for those expecting full features without additional cost R69R114.
Which app has better mobile app reliability?
Both apps suffer from significant reliability issues on mobile, with Google Sheets users reporting frequent crashes and data disappearance R24R51R54, and Microsoft Excel users experiencing crashes, freezing, and data loss, particularly on iPadOS R88.

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. [R4] Google Sheets 2/5 · US Checkboxes: I can’t place an X or a check in the boxes. It’s really necessary.
  2. [R8] Google Sheets 5/5 · US Free synchronous utility: Powerful too for the sheer volume of data the average person comes in contact with. Flexibility to scale up to a businesses data entry. And further applications
  3. [R15] Google Sheets 3/5 · US Google Sheets: Excellent and we like it better than Excel. We wish there was a way to create a Sheets Form, like a Purchase Order or Requisition that can be filled out online. Google Forms doesn’t seem to have a spreadsheet type template or that would be great.
  4. [R16] Google Sheets 1/5 · US Needs multitasking on iPad: You should be able to open multiple instances on iPad, especially if the website constantly redirects to the app.
  5. [R1] Google Sheets 1/5 · US Does not meet my basic needs: I cannot edit with it because it simply does not have Arabic. I want the page layout to be from right to left. · translated
  6. [R2] Google Sheets 5/5 · US review: it was useful👍
  7. [R7] Google Sheets 1/5 · US I don’t like it: I can never easily find the sheets
  8. [R10] Google Sheets 2/5 · US Can’t edit a sheet from my phone: UI is not good
  9. [R19] Google Sheets 1/5 · US Unoptimized for using!!: I’ve used sheets for 10+ years now but suddenly when I try it on iPhone and open the same sheet between turning my screen on and off it closes the sheet out and constantly the entire app it shut down and I reopen the sheet click on the box to edit and the synced with email notification blocks it for a full 5 seconds every time I reopen the sheet because it refuses to run i
  10. [R24] Google Sheets 3/5 · US Crashes all the time: Most of my sheets work fine but one albeit with a lot of data and conditional formatting just keeps crashing the app, making it unusable. Otherwise sheets as a program is great, but the app needs improvement
  11. [R36] Google Sheets 3/5 · GB Buggy but still great: The app for Sheets crashes every time I update a cell, but that cell does lead to many other cells updating.
  12. [R40] Google Sheets 1/5 · US App crashing: Within opening the app it is consistently crashing within around 30 seconds, making the app unusable.
  13. [R41] Google Sheets 5/5 · US Useful: This is the best thing you can Use with everything, work, projects, share financial information. Because everything is on your google account doesn’t matter what device you’re using.
  14. [R52] Google Sheets 1/5 · US No stars: There was no price on this app I got it cause I figured for a lottery chart it cant be much but &65 for a lottery chart that’s not even in here I want my money back ur a rip off
  15. [R69] 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
  16. [R3] Google Sheets 3/5 · US App improvement on iOS: Please update and add features similar to those available in the Android app. If this were an Android device, it would get 5 stars. · translated
  17. [R13] Google Sheets 1/5 · US Logo sucks: logo sucks
  18. [R21] Google Sheets 3/5 · US Good app but horrible rebrand: Good app but horrible rebrand
  19. [R45] Google Sheets 3/5 · GB it was excellent until the update came Apple update: Can’t see editing Parts so I’m editing blind so that’s the major fallback and the side by side things that disappeared too. It’s just a lot more difficult to use this now that Apple has updated everything so I guess you’re gonna have to look into all those things.
  20. [R22] Google Sheets 1/5 · US No right click: Right click in iOS version only allows copy, paste, clear. Lack of all the functionality that’s in the right click menu in the browser version (i.e. Paste Special) makes the app useless.
  21. [R30] Google Sheets 3/5 · GB Good but not quite enough: I use Google Sheets for all my spreadsheet needs now and the web app is excellent. This app is OK for a simple review or change but is missing a number of features that I rely on in the web app. Would be better if the mobile app was feature parity with the web version.
  22. [R46] Google Sheets 1/5 · US Limited compared to web browser version: The web browser version of this app is far more easy to use and capable than this app version. Shouldn’t the app be superior to the web version? And once the app is installed, you can’t go and use the web version because it has taken over opening sheets. I’m uninstalling this now so that I can actually be productive in getting my spreadsheet work done.
  23. [R114] 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.
  24. [R51] Google Sheets 3/5 · GB Good, but……: Potentially a good system, but why does the data keep on disappearing! So frustrating!
  25. [R54] Google Sheets 3/5 · GB Crashing. Unusable.: Use GS regularly and on the whole am very happy with it. Since the recent update it will not stay open, after 5-10 seconds it just crashes. Have to use browser version on laptop.
  26. [R88] Microsoft Excel 2/5 · US Freezes: It freezes to the point of having to close out of the application. Not ideal usage for iPad.

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