# Numbers Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is Numbers the right Spreadsheet solution for you? Explore 2501 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/170166/Numbers/reviews --- Numbers 4.4 (2501) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/170166/Numbers/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Reviews of Numbers Ease of use 4.2 Customer Service 4.3 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews Free alternative to paid spreadsheets 94% positive reviews out of 298 Most reviewers appreciate pricing, noting Numbers is included with Apple devices and avoids extra software costs. Limited features versus competitors 52% negative reviews out of 132 Most reviewers describe competitor comparison as unfavorable, citing fewer advanced functions and less usability than Excel. Comprehensive personal and business budgeting 95% positive reviews out of 155 Most reviewers describe budget tracking in Numbers as intuitive, with useful templates and seamless device syncing. Iman I founder, 1 employee. "having a spreadsheet on the mobile is a great option, especially to track my budget." Formatting problems during file conversion 52% negative reviews out of 108 Most reviewers find file conversion troublesome, with formatting and formulas often disrupted when switching software. Daniela K Translator and Copywriter, 1 employee. "You can open and edit Excel files, but sometimes the formatting or formulas don't transfer correctly." Extensive customizable template library 95% positive reviews out of 151 Most reviewers indicate templates are plentiful, visually appealing, and easy to adapt for various tasks. Frequent cross-platform compatibility issues 57% negative reviews out of 79 Most reviewers report compatibility problems with Excel and other software, causing difficulties sharing and editing files. ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 2501 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Binny B. Assistant Professor & Researcher Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Must have for user of any platform!" April 8, 2022 5.0 My overall experience with Apple Numbers is awesome. I will suggest this product to everyone. Like I have a iPad being used by whole family. Still I can control the sheet level privacy from this application. This locking feature was not seen by me anywhere. It helped me keeping data of company safe from personal stuff. That is why I mentioned, it is a must have app in you device. Pros What I literally love about this software is it's capability to onboard new users without a need of any walk-through, it is as simple as using a excel sheet. But compared to excel sheets, numbers got more reliable powers within. I used Numbers first time when I wanted to make entries of students, registering with demographic details and other noisy data. I love the way it automatically picked up the format of a column and suggested me the auto complete, I was typing time (in x Hours y Mins format), Numbers understood that and just asked me enter values and not units. For calculating BMI (Body Mass Index) also, it converted the whole column from centimetre to metre seamlessly. If I count the ways I love this product, this text-box will seem to be less. With a trusted brand comes the security too. Cons No such cons were discovered by me so far, I have completely loved this product from starting. It is a must have for any iPad user specially, it becomes so handy to handle the edits. But I still see that it lacks in some basic exporting features. Export and Share with live edit logs are heart of any version management sheets. But overall no dislikes about the quality. Switched from [Google Sheets](https://www.capterra.com/p/169718/Google-Sheets/) I made a switch looking at the ease of use and reliability to store professional data with privacy. Review Source KP Krista P. CFO Recreational Facilities and Services Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Moved to Numbers from Excel and am A-Ok" July 10, 2025 4.0 I had Numbers on my new work computer and was a little hesitant since I've been a long time excel user. The learning curve was shorter than I thought, and I've been tentatively learning it's unique features and enjoying it! Pros If you know Mac and know Excel, it all felt pretty intuitive. I felt adept at it after a very short learning curve. I really like the more visually appealing interface (Apple always wins here). Cons It's not really about numbers, but as a long time excel user, it took some adjustments, just short cut keys etc. Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) Got a new laptop that came with Numbers and wanted to give it a try. Review Source SK Sam K. Projects Manager Food & Beverages Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Does the same as Excel but isn't Excel." March 9, 2026 2.0 I struggle getting on with this software. Whenever using it I always wish I was using Excel. This could be because I was bought up on Excel but it just seems more intuitive and user friendly than Numbers to me. Numbers does do what Excel does and if you have to use it or have always used it I can understand if it is your preferred choice. Pros Numbers does do what Excel does. In that respect it is a useful program. It seems to have all the same features and can calculate formula's and organise data. It also comes free with the Apple suite when we purchased our I- Macs. Personally though I would always choose to use Excel over it if able. There is a desktop which is not linked to our Microsoft 365 account. When using this computer I have to use Numbers instead of Excel. Personally, I struggle with this program. I find it harder to use than Excel. The way the page is laid out (a finite grid instead of an infinite grid) seems