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Best Spreadsheet Software groups, catalogs, and keeps track of your data in charts and graphs that are easy to understand. This method organizes data so that it can be shared for real-time collaboration, analyzed further, or turned into pictures. Spreadsheet software is used in some way by all company sizes, industries, and teams. Spreadsheet tools offer powerful ways to handle and optimize data that can be used by accounting, marketing, and development teams, to name a few.
A spreadsheet is used for everything, from saving data to processing it and showing it to other people. If you have the right spreadsheet tool, you’ve already finished half of your work. But which spreadsheet program is best for you? I can’t say for sure, but I can give you a list of some of the best spreadsheet apps and tell you what’s good and bad about each one.
Best Spreadsheet Software Comparison Table
| Software | Platforms | Collaboration | Cloud Storage Integration | Advanced Functions | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jotform Tables | Web | Yes | Yes | Limited | Free, Paid |
| Microsoft Excel | Windows, Mac | Yes | OneDrive, SharePoint | Extensive | Paid |
| Google Sheets | Web, iOS, Android | Yes | Google Drive | Moderate | Free |
| Numbers | Mac, iOS | Yes | iCloud | Limited | Free (with Apple devices) |
| Quip | Web, iOS, Android | Yes | Quip Drive | Limited | Paid |
| Smartsheet | Web, iOS, Android | Yes | Smartsheet Drive | Extensive | Paid |
Jotform Tables
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Web |
| Collaboration | Yes |
| Cloud Storage Integration | Yes |
| Advanced Functions | Limited |
| Pricing | Free, Paid |
Best Spreadsheet Software Jotform Tables is an all-in-one spreadsheet-database tool that lets you collect, manage, and share your data from one central place. In Jotform Tables, you can sync answers from connected online forms, import data from a CSV or Excel file, or add new entries by hand.
Jotform Tables is collaborative spreadsheet software that lets you change access settings, give entries to teammates, and even send data to other platforms to improve project management and communication.
The Good
- User-friendly interface
- Facilitated collaboration
- Custom forms and tables
The Bad
- Excel-like functionality lacking.
- Complex data analysis is harder to learn.
Microsoft Excel
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows, Mac |
| Collaboration | Yes |
| Cloud Storage Integration | OneDrive, SharePoint |
| Advanced Functions | Extensive |
| Pricing | Paid |
Since it came out in 1987, Microsoft Excel has become one of the most famous spreadsheet programs. It has a wide range of functions and features, as well as different ways to show data.
Even though Excel is easy enough for kids in elementary school to use, it was also the first tool to use filters and formulas to sort through huge amounts of data. Excel is one of the best spreadsheet programs because you can customize its Quick Access Toolbar to pin your most-used functions and work together with other users without any problems.
The Good
- Strong data analysis tools
- Formula library
- Wide software compatibility and integration
The Bad
- Advanced licensing is costly.
- Beginners struggle to collaborate
Google Sheets
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android |
| Collaboration | Yes |
| Cloud Storage Integration | Google Drive |
| Advanced Functions | Moderate |
| Pricing | Free |
Best Spreadsheet Software Excel’s collaborative tools have gotten better with recent updates, but Google Sheets is still the best in this area, with chat, comments, real-time co-editing, and easy sharing. Since there is no software to download and everything is saved in the cloud, working together is a very smooth process.
Google Sheets is a great tool for figuring out numbers. It may not have as many advanced features as Excel, like “what-if” scenarios, but for most businesses that just want to organize data and do basic processes, Sheets will do the job.
The Good
- Free online.
- instantaneous collaboration
- Integrating Google products
The Bad
- Performance issues with large datasets.
- Internet stability
LibreOffice
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Word Processing | Writer – Create and edit documents |
| Spreadsheets | Calc – Create and manage spreadsheets |
| Presentations | Impress – Create and deliver presentations |
| Database Management | Base – Create and manage databases |
| Graphics Editing | Draw – Create graphics and diagrams |
| Formula Editing | Math – Create and edit mathematical formulas |
Calc is the name of LibreOffice’s spreadsheet program and the Best Spreadsheet Software. It has a lot of good features, but it’s not a great way to work together. There is also restricted cloud support, and co-authoring in real time is not possible. LibreOffice is a good choice, though, if you want a free, powerful tool for your own projects.
