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Spreadsheets · head to head

Google Sheets vs Numbers

Google Sheets logo

Google Sheets

Spreadsheets

Cloud spreadsheet, free for a personal Google account and bundled into paid Google Workspace for organisations

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Numbers logo

Numbers

Spreadsheets

Apple spreadsheet, free on Apple hardware, now with an optional Apple Creator Studio subscription for AI features

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Google Sheets performance degrades noticeably on very large or formula-heavy spreadsheets compared with desktop Excel, particularly with complex array formulas.; Numbers numbers is not available on Windows or Android as a full application, so any collaborator outside the Apple ecosystem is limited to the basic iCloud.com web version.
  • They diverge on capability: Google Sheets covers Real-time collaboration, Numbers covers Canvas-style layout.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Sheets and Numbers actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Sheets and Numbers differ
AttributeGoogle SheetsNumbers
Pricing modelFree personally, bundled into paid Google Workspace for organisationsFree with Apple hardware, optional Apple Creator Studio subscription for AI features
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidmacOS, iOS, Web

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Spreadsheets).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Google Sheets

  • Real-time collaboration
  • Formulas and pivot tables
  • Apps Script automation
  • Excel compatibility
  • Offline mode
  • Connected Sheets

Only in Numbers

  • Canvas-style layout
  • Formulas and categories
  • iCloud collaboration
  • Excel import and export
  • Apple Pencil and touch support
  • Apple Creator Studio AI features

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Google Sheets

  • A freelancer or small team wanting real-time spreadsheet collaboration without installing softwarenot Numbers
  • A school or nonprofit already using free or discounted Google Workspace for Educationnot Numbers
  • A company standardising on Google Workspace for email and file storage that gets Sheets includednot Numbers
  • A team building lightweight internal tools with Apps Script rather than a dedicated databasenot Numbers

Numbers

  • A Mac or iPad user who wants a spreadsheet with no additional software cost beyond the devicenot Google Sheets
  • Someone building a visually laid-out document, an invoice or a planner, rather than a dense data tablenot Google Sheets
  • A small team already on Apple hardware collaborating through iCloud without adopting Google Workspace or Microsoft 365not Google Sheets
  • A user who wants light AI-assisted content generation and is willing to pay for Apple Creator Studio to get itnot Google Sheets

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Google Sheets

  • Performance degrades noticeably on very large or formula-heavy spreadsheets compared with desktop Excel, particularly with complex array formulas.
  • Its charting and pivot table features are less capable than Excel for advanced statistical or financial analysis.
  • Offline editing requires the Chrome browser or a specific offline-enabled setup, so it is not as seamless as a native desktop application.
  • The free personal tier has no admin controls, audit logging or data loss prevention, so it is not appropriate for regulated business data on its own.
  • Apps Script has execution time limits and quota restrictions that make it unsuitable for heavier automation workloads a dedicated backend would handle better.

Numbers

  • Numbers is not available on Windows or Android as a full application, so any collaborator outside the Apple ecosystem is limited to the basic iCloud.com web version.
  • Complex Excel formulas, pivot tables and VBA macros do not convert reliably, so heavy Excel users moving files into Numbers risk losing functionality.
  • Its canvas-style layout that is a strength for visual documents becomes a weakness for large, dense datasets, where a fixed grid like Excel or Sheets is easier to navigate.
  • The newest AI features are now gated behind the separate Apple Creator Studio subscription, meaning the previously all-free app now has a paid tier for its most talked-about new capability.
  • Performance and formula depth trail both Excel and Google Sheets for serious financial modelling or statistical analysis.

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Sheets

Free
  • Personal Google accountFree
    • Full Sheets functionality
    • 15GB shared Drive storage across Gmail, Drive and Photos
    • No admin controls
  • Google Workspace Business Starter$7/month
    • Sheets bundled with Gmail, Drive and Meet
    • Admin console and centralised management
    • 30GB pooled storage per user

Numbers

Free
  • NumbersFree
    • Free with a Mac, iPad or iPhone
    • Core spreadsheet and canvas features
    • iCloud collaboration included
  • Apple Creator Studio$12.99/month
    • AI-assisted features across Numbers, Pages and Keynote
    • Premium templates
    • 129 USD annual option

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Sheets if

  • You need real-time collaboration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want formulas and pivot tables.
Google Sheets review

Choose Numbers if

  • You need canvas-style layout.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, iOS, Web.
  • You also want formulas and categories.
Numbers review

Questions people ask

Is Google Sheets or Numbers better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Sheets starts at Free and Numbers at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Sheets or Numbers?
Google Sheets starts at Free and Numbers at Free.
Does Google Sheets or Numbers run on more platforms?
Google Sheets runs on Web, iOS, Android. Numbers runs on macOS, iOS, Web.
Can I use Google Sheets for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Google Sheets best used for?
Google Sheets is most often used for a freelancer or small team wanting real-time spreadsheet collaboration without installing software, a school or nonprofit already using free or discounted google workspace for education, a company standardising on google workspace for email and file storage that gets sheets included, a team building lightweight internal tools with apps script rather than a dedicated database. Of those, a freelancer or small team wanting real-time spreadsheet collaboration without installing software and a school or nonprofit already using free or discounted google workspace for education are not what Numbers is typically brought in for.
What can Google Sheets do that Numbers cannot?
Google Sheets covers Real-time collaboration, Formulas and pivot tables, Apps Script automation, Excel compatibility. Numbers covers Canvas-style layout, Formulas and categories, iCloud collaboration, Excel import and export.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Sheets: Is Google Sheets really free?

Yes, for a personal Google account with full functionality, subject to the 15GB Drive storage limit shared across Google services.

Numbers: Do I have to pay for Numbers?

No, it is free for anyone with a Mac, iPad or iPhone; it does not require a separate purchase.

Google Sheets: Why would a business pay for something that is free?

Businesses pay for Google Workspace, which bundles Sheets with admin controls, larger storage, audit logs and support that a personal account lacks.

Numbers: What does Apple Creator Studio add?

AI-assisted content generation and premium templates across Numbers, Pages and Keynote, for around 12.99 USD a month.

Google Sheets: Does Google Sheets work with Excel files?

Yes, it opens, edits and exports Microsoft Excel format files directly.

Numbers: Can I use Numbers on Windows?

Only through a limited web version at iCloud.com; there is no native Windows application.

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