Google Sheets vs Microsoft Excel - How Are They Different?

Creating a spreadsheet is easier than it’s ever been before. Need to create a budget spreadsheet? Input some data? Create a rota? Spreadsheets are capable of helping us get organised, and so much more.

The reason why these things are possible is due to spreadsheet software. And two of the main products you’ll be familiar with are Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Both capable of producing excellent spreadsheets, with many useful built-in features. But how are they different and which is better? 

Let’s take a closer look at the juggernauts of the spreadsheet world.

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Google Sheets versus Excel

Cost

When it comes to pricing, Google Sheets is the winner. Free to use and feature-packed, anyone can use Google Sheets. 

Microsoft Excel, on the other hand, will cost you. As a one-off programme, it will set you back USD$159.99, or a monthly subscription to Office 365 will cost you USD$6.99 a month.

Sharing and collaboration

It’s another plus for Google Sheets thanks to its simple and effective collaboration tools. Send the link to anyone, and they can work with you simultaneously. 

Excel has collaboration tools, but they require the other person to have Excel too. Changes are logged as tracked changes, which will need to be manually accepted to be added to the document.

With Google Sheets, your work is saved as you go, while Excel spreadsheets will need to be saved manually until you enable Auto-Save.

Analysis and visualisation tools

Excel remains the experienced veteran when it comes to data analysis and visualisation tools. Excel comes with a lot of in-built formulas, which make it much easier to carry out complex calculations. You can also create handy charts automatically, like a Gantt chart, which need to be built manually in Google Sheets.

Google Sheets carries some formulas, but if you want to benefit from the widest selection of formulas, Excel is the superior choice.

Macros

Macros are another valuable tool for spreadsheet creators, helping to automate repeat tasks and save you time. Macros were only available in Excel until recently, but Google Sheets has now added the feature, which makes it a worthy opponent to Excel.

Ease of use

Both platforms are very easy to use. There are a lot of training resources for both Excel and Google Sheets  that can teach you everything from the basics to more complex actions. 

Which is better?

So in the battle of Google Sheets versus Microsoft Excel, which is better? The truth is that it depends on what you’re looking for. If it’s a free and simple solution you need, Google Sheets ticks a lot of boxes and keeps all of your work safe in the cloud. For familiar features and more complex work, Excel is a very reliable and popular choice. 

As both platforms continue to develop new and exciting features, it will be good to see how they match-up again in a few years’ time.