Crunching Knowledge? I Discovered the 8 Greatest Spreadsheet Software program

There are two sorts of folks on this world: those that see a clean spreadsheet and panic and those that see infinite prospects. I was the latter till a poorly formatted dataset, a rogue system, and a sluggish cloud sync conspired in opposition to me on the identical afternoon. 

In the event you’ve ever watched your fastidiously crafted formulation implode due to one misplaced character or tried to collaborate on a doc solely to search out somebody has mysteriously deleted a whole column, the battle of not working with the finest spreadsheet software program. 

Spreadsheets are imagined to make life simpler, however decide the mistaken software, and immediately, you’re in an endurance take a look at of endurance and CTRL+Z reflexes. After one too many near-breakdowns, I made a decision to check completely different spreadsheet instruments to see which of them may deal with the chaos of my every day work. Some options dealt with huge datasets like a dream. Others made collaboration really feel easy. And some? Let’s simply say they jogged my memory why folks nonetheless print issues out.

In the event you stay and breathe spreadsheets or simply desire a software that received’t betray you, my listing of finest spreadsheet software program breaks down the 8 high options I examined, what they excel at, and which one may prevent from a data-induced meltdown. 

Let’s get into it.

8 finest spreadsheet software program 

Spreadsheet software program is the software I can’t escape, largely as a result of I don’t wish to. It’s the place I plan, set up, and analyze all the things from advertising and marketing metrics to content material schedules. At its easiest, it’s only a grid of rows and columns. However in actuality? It’s a monetary tracker, a reporting powerhouse, a calculator, a light-weight database, and infrequently a last-minute drawback solver when no different software program can do precisely what I want.

I’ve used spreadsheets for all the things from budgeting advert spending to monitoring advertising and marketing efficiency, and I’ve seen them morph into full-blown databases with automation, superior formulation, and real-time collaboration. One of the best spreadsheet software program isn’t only a place to dump numbers; it’s a software that helps you make sense of them, spot patterns, and (hopefully) keep away from pricey errors.

Whether or not you’re crunching knowledge, managing workflows, or simply attempting to remain organized, the appropriate spreadsheet software program could make a distinction. The mistaken one? Let’s simply say I’ve misplaced sufficient unsaved work to know higher.

My system for locating the perfect spreadsheet software program

I wasn’t simply searching for a spreadsheet that labored. I needed one which made my job simpler. So, I put the perfect spreadsheet software program by means of the wringer, testing all the things from velocity to collaboration to how nicely they dealt with messy, real-world knowledge. 

• Efficiency and scalability: I’ve labored with spreadsheets that beg for mercy whenever you dump an excessive amount of knowledge into them. So I stress-tested every software by importing giant datasets—tens of hundreds of rows, calculations working within the background, real-time collaboration in progress. An ideal spreadsheet software shouldn’t simply work for a couple of hundred rows; it ought to be capable to deal with heavy formulation, stay knowledge imports, and a number of customers modifying directly with out turning right into a frozen nightmare.
• Method capabilities and automation: Fundamental addition and subtraction are positive for grocery lists, however I wanted one thing that might deal with advanced formulation, nested logic, and automation that saved me from repeating the identical activity. I examined how nicely every software supported superior formulation like INDEX/MATCH, ARRAY FORMULA, and customized scripting. Some instruments even let me arrange automated workflows, like triggering emails when a threshold is met or pulling real-time monetary knowledge from exterior sources. 
• Collaboration and model management: Spreadsheets are not often a solo sport. I examined how straightforward it was to work with a group: can a number of folks edit directly with out issues breaking? What occurs when somebody deletes a system they undoubtedly shouldn’t have touched? I additionally dug into model historical past, testing whether or not I may roll again adjustments simply. One of the best spreadsheet software program made it not possible for a rogue teammate to interrupt my workflow.
• Integration and connectivity: I discover a spreadsheet that exists in isolation ineffective. I wanted a spreadsheet software that imported knowledge from CRMs, APIs, and stay databases with out forcing me to replace all the things each 5 minutes manually. I examined how nicely every software program software linked with different instruments, whether or not by means of built-in integrations, add-ons, or automation platforms. One of the best ones let me pull in real-time knowledge, sync with cloud storage, and even automate repetitive reporting duties with a couple of clicks.
• Knowledge visualization and reporting: Numbers are nice, but when I can’t rapidly flip them into charts, pivot tables, or dashboards that make sense, what’s the purpose? I examined how versatile every spreadsheet software program was with graphs, conditional formatting, and superior reporting options. If a spreadsheet made it simpler to identify tendencies, spotlight key metrics, and current knowledge in a means that tells a narrative, it scored main factors.
• Superior options: Past the fundamentals, I appeared for spreadsheet instruments that provided options that weren’t simply “good to have” however improved my workflow. A few of the standout capabilities I examined included database-style performance, AI-powered insights, system solutions, no-code automation, and so forth.

