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Microsoft Excel alternatives: 8 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Microsoft Excel: windows desktop is the most complete; Mac and web lag on some features, and large workbooks get slow and are easy to break. We ranked 8 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Microsoft Excel, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Google Sheets currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1LibreOffice logoLibreOfficeOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 462.6
2ONLYOFFICE logoONLYOFFICEOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +45 of 555.3
3Gnumeric logoGnumericOpen sourceYesLinux3 of 353.6
  1. LibreOffice logo

    1. LibreOfficeTop pick

    Best for: People and organisations who want a full free office suite on their own computers

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Microsoft Excel

    LibreOffice Calc is a free desktop spreadsheet that opens most .xlsx files.

    Pros

    • Completely free with six apps, including a database and drawing tool
    • Runs offline on Windows, macOS and Linux with no account
    • Uses the open ODF standard while still reading and writing Office files

    Cons

    • Interface feels older than Microsoft 365 or Google Docs
    • Complex Office files can show layout differences
    • No built-in real-time co-editing
    Visit LibreOffice 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 LibreOffice a good Microsoft Excel alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MPL 2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026libreoffice.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Latest version
    26.8.1
    Checked Oct 25, 2026libreoffice.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Apps included
    6 (Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, Math)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026libreoffice.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Price
    Free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026libreoffice.org(opens source in a new tab)
  2. ONLYOFFICE logo

    2. 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 Microsoft Excel

    Open-source spreadsheet editor with an Excel-like interface and strong .xlsx support.

    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 Microsoft Excel 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)
  3. Gnumeric logo

    3. Gnumeric

    Best for: Linux users and researchers who want a fast, accurate standalone spreadsheet

    Open sourceLinux

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Microsoft Excel

    Small, fast, free spreadsheet known for accurate statistical functions.

    Pros

    • Fast and light compared with full office suites
    • Well regarded for accurate statistical functions
    • Free under the GPL

    Cons

    • Mainly a Linux app
    • Plain interface with limited charting and formatting
    • No collaboration or cloud features
    Visit Gnumeric 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 Gnumeric a good Microsoft Excel alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    License
    GNU GPL
    Checked Oct 25, 2026gnumeric.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Latest version
    1.12.62 (September 2026)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026gnumeric.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Price
    Free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026gnumeric.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best Microsoft Excel alternative for…

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

Google Sheets logo

Best Microsoft Excel alternative for most people

Google Sheets

Free and browser-based with the easiest real-time collaboration on shared sheets.

LibreOffice logo

Best Microsoft Excel alternative for a free option

LibreOffice

LibreOffice Calc is a free desktop spreadsheet that opens most .xlsx files.

Apple Numbers logo

Best Microsoft Excel alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Apple Numbers

Free on Apple devices, with a canvas layout that suits budgets and simple reports.

ONLYOFFICE logo

Best Microsoft Excel alternative for open source

ONLYOFFICE

Open-source spreadsheet editor with an Excel-like interface and strong .xlsx support.

ONLYOFFICE logo

Best Microsoft Excel alternative for self-hosting

ONLYOFFICE

Open-source spreadsheet editor with an Excel-like interface and strong .xlsx support.

Zoho Sheet logo

Best Microsoft Excel alternative for Mac

Zoho Sheet

Free online spreadsheet with AI data cleaning and offline apps.

Airtable logo

Best Microsoft Excel alternative for Windows

Airtable

Move tracking spreadsheets into linked tables with views, forms and automations.

Gnumeric logo

Best Microsoft Excel alternative for Linux

Gnumeric

Small, fast, free spreadsheet known for accurate statistical functions.

Google Sheets logo

Best Microsoft Excel alternative for iPhone and Android

Google Sheets

Free and browser-based with the easiest real-time collaboration on shared sheets.

Quadratic logo

Best Microsoft Excel alternative for working in the browser

Quadratic

Browser spreadsheet with Python, SQL and an AI agent built in.

Microsoft Excel alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Microsoft Excel?

Google Sheets ranks first right now. Free and browser-based with the easiest real-time collaboration on shared sheets. LibreOffice and Apple Numbers follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Microsoft Excel?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to Microsoft Excel?

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

Which Microsoft Excel alternatives work on Linux?

LibreOffice, ONLYOFFICE and Gnumeric run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Microsoft Excel?

The complaints we hear most: 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.

How is this list ranked?

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