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LibreOffice Calc is our best fit for buyers who want a free spreadsheet; Rows is a stronger match if you need imports, AI-assisted analysis and dashboards. For custom data apps, consider Grist or Airtable. This list does not compare Excel with Google Sheets or establish whether Excel is still relevant in 2026. The published details also do not identify the seven Microsoft Office apps or explain how to install Excel on a PC for free. Check those questions separately, and review plan caps before switching.
Quick picksThe shortlist
LibreOffice CalcLibreOffice CalcBest overall · Free
RowsRowsBest for data imports · $6/mo
GristGristBest for custom data apps · $8/mo
QuadraticQuadraticBest for data analysis · $18/mo
AirtableAirtableBest for team workflows · $20/mo
Row ZeroRow ZeroBest for warehouse data · $12/mo
CoefficientCoefficientBest for spreadsheet automation · $40.67/mo
Excel Price FeedExcel Price FeedBest for investment data · $13.75/mo
MacabacusMacabacusBest for finance teams · $16.67/mo
GridGridBest for embedded spreadsheets · $49/mo
LidoLidoBest for document workflows · $29/mo
01Compared at a glance
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LibreOffice CalcLibreOffice Calc | 7.3 | Free | Yes | — |
| RowsRows | 7.0 | $6/mo | Yes | — |
| GristGrist | 7.0 | $8/mo | Yes | 30 days |
| QuadraticQuadratic | 7.2 | $18/mo | Yes | — |
| AirtableAirtable | 7.3 | $20/mo | Yes | — |
| Row ZeroRow Zero | 7.0 | $12/mo | Yes | — |
| CoefficientCoefficient | 7.0 | $40.67/mo | Yes | 30 days |
| Excel Price FeedExcel Price Feed | 7.1 | $13.75/mo | No | 10 days |
| MacabacusMacabacus | 6.5 | $16.67/mo | No | 14 days |
| GridGrid | 6.2 | $49/mo | Yes | 7 days |
| LidoLido | 6.2 | $29/mo | Yes | — |
02The picks, in detail
- Best overallLibreOffice CalcLibreOffice Calc
LibreOffice Calc is the strongest starting point if price matters most: the listing describes it as free and suited to analysis and charting. The trade-off is reported friction with some advanced tasks. Choose it for a no-cost spreadsheet and basic analysis, but check that your specific workflows are covered before replacing a more specialized tool.
What works
- Free to use
- Open-source office suite
- Supports data analysis
What doesn't
- Seat limits are not published
- Usage limits are not published
- One Reddit user reported frustration beyond basic tasks
- Best for data importsRowsRows
Rows combines spreadsheet work with business-data imports, AI-assisted analysis, shareable reports and dashboards. Its listed starting price is $6, with a free plan, but the brief flags meaningful limits on cheaper plans without publishing the exact caps. It ranks near the top for buyers who want those workflows in one tool and can verify the limits first.
What works
- Free plan includes core spreadsheet and AI features
- Imports data from integrations and websites
- AI can analyze data and create reports
What doesn't
- Free plan allows only 5 AI tasks monthly
- Free file imports are capped at 1 MB
- Plus limits integrations to 10 accounts
- Best for custom data appsGristGrist
Grist suits teams turning spreadsheet data into custom apps, especially when granular access rules or relational data matter. It starts at $8 and has a free plan. The cautions are its free-plan limits and changing self-hosted terms; confirm both before committing, particularly if self-hosting is part of your buying decision.
What works
- Combines spreadsheet editing with relational database features
- Controls access down to individual rows and columns
- Supports Python formulas and standard library features
What doesn't
- Free plan caps documents at 5,000 records each
- Free AI allowance is 100 credits, one time
- Business requires at least five users
- Best for data analysisQuadraticQuadratic
Quadratic is aimed at teams analyzing connected business data and working with SQL, Python, large CSV files or Parquet files. The listed starting price is $18, with a free plan. Its data-heavy focus can justify a closer look, but check the AI allowances and plan price against your expected usage before switching.
What works
- Connects databases, files and business apps
- Supports Python, SQL, JavaScript and formulas in cells
- Natural-language prompts can build spreadsheet analyses
What doesn't
- Personal plan price and exact limits are not published
- Pro AI credits are limited to $20 per month
- Business starts at $36 per user/month annually
- Best for team workflowsAirtableAirtable
Airtable makes more sense as a shared-data and operational-workflow tool than as a personal spreadsheet. It targets teams building apps around data and departments that need access controls. It starts at $20 and has a free plan. The price is easier to justify when those collaboration needs matter; less so for basic spreadsheet work.
What works
- Build no-code apps from team data
- AI agents can orchestrate actions across operations
- Supports models from multiple AI providers
What doesn't
- Team costs $20 per editor monthly, billed annually
- Business costs $45 per editor monthly, billed annually
- Monthly-billed rates are not published
- Best for warehouse dataRow ZeroRow Zero
Row Zero is built for teams working with warehouse data, large CSV or Parquet files, and governed spreadsheet access. Its listed starting price is $12, with a free plan. That makes it a specialist pick for connected, sizeable datasets—not an obvious upgrade if you only need a general-purpose spreadsheet.