One of the best spreadsheet software program didn’t simply deal with numbers—it prolonged what I may do with them, making my work extra environment friendly and, actually, loads much less irritating. After testing over 30 instruments over a number of months, I’ve my last minimize.

The listing under accommodates real person evaluations from G2’s finest spreadsheet software program class. To be included on this class, an answer should:

• Present evaluation and modifying instruments
• Filter knowledge for future evaluation
• Present knowledge presentation features, equivalent to charts and graphs
• Supply collaboration and sharing instruments
• Present convertible recordsdata

*This knowledge was pulled from G2 in 2025. Some evaluations might have been edited for readability.  

I’ve used Google Workspace for years, however I needed to transcend the same old budgeting and content material monitoring for testing Sheets. 

I put Google Sheets by means of a deep take a look at: dealing with giant datasets, automating workflows, integrating stay knowledge, and stress-testing formulation. My objective was to see if it may exchange a extra heavy-duty spreadsheet software or if it will begin displaying cracks beneath strain.

First, the real-time collaboration continues to be unmatched. I invited a number of folks to edit a stay doc, examined simultaneous adjustments, and arrange protected ranges to forestall unintended overwrites. Every little thing was up to date in real-time with out lag, and I may tag folks with @mentions in feedback to assign duties. The built-in chat centralized discussions, making it really feel extra like a dwelling doc than a static spreadsheet.

However I needed to push automation subsequent. Google Apps Script is a critical benefit if JavaScript. It allowed me to create customized workflows, like pulling stay inventory market knowledge from an API or routinely producing stories. Sheets nonetheless provides fundamental automation by means of Macros for non-coders, which let me file and repeat repetitive duties. I examined organising an automatic workflow to repeat knowledge from one sheet to a different when a situation was met, and it labored nicely however solely inside Sheets itself. 

Google Sheets additionally has spectacular stay knowledge import capabilities. I used features like IMPORTXML to scrape web site knowledge and IMPORTRANGE to tug values from different spreadsheets. Connecting Sheets to Google Analytics and BigQuery was easy, however it required setup by means of Google Cloud, which isn’t as intuitive for rookies.

What additionally intrigued me was Gemini for Google Sheets, Google’s AI-powered assistant. As a substitute of manually constructing formulation or sifting by means of rows of knowledge, I typed easy prompts like “Summarize gross sales tendencies from the final quarter” or “Spotlight underperforming merchandise,” and Gemini returned structured insights. It wasn’t all the time excellent—I nonetheless needed to refine outcomes—however it sped up evaluation considerably. Gemini made trend-spotting and knowledge summaries easy for entrepreneurs and analysts working with intensive stories.

Then got here the stress take a look at. I uploaded a dataset with 100,000 rows of monetary transactions and ran a sequence of calculations utilizing QUERY and FILTER. At round 50,000 rows, efficiency began taking successful: lagging refresh instances, occasional freezing, and sluggish system processing. Giant pivot tables had been additionally noticeably slower than Excel or devoted knowledge instruments. This confirmed that Sheets is improbable for mild to mid-level evaluation, however efficiency declines quick whenever you throw huge datasets at it.

