When to Use Google Sheets vs. Excel on Mobile

In today’s email:

1. When to use Excel and Google Sheet’s mobile apps

2. What the apps can do

3. What the apps can’t do

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MAIN ARTICLE

When to Use Google Sheets’ Mobile App

I’ve used the Sheets mobile app for years. I use it almost daily. It’s incredibly valuable for a VERY small amount of high value tasks.

My wife and I use a personal finance system I created many years ago. This is the number one reason I open up the Sheets app.

Why? 👇

Data Entry

Yep, good old fashioned data entry.

It’s easy to quickly pull open the app, enter a transaction and shut it down. Dropdown menus work well, it’s snappy and responsive, I’m able to zoom in and out as needed, and overall, it lets me make a couple small entries to my spreadsheet very fast.

That said, I’ve never once created or modified a sheet in any meaningful way inside the app vs on a computer. That includes writing the most basic of formulas or functions…you know, the very essence of why we use spreadsheets 😃 .

So why do I fool with it at all? Keep reading…

When to Use Excel’s Mobile App

For the longest time, I was a Sheets fanboy. Almost exclusively. I learned, like most do, on Excel, but then I found the easy and comfort of Google Sheets.

I found the simplicity of all the main features I needed in a spreadsheet without the cumbersome levels of menus and enhanced data analysis that I didn’t yet need.

And, most importantly, I found a browser-based solution that was

• Easy to share and collaborate with others in a single sheet

• Easy to access on any device

Excel constantly felt like it lagged behind in terms of accessibility to the layperson.

But that’s changed. Now we’ve got

• ✅ Excel online

• ✅ Easier sharing (Sheets still wins here imo)

• ✅ A slick mobile app (more powerful than Sheets)

So, I should be using Excel every time now, right?

Well, no. I’ve found that I use both. It depends on the use-case. Both apps will get the job done fine for many purposes, but I will still default to one over the other depending on what I’m using it for.

For instance, Sheets is still my go-to solution for the personal finance system.

This is partly because I’ve not made an Excel version, but that’s probably going to change this year…

And Excel has been my recent go-to for something I did create this year specifically for the Excel mobile app: an ultramarathon training calendar.

Why You Should Use the Spreadsheet Mobile Apps

Here’s the big takeaway - these apps are now extremely well suited to pulling up spreadsheets on the fly while you’re away from your computer.

They both come with a limited suite of features that allow for easy data entry and modifications to your workbooks.

Use them if you need to reference something or add small bits of information to your workbook.

Why You Shouldn’t Use the Spreadsheet Mobile Apps

Now the bad part. This should come as no surprise…

The apps are either terrible or not great at function and formula entry, chart creation and editing, creating conditional formatting, and pretty much anything that involves more than very basic operations.

You cannot use features like sliders, VBA, form controls or Apps Script at all in the mobile apps.

And, as a rule of thumb, anything you do is going to be just a hair more cumbersome.

If you need to dive deeply into a spreadsheet, the mobile versions are nowhere near being able to replace the experience you need.

And that’s ok, right? The apps for me are a cherry on top that allow me to review and sometimes add data to my workbooks on the fly.

I don’t need them, and I can’t use them for advanced operations…but I like having them around.

What About Offline Access?

Both apps handle offline access and syncing surprisingly well—no major complaints on my end (all tested on iOS).

Excel keeps it straightforward: you manually select the files you want available offline. Done.

Google Sheets takes it a step further. You can handpick individual files just like Excel, or flip on a setting that automatically keeps your recently edited files available offline. Super clutch if you're bouncing between multiple projects and don’t want to think about it.

And when you’re back online? Syncing has been smooth and reliable on both platforms. No weirdness. No lost data. Just pick up where you left off.

My Templates

Want a peek at the finance sheet I’m always pulling up? I’ve got a full breakdown and link right here. Grab it and make it your own.

Disagree?

Let me know how wrong I am. Hit reply now 😃 

These apps are probably akin to some random, very hard video game that a sub-culture of speedrunners have mastered. If you’re one of those mobile spreadsheet app masters, I’d love to hear about it!

NEXT STEPS

Whenever you’re ready, here’s how I can help:

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HAPPY SPREADSHEETING!

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Cheers, Eamonn
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