# Microsoft Excel vs CandleGPT

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CandleGPT at none against Microsoft Excel's 15. CandleGPT also leads on update cadence (daily vs weekly) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.0). Microsoft Excel's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#19 vs unranked). 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. CandleGPT asks for nothing beyond the download.

Microsoft Excel ships an update weekly, CandleGPT daily. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft Excel | CandleGPT |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.5M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-excel/id586683407/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.5M** | — |
| Positive reviews | 24.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#19** | — |
| Size | 441 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [JUNGAN LEE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676234608) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft Excel

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

**Currently charting:** #19 Top Free · Productivity, #37 Top Grossing · Productivity, #165 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


### CandleGPT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/candlegpt/id6759029101)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft Excel free?

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

### Is CandleGPT free?

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

### Do Microsoft Excel or CandleGPT have ads?

CandleGPT shows ads; Microsoft Excel does not.

### Which is updated more often, Microsoft Excel or CandleGPT?

Microsoft Excel ships an update weekly, and CandleGPT daily. Most recently, Microsoft Excel was updated on October 21, 2026 and CandleGPT on October 17, 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.*