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The Best Spreadsheet Software: Features, Uses, and Programs
Modern spreadsheet software does more than track budgets. Here's how to find and use the best spreadsheet software for your business.
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Spreadsheet software can be incredibly helpful for business owners looking to streamline their data collection and organization. You can use spreadsheet software for various parts of your business, from accounting to human resources management. Here’s everything you need to know when choosing the best spreadsheet software for your business.
Why choosing the right spreadsheet tool matters today
Understanding the evolving landscape of spreadsheet software helps businesses make informed decisions that impact productivity, collaboration and data management effectiveness.
- Modern businesses require more than basic calculations and data storage; they need tools that enable seamless collaboration, intelligent automation and AI-driven workflows. The right spreadsheet software can transform how teams work together, eliminate manual processes and provide insights that drive better decision-making.
- Real-time collaboration has become essential for remote and hybrid teams. Cloud-based spreadsheet tools allow multiple users to edit documents simultaneously, track changes and maintain version control without conflicts. This collaborative approach improves productivity and ensures everyone works with the most current information.
- AI-powered features are revolutionizing spreadsheet workflows, enabling users to generate formulas through natural language, automate data cleaning and uncover insights without complex programming. These intelligent capabilities make advanced data analysis accessible to users regardless of their technical expertise.
Top spreadsheet software by use case (2025)
Each spreadsheet platform excels in specific areas, making it essential to match your software choice with your primary use case and business requirements.
Best for advanced data analysis and modeling: Microsoft Excel
Introduced in the late 1980s, Microsoft Excel is one of the most popular and well-known spreadsheet software programs. It is often viewed as the gold standard of spreadsheets, and it offers many features, from basic mathematical formulas to more complex automations and programming solutions via Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macros. Excel is accessible as a desktop software or web-based application for licensed Microsoft Office users.
“I use Microsoft Excel most often because of its versatility and wide user base,” Michael Sena, lead analytics consultant at Senacea, told us. “The Excel web app also comes in handy, allowing you to embed spreadsheets on the website. It can be miraculous for creating online calculators.”
Excel excels at complex data modeling and analysis with advanced features like Power Pivot, dynamic arrays and sophisticated charting capabilities. Its extensive function library and macro programming make it ideal for financial modeling, statistical analysis and enterprise-level data processing.
Best for collaboration: Google Sheets
Google’s spreadsheet software is a built-in feature of every free personal and business Gmail account. As part of Google Workspace, Google Sheets integrates with programs such as Google Analytics, Looker Studio, and Google Forms, which makes it easy to import and export data from your spreadsheet. Many business owners prefer Google Sheets due to its cloud- and web-based “anywhere” access, and the familiar interface and functionality that mirrors Microsoft Excel.
“Although Excel has a cloud platform, it is difficult if a device doesn’t operate with an official Microsoft Office license,” said Stephen Light, strategic advisor at Ortho Molecular Products. “Google Sheets doesn’t require any downloads and is easily accessible by merely typing the site URL sheets.google.com.”
Google Sheets leads in real-time collaboration with features like simultaneous editing, commenting systems and version history. Multiple users can work on the same document without conflicts, making it the top choice for teams prioritizing collaborative workflows.
- The Simple Microsoft Excel Exploration Guide: Get everything you need to know about Microsoft Excel. Get on Amazon
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- Mastering Google Sheets: Learn how Google Sheets can improve your business operations. Order on Amazon
Best free cross-platform option: Zoho Sheet
Zoho Sheet is a free or paid spreadsheet web application with abundant features. There are over 350 functions available, including an option to create custom functions in your spreadsheets using minimal coding.
“We primarily use [Zoho Sheet] because of how powerful the collaboration tools are,” said Rex Freiberger, CEO of Gadget Review. “I’ve found it far less laggy than Google Sheets. There’s also real-time chat and the ability to preserve past changes in case something needs to be discussed.”
Zoho Sheet stands out with AI-powered data cleaning tools and extensive integrations within the Zoho ecosystem. It offers real-time collaboration with user roles and permissions, making it an excellent free alternative for teams seeking advanced automation features.
Best for project workflows: Smartsheet
If you use spreadsheets for project data rather than numbers, Smartsheet is a great option. Its simple user interface allows you and your team to manage projects and create reports all in one place. Smartsheet also includes a handy form feature that can be distributed to clients, employees and other business contacts. When they fill out the form, the software feeds their data into your sheet.
“We use [Smartsheet] for metrics and pull everything into dashboards, which really helps, because we can track what number and type of transactions are happening with each client,” said Vicky Brown, CEO of Idomeneo Enterprises Inc. “We also use the application extensively for onboarding new employees and clients.” [Read related: Understanding the importance of a successful onboarding process]
Smartsheet combines spreadsheet functionality with Gantt charts, automated workflows, and approval processes. Its enterprise-grade security and integration capabilities with tools like Microsoft Teams and Slack make it ideal for complex project management scenarios.
Best for automation: Airtable
Airtable can function as a basic spreadsheet, but this robust tool can also be switched to a calendar, Kanban, form, or gallery view to help users visualize the same data differently. Its highly customizable user interface also allows you to create relationships between data sets within each “base” or table, and it can be integrated with external services to build a powerful business management tool.
