--- title: "Microsoft Excel Software Reviews, Demo & Pricing - 2026" description: "Review of Microsoft Excel Software: system overview, features, price and cost information. Get free demos and compare to similar programs." source_url: "https://www.softwareadvice.com/productivity/microsoft-excel-profile/" page_type: "product" language: "en" --- [Home](https://www.softwareadvice.com/) / [Productivity Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/productivity/) / Microsoft Excel Software Advice offers objective insights based on verified user reviews and independent product and market research. When our advisors match you to a software provider, we may earn a referral fee. Overview [Reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/productivity/microsoft-excel-profile/reviews/)[Alternatives](https://www.softwareadvice.com/productivity/microsoft-excel-profile/alternatives/) # Microsoft Excel Review From $6-$22/month Free version 4 plans Wondering if Microsoft Excel is right for your organization? Our Productivity Software selection experts can help you in 15 minutes or less. On this page - Overview - User Interface - Popular Alternatives - Pros and Cons - Pricing and Plans - Features - Integrations - User Reviews - Popular Comparisons ## Overview Microsoft Excel 4.8 [(19514)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/productivity/microsoft-excel-profile/reviews/) Pricing Starting at $6.00 per user per month ### About Microsoft Excel Microsoft Excel is a productivity solution that helps businesses of all sizes create spreadsheets to organize data and perform calculations. The platform enables managers to format and present data in charts, graphs, sparklines, tables and other formats. Administrators can share and collaborate with colleagues on workbooks using mobile applications on Android and iOS devices. Microsoft Excel offers an image recognition functionality, which allows teams to convert images into editable tables in real-time. Additionally, supervisors can import, view, organize and visualize data across financial transactions on a unified interface. Microsoft Excel lets stakeholders apply built-in formulas to create forecasts and predict upcoming trends. Pricing is based on monthly subscriptions and support is extended via FAQs, phone, email, self-help resources and an online contact form. Wondering if Microsoft Excel is right for your organization? Our Productivity Software selection experts can help you in 15 minutes or less. ## Microsoft Excel User Interface ## Popular Microsoft Excel Alternatives Main Product Microsoft Excel 4.8 [(19514)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/productivity/microsoft-excel-profile/reviews/) Ratings Breakdown - 4.35Ease of use - 4.58Value for money - 4.30Customer support - 4.72Functionality Pricing Starting at $6.00 per month Get Price Alternative Product [Google Workspace](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/google-workspace-profile/) 4.7 [(17695)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/google-workspace-profile/reviews/) Ratings Breakdown - 4.64Ease of use - 4.59Value for money - 4.27Customer support - 4.63Functionality Pricing Starting at $7.00 per month Get Price Alternative Product [Microsoft 365](https://www.softwareadvice.com/productivity/microsoft-365-profile/) 4.6 [(14156)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/productivity/microsoft-365-profile/reviews/) Ratings Breakdown - 4.51Ease of use - 4.34Value for money - 4.26Customer support - 4.61Functionality Pricing Starting at $6.00 per month Get Price Alternative Product [WPS Office](https://www.softwareadvice.com/business-management/wps-office-profile/) 4.5 [(1539)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/business-management/wps-office-profile/reviews/) Ratings Breakdown - 4.48Ease of use - 4.38Value for money - 4.14Customer support - 4.37Functionality Pricing Starting at $29.99 per year Get Price Alternative Product [monday.com AI Work Platform](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/monday-com-profile/) 4.6 [(6108)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/monday-com-profile/reviews/) Ratings Breakdown - 4.49Ease of use - 4.28Value for money - 4.43Customer support - 4.45Functionality Pricing Starting at $9.00 per month Get Price Alternative Product [HighQ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/legal/highq-profile/) 4.4 [(78)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/legal/highq-profile/reviews/) Ratings Breakdown - 4.31Ease of use - 4.16Value for money - 4.30Customer support - 4.40Functionality Pricing Starting at $1.00 one time Get Price ## Microsoft Excel Pros and Cons We analyzed 19,514 verified reviews for Microsoft Excel to find out what actual users really think. Select to learn more Versatile Feature-Rich Platform Excel provides a vast array of features, including powerful formulas, macros, integration options, and templates. Its flexibility supports a wide range of business and personal needs, enabling users to customize solutions and improve productivity across different tasks. Robust Tools For Data Handling Microsoft Excel offers a wide range of tools for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing data. Users can manage large datasets, apply formulas, create tables, and automate tasks, making it effective for everything from basic data entry to complex analytics and reporting. Intuitive For Varied Tasks Excel is designed to be user-friendly, allowing users to create both simple and complex spreadsheets with ease. Its interface is approachable for beginners, while offering enough depth for advanced users, making everyday tasks and data organization straightforward. Complexity In Formula Usage Working with formulas in Excel can be challenging, especially for nested or advanced functions. Users often struggle to remember syntax, troubleshoot errors, and find helpful guidance, making formula management a source of frustration for many. Steep Learning For Advanced Use Mastering Excel’s advanced functions often requires significant training and practice. New users can find the interface and features overwhelming, and many report needing courses or tutorials to fully utilize its capabilities, especially for complex tasks. Navigation And Shortcut Challenges Navigating Excel’s menus and using shortcuts can be confusing, particularly for new users. Differences between versions, hidden options, and inconsistent commands often slow down workflow and make it harder to efficiently access needed features. ## Microsoft Excel Pricing and Plans Starting price: $6.00 per month Free Trial Free Version Microsoft 365 Business Basic $6.00 per user, per month Plan includes: - File sharing - Collaboration Microsoft 365 Apps for business $8.25 per user, per month No plan information available Microsoft 365 Business Standard $12.50 per user, per month No plan information available Microsoft 365 Business Premium $22.00 per user, per month No plan information available Confused about pricing? We've got you covered. Get a personalized pricing breakdown tailored to your specific needs—no guesswork, no generic estimates. ## Microsoft Excel Features - Popular features found in Productivity Collaboration Tools Content Creation Productivity Tools Progress Tracking Task Management - More features of Microsoft Excel API Charting Commenting/Notes Customizable Templates Database Creation Data Import/Export Data Visualization Document Management Drag & Drop File Sharing Multiple Projects Notes Management Office Suite Offline Access Project Management Real-Time Data Real-Time Updates Search/Filter Team Collaboration Templates To-Do List Version Control What-if Analysis ## Microsoft Excel Integrations Microsoft 365 Integration rated 4.8 from 191 reviews Microsoft Word Integration rated 4.6 from 143 reviews Microsoft PowerPoint Integration rated 4.6 from 74 reviews OneDrive Integration rated 4.8 from 66 reviews Microsoft Power BI Integration rated 4.8 from 54 reviews Microsoft Outlook Integration rated 4.8 from 51 reviews See all 88 integrations ## Microsoft Excel User Reviews ## Microsoft Excel customer ratings - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Total reviews: 19,514 ### Rating distribution - 5 stars: 15,543 reviews (80%) - 4 stars: 3,594 reviews (18%) - 3 stars: 336 reviews (2%) - 2 stars: 30 reviews (0%) - 1 star: 11 reviews (0%) ### Secondary ratings - Ease of use: 4.3/5 - Value for money: 4.6/5 - Customer support: 4.3/5 - Functionality: 4.7/5 --- ### Microsoft Excel Review: The Undisputed Data Powerhouse, Built for Power Users - Overall rating: 5/5 - Reviewer: Christopher V. - Verified reviewer: Yes - Industry: Non-Profit Organization Management - Company size: 2-10 employees - Product usage: Used monthly for less than 2 years - Reviewed: July 2026 - Review source details: This review was submitted organically. No incentive was offered Overall, Microsoft Excel is the undisputed powerhouse of spreadsheet software—an indispensable workhorse for data analysis, financial modeling, and complex reporting across virtually every industry. The Bottom Line Where it shines: Raw computing power, deep analytical functionality, and sheer versatility. Whether you are running complex statistical models, cleaning messy data with