strange to me. Having the status bar with the equation written when clicking into a cell is something I take for granted when using Excel but you realise how essential this is when you begin to use numbers and it is not there. Maybe there are ways to make numbers more personalised and therefore user friendly to myself but I have not spent the time to explore it when Excel is exactly set up with no editing. Cons I find Numbers complicated. Creating documents on there takes me longer than using Excel and I have not had the time to explore it fully when i know I usually have access to a program which I consider superior. Review Source JW John W. Associate Pastor of Youth and Music Ministries Religious Institutions Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A Decent Apple Alternative to Excel" April 14, 2025 4.0 A decent spreadsheet option that comes compatible with other Apple products. Pros It streamlines well with other Apple-based products, such as the iPhone. Cons It can look somewhat messy at times and isn't as easy to customize as Excel. Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) Free version on MacBook Pro. However, I still use Excel through Microsoft 365. Review Source MG Milagros G. Content creator and Social Media Manager Individual & Family Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Exceeding expectations" January 25, 2025 5.0 I have been using the app for a long time now for my business but also on a personal level. I have created travel itineraries to Colombia, Brazil and NY for my friends when we go on trips. If you put your mind to it, you can do a lot with this app. Pros I really like this app because its makes my lifes so easy. It had a clean design, easaly integrate and syncs with other apps, is customizable, and more Cons One of the cons is: if the person you arte trying to send the doc is not an apple user is going to be a mess for them. But usually you can send it as PDF. Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) After I move from Samsung to Apple, i've been using this app on my phone for quick or emergency- last minutes documents. Is a life saver. Review Source KR Kimberly R. Owner Fine Art Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Numbers made easy" December 30, 2024 5.0 I've been using numbers for about 15 years for data and function for my dance studio. Pros I love working on my mac and love that numbers was an easy switch from excel, although I still use both. Cons I think the formatting functions are easy to use Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) Made the switch because I typically only use Mac for my work now instead of a traditional hp. Review Source KH Kristin H. Director Education Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Terrible program " June 13, 2025 2.0 Terrible program. Spend the extra money and get Microsoft Excel instead. This is not worth your time. Pros It's visually appealing, but that's about it. If all you need is the most basic of spreadsheets, it'll do the trick. Cons This program doesn't even compare to the functionality and ease of use of Microsoft Excel. As an excel user, I find Numbers to be clunky, non-intuitive, and generally not very useful. Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) The company I currently work for uses Mac products. Review Source DH David H. Technology Director Religious Institutions Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Apple Numbers" March 6, 2025 5.0 I was an exclusive Microsoft user for years before converting to Apple and I am glad I did. Numbers provides me a more streamlined experience and ease of use, not so bogged down with so many extras. I appreciate spreadsheets not spanning thousands of cells standard. Pros Ease of use and learning new product. Switching from Excel to Numbers was a breeze Cons May not have all the “extras” that excel has but it is more user friendly and has just what is needed. Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) I am a complete 100% Apple user now. Easier products to use and superior in my opinion. Review Source EE Ella E. Yoga Instructor Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Numbers - easy to get started and get organised! Highly recommend." September 25, 2024 5.0 I found it possible to dive straight in, start making spreadsheets and then learn more as I a went along simply by googling "how to....in numbers". As with any new software it took a little while to become really comfortable with it, but the ability to get started straight away felt positive and motivated me to keep going! This began entirely for business purposes but I now love my spreadsheets so much, I have created several from my personal admin and household organisation - quick and easy and makes one feel in control! :-) Pros It's relatively easy to use, more intuitive than excel and works well for my fairly basic needs and I know I can do more with it if and when the need arises. Cons Nothing to complain about really! I wish the basic "new file" had slightly bigger cells and the filled cells defaulted to a colour other than grey, but really these are very minor issues which are quite easy to change. Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) I bought a mac in 2013 and it came with numbers. I have never looked back and much prefer it to excel. Review Source Felix J. Systems Administrator Accounting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A solid spreadsheet tool with missing features" September 16, 2019 4.0 It was a solid and reliable piece of software, and you can't beat the low price of Free. Using it involved some gymnastics from time to time, dealing with the fact that Excel is still the dominant software in this space. I would recommend this, if you are simply looking to do some spreadsheets for yourself at home, and don't anticipate to need any crazy or specific features, and also don't plan on collaborating with a team of people who primarily use Excel. Pros This was my introduction to spreadsheets, instead of Excel, as it was built into the Mac ecosystem. As a first-time spreadsheet user, many many years ago, it was easy to use, intuitive and made sense. As opposed to Excel, which has a "canvas" that is 100% spreadsheet (the canvas is all cells and your data can go anywhere), Numbers operates on a "table" basis, with an infinite canvas. It allows you to place neat tables wherever you need, so you can lay two data-sets side by side. Numbers formulas are also quite intuitive, giving you handy tooltips and overlays about what each of the formulas means as you go through them. It handled complex boolean logic, advanced arithmetic, and conditional statements without a problem. However, some of the formulas were a little bit limited​ and were absolutely not fully featured compared to Excel. Integration within the Apple ecosystem was wonderful. Documents synced instantly to all my devices relying on iCloud, and changes were pushed quickly. The collaboration​ was great, although not necessarily fully developed.​ Cons The main con of this software is that it's not Excel. It sounds stupid, but in using both Numbers and Excel for separate purposes, the differences are clear. Having to transition around and around from the industry-standard​ Excel to Numbers, which operates just on a slightly different basis can be jarring. Numbers, at the time of writing, was also missing some handy features, such as solving, data analysis, and additional plugins. The exporting into Excel, for those people that don't use Mac, could result in some data being jumbled if using complicated Numbers-specific formulas or formats. The same is true for the other way, as most people won't send you a Numbers document, but an Excel document. Alternatives considered [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) Reason for choosing Numbers It was free and included with my Mac. It also presented itself as a much more intuitive and beautiful user interface, as opposed to Excel, which, from first glance, appeared clunky and difficult to get started with. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Professional Quality Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Managing stats using Numbers on MAC" June 13, 2022 5.0 It really helped me to prepare the reports and publish to others in easy understandable format. Pros UI is very user friendly. Any novice user can easily grab the functionalities. Various functions available to do calculations are easy to use. Cons It can only work on MAC , as other Apple products. Hope there would be some options to use on different operating systems. Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) only because using different operating system. Review Source EV Erika V. President Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Use of Numbers vs Google sheets and MS Word" November 11, 2023 5.0 Excellent for the cost and works better than Google Sheets and is cheaper than MS Excel and can open excel spreadsheets in numbers so I love it. Pros It is extremely affordable and works perfectly on my Mac. I love how I can use the formulas and keep track of billing. Also, easy to create an invoice so send customers and great YouTube videos that help. Integrates well with numbers on my phone. Cons The only con is I wish it came free with my computer like it did with my iphone. Alternatives considered [Google Sheets](https://www.capterra.com/p/169718/Google-Sheets/)[Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) Reason for choosing Numbers Great product, easy to use and affordable price. Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) Cost and integration with phone and laptop Review Source ER Erin R. Territory Manager Medical Devices Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Free Spredsheet Tool for Data Analysis" January 20, 2024 5.0 Intuitive to use. Seamless integration with Apple operating systems. Pros Very versatile for a free software. I love that it easily and fully integrates with all Apple OS and iOS applications. Cons Lacks some of the maneuverability of Excel. Reason for choosing Numbers Numbers integrates seamlessly with Apple operating systems. Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) Switched to Apple laptops and tablets. I still sometimes use the iOS friendly Excel application, but Numbers is my go-to application for data sorting. Review Source BM Brent M. Analyst Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Time-Proven System!" April 7, 2022 5.0 Numbers has allowed us to dive deeper and gain more clarity of our organizations' financial inflows and outflows on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis. Using numbers we've reduced our annual overheard by about 30% total over the last 2 years and increased our overall gross inflow operational efficiency by about 50% in that same time period. We are now working less, while growing our bottom line and impact in our community more than ever before... and we have Numbers to thank for this! Pros Numbers is by far one of, if not THE most, intuitive cell based analytical mathematical systems to use for personal or financial record keeping, analysis, etc. It's continued to improve year after year and the ability to insert graphs, charts, and integrate other cells and pages within the same program is uncanny! Cons There's now very little I don't like. previous versions of Numbers has issues linking and aligning other spreadsheets and specific cells into different sheets in different categories I had created within the program I had created for our organization. This is no longer the case, and it's actually a strength of the software now! Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) We found Apple's Mac computer systems to be overall more efficient and quicker AND safer than PC's. This decision has paid us back many fold. Review Source Zachary Y. VP Ops Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 2+ years ### "An Excellent Free Alternative to Excel" May 28, 2020 5.0 Numbers is an excellent alternative to Excel, and you certainly can't beat the price tag of free! It integrates seamlessly into the Apple suite of business programs, and provides many of the same functionalities that users familiar with the Microsoft Office suite have come to expect. There are some limitations when it comes to navigation and file formatting, but those are easily forgivable when you consider this is a free option. I use Numbers often and would recommend it to anyone who is a Mac user. Pros \*Similar functionalities as Excel \*A wide array of functions, equations, organizational structures \*An easy to navigate user interface that feels very "Apple" \*It comes prepackaged free with most iMacs/Macbooks \*Able to export to an .xls file if necessary for sharing with Microsoft users Cons \*While it offers many of the same functionalities as Excel, some of the same features are organized in a completely different way, which means navigation/implementation isn't always intuitive. \*While the design feels very "Apple," it can sometimes look over-simplistic for those more familiar with Excel. \*There aren't as many third-party applications that recognize the Numbers default file format. Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) Excel required me to buy a license to Microsoft Office on my Mac, whereas Numbers came free with my Macbook. Review Source LC Latisha C. Coach Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great app!!" March 12, 2025 5.0 Pros I like that it’s already sty up on my phone and I can easily create documents Cons It was confusing to learn. But I’m learning it now. Review Source GS GERSON S. Paralegal Legal Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Numbers for a non-mathematician in a Law Firm" December 25, 2023 5.0 It has been amazing. Aside from the real time collaboration thing, is a trustworthy tool. Quite trustworthy. You're aware you won't find yourself with a damage document or something that is not working for any reason at all. This is why I use it to handle important AOS or Criminal cases. I know numbers will not let down and the sense of privacy that the Numbers creator provides is even better. Feels like a powerful and safe playground for important data. Pros What I like the most is how user friendly it is due to is UI. Numbers has always characterized itself for being simple but being a powerful tool for data and information. In the Law Firm I work at I have to constantly retrieve data from clients who find themselves in complex situations outside of their country of origin, so not having to deal with an overwhelming UI makes it easier and less stressful for me to use the tool without having to deal with lots of tools I don't really need for case administration stuff. Later, when the time has to, I can either use the information for me or choose a beautiful template from Numbers. They're amazing Cons What I like the least about Numbers is that although exporting is easy and useful, many times I would like to share the document so other paralegals, psychologists or attorneys can see it in real time from their devices. The issue? Compatibility and access requirements. Technology is amazing nowadays but not everyone has an Apple product. Although they can see it from the iCloud website, many times they'll require an Apple ID. There have been many times where I have even wanted to share documents to edit with people who have an Apple ID but permission management and alerts for some reason are not easy to visualize or to manage, probably there's missing more customization and attention from that side. Review Source Ayon S. Film maker Entertainment Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The Best Spreadsheet Designer " August 8, 2019 5.0 Well, I use Numbers on daily basis, often I open tables that contain year long data and entries, but never faced any sort of slow down while opening such huge tables or surfing through those numerous rows and columns. Numbers is a rock solid software. Plus now it has beautiful shapes and table features which helps making documents far more gorgeous and impressive to look at. Suddenly looking at endless spreadsheets are not dull anymore. Using Numbers has been a fantastic experience. Pros The best thing about Numbers is how intuitive it is to use, for different functions like table preparation, lengthy calculations, scheduling and more. The Apple made interface makes so much sense. Another cool thing about Numbers is that it comes with a huge library of ready made templates for various purposes and all can be customised very easily. Apple keeps adding new features quite often to this software and its companion softwares like Pages and Keynote. They all have the same design layout making it easier and a compact and uniform user experience. Plus one can collaborate with distant colleagues and work together, this is as fluid and smooth like other Apple software products. One will never regret coming from Microsoft Word or Google Docs, rather one will enjoy how butter smooth and robust Numbers is in what it does. Cons This is one of the few softwares, where its hard to find a disadvantage. A spreadsheet software as stable and solid as Number will surely meet all the requirements of the user performing tables and calculations. If anyone is using trackpad or Apple mouse, then it will take a few minutes to get used to how the