When it comes to spreadsheet programs, opinions are immensely divided. Some users swear by Microsoft Excel. Others have no qualms about ditching Excel in favour for Google Sheets. So it begs the question- Excel or Google Sheets? Which is the superior spreadsheet program? And which should you use? Here are some things to know:
- Accessibility
When it comes to accessibility, Google Sheets hold a slight advantage over Microsoft Excel, especially for users who wish to use it on the go. Excel mobile apps are still fairly new and developing, whereas Google prioritises functionality of their Drive and other features for mobile users and have been doing so for a while now. Excel apps still contain minor bugs and problems to be fixed, and have been reported to be slow responding or crashing often when it comes to larger files whereas editing on Google Sheets is smoother.
- Features
In terms of features, both programs have their own advantages. Google Sheets are built with a feature set that prioritises commonly used functions that enable users to easily get to tasks if they require a standard set of functions. Excel on the other hand, is best known for extreme versatility and customisation ability. Users can use Excel to create custom macros, build their own data models and more. If you are at a basic accounting level or require spreadsheets to keep organised, Google sheet has you covered. But if you work as an accountant and may require more functions, Excel is your choice.
- Capacity
The difference between Google Sheets and Excel is clear here. Excel was built for managing multiple large data sets- a “heavy duty” spreadsheet program if you will. If one were to compare it’s capacity for data sets, Excel would be able to handle more and still remain responsive compared to Google Spreadsheets.
- Customisation
There’s no question that Microsoft Excel is built to match up to and also support customisation. With a ton of customisation options, Microsoft Excel allows users to change the way they use the software, create custom functions and formulas, change how they want data to be represented and even goes a step above with features like Power View that allow users to track their data well. While Google Spreadsheets is a sufficient accounting and organisation software, it still has far to travel to match up to the versatility of Excel.
- Formula
Based on statistics alone, the amount of formula options and possibilities you can achieve with Microsoft Excel far exceeds that of Google Sheets. Excel earns major plus points when it comes to customising formulas, especially advantageous for users who require such functions for major accounting purposes.
In the end, both Google Sheets and Excel are advantageous in their own ways. Some of the things that can be achieved with Google Sheets, cannot be achieved in Excel and vice versa. The main difference is what they prioritise, which user base they are built for and the user’s requirements. At the end of the day, Google Sheets is sufficient when it comes to covering basic scheduling and organising as well as accounting but if you are using the software extensively and rely on it heavily for accounting, then Excel would be a better version.
