Alternatives / Microsoft Excel
These projects include spreadsheet-database hybrids, collaborative office suites, an encrypted spreadsheet, and an embeddable calculation engine. Some resemble Airtable or Google Sheets more than the Excel desktop app, and IronCalc is a developer component rather than a finished office suite.
Written by Maxime DERAME
Last updated:
Excel is a traditional spreadsheet where cells contain values or formulas and users can structure worksheets freely. Baserow, Teable, and Grist use more structured models where columns behave like database fields and records have predictable types and relationships. That works well for CRM, inventories, project tracking, operations, and internal tools, but is less suitable for complex financial models built around arbitrary cell references.
Baserow is closer to an Airtable-style alternative than a direct Excel clone. It is stronger when data should be structured, related, shared, exposed through APIs, turned into applications, or used in automated workflows. Excel remains more flexible for ad-hoc calculations, financial models, and customized worksheets.
Teable uses a similar structured-data approach and is built on PostgreSQL. It suits cases where a spreadsheet interface needs to sit on top of a relational database, and includes collaboration, views, forms, dashboards, automation, and AI features.
Grist sits between spreadsheets and databases. Users can write formulas while working with typed columns, related tables, permissions, Python, and APIs. It can suit teams that find Excel too unstructured but want to retain spreadsheet workflows.
Collabora Online is the most conventional office-suite replacement in this list. It edits spreadsheet files in a browser rather than turning information into relational applications. For existing XLSX workbooks, this is closer to Excel Online.
Collabora Online has the strongest traditional office-file focus. IronCalc is implementing XLSX import/export and Excel-style formulas. Grist can import spreadsheets but converts data to its structured relational model. Baserow and Teable are better for migrating datasets than reproducing complex workbook behavior.
CryptPad encrypts spreadsheet content in the user's browser before upload, so the server is designed not to access plaintext. This can help when sharing sensitive financial, organizational, or research information on infrastructure you do not fully trust, although encryption can complicate integrations and advanced analysis.
IronCalc is intended to add spreadsheet functionality inside another product: financial modeling in SaaS, custom forecasting, business-rule evaluation, embedded editors, headless formula evaluation, and reporting. Its Rust/WebAssembly architecture and language bindings make it more comparable to a calculation engine than a finished office suite.
People look for Excel alternatives to use open-source software, self-hosting, browser collaboration, end-to-end encryption, relational data, APIs, automation, embedded spreadsheet components, local data control, Linux support, or open document formats. Excel remains a highly capable general-purpose spreadsheet; alternatives tend to focus on collaboration, structured data, privacy, or developer integration.
| Alternative | Type | License | GitHub popularity | Excel-like formulas | Collaboration | Self-hosted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baserow | Spreadsheet database | MIT | ~6k | Limited | Yes | Yes |
| Teable | Spreadsheet database | AGPL-3.0 core | ~21.8k | Moderate | Yes | Yes |
| Grist | Relational spreadsheet | Apache-2.0 CE | ~11.9k | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CryptPad | Encrypted spreadsheet | AGPL-3.0-or-later | ~8k | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| IronCalc | Spreadsheet engine | Apache-2.0 | ~4.2k | Yes | No | Yes |
| Collabora Online | Online office suite | Primarily MPL-2.0 | ~3.3k issue repo | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Want the closest online Excel experience
Collabora Online edits spreadsheet files in the browser with formulas, charts, formatting, XLSX/ODS compatibility, and real-time collaboration.
Want spreadsheet formulas with relational data
Grist combines formulas with typed columns, related tables, multiple views, permissions, Python, and APIs.
Want an Airtable-style spreadsheet
Baserow and Teable focus on structured operational data, linked records, views, forms, and application workflows rather than free-form workbooks.
Want PostgreSQL behind a spreadsheet interface
Teable is built on PostgreSQL and provides collaborative spreadsheet views, relations, forms, dashboards, and APIs.
Want maximum privacy for shared spreadsheets
CryptPad encrypts spreadsheet content in the browser before upload, so the server operator is designed not to access plaintext.
Want to embed spreadsheet calculations in an application
IronCalc is a Rust and WebAssembly spreadsheet engine with formula support and JavaScript/Python bindings, intended for embedding rather than replacing a desktop office suite.
Want a permissive license
Baserow uses MIT; Grist Community and IronCalc use Apache-2.0.
Need traditional financial modeling
None of these fully reproduces Excel desktop, VBA, Power Query, complex pivots, and large corporate workbooks; test critical models carefully before migration.
Want the largest project community
Teable leads this list in GitHub stars, followed by Grist and CryptPad; popularity does not imply Excel workbook compatibility.