# Utility Spreadsheet vs Microsoft Excel

The clearest difference is rating: Microsoft Excel at 4.7 against Utility Spreadsheet's 4.0. Microsoft Excel also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (1.5M vs 728). Utility Spreadsheet's advantage is review sentiment (56% vs 24%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Utility Spreadsheet sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Microsoft Excel sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Microsoft Excel holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Microsoft Excel has 1.5M ratings behind it against 728, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 56% of Utility Spreadsheet's written reviews are positive against 24% of Microsoft Excel's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Utility Spreadsheet ships an update every 5 weeks, Microsoft Excel weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Utility Spreadsheet | Microsoft Excel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (728 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/utility-spreadsheet/id324020229/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.5M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-excel/id586683407/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 728 | **1.5M** |
| Positive reviews | **56.1% of reviews** | 24.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#18** |
| Size | 9 MB | 436 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Luminant Software, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/286050547) | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) |

## What reviewers say

### Utility Spreadsheet

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/utility-spreadsheet/id324020229)

This app offers powerful spreadsheet capabilities optimized for touch interfaces. It includes an expanded keyboard for easy equation writing, formula dragging, and data management. Supports various functions and CSV import/export for broad compatibility.

**Highlights:** Touch interface optimization, Expanded keyboard for equations, Formula dragging, Limited graphing, CSV import/export, Extensive built-in functions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Simple and straightforward
- 🚀 Lightweight and fast
- 💡 Useful for basic spreadsheet needs
- 👍 Good for budgeting and tracking expenses

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Data loss and disappearing files
- 🐛 Unreliable syncing and cloud integration
- 🔍 Lack of instructions and documentation
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to Excel

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to delete rows or columns
- Formulas not working as expected
- Issues with importing and exporting data
- Keyboard disappearing during use
- Ads causing app to crash or freeze

**Requested features**

- Add password protection for files
- Improve print functionality
- Implement undo/redo capabilities
- Allow merging of cells
- Provide more formatting options


### Microsoft Excel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-excel/id586683407)

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Free · Productivity, #35 Top Grossing · Productivity, #179 Top Free (US App Store)

This powerful productivity app allows you to create, view, and edit spreadsheets on the go. Manage data, perform calculations, and analyze information with robust formatting and charting tools. Share your work easily with others.

**Highlights:** Create, view, and edit spreadsheets, Data analysis with charts and graphs, Budgeting and accounting tools, Customizable tables and formatting, Share files with collaborators, Draw and annotate with ink

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Office 365 Personal | $5.99 | per month |
| Office 365 Personal | $6.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal Student | $9.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $9.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Family | $12.99 | per month |
| Office 365 Home | $12.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Premium Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Microsoft Copilot Pro | $20.00 | per month |
| Office 365 Personal | $69.99 | per year |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $99.99 | per year |
| Office 365 Home | $129.99 | per year |
| Microsoft 365 Family | $129.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Powerful and feature-rich
- 🔍 Useful for data management and analysis
- 🔧 Convenient for on-the-go work
- 🤝 Good integration with Microsoft ecosystem
- 🤩 Excellent for personal and professional use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Subscription required for full functionality
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 📱 Limited features compared to desktop version
- 🤔 Confusing user interface changes
- 🤯 Frustrating syncing and file management issues

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to open or edit files
- Unexpected app closures
- Syncing problems with OneDrive
- Formatting issues when copying and pasting
- Slow performance on high-end devices

**Requested features**

- Conditional formatting options
- Ability to open password-protected files
- Improved Apple Pencil and keyboard support
- Customizable keyboard shortcuts
- Better compatibility with Dropbox and other cloud storage


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Utility Spreadsheet free?

Utility Spreadsheet is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Microsoft Excel free?

Microsoft Excel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Utility Spreadsheet or Microsoft Excel?

Microsoft Excel is rated higher. Utility Spreadsheet averages 4.0 out of 5 from 728 ratings, while Microsoft Excel averages 4.7 from 1.5M ratings.

### Do Utility Spreadsheet or Microsoft Excel have ads?

Utility Spreadsheet shows ads; Microsoft Excel does not.

### Which is updated more often, Utility Spreadsheet or Microsoft Excel?

Utility Spreadsheet ships an update every 5 weeks, and Microsoft Excel weekly. Most recently, Utility Spreadsheet was updated on September 8, 2026 and Microsoft Excel on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*