One other ache level was offline performance. I switched off my web and tried modifying a spreadsheet with offline mode enabled. Whereas it labored for easy edits, loading giant recordsdata with no secure connection felt unreliable. I would not belief it for vital work if I had been touring or in a low-connectivity surroundings.

What I dislike about Google Sheets:

• Offline mode is on the market however unreliable. Engaged on giant recordsdata with out an web connection was irritating, and syncing adjustments felt gradual once I returned on-line.
• Automation is highly effective however not user-friendly. Google Apps Script is excellent for superior customers, however non-coders like me are caught with restricted built-in automation instruments or must depend on third-party add-ons.

What G2 customers dislike about Google Sheets:

“One draw back of Google Workspace is its restricted offline performance. Whereas offline entry is feasible with some apps (like Docs, Sheets, and Gmail), it requires organising beforehand, and sure options might not work as nicely or require a gradual web connection to replace easily as soon as you’re again on-line. Moreover, in case your group depends closely on superior spreadsheet or doc options, Google Sheets and Docs might lack the in-depth performance of conventional software program like Microsoft Excel and Phrase, particularly for advanced knowledge processing or superior formatting.”

– Google Workspace Assessment, Gadwin O.

I’ve all the time seen Excel because the spreadsheet software program that may do all the things—if you understand how to make use of it. Whereas Google Sheets wins in collaboration, Excel dominates in uncooked energy, making it my go-to for big datasets, superior monetary modeling, and automation that doesn’t break beneath strain.

I began by loading an enormous dataset with over 500,000 rows to see how Excel dealt with large-scale knowledge evaluation. Excel barely flinched, not like Google Sheets, which began lagging at round 50,000 rows. Filtering, sorting, and working advanced calculations felt easy, even once I stacked a number of pivot tables and conditional formatting guidelines.

What impressed me was Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant. As a substitute of manually determining formulation or creating pivot tables from scratch, I merely typed what I wanted in plain English. Copilot steered the right formulation, created visualizations, and even summarized tendencies in my knowledge. It wasn’t excellent; I nonetheless needed to tweak outcomes often, however it was an enormous time-saver for fast insights and first drafts of stories.

Nevertheless, Excel shines in Energy Question and Energy Pivot. These instruments aren’t only for cleansing up messy knowledge; they allow you to manipulate and rework datasets with unbelievable precision. I examined Energy Question by pulling in uncooked CSV recordsdata, merging tables, and routinely refreshing stories with new knowledge. It labored flawlessly, saving me hours of guide cleanup. Alternatively, Energy Pivot let me construct relational knowledge fashions, which is a lifesaver when working with multi-sheet stories that want to remain linked.

For automation, I examined Excel’s built-in Visible Fundamental for Functions (VBA). I wrote a macro to generate weekly advertising and marketing stories, pulling knowledge from a number of sheets, making use of formatting, and even sending an electronic mail abstract—all with one click on. It took some preliminary setup, however it saved me from a tedious guide course of as soon as configured. If VBA feels too technical, Excel additionally integrates with Energy Automate, permitting no-code automation that connects with different Microsoft instruments like Outlook, Groups, and SharePoint.

I additionally examined Excel’s knowledge visualization instruments, and that is the place it pulls forward for reporting. The charting options go far past easy bar graphs; I created interactive dashboards with slicers, customized development traces, and dynamic formatting that made stories extra insightful at a look. In the event you work in analytics-heavy fields, Excel’s capacity to deal with forecasting, development evaluation, and predictive modeling provides it an edge.

One downside I bumped into was cloud collaboration. Whereas the Excel for Internet model permits real-time modifying, it’s not practically as easy as Google Sheets. The desktop model continues to be the perfect for efficiency, however sharing recordsdata requires saving them to OneDrive or SharePoint, which provides an additional step in comparison with Google’s instantaneous sharing.

What I dislike about Microsoft Excel:

• Whereas Excel for Internet permits real-time modifying, it wasn’t as easy or instantaneous as I’d like. The desktop model continues to be higher, however counting on OneDrive or SharePoint for sharing provides additional steps.
• Excel requires a robust machine for intensive calculations. It handles large datasets nicely, however once I examined it on my older laptop computer with advanced formula-heavy sheets, there was a noticeable lag. {Hardware} generally is a limitation for those who’re working with huge recordsdata.

