Microsoft Excel Review: Is the World’s Favorite Spreadsheet Still Worth Your Time in 2026?

Microsoft Excel is the quiet engine behind budgets, side-hustles, small businesses, and billion?dollar decisions. In this in?depth 2026 review, we dig into what Excel does brilliantly, where it struggles, and whether it still deserves its spot on your desktop (and phone).

You open a file expecting clarity and control, but instead you’re staring at chaos: mismatched numbers, broken formulas, a teammate’s cryptic color codes, and a deadline that won’t move. You know the data you need is in there somewhere – but right now, it feels like trying to read a novel written in static.

That’s the modern reality of work: data everywhere, insight nowhere. Side-hustles run in half-finished spreadsheets, startups live inside dodgy templates, and teams pass around files that break the moment someone breathes on a formula. You don’t just need a spreadsheet. You need a command center for your data.

This is where Microsoft Excel still steps into the spotlight.

Microsoft Excel, part of Microsoft 365 and built by Microsoft Corp., isn’t just the old familiar grid of rows and columns anymore. It’s evolved into a serious analytics platform – running on desktop, web, and mobile – that tries to bridge everyday users and power analysts in a single tool.

Why this specific model?

Unlike many lightweight spreadsheet apps and free browser-based tools, Microsoft Excel in 2026 is less a single "program" and more a layered ecosystem. Here’s why users and reviewers still gravitate to Excel over competitors like Google Sheets, Apple Numbers, and various niche SaaS dashboards:

• Power when you grow: You can start with a simple monthly budget and gradually work your way up to PivotTables, Power Query, and Power Pivot without having to switch tools or platforms.
• Deep integration with Microsoft 365: If your world already runs on Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, or SharePoint, Excel slides right in. Co-authoring through OneDrive/SharePoint, comments, and version history are built around that ecosystem.
• Advanced analytics capabilities: Modern Excel brings in features like dynamic arrays, XLOOKUP, LET, LAMBDA, Power Query for data transformation, and Power Pivot for data models. These are the same building blocks analysts use before they ever touch a dedicated BI tool.
• Industry standard status: From finance and accounting to engineering and operations, Excel remains the default language of spreadsheets. That matters for hiring, training, and collaborating with clients or partners.
• Cross-platform access: You can work in the full Windows or Mac desktop app, Excel for the web in your browser, or the mobile apps on iOS and Android. Files live in OneDrive, SharePoint, or locally, depending on how you work.

Microsoft’s official Excel page emphasizes familiar pillars: creating and formatting spreadsheets, using built-in formulas, exploring data with charts and PivotTables, and sharing or collaborating through Microsoft 365. What makes it compelling in 2026 is how those basics now sit on top of a much more capable engine.

At a Glance: The Facts

Feature	User Benefit
Available as part of Microsoft 365 (desktop, web, mobile)	Work on spreadsheets from virtually anywhere and keep files synced via OneDrive or SharePoint.
Formulas and functions library (including modern functions like XLOOKUP and dynamic arrays in current builds)	Automate calculations, reduce manual errors, and build flexible models that adapt as your data changes.
PivotTables and PivotCharts	Summarize and explore large data sets quickly without needing specialized BI software.
Data visualization tools (charts, conditional formatting, sparklines)	Turn dense tables into visual stories that stakeholders can understand at a glance.
Collaboration via comments, co-authoring, and cloud sharing	Multiple people can work in the same file, reduce version chaos, and keep feedback in context.
Integration with other Microsoft 365 apps and services	Pull data from and send data to tools your organization already uses, like Outlook, Teams, and Power BI.
Templates for budgets, trackers, and business scenarios	Get started quickly without building everything from scratch, ideal for non-experts.

What Users Are Saying

Across recent Reddit threads and user forums, the sentiment around Microsoft Excel is remarkably consistent: it’s powerful, indispensable, and sometimes frustrating.