Power Query, or building dynamic Pivot Table dashboards, Excel handles heavy-duty data tasks that leave lighter web apps lagging. Where it falls short: Real-time collaboration and modern simplicity. When multiple people need to edit a sheet simultaneously, or when casual users just need a simple clean tracker, Excel can feel overly complex, prone to version-control headaches, and rigid. Best For Finance, Accounting & Data Professionals: Building detailed financial models, running statistical audits, and processing large-scale datasets. Operations & Project Managers: Automating routine workflows, tracking multi-variable metrics, and transforming raw system exports into actionable business reports. Verdict: The gold standard for data processing and analysis. While its interface and collaborative features feel heavier than modern competitors, its raw power, depth, and universal adoption make it an essential tool for serious analytical work. #### Ratings breakdown - Ease of use: 5/5 - Value for money: 5/5 - Customer support: 5/5 - Functionality: 5/5 #### Pros The biggest pros of Microsoft Excel that make it the industry standard for spreadsheets and data analysis: Unmatched Data Processing & Power: Excel handles massive datasets (up to 1,048,576 rows) with exceptional performance, making it far superior to browser-based tools when working with large volumes of data. Vast Formula & Function Library: From everyday basics like SUM and VLOOKUP to advanced tools like XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, and dynamic arrays, Excel provides an unparalleled engine for mathematical, financial, and statistical modeling. Power Query & Data Cleaning: Power Query allows you to connect, extract, transform, and clean messy data from almost any source (SQL, web, CSVs, PDFs) automatically without writing code. Pivot Tables & Deep Analytics: Pivot Tables and Pivot Charts let you summarize, segment, and explore complex data sets instantly with drag-and-drop ease. Customization via VBA & Macros: For repetitive tasks or complex business processes, Excel allows you to automate entire workflows using macros or Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). Universal Industry Standard: Because almost every company uses Excel, sharing files, financial models, and reports across organizations is seamless, and learning it is a highly transferable career skill. #### Cons Drawbacks and limitations of Microsoft Excel: Collaboration & Version Control Friction: While co-authoring in Excel for the Web has improved, live real-time collaboration on complex desktop workbooks often leads to file locks, sync conflicts, or multiple "Version 2_final_FINAL" copies floating around. Steep Learning Curve for Advanced Features: While basic entry is easy, mastering advanced capabilities—like complex nested formulas, Power Query, DAX, or VBA scripting—requires a significant investment of time and technical learning. Risk of Human Error: Because data entry and formula creation are largely manual, a single hidden formula error or broken cell reference can quietly cascade through an entire financial model undetected. Performance Drops with Massive Files: Extremely large datasets, heavily stacked custom formulas, or resource-heavy macros can cause the software to slow down, freeze, or crash, especially on standard office hardware. Outdated Desktop UI & Clutter: The ribbon interface and sheer volume of menus, buttons, and settings can feel overwhelmed and cluttered for casual users who just need to organize simple lists or tables. Subscription & Licensing Costs: Unlike free alternatives, accessing the full desktop power of Microsoft Excel requires a paid Microsoft 365 subscription or a costly standalone Office license. --- ### An Indispensable Tool for Business Analysis and Reporting - Overall rating: 5/5 - Reviewer: Dave R. - Verified reviewer: Yes - Industry: Mechanical or Industrial Engineering - Company size: 11-50 employees - Product usage: Used daily for more than 2 years - Reviewed: July 2026 - Review source details: This review was submitted organically. No incentive was offered Microsoft Excel has become one of the most valuable applications we use daily across IT and business operations. Whether analyzing ERP data, reconciling EDI transactions, tracking inventory, building dashboards, or creating executive reports, it consistently delivers the flexibility, reliability, and functionality needed to support informed decision-making. #### Ratings breakdown - Ease of use: 5/5 - Value for money: 5/5 - Customer support: 4/5 - Functionality: 5/5 #### Pros Microsoft Excel is an incredibly powerful and