What G2 customers dislike about Microsoft Excel:

“I want there have been instances when the formulation had been extra explanatory. At instances, the formulation don’t appear to make sense, and consultants should be consulted, or self-help movies should be reviewed to resolve the problem of why sure logic paths/formulation aren’t working.”

– Microsoft Assessment, Michael R.

Quip isn’t your typical spreadsheet software program. It’s what occurs when a spreadsheet, a doc editor, and a chat software get mixed right into a single workspace. At first, I wasn’t positive if this mashup was an excellent concept or an pointless complication, however after testing it for real-world duties, I can see why groups who want an all-in-one workspace like it.

Straight away, Quip felt much less like a spreadsheet software and extra like a stay workspace. As a substitute of being dropped right into a clean grid, I began inside a doc the place I may embed spreadsheets immediately alongside textual content, checklists, and even stay discussions. This was an enormous win for advertising and marketing stories, content material calendars, and marketing campaign planning, the place I continuously swap between analyzing numbers and explaining tendencies. As a substitute of bouncing between spreadsheets and separate Google Docs, I may hold all the things in a single place.

I examined the real-time collaboration instruments, and that is the place Quip actually stood out. In contrast to Google Sheets, the place feedback are tied to particular cells, Quip permits inline discussions anyplace within the doc, whether or not it’s in a paragraph, a guidelines, or inside a spreadsheet itself. My group and I may chat inside a monetary report, regulate projections, and assign motion gadgets immediately contained in the file. Plus, I liked that I may add interactive checklists and activity lists proper contained in the doc, making it greater than only a spreadsheet.

Then, I examined stay sync capabilities, and this was the place issues acquired attention-grabbing. As a result of Quip is owned by Salesforce, it has deep integrations with Salesforce knowledge, permitting groups to tug stay CRM data and stories immediately right into a Quip doc. I may edit a gross sales forecast spreadsheet, and the numbers routinely up to date from Salesforce knowledge, making certain we had been all the time working with the newest figures. This characteristic alone may exchange messy electronic mail chains and outdated stories for gross sales and finance groups.

Nevertheless, I needed to see how Quip handles giant datasets and automation, and that is the place it struggled. I imported a spreadsheet with 30,000+ rows, and whereas it didn’t crash, efficiency noticeably slowed down. Filtering and sorting knowledge wasn’t as quick as I’d anticipate from a spreadsheet constructed for heavy knowledge crunching. 

Quip additionally lacks superior automation instruments like macros, scripting, or advanced formula-building. It has customary spreadsheet features however no VBA-like scripting or Google Apps Script equal. Meaning for those who depend on automated workflows, giant dataset manipulation, or superior monetary modeling, Quip may really feel restricted.

What I dislike about Quip:

• Restricted system and automation capabilities. Whereas Quip dealt with my fundamental calculations positive, it lacked superior options like macros, scripting, and automation instruments. If you must construct advanced monetary fashions or automate repetitive duties, you’ll hit a wall rapidly.
• I discovered the customization choices fairly fundamental. In contrast to Excel, the place I can deeply format stories and fine-tune each chart, Quip’s spreadsheet formatting instruments felt restricted. It really works nicely for easy stories, however it will not be sufficient if you would like extremely detailed visualizations.

What G2 customers dislike about Quip:

“Dealing with with tables shouldn’t be that easy for me. I believe we are able to add some extra options current in google sheets if does not exist until now. Like Method help and all. Additionally, for those who paste some photographs within the final line of a quip doc it will get robust to work within the subsequent line by inserting a brand new one, so I might simply paste the photograph within the second final line to not face that concern.”

– Quip Assessment, Yash R.

Zoho Sheet doesn’t simply attempt to be one other cloud-based spreadsheet—it goes a step additional by integrating collaboration, workflow automation, and enterprise intelligence options in ways in which most spreadsheet software program doesn’t. Whereas it could not have the model recognition of Excel or Google Sheets, I discovered it full of instruments that make knowledge administration extra environment friendly, particularly for groups already utilizing Zoho’s ecosystem.

