Sheets is the default cloud spreadsheet, but the rough edges are real. A Google account is mandatory, complex Excel files lose conditional formatting on import, large datasets choke past 10 million cells, and pivot tables on mobile feel like a placeholder for the desktop site. For anyone who works with serious data on a phone, the gaps stack up.
If you want Google Sheets alternatives that handle big Excel files cleanly, work without a Google account, or replace the spreadsheet model entirely with a relational database, the field is healthier than the Play Store charts suggest. We tested seven and ranked them on file fidelity, formula coverage, and what they actually do on Android.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Excel | True Excel fidelity | Yes, view/edit small files | $9.99/mo Microsoft 365 | Pivot tables and 400+ functions |
| WPS Office | Free with full editing | Yes, ad-supported | $35.99/yr Premium | Excel-compatible without an account |
| OnlyOffice | Open-source desktop fidelity | Yes, full features | Free for personal | Best Office format compatibility on Linux/web |
| Collabora Office | LibreOffice for mobile | Yes, full features | Free | True ODF support, no account |
| Zoho Sheet | Free collaboration | Yes, generous | $4/mo Standard | Real-time co-editing without a Google account |
| Airtable | Database-style spreadsheets | Yes, with row caps | $20/mo Team | Relational fields and views |
| Smartsheet | Project management spreadsheets | 30-day trial | $9/mo Pro | Gantt and dependency tracking |
Why people leave Google Sheets
Mandatory Google account. Every spreadsheet lives in Drive under a Google identity. For users who avoid Google sign-in for privacy or work reasons, that is a hard stop.
Large file performance. Past a few hundred thousand rows or a 10 million cell hard cap, Sheets slows to a crawl. Excel and OnlyOffice handle larger workbooks more gracefully on the same hardware.
Excel format drift. Open a complex .xlsx with conditional formatting, slicers, or VBA macros. Sheets will load the file but quietly drop or rewrite features. Round-trip editing with Excel users is fragile.
Mobile pivot tables. Pivot tables created on the desktop site render on mobile but rarely edit cleanly. Power users still keep a laptop nearby.
The best Google Sheets alternatives
Microsoft Excel, best true Excel fidelity
Microsoft Excel is the spreadsheet most professionals already trust. The mobile app reads native .xlsx without conversion, supports pivot tables, conditional formatting, and the full function library, and integrates with OneDrive for cloud sync.
Excel vs Google Sheets on a complex workbook with VBA, conditional formatting, and slicers is one-sided. Excel preserves them; Sheets rewrites them. For users who exchange files with Excel-heavy teams, that fidelity matters.
Where it falls short: Free editing on mobile is limited to small files and personal accounts on devices under 10.1 inches. Heavy editing requires a Microsoft 365 subscription. Real-time co-editing is smoother on the desktop than on mobile.
Pricing:
- Free: View and basic edit on small devices with a Microsoft account
- Microsoft 365 Personal: $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year for full editing across devices
- Microsoft 365 Family: $12.99 a month for up to six people
- vs Sheets: Paid for full mobile editing; better .xlsx fidelity
Migrating from Sheets: Export Sheets workbooks as .xlsx via File > Download. Excel opens them with most features intact; pivot tables and charts may need a refresh.
Bottom line: The default pick if you exchange spreadsheets with Excel users.
WPS Office, best free editing without an account
WPS Office is the free pick that does not require a Google or Microsoft account to open a workbook. The app reads .xlsx, .xls, and .csv natively, the formula library covers most Excel functions, and the Spreadsheets module handles pivot tables on mobile.
WPS vs Sheets on an offline edit is one-sided. WPS opens local .xlsx files instantly without sign-in; Sheets needs Drive sync to function fully.
Where it falls short: Free tier shows ads inside the app and pushes a Premium upgrade. Some advanced features sit behind the subscription. The interface clutters easily.
Pricing:
- Free: Full edit, ad-supported, basic cloud sync
- WPS Premium: $35.99 a year for ad removal, advanced PDF tools, more cloud storage
- vs Sheets: Free with no account requirement; comparable feature set on mobile
Migrating from Sheets: Export workbooks as .xlsx and import via WPS file picker. Conditional formatting carries over; some Sheets-only formulas need manual replacement.
Bottom line: The free pick if you want full editing without signing up for a cloud account.
OnlyOffice, best open-source Office fidelity
OnlyOffice Documents ships an open-source spreadsheet engine that reads .xlsx more faithfully than most rivals. The mobile app handles formulas, pivot tables, charts, and macros, and the desktop and self-hosted server pair for users who want to leave Google entirely.
OnlyOffice vs Sheets on round-trip Excel work is one-sided. OnlyOffice preserves macros, slicers, and conditional formatting Google rewrites or drops.
Where it falls short: Mobile UI is dense for casual users. Cloud sync requires the OnlyOffice Workspace or a third-party connector. Free cloud tier is limited.
Pricing:
- Free: Full personal use with local files
- DocSpace: Free up to 12 active users, paid plans from $20 a month for teams
- vs Sheets: Free with stronger Office format support; weaker shared cloud workflow
Migrating from Sheets: Export workbooks as .xlsx. OnlyOffice opens them with full Office fidelity. Connect a cloud provider (OneDrive, Nextcloud) for sync.
Bottom line: The pick if you want an open-source spreadsheet that opens .xlsx cleanly on mobile.
Collabora Office, best LibreOffice on mobile
Collabora Office is the official LibreOffice mobile app. The free build includes Calc (spreadsheet), Writer, Impress, and Draw, with full ODF support and respectable Excel compatibility. No account needed.