reliable tool for data analysis, reporting, budgeting, and business operations. Its advanced formulas, PivotTables, charts, Power Query, and automation capabilities make it an essential application for managing large datasets, tracking KPIs, reconciling ERP and EDI data, and generating operational reports. #### Cons Some advanced features require time to learn, and very large workbooks with extensive formulas or macros can occasionally experience performance slowdowns. Collaboration and version management can also become challenging if shared workbook practices are not followed. --- ### Microsoft Excel - Overall rating: 5/5 - Reviewer: Jasmina J. - Verified reviewer: Yes - Industry: Consumer Services - Company size: 2-10 employees - Product usage: Used daily for more than 2 years - Reviewed: March 2026 - Review source details: This reviewer was invited by us to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you. overall, excel is great! great software for work life and personal life. easy to use and great to have daily! #### Ratings breakdown - Ease of use: 5/5 - Value for money: 5/5 - Customer support: 5/5 - Functionality: 5/5 #### Pros I love using Microsoft Excel at work and at home. It is very user friendly and comes in handy daily! #### Cons I do not think there is anything that I like least about excel. It is a great software to use for personal and work related things. --- ### Microsoft Excel Has Been My Go-To Tool for Both My Career and Personal Life - Overall rating: 5/5 - Reviewer: Verified Reviewer - Verified reviewer: Yes - Industry: Hospital & Health Care - Company size: 11-50 employees - Product usage: Used daily for more than 2 years - Reviewed: July 2026 - Review source details: This review was submitted organically. No incentive was offered Microsoft Excel has supported me through different stages of my life—from preparing for my physiotherapy career in Canada, to managing my work as a physiotherapist, and now helping me keep precious records of my daughter's growth. It is reliable, easy to use, and incredibly versatile. Whether I'm organizing patient information, planning my work, or tracking personal milestones, Excel helps me stay organized and saves me a lot of time. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a dependable spreadsheet and data management tool. #### Ratings breakdown - Ease of use: 5/5 - Value for money: 5/5 - Customer support: 5/5 - Functionality: 5/5 #### Pros As a physiotherapist, Microsoft Excel has become an essential part of my daily work. I use it to keep track of my patient records, including new assessments, follow-up appointments, cancellations, and other work-related data. It helps me stay organized and quickly review information whenever I need it. When I moved from India to Canada to prepare for my physiotherapy licensing exam, Excel was also a big part of my study routine. I used it to organize study schedules, track my progress, and make notes, which helped me stay focused throughout my preparation. Now, I also use Excel in my personal life. I have a two-month-old daughter, and I keep a record of her weekly weight, height, milestones, and important appointment notes. Having everything in one place makes it easy to look back and see how much she has grown. I love how simple it is to organize data, use formulas when needed, and create tables that are easy to read. #### Cons The only challenge I have found is that some advanced features and formulas take time to learn. Also, when working with very large spreadsheets on a mobile device, editing can sometimes feel less convenient than on a computer. Other than that, I have had a very positive experience. --- ### Excel, Foundation of Data Handeling - Overall rating: 5/5 - Reviewer: Kushagra G. - Verified reviewer: Yes - Industry: Information Technology and Services - Company size: 2-10 employees - Product usage: Used daily for more than 2 years - Reviewed: August 2026 - Review source details: This review was submitted organically. No incentive was offered Couldnt find any problem for specific, it been 8 years now working in excel and it only benefiting me and making day to day work more easier as it helps me with my data, not data, with my huge chunks of data #### Ratings breakdown - Ease of use: 5/5 - Value for money: 5/5 - Functionality: 5/5 #### Pros Being an Excel user for decades now and using it in mostly everwhere. Excel became a life saviour for those who works with data regularly. As a employ with own business aside it helps me to cop up with both the datas. And makes it super easy to work with . The sorting, importing and integration with other softwares make it the