The praise:

• Still the gold standard for serious work: Many professionals on r/excel, r/dataanalysis, and r/finance call Excel their primary everyday tool – especially for financial models, reporting, and ad-hoc analysis.
• Power Query and Power Pivot are game-changers: Advanced users rave about being able to clean, reshape, and model large datasets within Excel instead of juggling multiple tools.
• Dynamic arrays and modern functions: Community discussions point out that newer functions (like XLOOKUP and dynamic array behavior in current versions) dramatically simplify previously complex formulas.
• Compatibility and longevity: Users appreciate that Excel files are widely accepted in corporate environments and have a long track record, which reduces friction when sharing with clients or partners.

The criticism:

• Steep learning curve for advanced features: Casual users often feel intimidated when trying to go beyond basic SUM/AVERAGE into PivotTables, Power Query, or complex formulas.
• Performance on very large files: Some Reddit users note slowdowns or instability when workbooks grow massive, with many formulas, links, or large imported datasets.
• Collaboration quirks: While co-authoring works, power users sometimes run into issues with shared files, external links, or conflicts when mixing desktop and web versions.
• Subscription fatigue: A recurring theme: people who only need basic spreadsheets question the value of an ongoing Microsoft 365 subscription when free options exist.

Despite these pain points, the overall mood is that Excel is less a "nice-to-have" and more a "career fundamental" for many analysts, accountants, operations managers, and even advanced hobbyists.

It’s also worth noting that Microsoft Corp. – the company behind Excel, listed under ISIN: US5949181045 – continues to push updates through the Microsoft 365 subscription model, so modern Excel is a moving target rather than a static one-time purchase.

Alternatives vs. Microsoft Excel

The spreadsheet space is crowded with alternatives, but each comes with trade-offs:

• Google Sheets: Fantastic for real-time collaboration and browser-based work. Many teams love its simplicity and Google Drive integration. However, power users on forums consistently mention Excel’s superior handling of large models, richer function set (especially for legacy finance workflows), and more flexible formatting and data tools.
• Apple Numbers: Visually polished and friendly for basic personal use on macOS and iOS, but not widely adopted in professional environments. When you need to exchange files with clients or colleagues, Excel remains the safer bet.
• Specialized SaaS tools (budgeting, CRM dashboards, project trackers): These can provide guided experiences and beautiful reports, but they’re often rigid. When a CEO or client asks an off-script question, analysts frequently end up back in Excel to slice the data in new ways.
• LibreOffice Calc and other free desktop spreadsheets: For users on a tight budget, these can handle straightforward tasks. Yet, discussions on Reddit highlight occasional compatibility issues with complex Excel files and a less polished experience overall.

In many ways, Excel’s biggest competitor isn’t a single app – it’s the idea of "good enough." For light, collaborative lists and quick tracking, tools like Google Sheets are tough to beat. But when the stakes are high, the model is complex, or the data is big, Excel is still the default professional choice.

Is Microsoft Excel right for you?

Ask yourself how far you expect your spreadsheets to go:

• If you only create occasional personal lists, simple trackers, or one-off budgets, a free browser-based spreadsheet might be enough.
• If you manage money, inventory, operations, reporting, or analysis for a business, Excel’s power and ubiquity quickly justify the subscription.
• If you’re building a career in finance, analytics, accounting, or operations, Excel is almost non-negotiable – it’s a core skill that appears in countless job descriptions.

Final Verdict

Excel’s story in 2026 isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about resilience and reinvention.

Yes, the interface still looks familiar. Yes, rows and columns are still the canvas. But under that grid lives a tool that can ingest messy data from multiple sources, transform it, model it, and turn it into something decision-ready – all without leaving the comfort of a spreadsheet.

You will hit friction. There will be a day when you stare at a formula error, or a PivotTable that refuses to behave, and you’ll wonder if there’s an easier way. Yet when you cross the learning curve – even a little – Excel stops being a static table and becomes more like a programmable dashboard for your life and work.

If your world runs on numbers, if your job depends on communicating what those numbers mean, or if you simply want a tool that can grow with your ambitions, Microsoft Excel still earns its place in your toolkit. In a market full of "good enough" spreadsheets, it remains the heavyweight: demanding at times, but capable of turning chaos into clarity when it matters most.

You can explore plans and the latest features directly on Microsoft’s official site at microsoft.com or the dedicated Excel page, and decide whether it’s time to upgrade your relationship with the world’s most famous grid.