Free alternatives
7 free Microsoft Excel alternatives
Most spreadsheet work does not need a Microsoft 365 subscription. These free spreadsheet apps open Excel files, and they run on your desktop or in the browser. One mixes a spreadsheet with a database for data that has outgrown rows and columns.
Short answer
The best free Microsoft Excel alternatives are Google Sheets, Microsoft 365 web apps, LibreOffice and 4 more. Microsoft Excel has a free plan, but each pick here is free or has a usable free plan.
Updated
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Is Microsoft Excel free?
Microsoft Excel pricing
Microsoft Excel is the most widely used spreadsheet app, part of Microsoft 365.
The Excel desktop app comes with Microsoft 365: Personal costs $99.99 a year or $9.99 a month, and Family $129.99 a year for up to six people (US prices).
Free plan
Yes, web only. Excel for the web is free with a Microsoft account and 5 GB of OneDrive; the desktop app needs a subscription.
Checked on Microsoft Excel's official pricing page on . Prices change, so check before you buy.
The 7 best free Microsoft Excel alternatives
Every pick is free or has a usable free plan, and is listed in our directory. Free-plan limits change, so check each tool's site before you switch.
Why switch: Free online spreadsheets with the best real-time collaboration, and it edits Excel files directly.
Free online spreadsheets you can edit together, and open Excel files in.
Works on Web, Android, iOS
Why switch: Excel for the web, free with a Microsoft account, for full .xlsx compatibility in the browser.
Free web versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint with a Microsoft account.
Works on Web
Why switch: LibreOffice Calc is a free, open-source desktop spreadsheet that works offline with no account.
A free, open-source office suite for your desktop: Writer, Calc, Impress and more.
Works on Windows, macOS, Linux
Why switch: Free desktop spreadsheet editor that works natively with XLSX files.
Free desktop editors for documents, sheets, slides and PDFs with native Office formats.
Works on Windows, macOS, Linux
Why switch: Free spreadsheets with pivot tables, nearly 40 chart types and an AI assistant for formulas.
A free spreadsheet app with real-time collaboration, pivot tables and an AI assistant.
Works on Web, Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Why switch: A free Office-style suite with a spreadsheet app on every platform.
A free office suite for every platform, with documents, sheets, slides and PDFs.
Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web
Why switch: An open-source spreadsheet-database hybrid with Python formulas, free to self-host.
A spreadsheet-database hybrid with Python formulas, free and open source.
Works on Web
Frequently asked questions
- Is Microsoft Excel free?
- Yes, web only. Excel for the web is free with a Microsoft account and 5 GB of OneDrive; the desktop app needs a subscription.
- How much does Microsoft Excel cost?
- The Excel desktop app comes with Microsoft 365: Personal costs $99.99 a year or $9.99 a month, and Family $129.99 a year for up to six people (US prices). Checked on Microsoft Excel's own pricing page in October 2026; prices can change.
- What is the best free alternative to Microsoft Excel?
- Google Sheets is our top pick, followed by Microsoft 365 web apps and LibreOffice. Each one is free or has a usable free plan.
- Are these Microsoft Excel alternatives really free?
- Yes. Every tool on this page is either completely free or has a free plan you can keep using. Paid upgrades exist on some of them, and free-plan limits change, so check each tool's site.
Keep exploring
Free alternatives to other paid tools
- monday.com
- Jira
- Things 3
- Fantastical
- Miro
- Canva
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Submagic
- Lovable
- CleanShot X
- Squarespace
- Airtable
- Mobbin
- Tailwind Plus
- Adobe Fonts
- Grammarly
- Slack
- Zapier
- Typeform
- Mailchimp
- Figma
- Zoom
- Dropbox
- Google Docs
- Microsoft Office
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Lightroom
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe Audition
- Adobe XD
- Adobe Premiere Rush
- Adobe Express
- Adobe Dreamweaver
- Adobe Animate
- Adobe Substance 3D
- Adobe Bridge
- Adobe Fresco
- Adobe Lightroom Mobile
- Adobe Photoshop Express
- Adobe Photoshop Elements
- Adobe Premiere Elements
- Adobe Illustrator Draw
- Adobe Acrobat Sign
- Adobe Firefly
- Adobe Stock
- Behance
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