The very first thing that stood out was how customizable the expertise felt. In contrast to most spreadsheet software program that forces a inflexible interface, Zoho Sheet lets me tweak all the things from the toolbar structure to default formatting choices. I even arrange customized button-triggered actions contained in the sheet, which is one thing I hadn’t seen in different instruments. This made on a regular basis duties—like updating stories or shifting datasets—really feel smoother and extra intuitive.

I additionally examined its built-in knowledge validation and automation instruments, and that is the place Zoho Sheet actually impressed me. The information linking characteristic allowed me to create dynamic references throughout a number of sheets and workbooks, which means that when one dataset modified, all linked stories up to date routinely. This eliminated the trouble of manually syncing stories—an enormous time-saver for anybody coping with recurring knowledge updates.

Zoho Sheet additionally provides form-driven knowledge assortment, which helps you to construct interactive kinds immediately contained in the spreadsheet. I examined this by making a advertising and marketing marketing campaign tracker the place my group may submit new marketing campaign particulars by means of a kind, and the info populated right into a structured desk routinely. This characteristic is helpful for groups that incessantly accumulate knowledge from a number of contributors.

For individuals who want group collaboration, Zoho Sheet contains granular entry controls, letting me set person roles at a a lot deeper stage than Google Sheets. I may enable some teammates to edit solely particular ranges, prohibit system adjustments, and even set expiration dates on shared recordsdata—one thing that’s extremely helpful for managing momentary collaborations.

Whereas Zoho Sheet excels at automation and group workflows, it’s not the strongest at exterior integrations. It really works fantastically with Zoho’s suite of apps (like Zoho CRM and Zoho Books), however I discovered it noticeably tougher to connect with third-party instruments outdoors the Zoho ecosystem. 

One other limitation I observed was charting and visualization. Whereas Zoho Sheet contains a wide range of graph sorts, I discovered the customization choices extra restricted than Excel or Google Sheets. I struggled to tweak development traces, add dynamic filtering, or construct interactive dashboards as easily as I may in different software program.

What I dislike about Zoho Sheet:

• There are restricted third-party integrations outdoors Zoho’s ecosystem. Whereas it connects seamlessly to Zoho CRM and finance instruments, integrating with non-Zoho platforms like Zapier, Slack, or exterior APIs requires additional steps.
• There is no such thing as a superior scripting language for deep automation. Zoho gives some built-in automation instruments, however it lacks a robust scripting choice like Google Apps Script or VBA, making advanced workflow automation tougher.

What G2 customers dislike about Zoho Sheet:

“I understood that this software is a particular function software and will not be as straightforward to cope with as a daily Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. For instance, I can’t simply paste a date from Excel right into a Zoho Sheet and anticipate it to work throughout date codecs. It does not. Equally, null worth dealing with is completely different in Excel and Zoho sheets. So I needed to be cautious whereas even copying and pasting in order that the precise worth is retained regardless of format adjustments.”

– Zoho Sheet Assessment, Arpit J.

Apple Numbers is the spreadsheet software program that refuses to be simply one other grid of rows and columns. Proper from the beginning, it felt much less like a standard spreadsheet software and extra like a canvas for data-driven design, with a deal with aesthetics, structure flexibility, and a surprisingly intuitive strategy to organizing data. 

It’s excellent for individuals who need their spreadsheets to look pretty much as good as they perform, however it undoubtedly has its quirks.

The very first thing that stood out was the freeform structure. In contrast to Excel or Google Sheets, the place you’re locked into an limitless sea of gridlines, Numbers allows you to place tables anyplace on the canvas. I examined this by making a multi-section report with a number of tables, textual content explanations, and even interactive charts; all organized precisely how I needed, with out being confined to a single inflexible sheet.

This made it supreme for shows, dashboards, and stories that wanted to be visually structured slightly than simply data-heavy.