best for data handeling. I used to integrate it with decisionrules, mailchimp and with many other softwares and the whole functioning is so smooth. #### Cons There is nothing to dislike about as its an important software to manage things and data, and if i have to find one then it will be it regualar updation of his interface which sometimes make it little hard and messy --- ### The Ultimate Tool for Versatile Data Management - Overall rating: 5/5 - Reviewer: Marquita V. - Verified reviewer: Yes - Industry: Architecture & Planning - Company size: 5001-10000 employees - Product usage: Used weekly for less than 2 years - Reviewed: August 2026 - Review source details: This review was submitted organically. No incentive was offered Excel remains an indispensable piece of software. It strikes a perfect balance between accessibility for casual users and robust functionality for power users, making it the industry standard for a reason. Its ongoing evolution with new formulaic capabilities keeps it relevant and efficient for modern data analysis. #### Ratings breakdown - Ease of use: 5/5 - Value for money: 5/5 - Customer support: 5/5 - Functionality: 5/5 #### Pros The software handles everything from fundamental calculations to intricate mathematical modeling through advanced features such as XLOOKUP, dynamic arrays, and lambda functions. Pivot Tables enable the transformation of thousands of rows of raw data into organized, actionable insights with minimal effort. Integrated charting, graphing, and conditional formatting tools facilitate the seamless identification of trends and patterns. The inclusion of Power Query macros and VBA scripting significantly reduces manual workloads by automating repetitive tasks. #### Cons While Microsoft Excel is an industry standard, it can occasionally lag, freeze, or crash when handling exceptionally large files or complex, formula-heavy workbooks. Additionally, there is a steep learning curve for users attempting to master advanced formulas and VBA programming. Finally, the mobile and web-based versions feel limited compared to the desktop application, as they lack several essential features. --- ### Excellent Data analyzing tool - Overall rating: 4/5 - Reviewer: Verified Reviewer - Verified reviewer: Yes - Industry: Consumer Goods - Company size: 51-200 employees - Product usage: Used weekly for more than 2 years - Reviewed: July 2026 - Review source details: This review was submitted organically. No incentive was offered Overall experience with Excel is quite positive as I use it for the budgeting and also for work reports. It is a reliable and worth every penny as it is great for simple to complex calculations, also it provides data syncing with other devices like it is compatible with mobile phones . All in all it allows doing everything possible that a spreadsheet software should. #### Ratings breakdown - Ease of use: 4/5 - Value for money: 4/5 - Customer support: 3/5 - Functionality: 4/5 #### Pros User friendly interface and excellent formulas , just take little time to get familiar with the software and it's features. It provides large variety of in built templates for data analyzing also provides the navigation feature and quick access to frequently used features. #### Cons I found some or the other bugs in large or complex formulas. Customer support is helpful but bit slow. --- ### Excel, the workhorse you can depend on - Overall rating: 5/5 - Reviewer: John J. - Verified reviewer: Yes - Industry: Information Technology and Services - Company size: 2-10 employees - Product usage: Used daily for more than 2 years - Reviewed: August 2026 - Review source details: This review was submitted organically. No incentive was offered Overall, Microsoft Excel is exceptional at what it does. It allows you to create any type of spreadsheet that you need and it works, it works, it works. #### Ratings breakdown - Ease of use: 4/5 - Value for money: 5/5 - Customer support: 3/5 - Functionality: 5/5 #### Pros I've used Excel for over 3 decades, and I started with the predecessor, Lotus 123! Excel is a great spreadsheet app, allowing you to meet all of your business needs, including managing data, creating/embedding graphs, creating macros, report generation and more. It has a ton of features. #### Cons When you first begin you will find it has a lot of features and the learning curve can be a bit steep, but once you use it for a while it gets intuitive. If you have an older version, you own it and don't have to pay monthly; but the newer versions you are Saas and you have to pay forever, so that's a bummer. --- ### Exceptional Value and High Functionality for