# Microsoft Excel vs XLSX Sheets

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Microsoft Excel at 1.5M against XLSX Sheets's 2.9K. Microsoft Excel also leads on update cadence (weekly vs monthly) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). XLSX Sheets's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Microsoft Excel sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and XLSX Sheets sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 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 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Microsoft Excel has 1.5M ratings behind it against 2.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 24% and 24% positive.

Microsoft Excel ships an update weekly, XLSX Sheets monthly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft Excel | XLSX Sheets |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.5M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-excel/id586683407/reviews)** | [4.5 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xlsx-sheets-edit-spreadsheet/id1672553988/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.5M** | 2.9K |
| Positive reviews | **24.4% of reviews** | 23.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#20** | #154 |
| Size | 436 MB | 224 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [Rhophi Analytics LLP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1647365609) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft Excel

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

**Currently charting:** #20 Top Free · Productivity, #34 Top Grossing · Productivity, #197 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


### XLSX Sheets

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xlsx-sheets-edit-spreadsheet/id1672553988)

**Currently charting:** #154 Top Free · Productivity, #185 Top Grossing · Productivity (US App Store)

Create, edit, and manage Excel-compatible spreadsheets on your mobile device. Offers powerful editing tools, formula assistance, data visualization, and collaboration features. Work offline and import/export data in various formats.

**Highlights:** Edit, create, and manage XLS sheets, Excel-compatible formula builder, Data visualization tools, Real-time collaboration, Advanced data analysis, Offline access, Import/export data

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

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly Plan | $1.99 | per month |
| Black Friday Premium Sale | $1.99 | per year |
| Premium Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Pro Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Pro Weekly | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Weekly | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Weekly | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Weekly Plan | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| 15% off Premium Yearly | $25.49 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Pro Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Pro Yearly | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Useful app
- ⭐ Recommended

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Paid subscription required for basic functionality
- 🚫 Ads and watermarks on content
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🚫 Difficult to use and unintuitive interface
- 🚫 Subscription difficult to cancel

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Unable to open or edit files

**Requested features**

- Option to cancel subscription
- Improve stability and performance


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft Excel free?

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

### Is XLSX Sheets free?

XLSX Sheets is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Microsoft Excel or XLSX Sheets?

Microsoft Excel is rated higher. Microsoft Excel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.5M ratings, while XLSX Sheets averages 4.5 from 2.9K ratings.

### Do Microsoft Excel or XLSX Sheets have ads?

Neither Microsoft Excel nor XLSX Sheets shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Microsoft Excel or XLSX Sheets?

Microsoft Excel ships an update weekly, and XLSX Sheets monthly. Most recently, Microsoft Excel was updated on September 24, 2026 and XLSX Sheets on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Microsoft Excel or XLSX Sheets?

Microsoft Excel currently peaks at #20 in the App Store charts, and XLSX Sheets at #154. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*