software works with gestures, otherwise there are hardly any cons in this software. Review Source Cara P. Digital Media / Content Marketing Financial Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Numbers is a powerful spreadsheet software that is easy to use and packed with features" June 9, 2022 5.0 Pros There are a number of reasons why Numbers is a great choice for handling data and creating calculations. First, it’s very easy to use thanks to its user-friendly interface. Second, it’s extremely versatile – it can handle everything from basic arithmetic to complex statistical analysis. Third, it integrates seamlessly with other Apple products like Keynote and Pages, making it ideal for creating presentations or reports. Finally, it’s available on both Mac and iOS devices, so you can access your data no matter where you are. Whether you’re a student, a business professional, or just someone who likes to stay organized, Numbers is a great choice. Cons I don't see any cons of using the Numbers software. I've been using it for a while now and it's helped me keep track of my finances and budget better than any other system I've tried. Review Source Garry C. CEO Telecommunications Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Royal history numbers review" October 20, 2023 5.0 My overall experience has been very good. I very much enjoy syncing with icloud so I can use my many devices. At the beginning I had a few problems with sending numbers to my colleagues that use windows but I quickly got over this. The biggest benefit I found was that easy to understand and make my tables. Pros I find that numbers is very easy to use and understand. If there are any problems there is customer service which is very helpful. Integration with other apps is streamline and straight. Desired features would be an Ai bot for when I forgot things or my layout is ugly Cons At times I forget where menu items or other things are and some are difficult to find so I think an Ai bot that can help me would be of benefit. I also find it a little hard to understand how to use the advance features - I don't use them so training videos online would be of great help also the help centre needs changing. Idont like it as I cant find what I am looking for and the advice is too limited. Review Source JEQ John Ericho Q. Instructor Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Apple Numbers for your Number Needs!" September 5, 2023 5.0 I haven’t encountered any bad experiences so far with my use of this software. I like it and it helps me do my job well. Pros What I like about Numbers is that it is easy to use. The interface of the software is not overwhelming which can be easily navigated even by users who are not that tech-savvy. Really nice for Apple to have their own software that caters our need of data configuration and organizing numerical data. Cons What I do not like is that this software is only available for Apple devices. Most of my colleagues prefer other softwares even if it’s harder to navigate simply because they do not have Apple devices for them to use. Review Source JP Jakkarin P. Marketing Accounting Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Numbers: Elegant Simplicity with Apple Ecosystem Integration" July 1, 2024 5.0 Pros Integration with Apple Ecosystem: Numbers integrates seamlessly with other Apple devices and services, such as iCloud and collaboration features across macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. This makes it convenient to access and work on spreadsheets across different platforms. Cons Mac and iOS Dependency: While Numbers works well within the Apple ecosystem, users who primarily work on Windows or Android devices may find it less convenient or integrated compared to Microsoft Excel, which is more universally compatible across different platforms. Review Source NT Nguyen T. Activity Internet Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "I will judge most honestly as a long-time customer" June 14, 2023 5.0 I feel satisfied, and I think for sure in the future it will be even more developed so it's not my problem now Pros What I appreciate is the image quality and color. Diverse tools are easy to use, operation will make you smarter Cons When you work you will have to pay more attention to the toolbar and I have to save them Review Source Ahmed S. internal auditor Food Production Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "My experience with the program and facilitating and accelerating the work done" June 14, 2023 4.0 I was able to accomplish many files and data due to the ease of recovery and easy access to data anywhere and at any time Pros easy to use and It can start with what you want to do, easy to retrieve data and information, easy to save and retrieve Cons It does not use artificial intelligence and cannot automatically correct phrases Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Organizing Director Political Organization Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Numbers - Different than Excel or Sheets, Not Worse, Not Better" June 17, 2024 4.0 Numbers is an effective spreadsheet tool, particularly for budgeting, but it does not necessarily stand out as better than Excel or Sheets. It is largely a matter of preference and if users are more familiar with MAC OS or Windows Pros It is native to Apple, integrates with all of Apple's OS and iOS platforms, and the options between mobile versus desktop are not as limited as they are on Google Sheets. It is cloud based like Google, which is better than Excel. Cons The software is usually less intuitive than excel, which is the platform most users are familiar with. Sheets tries to mirror excel for that reason, and Numbers does not necessarily try and do the same. Review Source Similar Products Featured