# Microsoft Excel Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra > With the help of Capterra, learn about Microsoft Excel Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Spreadsheet products and more. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel --- # Microsoft Excel Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on March 15, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. Independent research methodology Capterra’s researchers use a mix of verified reviews, independent research and objective methodologies to bring you selection and ranking information you can trust. While we may earn a referral fee when you visit a provider through our links or speak to an advisor, this has no influence on our research or methodology. 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[Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-we-ensure-transparency/) [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[Users](#users)[Pros and Cons](#pros-cons)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Integrations](#integrations)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Microsoft Excel ## What is Microsoft Excel? Microsoft Excel is a productivity tool for creating spreadsheets, and for performing statistics and analysis. It features over 100 functions and more than 235 built-in formulas, 1D and 2D charting, pivot tables for cross-tabulation analysis, multiple worksheets, mail merge capabilities and macros. Use Excel to analyze data and reports in order to discover patterns, trends and gain new insights. With a robust set of tools, you'll be able to create, format and share spreadsheets without difficulty. This application comes with a multitude of slots for storage and types of storage, including audio files and word processors. It also has many different functions, which allow the user to do a large range of tasks. ## What is Microsoft Excel used for? [Spreadsheet](https://www.capterra.com/spreadsheet-software/)[Productivity](https://www.capterra.com/productivity-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 19,425 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 98% Neutral 2% Negative 0% Pros & cons Flexible data tracking platform Comprehensive budgeting capabilities Frequent bugs and reliability problems High cost and subscription model Starting price $6 Per User, Per Month Free trial not available Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Microsoft Excel?[Manage this product listing](https://digitalmarkets.gartner.com/get-listed/claim-bx?url=http://www.microsoft.com&name=Microsoft Excel) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Microsoft Excel 4.8 (19,425) VS. [4.6 (5,738)](https://www.capterra.com/p/147657/monday-com/reviews/) Starting Price $6 Per User, Per Month Starting Price $9 Per User, Per Month Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.3 (19,338) Ease Of Use 4.5 (14,675) Value For Money 4.6 (12,999) Value For Money 4.3 (12,109) Customer Service 4.3 (11,276) Customer Service 4.4 (11,271) ## Microsoft Excel alternatives [4.4 (2,936)](https://www.capterra.com/p/76113/Wrike/reviews/) Starting price $10.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 89% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.2 (987)](https://www.capterra.com/p/113540/Bitrix24/reviews/) Starting price $69.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 82% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars Highest Rated [Google Workspace](https://www.capterra.com/p/247901/Google-Workspace/) [4.7 (17,519)](https://www.capterra.com/p/247901/Google-Workspace/reviews/) Starting price $7.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 96% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/247901/Google-Workspace/) [Google Sheets](https://www.capterra.com/p/169718/Google-Sheets/) [4.7 (13,181)](https://www.capterra.com/p/169718/Google-Sheets/reviews/) Starting price $6.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 96% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/169718/Google-Sheets/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/alternatives/) ## Who uses Microsoft Excel? Based on Capterra reviews from the past year Talk to a software expert to get a free software list tailored to your business needs ## Pros and Cons Flexible data tracking platform 97% positive reviews out of 838 Most reviewers report tracking as a major benefit, allowing easy monitoring of finances, projects, and performance metrics. Richelle H Proposal Project Manager, 10,001+ employees. "Microsoft Excel allows you to track information easily!" Frequent bugs and reliability problems 65% negative reviews out of 1387 Most users comment that bugs and issues cause crashes, confusing errors, and troubleshooting difficulties, especially with complex tasks. Nicholas D Project Manager, 11 - 50 employees. "Customer support, when needed, can also be very unhelpful. If there are bugs or issues that haven't been previously reported en masse, you might just not have a solution, and need to find a work-around, which may, or may not, be possible." Comprehensive budgeting capabilities 97% positive reviews out of 808 Most reviewers find budgeting in Excel flexible, supporting personal and business finances with automated calculations and templates. Adam S Accountant, 51 - 200 employees. "It allows us to create formulas and perform calculations across multiple cells, making it a valuable tool for financial analysis, budgeting, and forecasting." High cost and subscription model 52% negative reviews out of 963 Some users say pricing is a drawback, citing expensive licenses, required subscriptions, and limited affordability for occasional use. Versatile