After taking a statistics course in university that introduced me to the complex formulas and functions in Excel, I made the decision to stick with Google Sheets, much to the dismay of my engineering student friend. You see, in my line of work, I don’t often need to use advanced data analysis tools. What I need is a relatively simple way to organize data and collaborate with my team. And that’s ultimately what the debate between Google Sheets and Excel boils down to: the use of a spreadsheet application.
I’ve relied on my experience with both applications and conducted additional tests to determine which one is the best fit for each individual. Keep reading to discover my analysis of Google Sheets versus Microsoft Excel.
Google Sheets vs. Excel at a Glance
Google Sheets and Excel may seem strikingly similar – they often use the same formulas, and you can troubleshoot them in a similar fashion. But each platform has unique strengths tailored to different audiences.
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Google Sheets is perfect for collaborative teams and individuals looking for a simple and free spreadsheet solution. It offers a user-friendly interface, real-time chat and collaboration features, and a free option for individuals. With the introduction of Duet AI, Google Sheets is starting to offer smarter features to streamline tasks such as planning and organizing data.
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Excel is ideal for individuals who perform data analysis. It boasts built-in advanced statistical tools, extensive data visualization options, and the ability to maintain fast performance when processing large amounts of data. The addition of Microsoft 365’s Copilot AI, which works within Excel, takes these strengths to new heights by enhancing data analysis with advanced statistical tools, smart data visualization options, and efficient processing of large datasets for deeper and faster insights.
Google Sheets is User-Friendly and Accessible; Excel is Advanced
If you’re looking for a basic spreadsheet application without any cost, Google Sheets is the way to go. If you need more robust tools to manage and manipulate data and don’t mind spending money on a spreadsheet application, Excel might be the better choice.
Interface
I won’t lie – Excel’s interface can be a bit intimidating for spreadsheet novices. It features multiple tabs filled with features, many of which are unlabeled or represented by small icons that the eye can easily overlook. As I navigated through the tabs, I felt a bit claustrophobic and overwhelmed by the options.
On the other hand, Google Sheets’ interface is relatively minimalist and includes labeled options organized in dropdown menus. By not cluttering its header with features, it remains sleek and easier to navigate.
Cost
Google Sheets also proves to be more accessible than Excel when considering the cost of each platform. Google Sheets is free for individuals, while Excel costs $159.99 per device or $69.99 per year with a personal Microsoft 365 subscription. That said, the costs for businesses are comparable, and when considering its features, Microsoft 365 might even have the edge.
Data Analysis and Visualization
Excel and Google Sheets both offer a vast collection of formulas, although Excel’s is slightly more extensive – we’re talking nearly 500 formulas. This makes tasks such as accounting, data organization, and statistical analysis easier.
Where Excel truly shines is in advanced data analysis. Navigate to the “Data” tab, and you’ll find an option to perform “What-If Analysis.” This allows you to test scenarios using Excel’s advanced formulas. For example, you could use this feature to determine how many units you would need to sell in the last month of the quarter to meet your financial goals. Excel’s new Copilot AI feature maximizes these capabilities, providing smarter insights on data with less effort.
Excel also offers better pivot table features for summarizing large datasets, including an entire tab called “Analyze PivotTables” filled with options to manipulate and visualize your table, such as generating a bar chart summarizing the data.
Google Sheets also allows you to generate pivot tables, but it doesn’t provide the ability to manipulate or visualize data with advanced pivot table features.
In fact, Excel surpasses Google Sheets when it comes to creating any type of data visualization. For example, when I selected a large dataset and clicked on Excel’s “Recommended Charts” option, it presented me with various logical ways to present the data elements, such as units and unit costs over time.
Google Sheets lacks this feature and offers fewer data visualization options overall. When I selected the dataset, Sheets created a chart without any logic, requiring manual adjustments to make it resemble Excel’s chart.
Google Sheets is More Collaborative; Excel is Better for Solo Work
My colleagues and I don’t necessarily spend all our time on Google Sheets like it’s an online video game, but… sometimes we do? Sheets allows multiple team members to edit the same spreadsheet simultaneously, showing real-time cell selections and edits. This makes it easy for the entire team to collaborate on the same spreadsheet and consolidate changes.
Like most other Google applications, Sheets also offers a chat feature that pops up when multiple people are working on the same spreadsheet simultaneously, allowing teammates to communicate in real time.
It even keeps a version history at the top of each document, letting you know who made each change and allowing you to restore previous versions. Because mistakes happen (especially when collaborating with many people).
Excel, on the other hand, isn’t necessarily known for its collaboration features. While Excel for the web does offer real-time collaboration, there are so many versions of Excel for desktop that version compatibility issues can make collaboration tricky. For example, here’s the sharing error below resulting from table formatting issues.
That being said, Excel doesn’t present itself as the collaborator’s dream. It’s designed to work offline as a desktop application, while Google Sheets is a preferred online tool that integrates collaboration into its DNA. While you can use Google Sheets offline, you have to enable offline mode to do so – an easy but extra step.
Excel’s Copilot AI is Powerful and Adaptable; Google Sheets’ AI Lags Behind
Now, let me clarify that I haven’t had the chance to dive into Microsoft’s Copilot or Google Sheets’ Duet AI personally, as these features are only available to business customers. But I love seeing how these giants battle it out in the AI space.
My information is based on the information shared on the respective product pages of Microsoft and Google, as well as consumer reviews, which provide insights into the real-life applications and effectiveness of these AI tools.
