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Google Sheets — Spreadsheets

Google LLC

Google Sheets is Google's online spreadsheet. You build tables with formulas, charts, pivot tables and conditional formatting in a browser or in the iPhone, iPad and Android apps, let several people edit the same sheet at once, and open or save Excel files through Google Drive. The official pages say anyone with a Google Account can use it; Gemini help in Sheets needs an eligible Google Workspace or Google AI plan.

Why it fits

Spreadsheets

Website

Spreadsheets

Go to sheets.google.com
Good to know (1)

Check each tool’s plan separately; one feature’s allowance does not cover another.

iPhone / iPad

Spreadsheets

App Store

Android

Spreadsheets

Google Play
Good to know (2)

Website / iPhone / iPad / Android: Verify file formats, size limits and language support in the official plan.

iPhone / iPad / Android: Free download does not mean every task is free. Check in-app purchases, export limits and country/device availability in the store.

Good to know
Good to knowWebsiteiPhone / iPadAndroid
Free output———
No account needed———
No watermark———
Works offlineYesYesYes
Batch processing———
Content language—Turkish—

— Unverified conditions. Official documentation reviewed. The app itself has not been hands-on tested. Matches only documented content-language support, not interface language.

Sources and review date (5)
  • workspace.google.com/products/sheets
  • support.google.com/docs/answer/6388102
  • support.google.com/docs/answer/9331167
  • apps.apple.com/us/app/google-sheets/id842849113
  • support.google.com/docs/answer/6000292?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid
Founder feedback and correction

Founder feedback and correction

If you represent this product, send a source-backed correction or update to the editors. Publication follows editorial review.

Editorial selection guide

Last checked:

Who is it for?

  • People who keep budgets, trackers, lists or class data in a table and want several people to edit the same spreadsheet at once, with comments and assigned tasks.
  • People who receive Excel files and want to open or edit them in a browser. Google's Excel and Sheets guide describes editing an Excel file from Drive with changes saved in the Excel format, or converting it to a Google Sheets file.
  • People who analyse small and mid-sized tables with pivot tables, charts and conditional formatting; the function list covers date, filter, financial, logical, lookup, math, statistical and text functions, among other categories.
  • People who check or update a sheet from a phone or tablet: the App Store listing mentions entering data, sorting, inserting formulas, viewing charts and working offline.

Getting started

  • Sign in from the Sheets page or open the Sheets app, then choose Create or start from a template. Put one header in the first row of each column, because pivot tables need column headers. Menu names below follow Google's English help pages and may read differently in another interface language.
  • To bring in an Excel file, use File > Import and choose to create a new spreadsheet, insert new sheets or replace the spreadsheet; the original Excel file is not changed. You can also open the Excel file from Drive to edit it in place, or choose File > Save as Google Sheets to convert it.
  • Select your data, choose Insert > Pivot table and add fields under Rows, Columns and Values in the side panel. The pivot table refreshes when its source cells change, and the Edit button under the table reopens the side panel.
  • Add a chart with Insert > Chart and refine it in the chart editor (Setup and Customize tabs). To highlight values, select the cells and use Format > Conditional formatting with a single colour, a colour scale or a custom formula rule.
  • Share the file with the access level you want, and use version history to go back to an earlier version. To hand a copy to someone who uses another program, use File > Download and pick a format such as Excel, PDF, CSV or ODS.

