Comparison

Microsoft Excel vs Office Word

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

Head to head
About

Microsoft Excel

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
Read full description

Review files and run data analysis on the go. Customise tables the way you want with robust formatting tools and great features. Excel lets you build your spreadsheet to meet your specific needs. Get the power of AI with Copilot in your favourite apps when you sign in with your Microsoft 365 subscription. Create templates, edit spreadsheets, organise charts and share with ease when you download Microsoft Excel. Tables and Spreadsheets: Create, Calculate and Analyse • Jump-start your budget, task list, accounting or financial analysis with Excel’s modern templates. • Rich productivity features and formatting options make your workbook easier to read and use. Productivity App: Review, Edit and Work Anywhere • Refresh sheet data or update your task list from anywhere. • Spreadsheet features like sort and filter columns help focus your reviews. • Create, duplicate, hide and unhide sheets easily. Data Analysis: Discover Key Insights on the Go • Analyse data using charts and graphs. • Highlight key insights using chart labelling features. • Visualise data at a glance. Finance Budgeting and Accounting: Simplify Personal Finance • Use spreadsheets and charts to help manage budgets. • Familiar tools to help you drill down to your exact finance needs. • Calculate tax estimates, personal finances and more. Draw and Annotate with Ink: Capture Ideas on the Page • Make notes, highlight your worksheet, create shapes or write equations using the draw tab feature on devices with touch capabilities. Sharing Made Easy: Collaborate Anywhere • Share your files with a few taps to quickly invite others to edit, view or leave comments directly in your workbooks. • Copy the content of your worksheet in the body of an email message with its format intact or attach or copy a link to your workbook for other sharing options. • Send worksheet content in an email while preserving formatting or send a link to your workbook. AI Assistance with Copilot* • Summarise data and highlight trends quickly. • Generate charts and tables from raw data with simple prompts. • Get intelligent recommendations for budgeting and forecasting. REQUIREMENTS: 1 GB RAM or above To create or edit documents, sign in with a free Microsoft account on devices with a screen size smaller than 10.1 inches. *Unlock the full Microsoft 365 experience with a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription for your phone, tablet, PC and Mac. This app is provided by either Microsoft or a third-party app publisher and is subject to a separate privacy statement and terms and conditions. Data provided through the use of this store and this app may be accessible to Microsoft or the third-party app publisher, where applicable, and transferred to, stored and processed in the United States or any other country where Microsoft or the app publisher and their affiliates or service providers maintain facilities. Please refer to Microsoft's EULA for Terms of Service for Microsoft 365 on iOS. By installing the app, you agree to these terms and conditions: http://aka.ms/eula

About

Office Word

This app provides an all-in-one solution for managing and creating various document types, including word documents and spreadsheets. It offers seamless file access, editing tools, AI-powered spreadsheet generation, and template options for efficient workflow.

Highlights
  • All-in-one document management
  • Edit and format Word documents (DOC, DOCX)
  • Create and edit spreadsheets (XLS, XLSX)
  • AI-powered spreadsheet generation
  • Template library for documents and spreadsheets
  • Seamless file import from various sources
Features
Read full description

Office Word - Edit Word Docs – Your Document Assistant Stop switching between apps to handle different types of documents. Word Editor offers an all-in-one document solution, making editing, management, and creation simpler and more efficient. Key Features: Seamless File Access Import files directly from Files, iCloud, or social media. Get started quickly with no tedious steps. Edit and Format Word Documents Easily edit DOC and DOCX files. Adjust fonts, styles, colors, and text alignment, and insert images to ensure your documents look professional and polished. Spreadsheet Management Create and edit XLS and XLSX files with intuitive spreadsheet tools. Organize data, perform calculations, and visualize information using built-in charts to manage tasks efficiently. Quickly Create Spreadsheets with AI Simply enter your instructions, and the AI will generate a custom spreadsheet—even filling in content for you—to help streamline your workflow. Create Documents from Templates Choose from a collection of beautifully designed Word and Excel templates that are ready to use, helping you get started quickly and produce high-quality documents with ease. Whether for daily office tasks or creative projects, Word Editor is the reliable assistant you can count on. Download now and experience a new level of efficient document management. About Subscriptions: - Payment for the purchase will be charged to your iTunes Account upon confirmation. - Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is disabled at least 24 hours before the current period concludes. - Your account will be billed for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, and the renewal cost will be specified. - Users have the ability to manage their subscriptions and can deactivate auto-renewal by accessing their Account Settings after the purchase. - Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicablee Terms: https://www.codeharmonylabs.com/terms Policy: https://www.codeharmonylabs.com/privacy Support: https://www.codeharmonylabs.com/support

Screenshots

Microsoft Excel4 screens
Office Word4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Microsoft Excel at 1.5M against Office Word's 13. Microsoft Excel also leads on review sentiment (25% vs 0%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). Office Word's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 Excel sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Office Word sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of Microsoft Excel's written reviews are positive against 0% of Office Word's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Microsoft Excel ships an update weekly, Office Word monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Microsoft Excel versus Office Word: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMicrosoft ExcelOffice Word
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (1.5M ratings) — better4.4 (13 ratings)
Positive reviews24.6% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1.5M — better13
Update frequencyWeekly — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
Best chart rank#20 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size436 MB297 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperMicrosoft CorporationCODE HARMONY LIMITED

Customer experience

Microsoft Excel

All ratings1,460,557 ratings
Positive94.3%
Neutral2.3%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews3,559 reviews
Positive24.6%
Neutral6.4%
Negative69.0%

Office Word

All ratings13 ratings
Positive76.9%
Neutral15.4%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

Microsoft Excel

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

Office Word

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Microsoft Excel

Subscriptions12
  • Office 365 Personal1 Month trial$5.991 Month
  • Office 365 Personal1 Month trial$6.991 Month
  • Microsoft 365 Personal Student1 Month trial$9.991 Month
Show 9 more
  • Microsoft 365 Personal1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • Microsoft 365 Family1 Month trial2 variants$12.991 Month
  • Office 365 Home1 Month trial$12.991 Month
  • Microsoft 365 Premium Monthly1 Month trial$19.991 Month
  • Microsoft Copilot Pro$20.001 Month
  • Office 365 Personal$69.991 Year
  • Microsoft 365 Personal1 Month trial$99.991 Year
  • Office 365 Home$129.991 Year
  • Microsoft 365 Family1 Month trial$129.991 Year
6 purchases

Office Word

Subscriptions5
  • Sheet AI Premium 1 - week$6.997 Days
  • Word Editor Premium 1 - week3 Days trial$7.997 Days
  • Sheet AI Premium 1 - month$12.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • Sheet AI Premium 1 - year$39.991 Year
  • Sheet AI Premium 1 - year3 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Sheet AI Premium lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Microsoft Excel free?
Microsoft Excel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Office Word free?
Office Word is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Microsoft Excel or Office Word?
Microsoft Excel is rated higher. Microsoft Excel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.5M ratings, while Office Word averages 4.4 from 13 ratings.
Do Microsoft Excel or Office Word have ads?
Neither Microsoft Excel nor Office Word shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Microsoft Excel or Office Word?
Microsoft Excel ships an update weekly, and Office Word monthly. Most recently, Microsoft Excel was updated on September 24, 2026 and Office Word on September 17, 2026.

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