Office visualization instruments make the world go spherical, and will certainly brighten up your before-lunch presentation. Should you’ve acquired exhausting numbers to show to the lots, or graph-scribed projections you’re wanting to get onscreen, you’ll want a robust spreadsheet. You’ll be able to use Google Sheets, or you’ll be able to use Microsoft Excel — they’re each nice methods to get the job carried out. However which of those two platforms is actually the most suitable choice? That is dependent upon a lot of issues, and we’re not right here to dissuade or encourage, however merely to tell.
We really love Google Sheets and Excel, however for various causes. One software program will not be ultimate for A, B, and C, though it could be actually good at D, E, and F. Regardless of the case could also be, we put collectively this comparability of Google Sheets and Excel, with focus paid to important classes like software entry, information evaluation, and charts and graphs.
The fundamentals
It’s price stating from the beginning that each Sheets and Excel are glorious spreadsheet purposes. So when you have the chance to strive them each out, you might have a transparent desire from the beginning. However for those who’re doing all your analysis first, simply know you could’t go improper with both.
Each Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel have easy-to-use interfaces which might be fairly related to one another. You’ll be able to navigate utilizing a mouse, or you need to use Excel’s keyboard shortcuts, simply as you need to use shortcuts in Google Sheets — every is as simple as the opposite. You’ve got a menu stuffed with actions throughout the highest, a toolbar or ribbon with instruments under that, after which your sheet stuffed with cells simply ready for information.
It’s what you are able to do with these cells and the info inside them that will make the most important distinction to you. Each purposes supply features, formulation, conditional formatting, information validation, and the opposite primary instruments you’d anticipate. So, let’s check out the variations that stand out.
Utility entry
Google Sheets is a web-based software with a cellular model however no desktop choice. This makes it simply accessible from most any system. All workbooks you create are mechanically saved to your Google Drive, so that you by no means have to fret about hitting the Save button.
Microsoft Excel is a desktop software with a cellular model and net entry as nicely. Whereas Excel for the web doesn’t supply all the identical options as its desktop counterpart, it’s nonetheless an choice for those who use OneDrive. Which means, you’ll be able to entry the spreadsheets out of your Excel desktop software on the internet for those who sync them to OneDrive.
Information evaluation
Each purposes supply their very own model of a built-in software that can assist you mechanically analyze information by asking questions. In Google Sheets, that is the Discover characteristic, and in Excel, it’s the Analyze Information characteristic. Moreover, each purposes present sorting and filtering instruments with superior filters or filter views.
However Excel goes past with extra information options. As an example, you’ll be able to carry out a What-If Evaluation with Objective Search or the Situation Supervisor, make a Forecast sheet, create complex pivot tables and accompanying pivot charts, and use a slicer or timeline for superior filtering.
(As of this writing, Google Sheets now helps pivot tables however not pivot charts. Sheets additionally helps including slicers, however solely appears to supply utilizing timelines for certain Google Workspace users.)
Charts and graphs
An essential a part of a spreadsheet software for a lot of is the visualization choices. Instruments like charts and graphs may give you or your viewers terrific visuals for analyzing information with out really studying the spreadsheet. Fortunately each purposes supply charts and graphs, however the extent of the instruments differs.
Google Sheets has an excellent assortment of easy-to-make graphs and charts. You even have the choice so as to add an mechanically generated chart utilizing the Discover characteristic. You’ll be able to customise your chart and put it aside as a picture exterior of your sheet.
Microsoft Excel has a a lot bigger selection of charts. You’ll discover extra customization choices and the choice to create a chart template to reuse for consistency. It can save you charts exterior of your spreadsheet in Excel as nicely.
Sharing and collaborating
If sharing the workload by collaborating in your spreadsheet is crucial, you then’ll admire Google Sheets’ collaboration options over Excel’s choices.
Each purposes allow you to share your sheet and modify the sharing permissions to permit others to edit the sheet or just view it. And you may share the workbook by way of electronic mail or a hyperlink.
Google Sheets takes collaboration severely with real-time communications. You cannot solely make feedback however reply, edit, resolve, and have a mini dialog when you work on the sheet concurrently your collaborators.
Microsoft Excel does supply a remark characteristic for working with others. For the desktop app, these feedback are static until you save them to OneDrive. In any other case, it is advisable use Excel for the net to speak in actual time. Like Sheets, you’ll be able to reply, edit, and resolve feedback, however completely different variations of Excel could make collaboration difficult.
Price comparability
If value is a consideration, then chances are you’ll need to look deeper into Google Sheets because it’s a free software. There are subscription choices for companies and academic accounts in addition to extra storage (keep in mind, your Sheets are saved to your Google Drive).
If you wish to transcend free, Google Workspace plans begin at $6 monthly per person with entry to different Google apps and enterprise options, and Google One plans begin at $2 monthly for 100GB of storage.
Microsoft Excel isn’t free, sadly. Should you subscribe to Microsoft 365, you’ll obtain Excel together with different Workplace purposes like Phrase, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Should you go for Excel by itself, it’ll nonetheless value you a one-time price. The one-time price is hefty up entrance, however utilizing the month-to-month subscription will value extra in the long term for those who plan on utilizing it for a number of years.
For Excel, you’ll be able to subscribe to Microsoft 365 with private plans beginning at $7 monthly or buy Excel for one PC or Mac for $160. Nevertheless, there are methods you could use Microsoft Office/365 for free.
Different key variations
There are just a few extra variations to bear in mind when evaluating Google Sheets to Microsoft Excel.
Excel’s desktop model runs easily and hundreds rapidly regardless of how massive the workbook or information inside it. Google Sheets can each really feel and cargo slower as you fill increasingly cells and sheets in a workbook.
Google Sheets’ storage is restricted by the area obtainable in Google Drive, whereas Excel in your desktop can use as a lot area as you’re prepared to supply it.
Google Sheets can accommodate roughly 10 million cells with 200 sheets per workbook, according to Workspace Tips. However Excel can handle billions of cells and 255 sheets per workbook.
What are another options to Google Sheets and Excel?
Google Sheets and Excel are only a few spreadsheet platforms you need to use. So for those who’d prefer to function exterior the field, there’s just a few different purposes and net instruments you’ll be able to strive.
One in all them is Airtable, a terrific office collaboration program that makes use of process playing cards as the first group methodology. You’ll be able to even convert playing cards into actionable varieties, and benefit from many visualizations and formatting features.
In case your office is MacOS-favored, we additionally advocate Apple Numbers. This software program generates spectacular charts primarily based on the stats you enter, and it’s additionally free to make use of.
Is Google Sheets protected to make use of?
As a result of Google Sheets shops your information to Google’s cloud servers, chances are you’ll be questioning if the spreadsheet software program is protected to make use of. At the start, any kind you’re utilizing a program that requires web entry, there’s going to be some stage of danger of your machine or account getting hacked.
Happily, Google takes user data very seriously. Everytime you make a brand new file in Google Sheets, it mechanically receives end-to-end encryption. And for those who determine you’d prefer to obtain your Google Sheets file, it’s solely saved regionally (on no matter system you’re utilizing).
The underside line
Should you’re involved with value, need wholesome collaboration choices, and want the flexibility to entry your workbooks from any pc, then Google Sheets is for you.
In order for you strong information evaluation and visualization instruments, don’t need to depend on an web connection, and are in search of total superior performance, you then’ll want Microsoft Excel.
So, which is able to it’s? If you’re planning to modify, be sure to know how to convert Excel spreadsheets to Google Sheets.
If in case you have one other software program resolution to make, check out our Google Docs versus Microsoft Word comparability.
