Microsoft Excel
Rows
| Feature | Microsoft Excel | Rows |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $6/mo | Free / from $59/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | finance-professionals, data-analysts, enterprise, accountants | data-analysts, marketers, startups, growth-teams |
| Founded | 1985 | 2016 |
| Advanced Formulas | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pivot Tables | ✓ | ✗ |
| Power Query | ✓ | ✗ |
| Macros Vba | ✓ | ✗ |
| Charts | ✓ | ✓ |
| Data Analysis | ✓ | ✗ |
| Integrations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ai Assistant | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sharing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Templates | ✗ | ✓ |
| Api Connections | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Microsoft Excel Pros
- Most powerful spreadsheet
- Advanced formulas
- Pivot tables
- Power Query
✗ Microsoft Excel Cons
- Expensive
- Complex for beginners
- Collaboration not as smooth
✓ Rows Pros
- Built-in data integrations
- Modern clean interface
- Powerful AI features
- Great for data analysis
✗ Rows Cons
- Limited free plan
- Smaller community
- Some integrations require paid plan
The Verdict
Microsoft Excel is built for finance professionals and data analysts, with a focus on advanced-formulas and pivot-tables. Rows targets data analysts and marketers and leads with integrations and ai-assistant.
On pricing, Microsoft Excel is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $6/mo compared to $59/mo for Rows. That $53/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Rows has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Microsoft Excel requires a paid subscription from day one.
Microsoft Excel edges out on user ratings (4.6 vs 4.2). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Both tools are a solid fit for data analysts — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
Bottom line: Microsoft Excel has a slight overall edge — but if built-in data integrations matters most to you, Rows may still be the right call.