17 BEST Excel Alternatives in 2021 (Free/Paid)

Excel is a spreadsheet software included in the Microsoft office suite. It widely is used to create grids of numbers and formulas that specify calculations, inventory tracking, and accounting, and more.

However, it has some limitations like a lack of security, and controlling different versions of the same file is also very difficult. Here is a curated list of Top tools that are capable of replacing Microsoft Office Excel. The list contains both open source(free) and commercial(paid) software.

1) Google Spreadsheet

Google Spreadsheet is a popular cloud-based application that enables you to create, update, delete, and share data online. This Ajax based application is compatible with CSV (Comma-separated values) file.

Features:

• It has built-in formulas, a range of conditional formatting options, and pivot tables.
• This application allows you to access spreadsheets from phone or computer.
• It has explore panel, which provides an overview of data and generates pre-populated charts.
• Everyone can work on the same spreadsheet.
• It automatically saves changes.

Link: https://www.google.com/sheets/about/

2) Zoho Sheet

Zoho Sheet is a spreadsheet application for collaborative teams. It supports 350+ functions that help you to perform complex and basic calculations without any problem.

Features:

• You can record macros of a task or use VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) code to perform the action with one button click.
• It automatically detects and removes data related to anomalies.
• You can highlight parts of data with conditional formats.
• It allows you to export sheets in numerous file formats, including .pdf and .html.
• You can publish a spreadsheet and decide who can see formula cells.
• This software helps you to collect your data with forms.
• It supports 23+ different languages.

3) ClickUp

ClickUp is software that enables you to manage your task, docs, chat, goal, and more with ease. This application allows you to assign and resolve comments to tasks. It helps you to set priorities of the work with no hassle.

Features:

• It allows you to filter and search for the desired task with ease.
• Enables you to assign multiple tasks with just one mouse click.
• You can sync with Google Calendar.
• Helps you to collaborate with other people.
• ClickUp enables you to sort tasks by project.

4) Nifty

Nifty is a software for businesses that enables one to manage tasks, docs, team collaboration and files. The application allows for one to comment and reference tasks throughout so nothing can get lost in the cracks.

Features:

• Task management in a kanban or list view
• Custom fields resulting in a more customized workflows
• Gatt charts
• Subtasks
• Dependencies

5) Airtable

Airtable is a spreadsheet solution for enterprises and businesses of all sizes. It offers organization and collaboration functionalities in an effective and mobile-friendly table solutions.

Features:

• It allows you to organize projects, content, and ideas into a centralized system.
• This software offers support for form management.
• It helps you to filter, sort, and rearrange data.
• It offers customizable views and fields.

Link: https://airtable.com/invite/r/phva8Bgs

6) OpenOffice

OpenOffice Calc is a tool that helps you to calculate, analyze, and present your data in reports. It helps you to export spreadsheet directly as PDF files.

Features:

• It provides cell formatting options for templates, borders, backgrounds, and more.
• You can calculate cell value based on constraint given in other cells.
• This tool has a scenario manager that enables you to perform what-if analysis of data with the touch of a button.
• You can save spreadsheets in XML based format.
• Apache OpenOffice calc supports multiple users.
• You can use a Portable Document Format (.pdf) to send the output to other people.

Link: https://www.openoffice.org/product/calc.html

7) LibreOffice

LibreOffice Calc is an easy to use open-source software product. It helps you to calculate, analyze, and manage data. It has numerous statistical and banking functions to create formulas and perform complex calculations on data.

Features:

• You can arrange, filter, and store data.
• LibreOffice allows you to show or hide certain data ranges.
• It provides dynamic charts that automatically update altered data.
• It provides real time data sheets that can be integrated into sheets and reports.
• You can perform collaborative work on spreadsheets.
• This software has a dynamic feature of building a chart that updates automatically when data changes.
• You can drag and drop tables from any database to sheet.

Link: https://www.libreoffice.org/

8) WPS Office Spreadsheets

WPS Office Spreadsheets is a powerful tool that contains hundreds of most commonly used functions and formulas. This software can be run on Microsoft Windows, Linux, iOS, macOS, and Android platforms.

Features:

• It includes a built-in table and cell styles.
• This tool provides customizable charts, including line, scatter, column, pie, bar, and more.
• It supports advanced pivot tables, allowing you to analyze and summarize data.
• You can forecast and find solutions for complex problems using what-if analysis.
• WPS Office Spreadsheets allows you to open and edit multiple documents.
• It has more than 50 keyboard shortcuts.
• Supports track changes comments.

Link: https://www.wps.com/download/

9) Numbers

Numbers can create a beautiful spreadsheet that includes tables and images. You can collaborate with your team on PC, iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

Features:

• It provides ready to use templates.
• Numbers support numerous functions.
• It allows you to summarize your tables.
• This tool has a library of more than 700 customizable shapes.
• You can sketch a diagram and add notes to visualize your data.
• It enables you to work with your team in real time on spreadsheets stored on Box or iCloud.

Link: https://www.apple.com/numbers/

10) Smartsheet

Smartsheet is a software as a service (SAS) that offers collaboration and work management. It automates repetitive processes by sending alerts, requesting updates, and locking row-based changes.

