# Google Sheets vs Polaris Viewer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Google Sheets at none against Polaris Viewer's 1. Google Sheets also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). Polaris Viewer's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price and review sentiment there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Polaris Viewer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Google Sheets asks for nothing beyond the download.

Google Sheets holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Sheets has 1.9M ratings behind it against 74, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 54% of Google Sheets's written reviews are positive against 56% of Polaris Viewer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Google Sheets ships an update weekly, Polaris Viewer every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Google Sheets | Polaris Viewer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-sheets/id842849113/reviews)** | [4.6 (74 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polaris-viewer-pdf-document/id1361508774/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.9M** | 74 |
| Positive reviews | 54.4% of reviews | **56.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#12** | — |
| Size | 407 MB | 177 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [Polaris Office Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/380275428) |

## What reviewers say

### Google Sheets

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-sheets/id842849113)

**Currently charting:** #12 Top Free · Productivity, #105 Top Free (US App Store)

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Polaris Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polaris-viewer-pdf-document/id1361508774)

This app offers a mobile-optimized experience for viewing various document types, including Microsoft Office files, PDFs, and TXT. It provides smart document management features and supports cloud integration for easy access to your files.

**Highlights:** Mobile optimized document viewer, Supports Microsoft Office, PDF, TXT, Zip, CSV, Cloud storage integration (iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.), Smart document management, App lock with fingerprint, face, or password, Night mode and paper texture background options

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $10.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Google Sheets free?

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

### Is Polaris Viewer free?

Polaris Viewer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Google Sheets or Polaris Viewer?

Google Sheets is rated higher. Google Sheets averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.9M ratings, while Polaris Viewer averages 4.6 from 74 ratings.

### Do Google Sheets or Polaris Viewer have ads?

Polaris Viewer shows ads; Google Sheets does not.

### Which is updated more often, Google Sheets or Polaris Viewer?

Google Sheets ships an update weekly, and Polaris Viewer every 3 months. Most recently, Google Sheets was updated on September 29, 2026 and Polaris Viewer on September 26, 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.*