With that caveat, let’s see what these two AI initiatives bring to the table for spreadsheets.
Microsoft’s Copilot for Excel positions itself as the ultimate companion for data manipulation, aiming to turn your rows and columns into actionable insights. The buzzworthy features include its ability to perform in-depth data analysis, quickly organize data into coherent structures, and generate pivot tables with a wave of its digital wand. It’s also praised for its trend-spotting capabilities, which could revolutionize forecasting and strategic decision-making.
And then there’s Google Sheets, our beloved virtual workspace. Its AI initiative, Duet AI, takes a different approach. It aims to make spreadsheets more accessible. With a simple request, you can organize your data or set up a project plan in an instant. Duet AI focuses on streamlining setup so you can focus on the collaboration that comes after. Whether it’s project tracking or a budget sheet, you provide the big picture, and it lays the groundwork.
The verdict? If you want to leverage AI to dive deep into data analysis and derive accurate insights from your spreadsheets, Microsoft’s Copilot seems to be leading the way. But if your priority is fostering a collaborative environment where AI helps democratize data manipulation and keep your team on the same page, Google’s AI features are designed with that goal in mind.
Both push the boundaries in their own way, and while I haven’t had the chance to test these tools, I’m excited to see how they will reshape the landscape of data analysis and collaboration in spreadsheets.
Excel Has Everything You Need Built-In; Google Sheets Relies on Third-Party Tools
Excel is your one-stop-shop for data analysis and comes equipped with advanced tools to help you manage and analyze data. For example, by navigating to Excel’s “Data” tab, you’ll see advanced statistical tests like t-tests, z-tests, and ANOVA built into the platform. On the other hand, to perform an ANOVA test in Google Sheets, you need to first download the XLMiner Analysis Tool – no wonder my statistics professor insisted on using Excel.
Of course, one would expect a spreadsheet application to offer certain statistical features, but Excel’s built-in tools go beyond what is expected. For example, the application has a “Data from Picture” option that can extract data from an image and organize it into cells. I tested this feature using an image of a table with data that I found on Google Images. Here’s a screenshot of my result, followed by the image itself:
While I had to merge some cells to precisely match the table, I was impressed by Excel’s ability to read and place the data into cells. This feature is not available natively in Google Sheets, although I found an add-on called ExtractTable that Sheets users can install to perform the same task.
Although having a vast library of add-ons can help you accomplish specific tasks, there are a few downsides. Besides the additional time required to install them, third-party add-ons can pose issues if they’re not kept up-to-date with Google Sheets.
Not only can this potentially cause errors in your spreadsheets, but it can also expose you to cybersecurity threats if developers don’t update their add-ons or implement effective security measures. Additionally, in case of any issues, it’s not Google’s responsibility to assist you; it’s up to the developer, who may or may not offer any support.
The same goes for its Duet AI. While Google Sheets does a good job of covering basic needs, if you want more powerful AI features like Microsoft’s Copilot, you’ll need add-ons.
Both Applications Integrate with Zapier
You can integrate both Google Sheets and Excel with Zapier, which means you can connect your spreadsheets to thousands of other apps to automate notifications, task creation, lead management, and more. Learn how to automate Google Sheets and how to automate Excel, or get started with one of these pre-built workflows.
FAQ: Google Sheets vs. Excel
Google Sheets and Excel look so similar at first glance that they’re often mistaken for each other, so let me address a few common questions about both applications.
What are the main differences between Google Sheets and Excel?
At first glance, Google Sheets and Excel may seem identical, but they have their own unique strengths. Excel is excellent for manipulating large datasets and performing complex calculations, thanks to its powerful data analysis tools and extensive range of functions. It’s preferred by users who like to delve deep into numbers. On the other hand, Google Sheets is ideal for teams, with its real-time collaboration and easy access from anywhere. It also offers a free option, making it a popular choice for team projects and those who appreciate a good deal.
Is Google Sheets the same as Excel?
Google Sheets and Excel may appear similar at first glance, but they’re not the same at all. While both are spreadsheet programs, each has its own distinct strengths. For instance, Excel has the ability to handle much larger amounts of data than Google Sheets without slowing down, and its price ($0) and collaboration features give it an edge over Excel.
What can Excel do that Google Sheets can’t?
Excel offers some advanced features that set it apart from Google Sheets, such as built-in advanced statistical tests, better data analysis tools, more keyboard shortcuts, and the ability to import data from additional external sources.
Do accountants use Excel or Google Sheets?
Accountants use both Excel and Google Sheets. Their choice may depend on their industry preferences or their own personal preferences. While most accountants historically turned to Excel, organizations are increasingly turning to Google Sheets as well. They will typically also have dedicated accounting software to support them.
Excel vs. Google Sheets: Which One Should You Choose?
Excel’s focus on advanced data analysis is reflected in its AI capabilities, offering features like trend analysis and predictive modeling that cater to individual users’ depth and complexity needs in data processing. On the other hand, Google Sheets emphasizes collaboration, and its AI features aim to streamline teamwork by making data management and interpretation easier for teams in a user-friendly environment.
With that in mind, Excel is best suited for those working solo and needing powerful data analysis tools, while Google Sheets is a better fit for teams who need a simple spreadsheet solution with excellent collaboration features.
Related Articles:
- Google Sheets 101
- Best Automations to Get the Most Out of Your Spreadsheets
- How to Automate Microsoft Excel
- How to Automate Google Sheets
- [This article was originally published in January 2023. The most recent update, with contributions from Michael Kern, was made in November 2023.]
