# 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. [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. Sponsored profiles include a link-out icon that takes users to the provider’s website. [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 19,443 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 (19,443) VS. [4.6 (6,029)](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 (19,356) Ease Of Use 4.5 (14,709) Value For Money 4.6 (13,012) Value For Money 4.3 (12,139) Customer Service 4.3 (11,289) Customer Service 4.4 (11,302) ## Microsoft Excel alternatives [4.4 (2,987)](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 Highest Rated [Google Workspace](https://www.capterra.com/p/247901/Google-Workspace/) [4.7 (17,553)](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 (13,189)](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/) [Microsoft 365](https://www.capterra.com/p/227157/Microsoft-365/) [4.6 (14,071)](https://www.capterra.com/p/227157/Microsoft-365/reviews/) Starting price $6.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 95% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/227157/Microsoft-365/) [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 Company size Based on 454 reviews 100% 75% 50% 25% Smallbusiness Midsizebusinesses Enterprise Top job functions Based on 454 reviews Administrative 30% Administrative 30% Finance & Accounting 12% IT & Software Development 8% Sales & Business Development 7% Others 43% Top industries Based on 454 reviews Construction 33% Hospital & Health Care 19% Accounting 17% Financial Services 17% Other 14% ## 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 (3,242) 60.27% of 3242 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 (2,112) 63.02% of 2112 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 (1,761) 60.59% of 1761 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 (1,600) 58.19% of 1600 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 (1,654) 54.72% of 1654 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 (19,347) 4.7 Based on 19,347 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.6 (13012) 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 (13,012) 4.6 Based on 13,012 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 (11289) 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 (11,289) 4.3 Based on 11,289 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.8 Based on 19,443 reviews Filter by rating 5(15484) 4(3583) 3(335) 2(30) 1(11) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent MS Martina S. VP Marketing and Advertising ### "Still the best spreadsheet tool by far" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 May 15, 2026 My overall experience with Excel has been excellent. It’s one of the few tools where I don’t think there’s a better alternative. It’s reliable, powerful and useful across so many different types of work. The AI integration makes it even more helpful, especially for understanding data, creating formulas and working faster. Pros Excel is still the best spreadsheet tool by far. I’ve used other spreadsheet tools, but none of them really compare in terms of functionality, flexibility and reliability. It works for simple lists, complex calculations, reporting, data analysis, charts and everyday business planning. The integration with Microsoft 365 is also really helpful, especially when working across Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint and shared files. Cons There’s very little I actively dislike about Excel. The only downside is that it can feel overwhelming for newer users because there’s so much functionality built in. Some of the more advanced features take time to learn and larger spreadsheets can become difficult to manage if they haven’t been set up clearly from the start. 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. JR Jennifer R. Teacher E-Learning ### "Stay organized with Microsoft Excel! " 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 May 14, 2026 At first Microsoft Excel was overwhelming to me, as a beginner. But after using it for years it has only helped reduce my mental load as Excel keeps everything organized, capable, and controlled. Pros What I like most about Microsoft Excel is that it gives you a sense of control as everything is organized. Excel allows you to structure things neatly. Cons What I like least about Microsoft Excel is that as a beginner you could feel overwhelmed as it takes time and experience to be proficient in using it. 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. KR Katherine R. School Administrator Primary/Secondary Education ### "Our school budget and attendance tracking is done through Excel." 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 May 13, 2026 It's worth it for $5 per user per month, through our education discount. Last year, our district accountant explained to me how to calculate the budget formulas and now I can do it myself based on enrollment. Longing for more functionality on the iPad as that is what most teachers bring, the desktop version is used for all we need in terms of compliance reporting. Pros These formulas are really saving me a lot of hours each week in calculating attendance percentages for state reporting. Created a template to follow our 187 students over multiple grades. The pivot tables have been useful in breaking down the budget by department - got our book budget sorted for us out. Don't forget that even our less technologically oriented teachers can upload their teacher supply requests in the shared workbooks. Cons The mobile app is pretty much worthless for us when writing budget spreadsheets - don't have half the columns on my phone during board meetings. Occasionally multiple staff members are making grade changes, and the shared files become locked and grade changes are lost. 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. Jennifer H. Service Billing Administrator Construction ### "Excel: Use it, Love it." 