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Indie alternatives to Microsoft Excel
3 products made by independent developers and small teams that do what Microsoft Excel does, 3 of them with a free plan. Free and open-source options come first.
At a glance
| Product | Price | Open source | Self-host | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LibreOffice | Free | Yes | – | Mac, Windows, Linux |
| Grist | Free plan | Yes | Yes | Web, Self-hosted |
| WPS Office | Free plan | – | – | Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
The alternatives
1. LibreOffice
Free, open-source office suite
A free office suite with a word processor, spreadsheet, presentations, drawing and database tools that opens Microsoft Office formats. For anyone wanting an offline Office alternative.
Free · Mac, Windows, Linux · Website ↗
3. WPS Office
Office suite for documents, spreadsheets, slides and PDFs
An office suite with Writer, Spreadsheet, Presentation and PDF tools compatible with Microsoft Office formats, plus cloud storage and AI features.
Free plan · Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android · Website ↗
Questions
Is there a free alternative to Microsoft Excel?
Yes. 3 of the 3 indie alternatives listed here have a free plan or are free: LibreOffice, Grist and WPS Office.
Is there an open-source alternative to Microsoft Excel?
LibreOffice and Grist are open source.
Can I self-host an alternative to Microsoft Excel?
Yes: Grist can run on your own server.
Which Microsoft Excel alternatives work on Mac, Windows, iPhone or Android?
On Mac: LibreOffice and WPS Office. On Windows: LibreOffice and WPS Office. On Linux: LibreOffice and WPS Office. On iPhone and iPad: WPS Office. On Android: WPS Office. On the web: Grist.
What makes these alternatives to Microsoft Excel “indie”?
They are built by independent developers or small teams rather than large companies. Each one is listed because it does the same core job as Microsoft Excel.
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