5 Best Free Spreadsheet Software Programs for 2024

Spreadsheets wield powerful tools for a wide range of tasks in both personal and professional life. Whether you're crunching numbers for your work or organizing your weekly budget, a reliable spreadsheet holds plenty of value. It organizes your data, helps with calculations, allows collaborative efforts, and saves time.

We’ve curated a list of the best free spreadsheet software and from 83 tools listed on G2, we picked the top five based on real user reviews. These free spreadsheet solutions provide data input, ormulas, and charting. Many also include advanced features such as data analysis and integration with other applications. 

Whether you need to create simple household budgets, manage personal finances, analyze sales data, or handle complex projects for your business, we've got you covered.

Free spreadsheet software is great, but sometimes you need more power, better collaboration, or advanced automation to get the job done. If you're willing to explore paid solutions, check out my team's recommendation for the best spreadsheet software.

How did we select and evaluate the best spreadsheet app?

At G2, we rank software solutions using a proprietary algorithm that considers customer satisfaction and market presence based on authentic user reviews. Our market research analysts and writers spend weeks testing solutions against multiple criteria set for a software category. We give you unbiased software evaluations – that's the G2 difference! We didn’t accept payment or exchange links for product placements in this list. Please read our G2 Research Scoring Methodology for more details.

Top 5 best free spreadsheet software of 2024

The free spreadsheet software list below contains real user reviews from the best free spreadsheet category page. Please note that software that requires payment after a free trial is considered free. 

To be included in this category, a solution must:

• Offer review and editing capabilities
• Enable data filtering 
• Provide data visualization tools, such as charts and graphs
• Facilitate collaboration and sharing

This data was pulled from G2 on October 7, 2024. Some reviews may have been edited for clarity.

1. Google Workspace (Google Sheets)

Google Sheets, part of the Google Workspace suite, has rapidly become a formidable competitor to Microsoft Excel, the long-reigning spreadsheet champion. 

With its user-friendly interface and collaboration features, Google Sheets empowers users to create, edit, and share spreadsheets. Users love its real-time co-editing capabilities, which facilitate teamwork. Its residence in the cloud guarantees accessibility from any device, be it a laptop or mobile device with an internet connection. It supports different file types like .xlsx, .xls, .ods, .csv, and .tsv.

However, it doesn’t offer advanced data manipulation features like Excel and can get slow with large datasets. 

Google Sheets is free for individuals with a Gmail account and comes with 15 GB of storage space that can be shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. 

Small businesses can get a 14-day free Google Workspace trial, including Sheets.

Pros of Google Sheets	Cons of Google Sheets
User-friendly integration with other Google Workspace tools like Docs and Forms	More basic than Excel
Real-time collaboration	Can lag occasionally with large datasets
Available online and offline	Limited features with offline editing

What users like best:

"Google Workspace is very easy to use; anyone can use it. With the help of GW, we can easily work on documents and spreadsheets with and without the internet."

- Google Workspace Review, Simmi C.

What users dislike:

"Large spreadsheets are a real slog to work on. They can slow down too much to be feasible."

- Google Workspace Review, Geoff T.

2. Microsoft 365 (Microsoft Excel)

Microsoft Excel, part of Microsoft 365 Suite, undoubtedly ranks as the most widely used spreadsheet software. Its dominance testifies to its powerful features, flexibility, and extensive user base. 

Users open Excel for data analysis, financial modeling, and complex calculations. It offers a wide range of functions, formulas, and tools that make it a preferred choice for professionals across fields.

You can sign up for a Microsoft account and start using Excel for free online, but it only comes with bare minimum features like 5 GB storage space. Or you can enroll for a free trial of the software under an individual, family, or business plan. 

Pros of Microsoft Excel	Cons of Microsoft Excel
Extensive range of functions and formulas	Limited features with a free online version
Simple data importing and exporting	Crashes with large datasets
Powerful pivot tables and data modeling capabilities	Not fit for collaboration

What users like best:

"Excel is a powerhouse of a program, seamlessly blending simplicity with complexity. Excel made handling messy data a seamless experience. I love how it transforms raw data into actionable insights with ease, whether through basic calculations or advanced analysis. Excel is easy, simple, and also of great benefit is its seamless integration with other Microsoft 365 products."

- Microsoft Excel Review, Naif H.

What users dislike:

"The major thing I didn't like about Excel is that it is limited to small and medium-sized datasets and lacks visualization tools for large datasets. Power BI is preferred nowadays for better visualization. It also throws errors while working with formulas on large databases as a row may have misleading value, but the whole dataset is tucked due to that small issue."

- Microsoft Excel Review, Divyansh T.

3. OriginPro

OriginPro is praised for its advanced data analysis and visualization capabilities. While it does offer spreadsheet functionality, it's not traditional spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. Its strength lies in its ability to handle complex data sets and perform specialized scientific and engineering calculations.

If that piques your interest, OriginPro could be a good choice. You can try it for free for 21 days before committing. 

Pros of OriginPro	Cons of OriginPro
Excellent data visualization and scientific data chart capabilities	Steep learning curve for new users
Advanced data analysis	Software crashes with large files, no autosave in those cases
Flexible customization options for chart creation and data analysis	Difficult to install and use on Mac systems

What users like best:

"OriginPro has an amazing ability to graph in multiple formats. Great use of indexing for making stats plots. Very straightforward to customize plots, control colors, and do multidimensional plots. Also, great online documentation on how to use the many aspects of what Origin can do. Great organizational structure for files, images, and data tables."

