Excel Basics

Excel vs Google Sheets: Which Is Better for You in 2026?

By Sagnik Bhattacharya17 Mar 20268 min read

Coding Liquids blog cover featuring Sagnik Bhattacharya for Excel vs Google Sheets — Which Should You Use in 2026, with side-by-side spreadsheet comparison panels and decision cues.

In 2026, both Excel and Google Sheets are powerful spreadsheet tools with AI features, collaboration capabilities, and massive feature sets. But they serve different users and use cases. Here's an honest, no-hype comparison.

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Feature Comparison

Feature	Excel	Google Sheets
Formula power	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Real-time collaboration	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
AI features	Copilot (paid)	Gemini (included)
Performance (large data)	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Offline access	Full desktop app	Limited offline mode
Macros/automation	VBA (powerful)	Apps Script (web-based)
Advanced analytics	Power Query, Power Pivot	Connected Sheets (BigQuery)
Pricing	Microsoft 365 subscription	Free (paid for Workspace)

When to Use Excel

Large datasets — Excel handles millions of rows with Power Pivot; Sheets struggles above 100K
Complex financial models — More advanced formula engine and calculation capabilities
VBA automation — Desktop-level automation that Google Apps Script can't match. You can even use AI to generate VBA code without learning the language
Power Query — ETL features for data transformation from multiple sources
Offline work — Full functionality without internet

When to Use Google Sheets

Team collaboration — Sharing, commenting, and simultaneous editing is seamless and free
Quick access — No installation needed, works on any device with a browser
Integration with Google ecosystem — Forms, Slides, Docs, BigQuery
Budget-conscious — Free for personal use with a Google account
Simple to moderate spreadsheets — Perfect for budgets, trackers, and team documents

AI Features: Copilot vs Gemini

Excel Copilot requires a paid Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on. It can analyse data, create charts, write formulas, and generate insights directly in your spreadsheet. See the getting started guide for Copilot in Excel to set it up.

Google Sheets with Gemini is included with Google Workspace. It helps with formula generation, data organisation, and creating templates. It's more integrated but currently less powerful for deep data analysis.

The Verdict

For professional/enterprise work with large datasets and complex analysis — use Excel. For lightweight collaboration and personal use — Google Sheets is hard to beat. Many professionals use both: Google Sheets for shared documents and quick tasks, Excel for serious number crunching.

The best spreadsheet tool is the one your team actually uses consistently.

Frequently asked questions

Is Excel or Google Sheets better in 2026? Excel is better for power users who need advanced formulas like LAMBDA, GROUPBY, and PIVOTBY, Power Query, Power Pivot, VBA macros, large datasets with over one million rows, and desktop performance. Google Sheets is better for real-time collaboration, simplicity, free access, and web-native workflows.

Should I use Excel or Google Sheets for work? If your work involves complex data analysis, financial models, large datasets, or automation with macros, use Excel. If your work is primarily collaborative — shared trackers, simple reports, team templates — and your organisation uses Google Workspace, use Google Sheets. Many professionals use both.

Can Google Sheets handle large datasets? Google Sheets struggles above 100,000 rows. For datasets beyond that, Excel with Power Pivot or Power Query is the practical choice. Google offers Connected Sheets with BigQuery for enterprise-scale data, but it requires a Workspace subscription.

Which has better AI features — Excel Copilot or Google Sheets with Gemini? Excel Copilot is currently more powerful for deep data analysis, chart creation, and formula generation, but requires a paid add-on. Gemini in Google Sheets is included with Workspace and handles simpler tasks well. For a deeper comparison of AI tools for Excel, see ChatGPT vs Claude vs Copilot vs Gemini for Excel.