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Spreadsheets · head to head

Cube Software vs Numbers

Cube Software logo

Cube Software

Spreadsheets

FP&A layer that connects Excel and Google Sheets to source systems without asking finance to leave the spreadsheet

From
On request
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

  • Only Numbers has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cube Software the pricing page is titled transparent and upfront pricing but shows no figures at all, only three tiers with quote buttons, so the marketing claim and the buying experience directly contradict each other.; 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: Cube Software covers Excel and Google Sheets add-ins, Numbers covers Canvas-style layout.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cube Software and Numbers actually diverge.

Attributes where Cube Software and Numbers differ
AttributeCube SoftwareNumbers
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteFree with Apple hardware, optional Apple Creator Studio subscription for AI features
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Excel add-in, Google Sheets add-onmacOS, iOS, Web

Identical on both: 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 Cube Software

  • Excel and Google Sheets add-ins
  • Source system connectors
  • Central dimensional model
  • Drill-down to source
  • Scenario planning
  • Dashboards
  • Workflow automation
  • Slack and Teams integration

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.

Cube Software

  • A finance team on Google Workspace that cannot use the Excel-add-in-only planning tools most of the market sellsnot Numbers
  • A startup finance function of two or three people replacing a shared workbook without a six-month implementationnot Numbers
  • Consolidating actuals from an accounting system and a CRM into one forecast without building a warehousenot Numbers
  • Collecting departmental budget inputs on a schedule with an audit trail rather than by email attachmentnot Numbers

Numbers

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

Where each one falls short

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

Cube Software

  • The pricing page is titled transparent and upfront pricing but shows no figures at all, only three tiers with quote buttons, so the marketing claim and the buying experience directly contradict each other.
  • Add-ons for premium support, additional modules and API access are priced separately, which means the tier you are quoted is a floor rather than the total.
  • The spreadsheet remains the modelling surface, so organisations that grow into large multidimensional planning problems will eventually migrate again to a purpose-built tool.
  • It is a layer over source systems rather than a system of record, so data quality problems in the ERP or CRM surface in the forecast and Cube gives you no way to fix them at source.
  • The vendor targets small finance teams, so buyers needing deep statutory consolidation, multi-entity currency translation or heavy allocation logic will find the functional depth thinner than the established enterprise platforms.

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

Cube Software

On request
  • Bronze$undefined/year
    • Full platform access
    • Unlimited dimensions and users
    • Unlimited dashboards
  • Silver$undefined/year
    • Everything in Bronze
    • Slack and Teams integration
    • Workflow automation
  • Gold$undefined/year
    • Everything in Silver
    • Premium support
    • All integrations and workflows

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 Cube Software if

  • You need excel and google sheets add-ins.
  • You work on Web, Excel add-in, Google Sheets add-on.
  • You also want source system connectors.
Cube Software 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 Cube Software or Numbers better?
Neither clearly leads. Cube Software starts at On request and Numbers at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cube Software or Numbers?
Numbers has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cube Software and Free for Numbers.
Does Cube Software or Numbers run on more platforms?
Cube Software runs on Web, Excel add-in, Google Sheets add-on. Numbers runs on macOS, iOS, Web.
Can I use Numbers for free?
Yes. Numbers has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cube Software starts at On request.
What is Cube Software best used for?
Cube Software is most often used for a finance team on google workspace that cannot use the excel-add-in-only planning tools most of the market sells, a startup finance function of two or three people replacing a shared workbook without a six-month implementation, consolidating actuals from an accounting system and a crm into one forecast without building a warehouse, collecting departmental budget inputs on a schedule with an audit trail rather than by email attachment. Of those, a finance team on google workspace that cannot use the excel-add-in-only planning tools most of the market sells and a startup finance function of two or three people replacing a shared workbook without a six-month implementation are not what Numbers is typically brought in for.
What can Cube Software do that Numbers cannot?
Cube Software covers Excel and Google Sheets add-ins, Source system connectors, Central dimensional model, Drill-down to source. Numbers covers Canvas-style layout, Formulas and categories, iCloud collaboration, Excel import and export.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cube Software: Does Cube work with Google Sheets?

Yes, and that is its main differentiator. Google Sheets is a first-class interface, not a secondary export.

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.

Cube Software: Is pricing published?

No, despite the page being titled transparent pricing. All three tiers require a quote.

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.

Cube Software: Is it a replacement for our accounting system?

No. It reads actuals from your accounting or ERP system and adds planning, reporting and workflow on top.

Numbers: Can I use Numbers on Windows?

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

Cube Software: What are the tiers called?

Bronze, Silver and Gold, with add-ons for premium support, extra modules and API access.

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