“Airtable provides the ability to create automatic routines,” said Andy Kolodgie, owner of Property Leads. “For example, users can design a form in Airtable, post it to Facebook, and automatically return all the responses from the form into Airtable — and then create relationships based on that data.”
Airtable excels at workflow automation with its no-code approach to creating custom applications. Its ability to relate data across tables and automate processes makes it perfect for teams needing database functionality within a spreadsheet interface.
Best emerging AI-powered option: Rows
Rows represents the next generation of spreadsheet software with built-in AI capabilities and extensive data integrations. The platform offers an AI Analyst that can analyze, summarize and transform data using natural language commands, making complex data analysis accessible to non-technical users.
Key features include AI-powered data extraction from PDFs and images, more than 50 data integrations, and the ability to import data from APIs using GET, POST and PUT functions. Rows also offers real-time collaboration and the ability to create interactive dashboards and forms directly within spreadsheets.
Other top spreadsheet software
If none of these solutions fit your needs, there are several other popular spreadsheet software options to consider:
Key features to compare before you choose
When you’re ready to choose spreadsheet software for your company, here are a few specific factors to consider.
- Cost: If your company doesn’t need to do a lot of complex data analysis, free spreadsheet software should be sufficient for your needs. A paid option with greater functionality, however, may be worth exploring if you’re looking for more robust features.
- Ease of use: Spreadsheet software improves efficiency only if you know how to use it. All of these applications have a learning curve, but they should be easy to use once you know the basics. Many spreadsheet software options have clean, basic interfaces that make them simple for any user to learn.
- Functionality: Consider how your team will use the software. Functions such as visualization and accessibility between applications will give you a more optimized workflow if that’s something you need.
- Automation: Automation features can dramatically improve productivity through AI-powered data cleaning, formula generation and workflow automation.
- Integrations and compatibility: If your business partners or clients use other types of software, make sure your spreadsheet program is easily accessible to them and allows for compatibility between file types. You may also wish to explore software plugins and integrations that make your spreadsheet software more powerful and multifunctional.
- Collaboration and version history: You’ll want to ensure everyone has access to the same versions of the spreadsheets you create. Cloud-based software typically allows for real-time collaboration, commenting, and version history, so no one’s data is ever lost or overwritten.
Free vs. paid spreadsheet tools: What should you care about?
The choice between free and paid spreadsheet solutions depends on your specific feature requirements, security needs and the complexity of your data management tasks.
Free spreadsheet tools like Google Sheets, Zoho Sheet, and LibreOffice Calc offer surprising functionality including real-time collaboration, extensive function libraries and basic automation features. These tools are ideal for small businesses, individuals and teams with straightforward spreadsheet needs.
Paid solutions provide advanced capabilities such as complex data modeling, enterprise security, sophisticated automation and dedicated support. Microsoft Excel’s advanced analytics, Smartsheet’s project management features and Airtable’s database functionality justify their costs for businesses requiring specialized features.
Consider the total cost of ownership beyond subscription fees. Paid tools often include:
- Training resources
- Customer support
- Advanced security features that reduce IT overhead
On the other hand, free tools may require more internal support and may have limitations on storage or user counts.
Enterprise features like advanced security, compliance certifications and administrative controls are typically only available in paid versions. Organizations handling sensitive data or requiring audit trails should prioritize these capabilities.
Quick comparison table of top spreadsheet tools
This comprehensive comparison highlights the key differences between leading spreadsheet platforms to simplify your decision-making process.
Tool | Best Use Case | Pricing | Collaboration | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Microsoft Excel | Advanced data analysis | Paid ($6+/month) | Limited | VBA macros, Power Pivot, advanced formulas |
Google Sheets | Team collaboration | Free | Excellent | Real-time editing, Google Workspace integration |
Zoho Sheet | Free cross-platform | Free | Excellent | AI data cleaning, 350+ functions |
Smartsheet | Project workflows | Paid ($9+/month) | Good | Gantt charts, automated workflows |
Airtable | Automation | Freemium | Good | Multiple views, relationship mapping |
Rows | AI-powered analysis | Freemium | Good | AI Analyst, 50+ integrations |
LibreOffice Calc | Open-source alternative | Free | Limited | Hundreds of functions, offline access |
How to pick the right spreadsheet software for your needs
Selecting the optimal spreadsheet solution requires matching your specific role, business size, and functional requirements with the right platform’s capabilities.
- Students and individual users should prioritize free options like Google Sheets or LibreOffice Calc that provide essential functionality without cost. Google Sheets offers the advantage of automatic cloud backup and easy sharing for group projects.
- Freelancers and small businesses benefit from tools that balance functionality with affordability. Zoho Sheet provides advanced features for free, while Google Sheets offers excellent collaboration for client work. Consider paid options only if you need specific advanced features.
- Growing businesses should evaluate tools based on scalability and integration capabilities. Airtable excels for teams needing database functionality, while Smartsheet works well for project-heavy organizations. Microsoft Excel remains ideal for finance-heavy businesses requiring advanced analysis.
- Enterprise organizations need tools with robust security, compliance features and administrative controls. Microsoft Excel with Office 365, Smartsheet’s enterprise plans, or specialized platforms like Rows provide the security and features large organizations require.
FAQs about spreadsheet software
Kimberlee Leonard and Sean Peek contributed to the reporting and writing in this article. Source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.
