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Spreadsheets · head to head

Numbers vs Yellowfin

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
Yellowfin logo

Yellowfin

Business Intelligence

Action-based business intelligence

From
$50/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Numbers has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Yellowfin the pricing page publishes no rate, no minimum and no per-user price; every model ends in a Get Pricing form
  • They diverge on capability: Numbers covers Canvas-style layout, Yellowfin covers Automated Analysis.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Numbers and Yellowfin actually diverge.

Attributes where Numbers and Yellowfin differ
AttributeNumbersYellowfin
Starting priceFree$50/month
Pricing modelFree with Apple hardware, optional Apple Creator Studio subscription for AI featuressubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsmacOS, iOS, WebWeb, Mobile, Embedded
CategorySpreadsheetsBusiness Intelligence
FoundedUnknown2003

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Numbers

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

Only in Yellowfin

  • Automated Analysis
  • Data Stories
  • Collaboration
  • Signals
  • Embedded Analytics
  • Salesforce
  • Google Analytics
  • SQL Server

What people use each for

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

Numbers

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

Yellowfin

  • Embedding white-labelled dashboards and analytics into a software productnot Numbers
  • Enterprise reporting with automated business monitoring and alertingnot Numbers
  • Data storytelling and guided natural language querying for business usersnot Numbers

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Yellowfin

  • The pricing page publishes no rate, no minimum and no per-user price; every model ends in a Get Pricing form
  • One of the three embedded models is a revenue share, so Yellowfin takes a cut of the revenue your analytics module earns
  • Another model prices by server core, so scaling deployment hardware raises the licence cost independently of users
  • Getting a quote requires submitting a form with a marketing consent checkbox and a user-count band rather than seeing a rate card

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Yellowfin

$50/month
  • Team$50/month
    • Dashboards
    • Stories
    • Collaboration
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Advanced Features
    • Embedding
    • Custom SLA

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Yellowfin if

  • You need automated analysis.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Embedded.
  • You also want data stories.
Yellowfin review

Questions people ask

Is Numbers or Yellowfin better?
Neither clearly leads. Numbers starts at Free and Yellowfin at $50/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Numbers or Yellowfin?
Numbers has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Numbers and $50/month for Yellowfin.
Does Numbers or Yellowfin run on more platforms?
Numbers runs on macOS, iOS, Web. Yellowfin runs on Web, Mobile, Embedded.
Can I use Numbers for free?
Yes. Numbers has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Yellowfin starts at $50/month.
What is Numbers best used for?
Numbers is most often used for a mac or ipad user who wants a spreadsheet with no additional software cost beyond the device, someone building a visually laid-out document, an invoice or a planner, rather than a dense data table, a small team already on apple hardware collaborating through icloud without adopting google workspace or microsoft 365, a user who wants light ai-assisted content generation and is willing to pay for apple creator studio to get it. Of those, a mac or ipad user who wants a spreadsheet with no additional software cost beyond the device and someone building a visually laid-out document, an invoice or a planner, rather than a dense data table are not what Yellowfin is typically brought in for.
What can Numbers do that Yellowfin cannot?
Numbers covers Canvas-style layout, Formulas and categories, iCloud collaboration, Excel import and export. Yellowfin covers Automated Analysis, Data Stories, Collaboration, Signals.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Yellowfin: What pricing models does Yellowfin offer?

Yellowfin offers three flexible models for embedded analytics: Aligned Utility Model (price per unit), Revenue Share Model (based on analytics revenue value), and Server Core (fixed price based on server deployment).

Source
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.

Yellowfin: Is Yellowfin pricing predictable and scalable?

Yes, Yellowfin pricing is simple, predictable and scalable with no hidden costs or surprises.

Source
Numbers: Can I use Numbers on Windows?

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

Yellowfin: Are there limits on user access or development environments?

No limitations exist on access to functionality across users. There are also no limits on dev and test licenses, ensuring DevOps is covered.

Source
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