Decision points

  • Size: the Drive limits page says spreadsheets created in or converted to Sheets can have up to 20 million cells or 100 MB. Google's Excel and Sheets guide says to stay in Excel if your dataset is larger than 20 million cells, if you use the Hyperion add-on, or if you rely on rare chart types such as 3D pyramid or pie-of-pie.
  • Macros and links: the Work with Office files article lists macros (which can be rebuilt in Apps Script) and linked spreadsheets in Excel files as not supported. If your workbook depends on them, test a copy before you move a team over.
  • Data connections: the product page says Connected Sheets lets you work with BigQuery or Looker data in a spreadsheet and that you can connect data sources such as Asana, HubSpot, Intuit QuickBooks and Salesforce. The Drive limits page caps Connected Sheets pivot tables at 200,000 rows and extracts at 500,000 rows or 5 million cells. Ask your administrator whether these are available to you.
  • Gemini: help with formulas, tables, pivot tables and charts needs an eligible Google Workspace or Google AI plan. The help page says Excel files must first be saved as Google Sheets, a generated chart does not update when the source data changes, and answers may be inaccurate, so check results yourself.
  • Teamwork: the product page says permissions control who can view, edit, download, share or comment, that conditional notifications can email you based on rules you set, and that version history lets you return to earlier versions. Set the access level before you share with outside partners.

Limits

  • The product page does not use the word free and shows no prices. Anyone with a Google Account can use Sheets according to the page, while some features and Gemini help depend on Google Workspace or Google AI plans.
  • Offline editing on a computer needs Chrome or Edge outside private browsing and the Google Docs Offline extension; only one account per browser profile can have it on, and administrators can turn it off.
  • According to the Drive limits page, cells with more than 50,000 characters are removed when an Excel file is converted. The Work with Office files article says locked and hidden cells in Excel files become viewable and editable in Google Sheets, so do not rely on them to hide sensitive data.
  • The Android help page lists the file types the app can open and export. The Google Play listing could not be read, so Android store details are not described here.
  • According to the help page, Gemini conversations in Sheets are lost if you reload the browser, reopen the spreadsheet or go offline, so paste any result you want to keep into the sheet.

Frequently asked questions

Is Google Sheets free?

Google's Sheets page says anyone with a Google Account can use Sheets and that some features are only on Google Workspace plans. It does not use the word free or list prices. The App Store lists the Sheets app as free and shows no in-app purchases. For team plans, see Google's Workspace pricing page.

Can Google Sheets open Excel files?

Yes. Google's guide says you can open an Excel file from Drive and edit it in Sheets, with changes saved in the original Excel format; in Chrome the Office Editing extension must be removed first. You can also choose File > Save as Google Sheets to convert it. File > Import brings Excel data into a new or existing spreadsheet without changing the original file. Macros and linked spreadsheets are listed as not supported.

Can I use Google Sheets offline?

Yes. The product page says you can open, create and edit spreadsheets without an internet connection. On a computer use Chrome or Edge outside private browsing, install the Google Docs Offline extension and turn on Offline in Drive settings or from the file status icon. On iPhone, iPad and Android open Menu > Settings and turn on Make recent files available offline.

How do I make a pivot table in Google Sheets?

Select the source cells, making sure each column has a header, then choose Insert > Pivot table. In the side panel add fields under Rows, Columns and Values, and use the arrow next to a field to change how it is sorted, summarized or filtered. The pivot table refreshes whenever you change the source cells, and Values > Add > Calculated field lets you add a SUM or a custom formula.

How many cells can a Google Sheets file hold?

Google's Drive limits page says spreadsheets created in or converted to Google Sheets can have up to 20 million cells or 100 MB. That page does not state a separate row limit. When you convert from Excel, cells with more than 50,000 characters are removed.

Is there a Google Sheets app for iPhone, iPad and Android?

Yes, the product page lists iOS and Android apps. The App Store listing needs iOS or iPadOS 17.0 or later and mentions entering and sorting data, inserting formulas, viewing charts and working offline. The Android help page lists opening XLS, XLSX, XLSM, CSV, ODS and TSV files and exporting XLSX, ODS, PDF and a web page, with a single sheet exportable as CSV or TSV.

Official sources (12)
workspace.google.com/products/sheets/support.google.com/docs/answer/6388102support.google.com/docs/answer/9331167support.google.com/docs/answer/6055139support.google.com/docs/answer/1272900support.google.com/docs/answer/63824support.google.com/docs/answer/78413support.google.com/docs/table/25273support.google.com/docs/answer/14356410support.google.com/drive/answer/37603apps.apple.com/us/app/google-sheets/id842849113support.google.com/docs/answer/6000292?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid

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