The style is a bit old and cluttered, but once you figure out where everything is, most of the features are just a click away. You can also add new toolbars to make it easier to get to the things you want. Graphs are easy to make, but they take a long time to customize because when you click on a feature, you get a dialogue box instead of a sidebar or pop-up menu.
The Good
- Easy-to-use interface
- Apple devices work seamlessly.
- Data visualization power
The Bad
- Unsupported non-Apple devices
- Fewer advanced features than Excel.
Numbers
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Mac, iOS |
| Collaboration | Yes |
| Cloud Storage Integration | iCloud |
| Advanced Functions | Limited |
| Pricing | Free (with Apple devices) |
Numbers is the app by Apple for making spreadsheets and the Best Spreadsheet Software. It’s free for Apple users because it’s already on their devices. The layout of Numbers is very clean and up-to-date, which is a big plus. It comes with a lot of built-in templates that can help you with many different jobs you do every day. You can use it to make templates, charts, and graphs very fast that are very pretty.
And, yes, it makes it easy to work together on Apple devices. But here is what’s wrong with Numbers. It can’t handle a lot of info that is hard to understand. It doesn’t have many of the tools and functions that a typical spreadsheet program would. So, Numbers is never the right choice if you have a lot of data to work with or if you need a powerful and reliable tool that will sort your data in seconds.
The Good
- Enhanced collaboration and communication
- Live editing and commenting
- Collaboration and versioning
The Bad
- Limited data analysis
Quip
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android |
| Collaboration | Yes |
| Cloud Storage Integration | Quip Drive |
| Advanced Functions | Limited |
| Pricing | Paid |
It first came out in 2012, and Salesforce bought it in 2016. Quip lets you switch between a spreadsheet view and a text view at the same time. Quip is a must-have spreadsheet program because it comes with more than 400 built-in features, has a very clean layout, and has menu shortcuts for almost everything.
Quip makes it easy to make charts and graphs that will blow your mind. Using it, you can set up customized channels to talk with the people in your channels right in the spreadsheet. You can open the chat sidebar by clicking the Show Conversation button at the top of each worksheet.
The Good
- Live editing and commenting
- Collaboration and versioning
The Bad
- It requires internet access and has fewer formatting options than Excel.
Smartsheet
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android |
| Collaboration | Yes |
| Cloud Storage Integration | Smartsheet Drive |
| Advanced Functions | Extensive |
| Pricing | Paid |
Smartsheet is an online program for managing projects that looks like a worksheet. Unlike LibreOffice Calc and Google Sheets, its best feature is that it helps users streamline their processes and work together. This program has powerful tools for managing projects. It has views that you can change to fit your wants. You can change the view from grid to calendar or Gantt Charts.
You can also see improvements and changes to your worksheet as they happen in real time. You can share milestones with other people and look at how they’ve changed them in the past. You’ll also get automated reminders to keep your job on track. Smartsheet also has great tools for showing how data is organized. You can show and export your data in different suitable figures.
The Good
- Enhanced project management
- Automated workflow
- Customization options
The Bad
- Complex workflows are harder to learn.
- Few data analysis tools
FAQs
Spreadsheet software is often able to work with other programs. You can add data from outside sources, like databases or CSV files, and export your spreadsheet to different file formats, like Excel, PDF, and CSV. Integration with other software, like word processors or presentation tools, may also be possible.
Yes, there are many spreadsheet programs that have mobile apps for phones and laptops. You can access, view, change, and work together on spreadsheets while you’re on the go with these mobile apps. But the user experience and functions may be a little bit different from the desktop version.
Yes, there is free spreadsheet software out there. Google Sheets and LibreOffice Calc are two examples. With these software choices, you don’t have to pay for a subscription to get basic spreadsheet features. But free versions may not have all of the more advanced tools.