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Google Sheets alternatives: 8 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Google Sheets: slows down noticeably with large datasets, and no equivalent to Excel's Power Query or VBA. We ranked 8 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Google Sheets, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Microsoft Excel currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Microsoft Excel logoMicrosoft ExcelFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +24 of 466.5
2Zoho Sheet logoZoho SheetFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +23 of 362.6
3ONLYOFFICE logoONLYOFFICEOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +45 of 555.3
4Proton Docs logoProton DocsFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +24 of 453.6
5Airtable logoAirtableFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +24 of 438.6
  1. Microsoft Excel logo

    1. Microsoft ExcelTop pick

    Best for: Analysts and finance teams who need PivotTables, Power Query and large models

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Google Sheets

    Much stronger for big models and data shaping, with a free web version.

    Pros

    • Deepest feature set of any spreadsheet, including Power Query and data models
    • Huge pool of templates, training and people who already know it
    • Free web version for basic editing and co-authoring

    Cons

    • Windows desktop is the most complete; Mac and web lag on some features
    • Large workbooks get slow and are easy to break
    • Full features need a Microsoft 365 subscription
    Visit Microsoft Excel Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Microsoft Excel a good Google Sheets alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Worksheet size
    1,048,576 rows by 16,384 columns
    Checked Oct 25, 2026support.microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free version
    Excel for the web
    Checked Oct 25, 2026microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Desktop app
    Included in Microsoft 365 Personal
    Checked Oct 25, 2026microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $9.99/month (Microsoft 365 Personal)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Zoho Sheet logo

    2. Zoho Sheet

    Best for: Teams wanting a free shared spreadsheet with AI data cleanup and offline apps

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Google Sheets

    Free collaborative spreadsheet with AI data cleaning and offline desktop apps.

    Pros

    • Free, with real-time collaboration
    • AI assistant for cleaning data and building charts
    • Offline-capable apps on desktop and mobile

    Cons

    • Smaller template and add-on ecosystem than Sheets or Excel
    • Complex Excel workbooks don't convert fully
    • Best value only if you use other Zoho apps
    Visit Zoho Sheet Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Zoho Sheet a good Google Sheets alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zoho.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Offline mode
    Windows, macOS, Android, iOS apps
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zoho.com(opens source in a new tab)
    AI features
    AI-assisted data cleaning
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zoho.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. ONLYOFFICE logo

    3. ONLYOFFICE

    Best for: Teams wanting self-hosted, Office-compatible editing inside Nextcloud or similar

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Google Sheets

    Self-hostable spreadsheet editor with strong Excel compatibility.

    Pros

    • Very close .docx/.xlsx/.pptx compatibility
    • Free desktop editors on Windows, macOS and Linux
    • Self-hostable server that integrates with Nextcloud, ownCloud and others

    Cons

    • Free community server has limits on simultaneous connections
    • Many editions and product names make choosing confusing
    • Advanced features sit in paid Enterprise editions
    Visit ONLYOFFICE Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is ONLYOFFICE a good Google Sheets alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    AGPLv3 (core of Docs)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026onlyoffice.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Desktop platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux
    Checked Oct 25, 2026onlyoffice.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    DocSpace Startup, up to 3 admins
    Checked Oct 25, 2026onlyoffice.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Business price
    $20 per admin/month (DocSpace)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026onlyoffice.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Integrations
    Nextcloud, ownCloud, Seafile, SharePoint
    Checked Oct 25, 2026onlyoffice.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Proton Docs logo

    4. Proton Docs

    Best for: Privacy-minded people who want Google Docs-style collaboration with encryption

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Google Sheets

    Proton Sheets offers end-to-end encrypted spreadsheets for sensitive data.

    Pros

    • End-to-end encrypted with real-time collaboration
    • Included free with a Proton account
    • Pairs with Proton Mail, Drive and Pass in one bundle

    Cons

    • Fewer formatting options and templates than Google Docs
    • Young product still adding features
    • Free plan storage is small
    Visit Proton Docs Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Proton Docs a good Google Sheets alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    End-to-end encryption
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026proton.me(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    5 GB storage
    Checked Oct 25, 2026proton.me(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $4.99/month (Drive Plus, 200 GB)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026proton.me(opens source in a new tab)
    Spreadsheets
    Proton Sheets, imports Excel files
    Checked Oct 25, 2026proton.me(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Airtable logo

    5. Airtable

    Best for: Non-technical teams that want a flexible shared database with a large template and integration ecosystem

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

    38.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Google Sheets

    Better when a shared sheet has become a database that needs records and relations.

    Pros

    • Easy to learn for anyone comfortable with spreadsheets
    • Linked records, rollups and many views make real relational setups possible
    • Interfaces let you give colleagues tailored screens instead of raw tables
    • Large ecosystem of templates, integrations and community answers

    Cons

    • Per-seat pricing gets expensive as more people need edit access
    • Record and automation limits per base can force workarounds
    • No self-hosting option, so data lives only in Airtable's cloud
    Visit Airtable Compare with Google SheetsDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.37
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Airtable a good Google Sheets alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026airtable.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Team plan
    $20 per user/month billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026airtable.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Business plan
    $45 per user/month billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026airtable.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Billing basis
    Per seat
    Checked Oct 25, 2026airtable.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Google Sheets alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Microsoft Excel logo

Best Google Sheets alternative for most people

Microsoft Excel

Much stronger for big models and data shaping, with a free web version.

LibreOffice logo

Best Google Sheets alternative for a free option

LibreOffice

Free desktop spreadsheet for people who want files on their own computer.

Zoho Sheet logo

Best Google Sheets alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Zoho Sheet

Free collaborative spreadsheet with AI data cleaning and offline desktop apps.

ONLYOFFICE logo

Best Google Sheets alternative for open source

ONLYOFFICE

Self-hostable spreadsheet editor with strong Excel compatibility.

Grist logo

Best Google Sheets alternative for self-hosting

Grist

Open-source spreadsheet with typed columns, relations and fine-grained sharing.

Apple Numbers logo

Best Google Sheets alternative for Mac

Apple Numbers

Free on Apple devices, with friendlier layout for personal budgets and reports.

Proton Docs logo

Best Google Sheets alternative for Windows

Proton Docs

Proton Sheets offers end-to-end encrypted spreadsheets for sensitive data.

LibreOffice logo

Best Google Sheets alternative for Linux

LibreOffice

Free desktop spreadsheet for people who want files on their own computer.

Airtable logo

Best Google Sheets alternative for iPhone and Android

Airtable

Better when a shared sheet has become a database that needs records and relations.

Microsoft Excel logo

Best Google Sheets alternative for working in the browser

Microsoft Excel

Much stronger for big models and data shaping, with a free web version.

Google Sheets alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Google Sheets?

Microsoft Excel ranks first right now. Much stronger for big models and data shaping, with a free web version. Zoho Sheet and LibreOffice follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Google Sheets?

Yes. Microsoft Excel (free plan + paid), Zoho Sheet (free plan + paid), LibreOffice (open source) and Apple Numbers (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Google Sheets?

Yes: LibreOffice, ONLYOFFICE and Grist. ONLYOFFICE and Grist can also be self-hosted.

Which Google Sheets alternatives work on Linux?

LibreOffice and ONLYOFFICE run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Google Sheets?

The complaints we hear most: slows down noticeably with large datasets; no equivalent to Excel's Power Query or VBA; offline use needs Chrome or Edge.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Google Sheets, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.