Can Google Sheets Actually Replace Excel?

You’ve likely been there: you open a CSV file, and your computer fans instantly sound like a jet engine preparing for takeoff. You stare at a loading bar, wondering if it’s time to finally move everything to the cloud.

For years, the “Google Sheets vs Excel” debate was a battle between a lightweight toy and a heavy-duty tool. But the lines have blurred. Google Sheets has grown up, gaining offline capabilities and massive data connectors, while Excel has desperately tried to become “cool” with cloud features.

The question is no longer just about which one is “better.” It’s about whether the free, browser-based contender can actually replace the heavyweight champion for your specific needs. Let’s break down the math, the limits, and the logic.

The 10-Million Cell Wall: Where Size Matters

If you work in finance or big data, this is usually where the conversation ends. The hard limits of these two platforms are the most distinct differentiators.

Microsoft Excel is built for local processing power. A standard worksheet allows for 1,048,576 rows and 16,384 columns. Because it utilizes your computer’s CPU (rather than a browser tab), it can handle complex calculations on these rows with relative stability, provided your machine has the RAM to back it up.

Google Sheets, on the other hand, has a hard cap. As of 2025, that limit is 10 million cells per workbook. Note the distinction: cells, not rows. If you have 20 columns, you can only have 500,000 rows before you hit the wall.

Pro Tip: If you are seeing “Working…” indefinitely in your browser, you aren’t just hitting a data limit; you are hitting a browser processing limit. Sheets slows down significantly well before you hit the 10-million cell cap.

The “Connected Sheets” Workaround

Google knows this is a weakness. Their solution is Connected Sheets, which allows you to link a sheet to Google BigQuery. This lets you analyze billions of rows of data without actually importing them into the sheet, essentially using Sheets as a dashboard for a massive database. It’s powerful, but it requires a different skillset (and potentially Google Cloud costs) compared to just opening an Excel file.

Collaboration: The “Email Attachment” Era is Over

If Excel wins on raw power, Google Sheets absolutely dominates on teamwork.

Microsoft has tried to catch up with “Co-authoring” in Excel Online and Office 365, but it often feels like a retrofitted feature. Users frequently report sync conflicts or being locked out of cells when multiple people edit a heavy file simultaneously.

Google Sheets was born in the cloud. Its collaboration features are seamless:

• Real-time editing: You see your colleague’s cursor move as they type.
• Single Source of Truth: There is no “v2_final_EDITED.xlsx”. There is only the URL.
• Granular Permissions: You can lock specific cells while leaving others open for input.

If your day-to-day involves five people updating a project tracker, Excel is a hindrance. Google Sheets is the standard.

The Automation Wars: Python vs. Apps Script

For power users, the ability to automate boring tasks is the tie-breaker.

Excel: VBA and The Python Revolution

For decades, VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) was the king of automation. It’s powerful but looks like it belongs in the 1990s. However, Microsoft recently played an ace card: Python in Excel.

You can now type =PY in a cell and write Python code directly, leveraging libraries like pandas and Matplotlib for advanced analytics. This is a massive leap for data analysts who prefer Python over learning arcane VBA syntax.

Google Sheets: The Web-Native Apps Script

Google uses Apps Script, which is based on JavaScript. If you are building web integrations—like automatically sending an email via Gmail when a cell value changes, or pulling data from a third-party API—Apps Script is vastly superior and easier to deploy.

The Verdict on Logic:

• Need to model complex financial data? Excel (Python/VBA).
• Need to connect your spreadsheet to Slack, Gmail, or a calendar? Sheets (Apps Script).

The Price of Productivity

Cost is rarely the only factor for enterprise, but for freelancers and startups, it matters.

While Google Sheets is technically free for personal use, businesses will likely pay for Google Workspace to get custom emails and admin controls. Microsoft 365 plans are competitively priced, often bundling Teams and SharePoint.

When to Use Which?

Here is the cheat sheet for making your switch:

Stick with Excel if:

• You work with datasets exceeding 500,000 rows regularly.
• You rely on legacy VBA macros that run your business.
• You need robust offline access without relying on browser caches.
• You are a financial modeler using heavy pivot tables and keyboard shortcuts.

Switch to Google Sheets if:

• Your primary need is real-time collaboration with a team.
• You want to automate tasks across Google Apps (Gmail/Calendar).
• You are working on lightweight lists, inventories, or project trackers.
• Your budget for software is literally zero.

Final Thoughts

Can Google Sheets replace Excel? Yes, for about 80% of users.

For the average professional tracking tasks, budgets, or simple metrics, Google Sheets is not only sufficient; it is superior due to its collaborative frictionlessness. However, for the 20% of power users—data analysts, accountants, and engineers—Excel’s raw processing power and new Python integrations make it irreplaceable.

The smartest modern workflow? Use both. Use Sheets for data entry and team collaboration, and connect that data to Excel (or BigQuery) when it’s time to crunch the serious numbers.

See the Google Sheets limits here | Check Microsoft 365 Pricing