What works
- Free plan includes one workbook and 5GB per workbook
- Pro includes unlimited workbooks for $12 per user monthly
- Business lists automated refresh and warehouse write-back
What doesn't
- Free plan is limited to one workbook
- Pro and Business list a 5GB-per-workbook limit
- Enterprise pricing is custom
- Best for spreadsheet automationCoefficientCoefficient
Coefficient offers spreadsheet-based automation for teams and solo builders, including manual-work automation and alerts. The listed starting price is $40.67, with a free plan. That price makes plan caps worth checking closely: compare the features and allowances you need before paying for a broader automation toolkit.
What works
- Connects spreadsheets to business systems
- Offers AI-assisted cleaning, analysis, and formatting
- Supports browser scraping when an API is unavailable
What doesn't
- Free plan allows only 50 import refreshes monthly
- Free imports are capped at 5,000 rows
- Starter exports are capped at 500 rows
- Best for investment dataExcel Price FeedExcel Price Feed
Excel Price Feed is for investors who want market data inside Excel, including portfolio tracking with Interactive Brokers and access to fundamentals and historical data. It starts at $13.75. Before buying, check the machine cap and compare the annual and monthly prices; the listing identifies both as decision points.
What works
- 100+ add-in formulas for spreadsheets
- Live data across several asset classes
- Historical data from 1-minute to weekly
What doesn't
- Each plan covers only one user and machine
- No free plan; trial lasts 10 days
- Professional plan costs $25 monthly
- Best for finance teamsMacabacusMacabacus
Macabacus targets finance teams building models and presentations, with model checks, branded decks, templates and links between Excel data and presentations. It starts at $16.67. It is worth considering when those finance-specific controls are needed, but the published details say it is harder to justify on price alone.
What works
- Model Check runs 50+ checks
- Deck Check AIR flags cross-slide mismatches
- Links Excel data to PowerPoint and Word
What doesn't
- No free plan is listed
- Monthly prices are not published
- Enterprise pricing is not published
- Best for embedded spreadsheetsGridGrid
Grid is aimed at developers embedding spreadsheets in apps, teams building AI spreadsheet workflows, and products needing a themed spreadsheet viewer. It starts at $49 and has a free plan. Commercial pricing is unclear and caps are unpublished in the published details, which makes budgeting harder than for more transparent options.
What works
- Structured agent operations avoid task-specific spreadsheet code
- Recalculation described as consistent with Excel and Google Sheets
- Headless engine runs spreadsheet logic inside applications
What doesn't
- Free plan does not allow sharing or public publishing
- Pro view and form limits are not published
- Pro restricts some advanced features
- Best for document workflowsLidoLido
Lido offers document automation, with use cases ranging from individuals processing under 100 pages monthly to teams needing API and workflow access or custom integrations. It starts at $29 and has a free plan. Check the page limits and annual bill before switching; those details can change whether it fits your volume and budget.
What works
- Handles PDFs, scans, images and emails
- Extracts documents without templates
- Supports handwriting and scanned PDFs
What doesn't
- Standard is limited to 100 pages monthly
- Standard includes only one user
- Scale costs $7,000 per year
03How we chose
We would weigh published pricing, plan limits, product documentation and Reddit sentiment, with extra attention to costs and constraints that could complicate a switch. We would not treat a feature list as proof that a tool fits a particular workflow, and we would not claim hands-on testing. The published published material for this draft includes no vendor prices, plan caps, documentation excerpts or Reddit posts, so we cannot verify comparisons or name a data-backed winner. Check current vendor sources before relying on any price or limit.
04Choose around the work, not the spreadsheet label
Start with the job your team needs to do: maintain a shared list, analyze data, build a database-like workflow or connect business information. Those are different buying needs, even when every shortlist calls its product a spreadsheet. The tools covered here are Airtable, Grid, Rows, Grist, Macabacus, LibreOffice Calc, Quadratic, Lido, Excel Price Feed, Coefficient and Row Zero; the published material does not establish which features each includes. Before switching, write down required workflows, user roles, imports, exports and integrations, then verify each against current product documentation. Ask whether people need to edit together, automate routine work or preserve a familiar file format. Do not pay for a capability your team will not use, but do not assume a low price covers a must-have workflow.
05Compare the full cost before you move
Compare prices only after confirming what the quoted plan includes. Check billing frequency, included users, usage limits, feature restrictions and the price of the next tier your team might need. The published published material for this draft contains no verified prices or plan caps for these products, so we cannot give a reliable cost ranking. Ask vendors to confirm limits in writing and calculate the cost for your expected team size, not just one account. Include migration and review time in the decision: a cheaper subscription may not be cheaper overall if moving data or rebuilding workflows takes substantial effort. Before committing, identify an export path and test it with representative data using your own process; we have not tested these products or their exports.
Questions people ask
What are the 7 software applications in MS Office?
The published published material does not identify seven applications or specify an MS Office edition. The included apps can depend on the product and plan, so we cannot give a verified seven-item list here. Check the current Microsoft product page for the edition you mean.
Is Excel still relevant in 2026?
The published material provides no 2026 adoption data, product comparison or user research, so we cannot substantiate a yes-or-no verdict. Decide based on your team's required workflows, compatibility needs, collaboration habits and total cost, then compare those requirements with current product documentation.
Is Google Sheets as good as Excel?
There is no universal answer, and the published sources do not compare the two products. List the features, integrations, file requirements and collaboration needs your team depends on, then verify them against current documentation and pricing for the plans you are considering.
How can I install Excel on a PC for free?
The published material does not confirm current free installation or eligibility options. Check Microsoft's current download and licensing information before installing, and confirm whether the option you qualify for includes the features you need. We cannot verify a free route from the published sources.