# iBal Rotary vs Microsoft Excel

The clearest difference is review sentiment: iBal Rotary at 83% against Microsoft Excel's 24%. iBal Rotary also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 15). Microsoft Excel's advantage is price (Free vs $17.99) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Microsoft Excel is free to download; iBal Rotary costs $17.99 up front. Microsoft Excel sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. iBal Rotary asks for nothing beyond the download.

Microsoft Excel holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Microsoft Excel has 1.5M ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of iBal Rotary'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.

iBal Rotary ships an update every 2 months, Microsoft Excel weekly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | iBal Rotary | Microsoft Excel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $17.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ibal-rotary/id567642367/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.5M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-excel/id586683407/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 23 | **1.5M** |
| Positive reviews | **82.9% of reviews** | 24.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#19** |
| Size | 29 MB | 436 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [AirSpayce](https://appshunter.io/developer/564666685) | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) |

## What reviewers say

### iBal Rotary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ibal-rotary/id567642367)

This app helps helicopter pilots quickly calculate weight and balance for their aircraft. It supports numerous helicopter models and allows users to add custom aircraft configurations. The app provides graphical displays and can email mission manifests, aiding in compliance with aviation regulations.

**Highlights:** Supports numerous helicopter types, Add custom aircraft configurations, Graphical CG displays, Email mission manifests, Detects weight and CG problems, Predefined load lists

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and accurate calculations
- 👍 User-friendly and simple interface
- 🛠️ Excellent customer support
- ✅ Reliable and functional
- 💡 Versatile and complete

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Repurchase required for new versions
- 🔊 Annoying sounds
- 👎 Poor user interface
- 📉 Outdated data
- 🤷‍♂️ Stations cannot be deleted

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on iPhone 4 since latest update
- Choose photo function does not work on iPad Mini Retina
- Math is sometimes wrong
- Rounding of aircraft values is annoying

**Requested features**

- Add B3E aircraft
- Ability to modify aircraft data
- Add BK-117 D2/D3 (H145) to aircraft list
- Add Bell 505 to aircraft library
- Input fuel burn to calculate flight duration estimate


### Microsoft Excel

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

**Currently charting:** #19 Top Free · Productivity, #36 Top Grossing · Productivity, #200 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 iBal Rotary free?

iBal Rotary costs $17.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Microsoft Excel free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iBal Rotary or Microsoft Excel?

Microsoft Excel is rated higher. iBal Rotary averages 4.4 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while Microsoft Excel averages 4.7 from 1.5M ratings.

### Do iBal Rotary or Microsoft Excel have ads?

Neither iBal Rotary nor Microsoft Excel shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iBal Rotary or Microsoft Excel?

iBal Rotary ships an update every 2 months, and Microsoft Excel weekly. Most recently, iBal Rotary was updated on September 25, 2026 and Microsoft Excel on September 25, 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.*