One other distinctive characteristic I examined was Apple’s interactive sliders and stepper controls. As a substitute of manually altering values in cells, I added adjustable sliders to monetary projections, making it straightforward to tweak numbers and see instantaneous updates in charts with out continuously retyping values. This made state of affairs evaluation really feel way more intuitive, particularly for forecasting fashions.

I additionally explored real-time collaboration, which works seamlessly throughout Apple units by means of iCloud. My group edited the identical file on Mac, iPad, and even iPhone with none sync points. Nevertheless, collaboration outdoors the Apple ecosystem was restricted—not like Google Sheets, which anybody can entry with a browser, Numbers requires collaborators to have an Apple ID, which made sharing recordsdata with non-Apple customers extra difficult.

Apple’s built-in knowledge categorization additionally felt distinctive. Numbers enable for computerized grouping and collapsible class views inside tables, which made breaking down datasets by area, division, or gross sales class extremely easy. I examined this with a advertising and marketing funds report, organizing bills by marketing campaign sort, and I liked how I may collapse and broaden sections dynamically with no need separate pivot tables.

One in every of Numbers’ most substantial elements is its beautiful knowledge visualization instruments. Charts and graphs are way more polished and customizable than what I’ve seen in Excel or Google Sheets. I created a 3D interactive pie chart the place I may rotate sections by dragging them, making it a robust software for visually partaking stories. 

Nevertheless, superior statistical and monetary modeling is noticeably restricted regardless of the attractive presentation choices. In contrast to Excel, there’s no Energy Pivot, and whereas it helps fundamental formulation, it lacks extra profound knowledge evaluation instruments like regression modeling or advanced statistical features.

Numbers excel in ways in which conventional spreadsheets don’t. However for those who want deep knowledge analytics, scripting, or enterprise-scale automation, it will not be strong sufficient for the job.

What I dislike about Apple Numbers:

• Restricted automation and scripting capabilities. There’s no built-in scripting language like VBA or Google Apps Script, so repetitive duties and vital knowledge transformations require guide work or third-party instruments.
• Collaboration works finest inside Apple’s ecosystem. Whereas real-time modifying by means of iCloud was easy on Apple units, sharing with non-Apple customers was much less intuitive, and the net model lacked some performance.

What G2 customers dislike about Apple Numbers:

“Coming from a background as an information analyst, I discovered that Apple Numbers lacks the options that I’ve grown accustomed to with Excel and Google Sheets. Whereas Numbers is improbable for fundamental duties and presents knowledge in a visually pleasing method, for something extra superior or for enterprise use, the features and formulation are restricted. You probably have additionally used Excel or Google Sheets, Numbers’s whole strategy is kind of completely different, making it difficult to adapt to a unique workflow. I’ve tried to modify to Numbers many instances however all the time discover myself returning to the opposite choices.”

– Apple Numbers Assessment, Skyler B.

Equals is a spreadsheet constructed for contemporary analytics, and after testing it, I can confidently say it’s one of the vital distinctive instruments on this house. In contrast to Excel or Google Sheets, that are general-purpose spreadsheets, Equals is explicitly designed for enterprise intelligence, stay knowledge connections, and SQL-powered reporting. In the event you continuously work with databases and want a spreadsheet that automates knowledge updates and eliminates guide exports, this one is value .

The very first thing I examined was stay database connections, the place Equals shines. As a substitute of manually importing CSVs or copy-pasting stories, I linked them on to an SQL database. From there, I may write queries contained in the spreadsheet and pull in stay knowledge with out ever leaving the interface. This fully eradicated the trouble of downloading and re-uploading knowledge each time one thing modified. Even higher, I may schedule these queries to refresh at set intervals, which means my stories stayed updated routinely.

I additionally examined Equals’ built-in model management, which works equally to Git however for spreadsheets. In contrast to in Google Sheets or Excel, the place you may view a historical past of edits however must revert adjustments manually, Equals allows you to create named variations of your work. This meant I may experiment with completely different eventualities, take a look at formulation, and all the time have a fallback with out duplicating recordsdata. This characteristic was a game-changer when engaged on monetary modeling, the place completely different assumptions usually should be examined aspect by aspect.

