Excel vs Google Sheets
I make a lot of spreadsheets short videos that I share on Facebook, YouTube, and Tiktok.
Most of these videos focus on Excel, but I also use Google Sheets for others.
Sometimes I make the silly mistake of not mentioning that I am using Google Sheets, so a lot of people just assume that I used Excel.
I found a lot of people asking me about how I did something because when they try to follow exactly how I did it, it does not work for them.
In many cases, it’s because they are using Excel and I used Google Sheets or in rare instances, they may be using a very old version of Excel.
So, because of this, I want to highlight a few differences and similarities between Excel and Google Sheets.
First of all, if you can use Excel, then you can also use Google Sheets without difficulties. Generally, Google Sheets is much easier to work with than Excel.
ACCESSIBILITY AND COLLABORATION
One of the key advantages of Google Sheets is its cloud-based nature.
With Google Sheets, you can access your spreadsheets from any device with an internet connection, making it highly convenient for collaboration and remote work.
Multiple users can work on the same spreadsheet simultaneously, viewing changes in real-time and leaving comments for discussion.
Microsoft Excel, on the other hand, is primarily a desktop application, although it offers limited online collaboration through OneDrive.
You can access Excel on Office.com but it is not as robust as the Desktop version.
If collaboration and accessibility are essential for your workflow, Google Sheets has the upper hand.
FEATURES AND FUNCTIONALITY
Microsoft Excel has been the industry standard spreadsheet tool for decades, offering a wide range of advanced features.
Excel provides powerful data analysis tools, complex formulas, customizable charts, and extensive formatting options. It excels in handling large datasets and complex calculations.
Google Sheets, while not as feature-rich as Excel, provides a solid set of functionality for most users. It offers basic data manipulation tools, essential formulas, and an intuitive user interface.
If you require advanced features and complex data analysis, Excel is a good choice. However, for simpler tasks and collaboration-oriented work, Google Sheets is often sufficient.
INTEGRATION AND COMPATIBILITY
Microsoft Excel has deep integration with other Microsoft Office products, such as Word and PowerPoint. This makes it seamless to import and export data between different applications.
Excel also supports Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), a powerful programming language that allows users to automate tasks and create macros.
Google Sheets, while not as tightly integrated with external applications, supports importing and exporting files in various formats, including Excel.
One thing I love about Google Sheets is that I can work on a spreadsheet and when I am done, I can export it to Excel.
Once I do that, I can open it in Excel and it will have nearly all the functionality it had in Google Sheets. This makes it easy to make files for both Excel and Sheets from one spreadsheet.
On the other hand, Excel does not provide an option to export to Google Sheets which is a deal breaker if you want to work on the same project for both Excel and Sheets.
Google Sheets also offers add-ons and scripting capabilities through Google Apps Script, which provides some level of customization.
If you heavily rely on integration with other Microsoft Office products or require advanced automation capabilities, Excel is the better choice.
EXCEL VS GOOGLE SHEETS PRICING AND COST
Cost is a significant factor to consider when choosing between Excel and Sheets.
Microsoft Excel is part of the Microsoft Office suite, which requires a one-time purchase or a subscription to Microsoft 365.
The pricing varies depending on the edition and licensing model.
On the other hand, Google Sheets is available for free as part of Google Drive, which includes 15 GB of cloud storage.
Google also offers a premium version called Google Workspace that provides additional features and storage.
If you have budget constraints or prefer a free option, Google Sheets is the more cost-effective choice.
SHOULD I USE EXCEL OR GOOGLE SHEETS
If you want a free and easy to use spreadsheet tool, Google Sheets is the best option.
If you want a spreadsheet tool with much more features and functionality, you should use Excel
Ultimately, you can use and switch between the two platforms and you will not have difficulties. Most of the function names and other terminologies are the same.
