Comparison

Microsoft Word vs Google Sheets

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Microsoft Word

Create, edit, and share documents on your mobile device. This powerful word processor offers templates, formatting tools, and collaborative features to help you write impactful text documents, resumes, and more. Your office moves with you, allowing for seamless editing and sharing from anywhere.

Highlights
  • Create and edit documents
  • Modern templates
  • Rich formatting and layout options
  • Reading view
  • Collaborate with comments
  • Version history
  • Simplified sharing
Read full description

Send, open and edit Office files from your mobile with the full power of Microsoft’s word-processing tools. Whether you're a writer, freelancer, student or project manager, Word moves with you. Enhance your writing with Copilot in Word when signed in with your Microsoft 365 subscription.* Draft, edit, collaborate, and share with confidence – anytime, anywhere. Create impactful blogs, proposals, CVs, branding materials and more. Customise every document with rich formatting options and professionally designed templates. Create Documents • Kick-start projects with templates for letters, CVs, scripts, proposals, invoices and more • Use robust formatting and layout tools to express ideas clearly • Maintain a polished look across all your devices Read, Write and Edit Anywhere • Edit long documents, letters and scripts on your device with familiar writing tools • Open attachments with the built in viewer • Convert PDFs to Word for quick editing Collaborate and Share • Leave comments directly next to relevant text • Work with others in real time and track layout or formatting changes • Use version history to view and restore previous drafts Simplified Sharing • Invite others to edit or view in just a few taps • Manage permissions and see who’s active in the document • Copy formatted content into emails or attach your files instantly AI Assistance with Copilot* • Draft CVs, polish proposals and organise ideas in seconds • Summarise, refine and format content instantly • Get intelligent suggestions to make your writing clear and compelling *Unlock the full Microsoft 365 experience with a qualifying subscription on phone, tablet, PC or Mac. Microsoft 365 subscriptions purchased in app will be charged to your App Store account and automatically renew unless auto renew is turned off 24 hours before the billing period ends. Manage your subscription in your App Store account settings. Subscriptions cannot be cancelled during the active period. This app may be provided by Microsoft or a third party publisher and is subject to its own privacy statement and terms. Data may be transferred to, stored and processed in the United States or other regions where Microsoft or its affiliates operate. EULA: http://aka.ms/eula

About

Google Sheets

Create, edit, and collaborate on spreadsheets from anywhere, anytime. Work offline, format cells, insert formulas, and view charts. Seamlessly edit Excel files and enjoy automatic saving of your work.

Highlights
  • Create and edit spreadsheets
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Offline access
  • Format cells and insert formulas
  • View charts
  • Edit Excel files
Read full description

Create, edit, and collaborate on spreadsheets with the Google Sheets app. With Sheets you can: * Create new spreadsheets or edit existing ones * Share spreadsheets and collaborate with others in the same spreadsheet at the same time * Work anywhere, anytime - even offline * Format cells, enter/sort data, view charts, insert formulas, use find/replace, and more * Never worry about losing your work -- everything is automatically saved as you type * Open, edit, and save Excel files Google Sheets is part of Google Workspace: where teams of any size can chat, create, and collaborate. Google Workspace subscribers have access to additional Google Sheets features, including: * Easily add collaborators to projects, see changes as they occur, receive notifications for edits that happen while you’re away, and chat with colleagues in the same spreadsheet. All changes are automatically saved as you make them. And with offline access, you can create, view, and edit files wherever and whenever * Get insights fast, powered by Google AI * Work seamlessly across Sheets and Excel * Maintain control with enterprise-grade security * Analyze data from other business-critical tools * Build custom solutions

Screenshots

Microsoft Word4 screens
Google Sheets3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Google Sheets at none against Microsoft Word's 14. Google Sheets also leads on review sentiment (56% vs 37%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Microsoft Word sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Google Sheets asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Microsoft Word against 4.8 for Google Sheets. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3M and 1.9M respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 37% of Microsoft Word's written reviews are positive against 56% of Google Sheets's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Microsoft Word versus Google Sheets: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMicrosoft WordGoogle Sheets
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (3M ratings)4.8 (1.9M ratings) — better
Positive reviews36.8% of reviews56.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3M — better1.9M
Update frequencyWeeklyWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#13 — better#16
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size531 MB415 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMicrosoft CorporationGoogle

Customer experience

Microsoft Word

All ratings3,018,288 ratings
Positive93.7%
Neutral2.4%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews5,035 reviews
Positive36.8%
Neutral7.1%
Negative56.1%

Google Sheets

All ratings1,868,253 ratings
Positive95.9%
Neutral1.8%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews2,523 reviews
Positive56.1%
Neutral8.8%
Negative35.0%

User reviews

Microsoft Word

From 3M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Seamless sync between devices
  • 📝 Great for writing and editing
  • 🔒 Secure document storage
  • 💡 Helpful for school and work

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and data loss
  • ⏱️ Laggy and slow performance
  • 💰 Expensive subscription required
  • 🤔 Limited functionality compared to desktop

Google Sheets

From 1.9M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Convenient mobile access
  • 💡 Collaborative features
  • 🔒 Secure cloud storage
  • 📈 Useful for business/personal organization

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
  • 📱 Limited functionality compared to desktop version
  • 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find features
  • 🖋️ Cumbersome editing experience on mobile
  • 🗓️ Inconsistent date/time formatting

Bugs and requests

Microsoft Word

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inconsistent saving and syncing between devices
  • Cursor positioning issues when editing text
  • Formatting problems when importing documents
  • Unreliable text selection and highlighting

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved mouse/trackpad support
  • Built-in citation and bibliography tools
  • More customization options for formatting
  • Ability to edit documents offline

Google Sheets

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Spreadsheets not saving properly
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between devices
  • Formatting issues when printing or exporting
  • Glitches when working with large or complex spreadsheets

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more advanced formatting and editing options
  • Improve search and navigation
  • Allow offline editing and syncing
  • Provide better integration with other Google apps
  • Add password protection or biometric security

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Microsoft Word

Subscriptions12
  • Office 365 Personal1 Month trial$5.991 Month
  • Office 365 Personal1 Month trial$6.991 Month
  • Office 365 Home1 Month trial$9.991 Month
Show 9 more
  • Microsoft 365 Personal1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • Microsoft 365 Personal Student1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • Microsoft 365 Family1 Month trial2 variants$12.991 Month
  • Microsoft 365 Premium Monthly1 Month trial$19.991 Month
  • Microsoft Copilot Pro$20.001 Month
  • Office 365 Personal$69.991 Year
  • Office 365 Home$99.991 Year
  • Microsoft 365 Personal1 Month trial$99.991 Year
  • Microsoft 365 Family1 Month trial$129.991 Year
None

Google Sheets

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Microsoft Word free?
Microsoft Word is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Google Sheets free?
Google Sheets is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Microsoft Word or Google Sheets?
Google Sheets is rated higher. Microsoft Word averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3M ratings, while Google Sheets averages 4.8 from 1.9M ratings.
Do Microsoft Word or Google Sheets have ads?
Neither Microsoft Word nor Google Sheets shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Microsoft Word or Google Sheets?
Microsoft Word ships an update weekly, and Google Sheets weekly. Most recently, Microsoft Word was updated on October 25, 2026 and Google Sheets on October 25, 2026.
Which is more popular, Microsoft Word or Google Sheets?
Microsoft Word currently peaks at #13 in the App Store charts, and Google Sheets at #16. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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