# Microsoft Excel vs Calculator Notes

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Calculator Notes at 100% against Microsoft Excel's 24%. Calculator Notes also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 15) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Microsoft Excel's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 12 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Calculator Notes holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Microsoft Excel has 1.5M ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 24% of Microsoft Excel's written reviews are positive against 100% of Calculator Notes's.

Microsoft Excel ships an update weekly, Calculator Notes every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft Excel | Calculator Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.5M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-excel/id586683407/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculator-notes-spreadsheet/id1668268383/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5M** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 24.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#20** | — |
| Size | 436 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [FugaPiyo Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497887610) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft Excel

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

**Currently charting:** #20 Top Free · Productivity, #38 Top Grossing · Productivity (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


### Calculator Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculator-notes-spreadsheet/id1668268383)

This app combines a calculator with spreadsheet functionality, allowing users to automatically sum item values. It supports unlimited folders and notes, with features like goal setting and batch operations. Widgets are available for home and lock screens.

**Highlights:** Automatic total value calculation, Unlimited folders, notes, and items, CSV output and sharing, Goal setting and progress tracking, Batch operations (copy, duplicate, color coding), Home & lock screen widgets, Dark mode

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft Excel free?

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

### Is Calculator Notes free?

Calculator Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Microsoft Excel or Calculator Notes?

Calculator Notes is rated higher. Microsoft Excel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.5M ratings, while Calculator Notes averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Microsoft Excel or Calculator Notes have ads?

Calculator Notes shows ads; Microsoft Excel does not.

### Which is updated more often, Microsoft Excel or Calculator Notes?

Microsoft Excel ships an update weekly, and Calculator Notes every 12 months. Most recently, Microsoft Excel was updated on September 25, 2026 and Calculator Notes on June 1, 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.*