Best Microsoft Excel alternatives in 2026
The best Microsoft Excel alternatives in 2026 are DeepCell, Google Sheets, Zoho Sheet. Zoho Sheet is the strongest free option. Google Sheets costs less, from $8.40/mo versus $9.99/mo for Microsoft Excel.
Why people look for Microsoft Excel alternatives
- Advanced features have a steep learning curve
- Web version lacks some desktop features
- Emailed copies lead to version chaos
- Subscription price rose in 2025 with Copilot bundled
- Microsoft Excel starts at $9.99/mo (Freemium).
Best Microsoft Excel alternative by need
| # | Tool | Pricing | Starts at | Best for | Platforms | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DeepCell Linked spreadsheet, report and slides in one file, built by AI agents | Freemium | — | Freelancers, Small businesses, Enterprise | web, macos, windows, linux | 0 |
| 2 | Google Sheets Free cloud spreadsheet with real-time collaboration and Gemini AI | Freemium | $8/mo | Small businesses, Freelancers, Enterprise | web, ios, android | 0 |
| 3 | Zoho Sheet Free collaborative spreadsheet with Zia AI and built-in data cleaning | Free | $0 | Small businesses, Freelancers, Enterprise | web, windows, macos, ios, android | 0 |
| 4 | Airtable Spreadsheet-database hybrid with apps | Freemium | $24/mo | Small businesses, Enterprise | web, ios, android | 0 |
| 5 | Quadratic AI spreadsheet with Python, SQL and JavaScript in the cells | Freemium | $20/mo | Developers, Small businesses, Enterprise | web | 0 |
| 6 | Coda Docs that work like apps | Freemium | $15/mo | Small businesses, Enterprise | web, ios, android | 0 |
| 7 | Coupler.io No-code data sync from 400+ apps into Sheets, BI tools and AI | Freemium | $32/mo | Small businesses, Agencies, Freelancers | web | 0 |
| 8 | SeaTable EU-hosted spreadsheet database and no-code app builder, self-hostable | Freemium | — | Small businesses, Enterprise, Developers | web, linux | 0 |
| 9 | Smartsheet Spreadsheet-style work management for enterprises | Paid | $12/mo | Enterprise, Small businesses | web, ios, android | 0 |
| 10 | Retable Collaborative spreadsheet-database from Turkey | Freemium | $12/mo | Small businesses | web | 0 |
10 Microsoft Excel alternatives compared
- 1
DeepCell
Linked spreadsheet, report and slides in one file, built by AI agents
Best for: Analysts and consultants who use AI agents to build models, memos and decks that must stay consistent and explainable under deadline.
- 2
Google Sheets
Free cloud spreadsheet with real-time collaboration and Gemini AI
Best for: Teams and individuals who need shared spreadsheets with real-time collaboration at little or no cost.
- 3
Zoho Sheet
Free collaborative spreadsheet with Zia AI and built-in data cleaning
Best for: Small businesses and Zoho customers that want a free, collaborative spreadsheet with AI help and live links to their Zoho data.
- 4
Airtable
Spreadsheet-database hybrid with apps
Best for: Operations, marketing and content teams that outgrew spreadsheets but do not want a developer-built system.
- 5
Quadratic
AI spreadsheet with Python, SQL and JavaScript in the cells
Best for: Analysts, data scientists and technical founders who want spreadsheet speed with Python and SQL power.
- 6
Coda
Docs that work like apps
Best for: Operations and product teams that want to build structured, interactive docs and have a few power users to maintain them.
- 7
Coupler.io
No-code data sync from 400+ apps into Sheets, BI tools and AI
Best for: Marketing agencies, finance teams and SMBs that report in spreadsheets or BI tools and want scheduled data refreshes without code.
- 8
SeaTable
EU-hosted spreadsheet database and no-code app builder, self-hostable
Best for: European teams that want an Airtable-style database with EU hosting or a self-hosted option at a lower per-user price.
- 9
- 10
Retable
Collaborative spreadsheet-database from Turkey
Best for: Small teams wanting a simple, cheap Airtable alternative.
Microsoft Excel alternatives: FAQ
What is the best alternative to Microsoft Excel?
Based on features, audience and market presence, the strongest Microsoft Excel alternatives are DeepCell, Google Sheets, Zoho Sheet. DeepCell is the closest match for most teams.
Is there a free alternative to Microsoft Excel?
Yes. Zoho Sheet can be used for free. Other free or freemium alternatives to Microsoft Excel include DeepCell, Google Sheets, Airtable.
What is cheaper than Microsoft Excel?
Google Sheets starts at $8.40/mo, while Microsoft Excel starts at $9.99/mo. Prices are checked on each vendor's own pricing page.