Excel vs Google Sheets: Complete Comparison

Choosing between Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets? This guide breaks down the key differences to help you decide.

Quick Comparison

Pricing & Access

Microsoft Excel:

• Microsoft 365: $70/year (Personal) or $100/year (Family)
• One-time purchase: $160 (Excel 2021)
• Includes desktop, web, and mobile apps
• 1TB OneDrive storage

Google Sheets:

• Completely free
• Web-based (works in any browser)
• Mobile apps for iOS and Android
• 15GB Google Drive storage (free)

Winner: Google Sheets for budget, Excel for features

Collaboration Features

Google Sheets Advantages:

• Real-time collaboration (see edits instantly)
• Multiple users can edit simultaneously
• Built-in chat and comments
• Automatic saving (never lose work)
• Easy sharing with link
• Version history (see all changes)

Excel Advantages:

• Co-authoring in Excel Online
• Better for large teams with permissions
• Track changes feature
• Comments and notes

Winner: Google Sheets (better real-time collaboration)

Performance & Speed

Excel Wins:

• Handles millions of rows (desktop version)
• Faster calculations on large datasets
• Better for complex models
• No lag with heavy formulas
• Can work offline without issues

Google Sheets Limitations:

• 5 million cell limit per spreadsheet
• Slower with large files
• Can lag with complex formulas
• Requires internet connection
• Performance depends on browser

Winner: Excel (especially desktop version)

Formulas & Functions

Excel:

• 500+ built-in functions
• Advanced functions (XLOOKUP, dynamic arrays)
• Power Query for data transformation
• Better statistical analysis
• VBA macros for automation

Google Sheets:

• 400+ functions
• UNIQUE, FILTER, SORT (dynamic)
• QUERY function (SQL-like)
• IMPORTRANGE (link sheets)
• Google Apps Script
• GOOGLEFINANCE, GOOGLETRANSLATE

Winner: Tie (Excel has more, Sheets has unique Google features)

Data Visualization

Excel:

• More chart types (50+)
• Advanced customization
• PivotCharts
• Slicers and timelines
• Better formatting options
• 3D charts

Google Sheets:

• Basic chart types (20+)
• Simple customization
• Good for simple charts
• Google Data Studio integration
• Explore feature (auto insights)

Winner: Excel (more professional charts)

Integration & Add-ons

Excel Integrates With:

• Microsoft Teams
• Power BI
• SharePoint
• Outlook
• Access
• SQL Server
• Thousands of add-ins

Google Sheets Integrates With:

• Gmail
• Google Calendar
• Google Forms
• Google Analytics
• Google Data Studio
• Zapier
• Many web apps

Winner: Depends on your ecosystem

Mobile Experience

Excel Mobile:

• Full-featured apps
• Works offline
• Free for viewing
• Premium features need subscription
• Good touch interface

Google Sheets Mobile:

• Excellent mobile apps
• Always requires internet
• Completely free
• Easy sharing
• Great for quick edits

Winner: Google Sheets (free and seamless)

When to Use Excel

Choose Excel if you:

• Work with large datasets (100K+ rows)
• Need advanced formulas and functions
• Require VBA macros
• Work in finance/analytics
• Need offline access frequently
• Want professional charts
• Use Microsoft 365 ecosystem
• Process sensitive data locally

Best for:

• Financial modeling
• Data analysis
• Business intelligence
• Complex calculations
• Professional reports

When to Use Google Sheets

Choose Google Sheets if you:

• Need real-time collaboration
• Work in teams frequently
• Want free solution
• Mostly work online
• Share files often
• Use Google Workspace
• Need simple spreadsheets
• Want automatic saving

Best for:

• Team collaboration
• Simple data tracking
• Budget-conscious users
• Quick sharing and editing
• Cloud-first workflows
• Small to medium datasets

Can You Use Both?

Yes! Here's how:

1. Import/Export: Both support .xlsx format
2. Google Drive: Upload Excel files to Sheets
3. Excel Online: Use free web version
4. Hybrid approach: Heavy work in Excel, sharing in Sheets

Migration Tips

Moving from Excel to Sheets:

• Most formulas work the same
• VBA macros need Google Apps Script
• Some advanced features missing
• Charts may need adjustment

Moving from Sheets to Excel:

• Download as .xlsx
• Some Sheets functions unavailable
• IMPORTRANGE won't work
• Apps Script needs VBA conversion

Summary

Bottom Line:

• Google Sheets: Best for collaboration, free, cloud-first teams
• Excel: Best for power users, large data, advanced features

Both are excellent tools. Choose based on your specific needs! 🎯