One other main plus was how easily it dealt with advanced knowledge joins and calculations. In a standard spreadsheet, if I needed to merge two datasets, I’d both have to make use of VLOOKUP or INDEX/MATCH or depend on exterior scripts. In Equals, I may write SQL queries to hitch datasets immediately contained in the sheet. This made it considerably simpler to work with a number of knowledge sources directly with out creating messy formulation.

That mentioned, Equals shouldn’t be for everybody. In contrast to Excel, which can be utilized for all the things from mission administration to budgeting, Equals is concentrated closely on knowledge evaluation and automation. You will not get as a lot worth for those who don’t work with SQL or stay knowledge sources. Additionally, due to its superior querying options, I discovered the educational curve steeper than Google Sheets—particularly for customers who aren’t comfy with databases.

One other factor I observed was that Equals isn’t as versatile on the subject of formatting and presentation. Whereas it handles uncooked knowledge fantastically, it’s not as visually polished as Numbers or Excel when constructing last stories. Charts and pivot tables work nicely, but when you must create client-facing dashboards or extremely stylized stories, you may want an exterior software.

What I dislike about Equals:

• Not as useful for those who don’t work with databases. For me, the most important power of Equals is its capacity to tug stay knowledge. However you will not get the identical advantages for those who’re not working with SQL or exterior databases.
• I discovered Equals much less versatile for general-purpose spreadsheet work. It’s constructed for knowledge evaluation, not broad spreadsheet use, so issues like activity monitoring, light-weight budgeting, or private planning are higher suited to conventional instruments.

What G2 customers dislike about Equals:

“There aren’t many issues we do not like. Possibly a Zapier integration can be good so we may push knowledge right into a workbook based mostly on different workflows. Shall be cool as they construct out extra templates for main stories (e.g., having a monetary dashboard pre-built for Stripe can be EPIC).”

– Equals Assessment, David S.

Minitab isn’t a typical spreadsheet—it’s a statistical powerhouse constructed for critical knowledge evaluation, predictive modeling, and high quality management. Whereas Excel and Google Sheets provide important statistical features, Minitab takes issues to a different stage, specializing in regression evaluation, speculation testing, and superior forecasting. 

In the event you want a spreadsheet that doesn’t simply retailer knowledge however helps you make sense of it with deep analytics, that is the place Minitab excels.

I examined Minitab by working predictive analytics on historic gross sales knowledge, one thing that may take critical work in Excel. As a substitute of manually organising formulation and trendlines, Minitab let me use built-in regression fashions to determine patterns and make future projections with just some clicks. The outcomes weren’t simply uncooked numbers—I acquired interactive visualizations, confidence intervals, and clear statistical summaries that truly defined what was taking place in my dataset.

One other standout characteristic was its capacity to deal with high quality management and Six Sigma evaluation. I loaded manufacturing defect knowledge into Minitab and used management charts, course of functionality evaluation, and Pareto charts to pinpoint the place points had been occurring. In contrast to customary spreadsheets, the place I’d must construct these charts manually, Minitab routinely steered the appropriate statistical instruments based mostly on my knowledge, which saved a number of time.

I additionally examined Minitab’s Assistant, an AI-powered information that walks you thru statistical checks step-by-step. Though I’ve expertise with knowledge evaluation, I appreciated the way it defined why particular checks had been acceptable for my dataset. This characteristic makes advanced statistical modeling way more approachable for customers who aren’t statisticians.

Minitab integrates nicely with Python and R, which I discovered helpful for superior scripting and lengthening its performance past what’s in-built. I used to be capable of import Python-generated datasets, run extra statistical transformations, and ship the outcomes again to Minitab for last visualization. This makes it a terrific software for analysts and knowledge scientists who want flexibility.

The place Minitab differs from customary spreadsheets is its deal with statistical accuracy over spreadsheet-style flexibility. It enforces structured knowledge formatting, which ensures accuracy however can really feel inflexible for those who’re used to working in a extra open-ended means.

