7 Best AI alternatives to Microsoft Excel

Tool	Best for	Pricing	From	Rating
Google Sheets	Teams sharing everyday spreadsheets	Freemium	Free	4.5	Try Google Sheets
Rows	Ops and growth teams	Freemium	$0	4.5	Try Rows
Airtable	Teams needing database-like spreadsheets	Freemium	$20/mo	4.5	Try Airtable
Julius AI	Analysts and founders	Freemium	$0	4.4	Try Julius AI
Numerous.ai	Spreadsheet users automating busywork	Freemium	$10/mo	4.2	Try Numerous.ai
Zoho Sheet	Zoho ecosystem users wanting free spreadsheets	Freemium	Free	4.1	Try Zoho Sheet
LibreOffice Calc	Budget-conscious users needing offline spreadsheets	Free	Free	4.2	Try LibreOffice Calc

The alternatives in detail

Google Sheets

Classic

Free collaborative spreadsheets

4.5

The leading free, cloud-based alternative to Excel with real-time collaboration and Gemini AI features.

Formulas

Pivot tables

Apps Script

Freemium · from Free

Review AI alternatives Try Google Sheets

Rows

Spreadsheet with AI built in

4.5

An AI-powered spreadsheet that connects directly to apps and APIs, appealing to Excel users wanting less manual data entry.

AI formula writing

Data enrichment

Live API integrations

Freemium · from $0

Review Alternatives Try Rows

Airtable

Connect your apps, automate your work

4.5

A flexible database-spreadsheet hybrid with AI for Excel users managing relational data rather than pure numbers.

Relational database views

Built-in automations

AI field generation

Freemium · from $20/mo

Review Alternatives Try Airtable

Julius AI

Chat with your spreadsheets

4.4

An AI data analyst chatbot for Excel users who want to query and visualize spreadsheets via natural language instead of formulas.

Natural language analysis

Automatic charting

Statistical modelling

Freemium · from $0

Review Alternatives Try Julius AI

Numerous.ai

AI formulas inside your spreadsheet

4.2

An AI formula add-in for Excel/Sheets power users wanting GPT-powered functions inline in cells.

AI formulas

Bulk categorisation

Data extraction

Freemium · from $10/mo

Review Alternatives Try Numerous.ai

Zoho Sheet

Online spreadsheet software for teams

4.1

A free cloud spreadsheet with AI assistant Zia, a budget-friendly Excel alternative for small businesses.

Real-time collaboration

Zia AI data insights

Macros and scripting

Freemium · from Free

Review Alternatives Try Zoho Sheet

LibreOffice Calc

Classic

Free and powerful spreadsheet software

4.2

The strongest free, non-AI, offline alternative for users who want an Excel-compatible spreadsheet without a subscription.

Excel file compatibility (.xlsx)

Pivot tables

Macro scripting (Basic/Python)

Free · from Free

Review AI alternatives Try LibreOffice Calc

Which Microsoft Excel alternative is right for you?

Most people arrive here asking one of four things. Here's the short answer to each, based on our own testing — read how we review tools if you want the full method.

What's the best overall AI alternative to Microsoft Excel?

Google Sheets scores highest in our testing (4.5/5). Free collaborative spreadsheets.

Is there a free alternative to Microsoft Excel?

Yes — Google Sheets has a freemium option, so you can try the workflow before paying anything.

Which one is easiest to switch to?

Google Sheets is the gentlest landing — best for Teams sharing everyday spreadsheets. You can get a usable result on day one.

Which works best for a team?

Google Sheets (best for Teams sharing everyday spreadsheets) handles shared work best, starting at Free.

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