Microsoft Excel icon
Microsoft Excel for iOS: Comprehensive Mobile Spreadsheet Review

by Microsoft Corporation

4.8
IOSProductivity
Microsoft Excel for iOS delivers full spreadsheet functionality to mobile devices, enabling professionals to analyze data, create complex formulas, and collaborate remotely with desktop-grade capabilities.

Detailed Review

Microsoft Excel for iOS represents the mobile adaptation of the industry-standard spreadsheet application, maintaining the core functionality that has made Excel indispensable across business and academic environments. The app successfully translates complex data management capabilities to the iOS platform, allowing users to create, edit, and analyze spreadsheets with advanced formula support, pivot tables, and comprehensive charting options. File compatibility remains seamless with desktop versions, ensuring no formatting loss when transferring documents between devices. The interface demonstrates thoughtful adaptation to touchscreen interaction while preserving Excel's ribbon-based navigation system. Users can leverage touch gestures for cell selection, formula input, and data manipulation, though some advanced functions require more precise interaction that may benefit from stylus or keyboard accessories. Real-world usage patterns show professionals frequently using the app for quick data reviews, field data collection, and collaborative editing during meetings or travel scenarios where desktop access is unavailable. User feedback consistently highlights the application's powerful feature set while acknowledging its learning curve. Reviewer Drumwolf (2025-08-15) notes the continuous addition of calculation options and formatting tools over decades of development. Tissy Daddy's Girl (2025-08-07) acknowledges the steep learning curve but concludes Excel remains clearly superior to alternatives. MJayBoucher (2025-08-07) suggests users may require substantial time and supplemental resources to master the application's full capabilities. The application excels in providing professional-grade spreadsheet functionality with cloud synchronization and collaborative features, though mobile screen constraints can challenge complex data visualization tasks. Performance remains robust even with large datasets, making it suitable for financial analysts, accountants, researchers, and business professionals who require reliable mobile access to spreadsheet tools without compromising functionality.

Key Features

  • Advanced formula support enables complex calculations and data analysis with hundreds of built-in functions for professional financial and statistical modeling
  • Real-time co-authoring allows multiple users to collaborate simultaneously on spreadsheets with change tracking and comment features for team projects
  • Cloud integration seamlessly syncs documents across devices through OneDrive, SharePoint, and Dropbox ensuring access to current versions anywhere
  • Data visualization tools provide comprehensive charting options including pivot charts, sparklines, and conditional formatting for professional presentations
  • Mobile-optimized interface adapts Excel's ribbon system for touch interaction while maintaining keyboard shortcuts for power users
  • Document scanning converts printed tables into editable spreadsheets using the device camera, facilitating data digitization in field work

Why Users Love It

Desktop-level functionality
Seamless cloud synchronization

Perfect for: Business professionals, analysts, and students requiring mobile spreadsheet capabilities

Ranking History

Track Microsoft Excel's performance in Productivity over the last 30 days

Top 5
Top 10
Top 15
Below 15

Current Rank

#26

6 from last week

Best Rank

#14

All-time high

Average Rank

#18

30-day average

User Reviews

AStoneOnLI
Nov 2, 2025

V.2.102.3 - 5 stars - Excel now works like its old self - like a charm. Thank you Microsoft for fixing this bug in versions 2.102.1 and *.2 that would lock up the app for the first 1-5 minutes of usage. ======== V.2.102.1 - 1 star - app freezes and makes it unusable. I don’t know what happened in this version but now Excel app freezes and you must wait one minutes before data entry is possible. After this data entry is still very slow. Perhaps new security features? I am a Microsoft fan otherwise. Version 2.102.3 now runs smoothly on iPhone V.2.102.3 - 5 stars - Excel now works like its old self - like a charm. Thank you Microsoft for fixing this bug in versions 2.102.1 and *.2 that would lock up the app for the first 1-5 minutes of usage. ========V.2.102.1 - 1 star - app freezes and makes it unusable. I don’t know what happened in this version but now Excel app freezes and you must wait one minutes before data entry is possible. After this data entry is still very slow. Perhaps new security features? I am a Microsoft fan otherwise.

JustHereForTheCats
Oct 28, 2025

This recent update seems to have broken mine. It keeps freezing, I will scroll and the rest of a sheet will not load so it’s all just blank, white, solid screen. Keep in mind, when I say freezing, I mean I get about 1/2 of a second worth on my spreadsheet before I can’t interact with any part of it. I have to close the app entirely. Small sheets, I seemingly have more time before something happens. If I’m fast, I can enter the other “view” for a table I’m on but the same thing will happen: I will scroll and no other info will load. It’ll be blank white screen. Plus, I’m sorry, but the new Microsoft logos are terribly ugly. Update: I was happy to see a small update. However, mine seems to be even more broken. Before, I had a small window of time to scroll or switch tabs, now, it’s immediately frozen. Before, I had the ability to open small worksheets and interact with it longer before issue, now, all sheets I open are immediately frozen. I cannot do anything once I open a sheet. Update as of 10/28/25: Thank you, it does now work for me! Back to being able to use the best spreadsheet app! Now broken - FIXED This recent update seems to have broken mine. It keeps freezing, I will scroll and the rest of a sheet will not load so it’s all just blank, white, solid screen. Keep in mind, when I say freezing, I mean I get about 1/2 of a second worth on my spreadsheet before I can’t interact with any part of it. I have to close the app entirely. Small sheets, I seemingly have more time before something happens. If I’m fast, I can enter the other “view” for a table I’m on but the same thing will happen: I will scroll and no other info will load. It’ll be blank white screen. Plus, I’m sorry, but the new Microsoft logos are terribly ugly.Update: I was happy to see a small update. However, mine seems to be even more broken. Before, I had a small window of time to scroll or switch tabs, now, it’s immediately frozen. Before, I had the ability to open small worksheets and interact with it longer before issue, now, all sheets I open are immediately frozen. I cannot do anything once I open a sheet.Update as of 10/28/25: Thank you, it does now work for me! Back to being able to use the best spreadsheet app!

Aem 11
Sep 30, 2025

I use excel extensively to track invoices, investments, budgets, and anything involving numbers and it’s so easy to use. I’ve used it throughout my career for estimating , change orders and even scheduling. It’s the best spreadsheet program out there and I’ve tried a few! Why I like Microsoft excel!! I use excel extensively to track invoices, investments, budgets, and anything involving numbers and it’s so easy to use. I’ve used it throughout my career for estimating , change orders and even scheduling. It’s the best spreadsheet program out there and I’ve tried a few!

G-A-S
Oct 3, 2025

A real life enhancement and benefit to my limited skill set 👍 Excellent A real life enhancement and benefit to my limited skill set 👍

Jordy_being_jordy
Sep 18, 2025

Everything that I need is all here I can’t complain. Highly recommend Everything that I need is all here I can’t complain.

App Details

Developer

Microsoft Corporation

Platform

ios

Rating

4.8

Last Updated

11/7/2025