information organization tool 98% positive reviews out of 796 Most reviewers describe organization as Excel’s core strength, enabling efficient management of lists, schedules, and data. Cassandra J Engineer, 2 - 10 employees. "What I like most about Microsoft Excel is that it's so easy and convenient to organize information also I like how it's color identified" Challenging file management with large data 62% negative reviews out of 891 Most users report file management issues, including slow performance, crashes, and difficulty handling large or shared files. Melissa C Manager, 501 - 1,000 employees. "it can crash in large formula design i have lost work previously when cells with large functions just stop working - if it gets to complex the file sizes get overwhelming, which can make multi workbook analysis problematic" ## Features Features with the highest number of reviews are displayed first. Those that have no reviews appear next, sorted alphabetically. Offline Access 4.7 (3,233) 60.16% of 3233 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important With offline access, you can work on spreadsheets, analyze data, and prepare presentations anywhere, even without internet. Reviewers appreciate being able to edit, save, and sync files later, which boosts productivity, especially in areas with unreliable connectivity. Collaboration Tools 4.3 (2,938) 54.22% of 2938 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important With Excel’s collaboration tools, you can co-edit files, share via OneDrive, and integrate with Teams and SharePoint. Reviewers appreciate real-time updates, remote teamwork, and file sharing, though some mention smoother experiences with Google Sheets for live syncing. Data Import/Export 4.7 (2,098) 62.87% of 2098 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Excel gives you flexible ways to import and export data in many formats, including CSV, PDF, and JSON. Users think it saves time, integrates well with other software like Revit and MySQL, and makes handling large datasets and sharing results efficient. Search/Filter 4.6 (1,750) 60.34% of 1750 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important You can quickly find, filter, and sort data using Excel’s search and filter tools. Reviewers indicate these capabilities save time, simplify working with large datasets, and support advanced analysis, with options like autofilter, advanced filter, and Power Query. Data Visualization 4.6 (1,593) 58.00% of 1593 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Excel helps you turn raw data into charts, graphs, and dashboards for clear analysis and presentations. Some reviewers find the variety of customizable visuals—like pivot tables, pie charts, and conditional formatting—makes it easier to spot trends and communicate insights. Document Management 4.6 (1,652) 54.66% of 1652 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Store, manage, and track all electronic documents in a centralized location Microsoft Excel 25 features Application programming interface that allows for integration with other systems/databases Manage patient documentation describing all clinical interactions, diagnoses, procedures, medications, etc. With Excel’s collaboration tools, you can co-edit files, share via OneDrive, and integrate with Teams and SharePoint. Reviewers appreciate real-time updates, remote teamwork, and file sharing, though some mention smoother experiences with Google Sheets for live syncing. Leave comments and notes on documents for others to view Pre-designed layouts that can be customized to match preferences and requirements Excel gives you flexible ways to import and export data in many formats, including CSV, PDF, and JSON. Users think it saves time, integrates well with other software like Revit and MySQL, and makes handling large datasets and sharing results efficient. Excel helps you turn raw data into charts, graphs, and dashboards for clear analysis and presentations. Some reviewers find the variety of customizable visuals—like pivot tables, pie charts, and conditional formatting—makes it easier to spot trends and communicate insights. Store, manage, and track all electronic documents in a centralized location Assemble applications and processes by dragging over and arranging pre-built components Public or private sharing of digital files such as documents, audio/video, images, and more Ability to handle several projects simultaneously Allow users to create, edit, and sort multiple notes A collection of tools to be used for routine tasks within an organization such as word documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc. With offline access, you can work on spreadsheets, analyze data, and prepare presentations anywhere, even without internet. Reviewers appreciate being able to edit, save, and sync files later, which boosts productivity, especially in areas with unreliable connectivity. Tools to facilitate the production of information and promote efficiency Plan and coordinate all the resources, costs and time needed to execute assignments Receive data and information in real time Receive system updates as soon as any changes are made You can quickly find, filter, and sort data using Excel’s search and filter tools. Reviewers indicate these capabilities save time, simplify working with large datasets, and support advanced analysis, with options like autofilter, advanced filter, and Power Query. Create, manage and track all task activities and progression Allow multiple team members to edit and work on the same document Sample files or documents that could be customized as needed or used as is A digital list of items that need to be completed