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 May 11, 2026 It is reliable, versatile, and extremely useful for reporting, tracking, reconciliations, budgeting, and data analysis. The flexibility of formulas, tables, and filtering tools makes it valuable for both everyday tasks and detailed financial work. Pros What stood out most about Microsoft Excel is how powerful and flexible it is for organizing data, tracking information, building reports, and analyzing numbers. Cons What stood out least about Microsoft Excel is that large or heavily formatted spreadsheets can become slow, cluttered, and difficult to troubleshoot, especially when formulas or links break unexpectedly. 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. RP Raegan P. Graphic Designer Education Management ### "Organization at its finest" 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 May 11, 2026 Overall I would describe my experience with Microsoft Excel easy to use and easy to stay organized. It is a great help to my job. Pros I love Microsoft Excel. It makes it so easy to keep things organized. I love the multiple tab features and organization of the program. It is easy to share and collaborate with co-workers as well. Cons I do not have any complaints about Microsoft Excel. I truly feel like the app knows how to function well. 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. Farhad H. Freelancer Accounting ### "Excellent tool for office work — using it since 2014" 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 3/10 May 9, 2026 I have been using Microsoft Excel since 2014 for my office work. It is a reliable and powerful tool that helps me manage data efficiently every day. Pros It is very easy to use, and I can do my office work with confidence. I installed it in 2014 and still working on it. I also used the Mobile app . Cons Sometimes it is slow on older computers, and some advanced formulas are difficult to learn and esey templates . 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. BS Brett S. Corporate Paralegal Law Practice ### "MS Excel: The Only Datasheet Program You Need" 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 10/10 May 8, 2026 In sum, MS Excel is super intuitive, has helpful and accessible templates, and allows for nearly infinite data customization. Pros MS Excel is extremely easy to use and navigate and has been very easy to use on my phone as well. The functions and calculations are easy to understand and the table templates save me tons of time. Cons While it is easy to use Excel on my own, collaborating with others can be difficult, especially if there are bugs that affect the screen for each use (e.g. freezing issues). Overall, however, there are very few issues to note. 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. RR Rachel R. Admin Real Estate ### "Excellent!" 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 May 8, 2026 Overall, amazing product! Like I mentioned, nothing comes close. I've tried Libre, OnlyOffice, the TextMaker brand, and they all fall short. If you're ready to pay - the product pays off. Pros Love the options, the functions, and how simple it is to use. I've used open-source knockoffs, and I've tried Google Sheets, but they don't come close to the level of customization and the power that you can rope in with Excel. There are numerous templates to accommodate any use, both professionally and personally, and the functions and design are thoughtful and intuitive. Nothing else on the market comes close. Cons Excel online is terrible. It's very hard to work with. If you like to work online, then it's not worth the splurge - it has a very Google-Sheets-like feel. I would only advise you to purchase if you work locally. 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. DC Daniel C. Benefits and Compliance Manager Hospital & Health Care ### "Excel review" 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 May 2, 2026 Pros Excel has excellent and all encompassing capabilities when it comes to creating tables, lists, and analyzing numbers. Creating functions such as "if, than" functions allows users to get answers on specific data points. Cons Creating functions in which you request excel to analyze and count data between dates such as analyzing the length of time between specific dates can be a bit more difficult than other types of functions. 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. DN David N. IT Operations Manager Computer Software ### "The gold standard spreadsheet application" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 30, 2026 Overall the best spreadsheet application you can use. It's got more functions, features, and capabilities than the average end user knows how to do or even knows exists. A staple for businesses and used for everything from financing, inventory tracking, sorting, and data visualization. It's also real nice that it's included in very M365 subscription and natively integrates with everything within the M365 suite of apps. Pros A really good and feature rich spreadsheet application for businesses and individuals. Really like the ability to create spreadsheets, pivot tables, and data visualization (via tables and graphs). Great tool for sorting, organizing, and parsing through data. Available as a web application and desktop app. Autosave feature natively built in and integrates with OneDrive. Cons The web app version is limited in capability when compared to the desktop application. The macOS desktop version is even more limited when compared to the windows desktop app when it comes to functions/formulas. It's also annoying sometimes when dealing with a very large spreadsheet and the application is slow due to Excel being a single CPU core application still. 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/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. 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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. Sponsored profiles include a link-out icon that takes users to the provider's website. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-we-ensure-transparency/)