Microsoft Excel

Desktop-grade formatting on mobile

Excel for iOS handles sheet creation, duplication, hiding, sorting, and column filtering without pushing users back to a desktop. Formatting tools sit noticeably closer to the desktop version than competing mobile spreadsheet apps manage, covering cell styles, conditional formatting, and number formats that rivals routinely omit. Built-in templates for budgets, task lists, and financial analysis load quickly and offer a solid starting point. For reviewing or lightly editing an existing workbook on a phone, the experience rarely feels like a meaningful compromise. Complex formulas remain functional, though entering and auditing them on a small screen is genuinely awkward compared to a keyboard-and-mouse setup.

Heavy install size, stable performance

At 419 MB the install footprint is among the heaviest in the productivity category, which matters on devices with limited storage. Qualitatively, the app benefits from a consistent and recent update cadence, with the latest version released in July 2026, suggesting active performance tuning alongside feature work. The 1.4 million ratings at 4.75 stars indicate that a very large, diverse user base finds the app stable in everyday conditions. Large workbooks with many formulas or pivot tables can feel sluggish on older iPhones, which is a category-wide limitation rather than a failing unique to Excel. OneDrive sync generally works smoothly, though it depends on network conditions outside the app's control.

Free tier limited without 365

The app is free to download, but that framing is only partially honest. Meaningful productivity features, including Copilot AI assistance and several advanced editing tools, require a Microsoft 365 subscription. For users whose employer or school already covers that subscription, the mobile app adds genuine value at no extra cost. Occasional reviewers who simply need to open, check, and return a file will find the free tier sufficient. Students or small business owners hoping to replace a desktop workflow entirely on mobile will encounter the feature ceiling sooner than expected, and the gap between the free and paid experience is not clearly communicated in the App Store listing.

Cloud sync requires privacy review

Microsoft Excel is a data-intensive productivity app connected to cloud storage, so reviewing its privacy practices before signing in is worthwhile. The App Store privacy label for this app is the authoritative source on what data is collected and how it is linked to your identity. As a general caution, cloud-synced productivity apps in this category typically collect usage data, diagnostics, and identifiers. Users handling sensitive financial or business data should review Microsoft's published privacy policy and consider whether OneDrive sync is appropriate for their use case. The content rating of 4+ indicates no objectionable content concerns.

Touch interface improves data entry slightly

The interface reflects years of iteration toward a touch-friendly layout, with a ribbon adapted for smaller screens and a context-sensitive toolbar that surfaces relevant options without overwhelming the workspace. Navigation between sheets and cells is intuitive for anyone familiar with the desktop version. Entering data on a phone remains the category's persistent weak point, and Excel does not fully escape that constraint. The app follows Apple's standard accessibility frameworks, meaning VoiceOver compatibility and Dynamic Type support are expected, though users with specific accessibility needs should verify current behavior directly, as feature depth in this area can vary across updates.

Consistent updates since 2014 launch

Active maintenance is one of Excel for iOS's clearest strengths. The app was last updated in July 2026, and Microsoft has maintained a consistent release cadence since the app launched in March 2014, now at version 2.111.5. That version number alone signals hundreds of iterative updates over more than a decade. Microsoft's ongoing investment in Copilot AI integration further demonstrates that the mobile app is treated as a first-class product rather than an afterthought. Users can reasonably expect continued compatibility with new iOS releases and ongoing feature additions tied to the broader Microsoft 365 roadmap.