Daily work - Overall rating: 5/5 - Reviewer: Yetender S. - Verified reviewer: Yes - Industry: Accounting - Company size: 10000+ employees - Product usage: Used daily for more than 2 years - Reviewed: July 2026 - Review source details: This review was submitted organically. No incentive was offered Overall, the combination flexible pre built templates, easy navigation and important formulas deliver extremely value for money. #### Ratings breakdown - Ease of use: 5/5 - Customer support: 4/5 - Functionality: 5/5 #### Pros The first and fantastic thing of MS excel is it is very easy to use and navigate. It is very helpful to create new poster & table with pre-built templates. With their extreme feature this is totally value for money. With the help of its accurate data formula it is very help to reach out to the customer support with accurate data. #### Cons While working on massive data on ms excel performance can be occasionally lag with minor bugs and issues.On mobile device compatibility it allows quick edits navigating massive data sheets is little bit cramped compared to desktop. --- ### Reliable and Comprehensive Tool for Data Organization and Workflow Tracking - Overall rating: 4/5 - Reviewer: Melissa R. - Verified reviewer: Yes - Industry: Arts and Crafts - Company size: 2-10 employees - Product usage: Used weekly for less than 2 years - Reviewed: August 2026 - Review source details: This review was submitted organically. No incentive was offered Excel remains an essential, reliable standalone platform for managing daily workflows, organizing data tables, and building structured tracking grids. It offers complete control over layouts and calculation formulas, making it highly effective for ongoing project planning and information management. #### Ratings breakdown - Ease of use: 4/5 - Value for money: 3/5 - Customer support: 4/5 - Functionality: 3/5 #### Pros It is the most comprehensive tool for data organization, tracking metrics, and structured planning. The extensive formula library and layout options make it incredibly versatile for managing everything from simple logs to complex tracking systems. #### Cons The learning curve can be steep when trying to implement more advanced functions or automation features. It can also occasionally feel slow or lag when managing very large data files with extensive formatting. --- Showing 1 - 10 of 19514 Reviews [See All Reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/productivity/microsoft-excel-profile/reviews/) ## Microsoft Excel Popular Comparisons [Google Workspace vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/google-workspace-profile/vs/microsoft-excel/)[Microsoft 365 vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.softwareadvice.com/productivity/microsoft-365-profile/vs/microsoft-excel/)[WPS Office vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.softwareadvice.com/productivity/microsoft-excel-profile/vs/wps-office/)[monday.com AI Work Platform vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.softwareadvice.com/productivity/microsoft-excel-profile/vs/monday-com/)[Collabora Online vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.softwareadvice.com/spreadsheet/collabora-online-profile/vs/microsoft-excel/)[Google Docs vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.softwareadvice.com/cms/google-docs-profile/vs/microsoft-excel/)[Microsoft Word vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.softwareadvice.com/productivity/microsoft-excel-profile/vs/microsoft-word/)[Confluence vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.softwareadvice.com/project-management/confluence-profile/vs/microsoft-excel/)[Microsoft SharePoint vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.softwareadvice.com/productivity/microsoft-excel-profile/vs/microsoft-sharepoint/)[LibreOffice vs Microsoft Excel](https://www.softwareadvice.com/cms/libreoffice-profile/vs/microsoft-excel/) [Compare All Alternatives](https://www.softwareadvice.com/productivity/microsoft-excel-profile/alternatives/) ## Other Top Recommended Productivity Software [Wrike](https://www.softwareadvice.com/project-management/wrike-profile/) **4.4** (3039) Recently recommended **53** times [Google Docs](https://www.softwareadvice.com/cms/google-docs-profile/) **4.7** (29176) Recently recommended **0** times [Slack](https://www.softwareadvice.com/remote-support/slack-profile/) **4.7** (24197) Recently recommended **0** times [Trello](https://www.softwareadvice.com/project-management/trello-profile/) **4.5** (23612) Recently recommended **0** times Stuck Between Options? 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