What I dislike about Minitab Statistical Software program:

• There’s a studying curve for non-statisticians. Whereas the AI Assistant helps information, superior statistical checks nonetheless require some understanding of analytics ideas to interpret outcomes successfully.
• I discovered collaboration options to be barely restricted in comparison with cloud-based spreadsheets. Minitab is primarily desktop-based, which means it lacks the real-time co-editing and instantaneous sharing present in instruments like Google Sheets.

What G2 customers dislike about Minitab Statistical Software program:

“I want you would spotlight the evaluation within the Navigator that you just wish to have a look at after which get again to the Dialogue Field that produced that evaluation. Usually, there are delicate variations in evaluation relying on the choices chosen, and with out entry to the affiliated dialogue field, it’s troublesome (if doable) to find out the choices/setup that was chosen for that analytical output. I might additionally prefer to see a number of the knowledge administration instruments for the spreadsheet be a bit extra ‘Excel-ish’.”

– Minitab Statistical Software program Assessment, Kerry S.

LibreOffice Calc usually will get in comparison with Excel, however after testing it, I discovered that whereas it shares a well-recognized interface, it has its personal strengths—particularly for customers who desire a highly effective spreadsheet with out the price of a paid subscription. In contrast to cloud-based instruments like Google Sheets, LibreOffice is absolutely offline, making it a terrific various for customers who want a light-weight but feature-rich spreadsheet that doesn’t depend on an web connection.

One of many first issues I examined was how nicely it dealt with giant datasets, and I used to be pleasantly stunned. I loaded a 200,000-row dataset, anticipating it to decelerate, however it remained responsive. In contrast to Google Sheets, which begins lagging with advanced spreadsheets, LibreOffice Calc felt optimized for dealing with large knowledge units with out main efficiency points.

LibreOffice Calc additionally features a DataPilot characteristic, which is actually its model of pivot tables. I examined it by summarizing gross sales knowledge, and whereas it labored nicely, it wasn’t as polished as Excel’s pivot desk performance. That mentioned, it nonetheless dealt with multi-sheet stories and sophisticated knowledge grouping with out points.

One other standout characteristic was its flexibility with file codecs. I examined opening and modifying Excel (.XLSX), older Microsoft Workplace codecs (.XLS), OpenDocument (.ODS), and even CSVs with non-standard delimiters, and it dealt with all of them with out breaking formatting. This makes it top-of-the-line choices for customers who incessantly swap between completely different spreadsheet file sorts.

LibreOffice additionally contains built-in objective search and solver instruments for optimization issues, which I examined by organising a break-even evaluation for advertising and marketing spend. Whereas it labored nicely for fundamental issues, it lacks the superior state of affairs evaluation instruments that Excel customers is likely to be used to. Nevertheless, on condition that it’s free and open-source, I used to be impressed by how a lot it provides.

Whereas LibreOffice Calc is highly effective, I did run into some interface quirks. The UI feels a bit outdated in comparison with fashionable spreadsheet instruments, and a few formatting choices weren’t as intuitive as in Excel or Google Sheets. 

The dearth of built-in cloud collaboration additionally stood out—whereas it can save you recordsdata to cloud storage manually, there’s no real-time multi-user modifying like in Google Sheets or Excel for Internet.

What I dislike about LibreOffice Calc:

• Superior analytics and state of affairs planning are extra restricted. Whereas the built-in solver and objective search instruments are helpful, LibreOffice doesn’t provide as many deep forecasting and modeling choices as Excel.
• Some Excel-specific formulation and macros don’t all the time translate completely. Whereas LibreOffice helps most traditional spreadsheet formulation, I observed occasional inconsistencies when utilizing Excel macros and sophisticated conditional formatting.

What G2 customers dislike about LibreOffice Calc:

“Typically it may be arduous to learn how to do one thing I would like, however I can normally discover the reply with a little bit perseverance. There may be little or no to say about weaknesses, as many advantages are obtained with this suite. The interface appears a little bit antiquated in comparison with its opponents. The person documentation could be very brief and typically arduous to grasp as a result of lack of different sheets examples.”

– LibreOffice Assessment, Ella J.

Take a look at my group’s advice of the finest knowledge visualization software program to remodel your spreadsheets into interactive charts, dashboards, and stories.