Features:

• Smartsheet allows you to automate workflow, including forms.
• You can quickly toggle between card view, grid view, and calendar view.
• It supports live reporting.
• You can easily collaborate with others.
• This software supports mobile app integration with other applications like Google, Salesforce, and Slack.
• Smartsheet allows you to manage resources and domain sharing.

Link: https://www.smartsheet.com/

11) Sheetgo

Sheetgo is a cloud-based software that enables you to manage the workflow of spreadsheets. It enables you to create, edit, delete, and update connections inside Google sheet files.

Features:

• You can save your dynamic data.
• Sheetgo connects and filters colored data between spreadsheets.
• It allows you to bring data from more than one sheet into a single master sheet.
• You can combine data from many tabular formats.
• This application helps you to filter out data while transferring data between sheets.

Link: https://www.sheetgo.com/

12) Thinkfree

Thinkfree is an application that enables you to edit and view spreadsheets. This tool helps you to insert and calculate data or format the cells.

Features:

• It enables you to draw an object on the scribble pad and insert it in the sheet.
• You can change the cell formatting like number format, indentation, text wrapping, and borders.
• You can fill the empty cells with the values.
• It provides functions for finding the value, or reference location of a particular cell.

Link: https://www.thinkfree.com/download/

13) PlanMaker

PlanMaker is a spreadsheet software that is available on Microsoft Windows, Windows Mobile, and Linux. It has numerous design features that allow you to create presentation-quality worksheets.

Features:

• You can exchange worksheets between any version of PlanMaker.
• This software has 430 calculation functions.
• You can select and format more than one worksheet simultaneously.
• It provides intelligent filling of cell areas with rows of values.
• You can create an attractive worksheet using headers, footers, and borders.
• PlanMaker contains 430+ calculation functions.
• You can fill drawing with images, gradients, colors, and patterns.
• This software allows you to insert more than 80 varieties of charts.

Link: https://www.freeoffice.com/en/freeoffice-planmaker

14) TreeGrid SpreadSheet

TreeGrid SpreadSheet is a tool that offers you a cell-based AJAX grid. It has many predefined and custom formula functions. This software helps you to manipulate individual selected cell groups or cells.

Features:

• It supports Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, iOS, and Android mobile.
• This application provides localized formulas.
• It automatically adds rows and columns on the scroll.
• This tool provides a fully customizable cell popup menu.
• It has advanced JavaScript API to control the grid.
• TreeGrid SpreadSheet can be localized to any language, including texts, date as well as number format.
• This tool provides editable formals with references to a specific sheet.

Link: http://www.treegrid.com/Sheet

15) SSuite Axcel Professional

SSuite Axcel Professional is spreadsheet software that helps you to calculate, analyze, summarize your important data in charts or reports.

Features:

• It provides chart vizard to select from 8 categories of 2D and 3D charts.
• You can recognize spreadsheets to show or hide specific data ranges or to format ranges according to conditions.
• It automatically updates the dynamic data presented in the chart.
• This tool has a scenario manager that enables you to perform what if analysis of data with the touch of a button.

Link: https://www.ssuiteoffice.com/freedownloads.htm

16) Azquo

Azquo is a spreadsheet program that allows provides auditable and verifiable data in spreadsheets. It is built for an analyst that means you can manage data without needing expert IT skills.

Features:

• Azquo tells you who changed data, what, when, as well as where.
• It allows you to import data from internal or external sources.
• You can control your data, users, and their permissions from one place.
• It enables you to work online and offline.
• This tool has a scenario manager that enables you to perform what if analysis of data with the touch of a button.
• You can control your data and user permissions.

Link: http://www.azquo.com/

17) Spread

Spread is a spreadsheet solution for JavaScript and .NET platform. This tool includes more than 450 formulas. It allows you to customize data input forms.

Features:

• It provides API for input forms, dashboard, and chart apps.
• You can optimize app size and speed using a modular structure.
• It gives code free extensibility and customization.
• You can group, sort, and filter out numerical data.
• This tool offers hassle-free data binding.

Link: https://www.grapecity.com/spread

18) Gnumeric

Gnumeric is an open-source tool that is a part of GNOME free application software desktop project. This tool enables you to import data in several file formats like HTML, Lotus 1-2-3, LaTex, and CSV.

Features:

• It helps you to organize numeric value in rows and columns.
• You can perform and update complex calculations by defining and modifying steps subsequently.
• Gnumeric enables you to create and display graphical plots of data using bar plotline charts and pie charts.
• You can perform any task involving dates, times, names, or numbers.

Link: http://www.gnumeric.org/download.html

19) Scoro

Scoro is a SaaS software that helps you to track and manage finances client base, compile and send quotes and invoices. This cloud base tool has useful features for medium and small size teams.

Features:

• It allows you to make data-driven decisions using reports.
• You can integrate with Nemours accounting software.
• It boosts revenue by planning your team's work time and resources.
• You can directly feed all your finance and sales documents and add them to the report.
• It includes management tools like shared tasks, timesheets, team calendars, and automated time tracking.

Link: https://www.scoro.com/