Collabora vs Sheets on a privacy-sensitive workflow is one-sided. Collabora is open-source, runs offline, and never sends a workbook anywhere unless you choose to.
Where it falls short: Mobile UI lags Microsoft and WPS in polish. Co-editing is limited compared with cloud-native rivals. Some Excel-only features render but do not edit cleanly.
Pricing:
- Free: Full mobile editing for personal use
- Collabora Online: Self-host or paid subscription for team co-editing
- vs Sheets: Free, open-source, no account, weaker collaboration
Migrating from Sheets: Export .xlsx and import via the file picker. Switch to .ods (OpenDocument) for the best long-term format if you want to leave Office formats.
Bottom line: The pick if open-source and offline use are the priorities.
Zoho Sheet, best free collaboration without Google
Zoho Sheet is the cloud spreadsheet that competes with Sheets directly. Real-time co-editing, comments, version history, and a generous free tier match what Google offers, without a Google account.
Zoho vs Sheets on real-time editing is closer than most users expect. Both update cells instantly and show collaborators live; Zoho adds Workspace integration via Zoho Mail and CRM.
Where it falls short: The mobile app is functional but less polished than Sheets. Some advanced functions require the Pro plan. Importing complex .xlsx can lose formatting.
Pricing:
- Free: Generous, full cloud sync, real-time co-editing
- Standard: $4 a month per user as part of Zoho Workplace
- vs Sheets: Free with comparable collaboration, weaker mobile polish
Migrating from Sheets: Export workbooks as .xlsx and import to Zoho Sheet. Formulas and formatting transfer; charts may need a refresh.
Bottom line: The pick if you want Sheets-style collaboration without a Google account.
Airtable, best database-style spreadsheets
Airtable is the spreadsheet replacement for users who outgrew rows and columns. Each base behaves like a relational database with field types, linked records, multiple views (grid, calendar, kanban, gallery), and formulas that reference linked tables.
Airtable vs Sheets on a structured project tracker is one-sided. Sheets stops being a spreadsheet and becomes a workflow tool the moment you need linked records, attachment fields, or kanban views.
Where it falls short: Free tier caps records at 1,000 per base. Advanced automations and large datasets need paid plans. Mobile is for editing, not building complex bases.
Pricing:
- Free: Up to 1,000 records per base, basic views
- Team: $20 a month per user for 50,000 records and full views
- Business: $45 a month per user for advanced features
- vs Sheets: Pricier, but it replaces a spreadsheet plus a database plus a project tool
Migrating from Sheets: Use Airtable’s CSV importer. Each Sheets tab becomes an Airtable table; relationships need to be rebuilt with linked record fields.
Bottom line: The pick if your spreadsheet has become a database in disguise.
Smartsheet, best project-management spreadsheets
Smartsheet is the spreadsheet built around project management. Sheets, reports, dashboards, and Gantt charts share a common data model, and dependencies between tasks recalculate automatically when dates shift.
Smartsheet vs Sheets on a project plan is one-sided. Sheets gives you a grid; Smartsheet gives you a Gantt with dependencies, automated alerts, and proofing workflows.
Where it falls short: No free tier beyond the trial. The interface assumes project-management literacy. Heavy on configuration before you see value.
Pricing:
- Free trial: 30 days, full features
- Pro: $9 a month per user for individuals and small teams
- Business: $19 a month per user for advanced collaboration
- vs Sheets: Paid only; Sheets is free for the same basic use case
Migrating from Sheets: Export tabs as .xlsx and use Smartsheet’s import. The grid view lands intact; rebuild dependencies and Gantt views from the project columns.
Bottom line: The pick if your spreadsheet is really a project plan with dependencies.
How to choose
Pick Microsoft Excel if you exchange .xlsx files with colleagues and need pivot table fidelity.
Pick WPS Office if you want free editing on mobile without a Google or Microsoft account.
Pick OnlyOffice if you need the strongest open-source Office format compatibility.
Pick Collabora Office if open-source and offline use matter more than collaboration polish.
Pick Zoho Sheet if you want real-time co-editing without a Google account.
Pick Airtable if your spreadsheet has grown into a database and you need linked records.
Pick Smartsheet if you build project plans with dependencies and Gantt charts.
Stay on Google Sheets if your team already lives in Workspace, you need Apps Script automations, and your workbooks stay under a few hundred thousand rows. The free tier is hard to beat for casual collaboration.
FAQ
Is Microsoft Excel better than Google Sheets?
For raw spreadsheet power and Excel format fidelity, yes. Excel handles larger workbooks, more functions, and richer pivot tables. Google Sheets wins on free real-time collaboration and the mobile-first cloud experience.
Can I import my Google Sheets to Excel?
Yes. From Sheets, choose File > Download > Microsoft Excel (.xlsx). Open the file in Excel; most formulas, formatting, and charts transfer. Sheets-only functions like GOOGLEFINANCE need manual replacement.
What is the cheapest Google Sheets alternative?
WPS Office, OnlyOffice, Collabora Office, and Zoho Sheet all have full-featured free tiers without a paid plan required. Microsoft Excel free is limited to small files on mobile.
Is there a free spreadsheet that works without an account?
WPS Office and Collabora Office both run fully offline without sign-in. OnlyOffice also works on local files without an account.
What do people use instead of Google Sheets for big data?
Microsoft Excel handles larger workbooks and is the consensus pick for serious data work. Airtable is the most-cited replacement when the data is structured enough to behave like a database.
Which Google Sheets alternative has the best mobile pivot tables?
Microsoft Excel and OnlyOffice both edit pivot tables natively on mobile. Sheets and WPS render them but require a desktop for serious pivot work.