Track revisions and updates made to files and navigate between different versions Provides varying estimates based on different scenarios Get Advice We can help you find the software with the features you need. Features 4.7 (19,329) 4.7 Based on 19,329 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.6 (12999) Free Version [View pricing plan details](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/pricing/) Microsoft 365 Business Basic $6.00 Per User,Per Month It includes: - File sharing - Collaboration Microsoft 365 Apps for business $8.25 Per User,Per Month Microsoft 365 Business Standard $12.50 Per User,Per Month Microsoft 365 Business Premium $22.00 Per User,Per Month Value for money 4.6 (12,999) 4.6 Based on 12,999 reviews ## Integrations [ Google Docs](https://www.capterra.com/p/160756/Google-Docs/)[ Google Drive](https://www.capterra.com/p/161425/Drive/)[ PayPal](https://www.capterra.com/p/207944/PayPal/)[ Slack](https://www.capterra.com/p/135003/Slack/)[ Trello](https://www.capterra.com/p/211559/Trello/)[ Dropbox Business](https://www.capterra.com/p/143068/Dropbox-Business/)[ Microsoft PowerPoint](https://www.capterra.com/p/141633/PowerPoint/)[ Mailchimp](https://www.capterra.com/p/110228/MailChimp/) Connect with a Capterra advisor for a free 15-minute consultation Get a personalized software list aligned to your business needs with guidance from our expert advisors. Our team has helped 1 million+ businesses like yours find options that fit their needs. ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.3 (11276) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.3 (11,276) 4.3 Based on 11,276 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.8 Based on 19,425 reviews Filter by rating 5(15468) 4(3581) 3(335) 2(30) 1(11) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent AU Anonymous User Compliance Manager Financial Services ### "The Everyday Professional" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 April 23, 2026 Excel remains my primary tool for financial modeling and reporting. I keep learning daily (you never finish learning it). Pros Features like Power Query, and PivotTables, and the integration of Copilot has also made writing complex nested formulas a thing of the past. Cons The learning curve for anything beyond basic sums is steep. The error messages (like #REF! or #VALUE!) can be cryptic for casual users, making troubleshooting a headache without a search engine's help Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Darren S. CFO Mechanical or Industrial Engineering ### "Most widely used software" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 22, 2026 My overall experience with excel is that I basically use it daily for my work. It has so many uses for various work needs. Pros Its simplicity to maneuver around data with such ease. And the ability to construct all date is simply top notch. Cons There is not many cons I can think of, but maybe the fact that there are so many different ways to do the same task. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. NB Nicholas B. Actuary Financial Services ### "Broad uses, always improving" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 21, 2026 I use it daily. it is integral to my professional life and a vital tool in the financial universe. I am grateful for its vast capabilities! Pros exceptionally easy to automate routines, especially with macros and vba integration. language is extremely user friendly and easy to pick up. good for both technical analysis and presentation support, suitable for a wide variety of audiences. Cons processing power may be a bit weak- iterative processes take longer than they will with other products such as python or R Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. WR Will R. SR HR Operations Specialist Food Production ### "Excel Review" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 April 20, 2026 Overall, Excel is really useful and dependable for everyday work. I use it on daily basis, and it is a very helpful tool. Pros I like how flexible Excel is. It’s easy to organize data, do quick calculations, and build charts or tables without needing anything complicated. It’s also nice that most people already know how to use it, so sharing files is simple. Cons Sometimes the files get too big and run very slowly. This is very frustrating since it wastes my time by causing delays. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. MG Marian G. lawyer Law Practice ### "Great resource in a law firm" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 20, 2026 My experience has been great overall. I rely on Excel several times a week in my law practice it's very helpful. Pros I like that it does math for me in an organized way. It makes it easy to see and summarize lots of information. Cons the print view of the spreadsheets is hard to follow. It's not easy to read when converted to a pdf or printed document Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. SG Shea G. Counselor Health, Wellness and Fitness ### "Excellent product, maybe not the first choice for solo private practice." 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 4/10 April 20, 2026 My overall experience is that this is an excellent product but its high cost may make it a better fit for larger businesses than for smaller ones. Pros Microsoft Excel is an excellent option for making all sorts of spreadsheets, from tracking schedules to taxes to income to so much more. It is intuitive to use and the provided templates as also very helpful. Its mobile device compatibility is also notable. Excel is easy to navigate and their customer support is excellent. I've never experienced a bug or issue when using Excel in any context. Cons The upfront cost of using Microsoft Excel, atleast for myself as a counselor in solo private practice, didn't make sense for my business model when there are cheaper comparable options. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. CF Coy F. Senior Analyst Financial Services ### "Massive Capabilities" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 19, 2026 Overall, I love Microsoft Excel. Through some research into the know-how of how to do various things it unlocks capabilities that you wouldn't even know could be done in it. I would highly recommend the software. Pros I have been using excel to create complex financial reporting models. The biggest pro I have found is that through research I can make pretty much anything happen using various methods of formatting & such. VBA Macros are another piece that can be pivotal once you get the hang of the coding. The layout of everything is done very well to be user friendly in terms of navigation. Occasionally I need to view a file on my phone so the ability to pull something up on my mobile device is very helpful as well. Cons My biggest con is that I run into file size issues or occasionally I have random crashes of the application. I have found that using Excel in tandem with research into how to do various things with it is when you can really unlock it's potential. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. MG Milagros G. Content creator and Social Media Manager Health, Wellness and Fitness ### "A useful everyday tool over time" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 19, 2026 I use Excel pretty often, and it’s honestly one of those programs that does way more than you expect. I like how you can go from simple lists to more detailed reports all in one place. It does take some time to learn the advanced stuff, but even the basics are super useful. Pros I really like excel, is a very versatile program that you can use from your computer or your cellphone or tablet/ipad. Is pretty easy to use, cheap and also you can have many templates with differents ideas like tracking your incomes/expenses, organize travel ideas, shopping list, class list and more Cons Can feel overwhelming at first, especially for beginners, but as soon as you get familiar with it you will use it for anything in your daily basic or profesional life. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. JC Julie C. Aide Soignante Hospital & Health Care ### "Excel pour Organiser, Analyser et Interpreter les données " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 19, 2026 Pros Pratique, simple, fournie l’essentiel et cache les fonctions plus avancer pour ceux qui en ont besoin. Mon utilisation d’excel est aujourd’hui tres simple: gestions de stock de produits, tableaux de flux de visites etcc… Cons Rien a dire ici, il est puissant, tout ceux qu’un gestionnaire cherche. Plein de titoreil disponible sur Youtube donc les fonctions avancer vous seront a porter de main. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Ramandeep s. Auditor Financial Services ### "Excellent ms excel always a top priority software for makeing documents and sheets " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 19, 2026 Overall it's a long term and always useful for all platforms.For all ages its helpful in education technology employment coorporate etc Pros Its a most important software for all types of subjects such as accounts maths education technology IT sectore industries coorporate it's very useful Cons Have to learn many things but now ai make things easy .AI easy to solve problems which ms excel take time. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/reviews/) Popular comparisons [Google Workspace vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/compare/176574-247901/Excel-vs-Google-Workspace)[Google Sheets vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/compare/169718-176574/Google-Sheets-vs-Excel)[Microsoft 365 vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/compare/176574-227157/Excel-vs-Microsoft-365)[monday.com vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/compare/147657-176574/monday-com-vs-Excel) [Wrike vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/compare/76113-176574/Wrike-vs-Excel)[WPS Office vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/compare/126794-176574/WPS-Office-vs-Excel)[LibreOffice vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/compare/158981-176574/LibreOffice-vs-Excel)  Independent research methodology Capterra's researchers use a mix of verified reviews, independent research and objective methodologies to bring you selection and ranking information you can trust. While we may earn a referral fee when you visit a provider through our links or speak to an advisor, this has no influence on our research or methodology. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/proprietary-data-research/) How Capterra verifies reviews Capterra carefully verified over 2.5 million+ reviews to bring you authentic software experiences from real users. Our human moderators verify that reviewers are real people and that reviews are authentic. They use leading tech to analyze text quality and to detect plagiarism and generative AI. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-we-verify-reviews/) How Capterra ensures transparency Capterra lists all providers across its website—not just those that pay us—so that users can make informed purchase decisions. Capterra is free for users. Software providers pay us for sponsored profiles to receive web traffic and sales opportunities. 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