- OriginPro Review, Chris D.

What users dislike:

"Though Origin works very smoothly, sometimes the file crashes, and you have to reopen it several times. There is no autosave option, which makes it a little hard to maintain the data in case of a crash or power cut."

- OriginPro Review, Harshit S.

4. Minitab Statistical Software

Minitab Statistical Software helps users analyze data, draw conclusions, and make informed decisions using specialized statistical software. It has found value in quality improvement, research, and other industries that rely on data-driven insights.

Minitab offers a free trial of its tool for new users. 

Pros of Minitab Statistical Software	Cons of Minitab Statistical Software
Comprehensive, powerful statistical tools	High learning curve for beginners
Excellent support resources	Less intuitive for occasional users
Reliable data visualization and interpretation capabilities	Expensive to buy

What users like best:

"I like that they update it to keep up with the changes in the industry. It is robust and has useful features that are found in Excel to help navigate and edit it as a spreadsheet."

- Minitab Statistical Software Review, Matthew K

What users dislike:

"You need to be clear about the things you're doing in it because it is a bit complicated for beginners to understand."

- Minitab Statistics Software Review, Nidharsan Reddy P.

5. ONLYOffice Workspace

ONLYOffice Workspace’s free, open-source online office suite includes a powerful spreadsheet program. It offers a robust set of features and capabilities that make it a viable alternative to commercial options like Microsoft Excel and Google Workspace. 

Pros of ONLYOffice Workspace	Cons of ONLYOffice Workspace
Easy to learn and integrate with other systems	Tricky front-end customization
Similar interface to Microsoft 365	Lacks some features like auto-complete
Completely open source	Sometimes takes a long time to load

What users like best:

"ONLYOFFICE is an amazing, free, and open-source alternative to Microsoft Office. The suite has several features able to improve our daily work and also has great compatibility with the market standards."

- ONLYOffice Workspace Review, Marcos Aurelio Tadeu S.

What users dislike:

"The spreadsheets have just as many raw features but lack basics like auto-complete and suggested formulas that we take for granted in Google Sheets or Excel."

- ONLYOffice Workspace Review, Nick R. 

Comparison of the best free spreadsheet software

Overwhelmed by free spreadsheet options? Let our comparison table simplify things.

Software name	G2 rating	Free plan	Paid plan
Google Workspace	4.6/5	Yes, for individuals. Free trial for businesses.	Starts at $6 per user per month
Microsoft 365	4.7/5	Free version, limited features.  Free trial available for Microsoft 365.	Microsoft Excel starts at $6.99 per month as part of Microsoft 365. Standalone Excel software is $159.99.
OriginPro	4.7/5	Free trial available	Starts at $465
Minitab Statistical Software	4.6/5	Free trial available	Starts at $1851 for an annual subscription
ONLYOffice Workspace	4.4/5	Yes, for individuals.  Free trial for enterprise plans.	No  individual home use plan. Starts at $20 per user per month for business plans.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) on free spreadsheet software

Q. What features should I look for in free spreadsheet software? 

A. Look for data entry, formula creation, charting, templates, custom formatting options, pivot tables, and collaboration capabilities. Ensure the software meets your specific needs, whether for personal, educational, or professional use.

Q. What are some popular free spreadsheet software options? 

A. Google Sheets, ONLYOffice Workspace, Apple Numbers, LibreOffice Calc, and Zoho Sheet. These free Excel alternatives offer a range of features for basic spreadsheet needs.

Q. Can I use free spreadsheet software for professional work? 

A. Yes, free spreadsheet software can handle most professional tasks, such as data analysis, budgeting, and project management. However, for more advanced features or larger data sets, you might consider a paid plan.

Q. Can I open and edit Excel files with free spreadsheet software? 

A. Yes, most free spreadsheet software can. However, some advanced features and complex macros in Excel files may not be fully supported.

Q. Can I collaborate with others using free spreadsheet software? 

A. Yes, most free spreadsheet software allows real-time collaboration with others. The number of collaborators and advanced collaboration tools may be limited.

Q. Are there templates available in free spreadsheet software? 

A. Free spreadsheet software often includes templates for budgeting, project management, calendars, and more.

Q. How much storage space do I get with free spreadsheet software? 

A. It varies by provider. Google Sheets offers 15GB of free storage shared across Google Drive, while other tools like Zoho Sheet have 5 GB for its applications. Paid plans usually provide additional storage.

Q. Do free spreadsheet software options offer advanced data analysis tools? 

A. Free options typically include basic data analysis tools, such as simple formulas and functions. A paid plan is recommended for more advanced analytics, such as complex statistical functions and integration with other business tools.

No more number-crunching nightmare

We've covered a range of free spreadsheet options, each with its own strengths. Remember that the ideal tool depends on your specific needs and preferences. Consider factors like collaboration, data analysis, and integration to make an informed choice. From simple budgeting to complex data analysis, the right spreadsheet can transform your workflow.  So explore these options, find your perfect match, and start harnessing the power of your data.

We hope this list of the best free spreadsheet software helps you find the right solution. Happy number-crunching! 

Ready to get started with spreadsheets? Let G2 help you with our free guide to essential Excel formulas and functions.