- AI spreadsheet tools compared
- Eleven AI spreadsheet tools to try
- Tidy tables make AI answers better
- Add-ons, built-in assistants or a new spreadsheet?
- Questions to ask before you add AI to your spreadsheets
- Signs your spreadsheet isn't AI-ready
- My plain advice on choosing an AI spreadsheet tool
- Frequently asked questions
The best AI spreadsheet tools let you clean data, write formulas, build reports and ask questions in plain English, either inside Excel and Google Sheets or in a new AI-first spreadsheet. Add-ons suit teams that live in their current files, while AI data analysts turn uploads into dashboards. Eleven options follow in no particular order.
Spreadsheets run more small businesses than any app ever will. Sales, stock, rotas and forecasts all sit in grids that somebody built late one evening and nobody has dared to touch since.
The eleven tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the tool's own website, read this week. If you're already in Google Workspace, my walkthrough on using Gemini in Google Sheets is a good first step.
AI spreadsheet tools compared
In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site names a free plan, a free account, a free allowance or an open source version. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to start for free.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autosheet | AI agent for Excel and Google Sheets (GPT for Work) | Bulk AI jobs across rows | Not stated |
| Better Analyst | AI data analyst (formerly Formula Bot) | Turning data into reports and dashboards | Not stated |
| Bricks | AI data analyst for dashboards and reports | Dashboards and slides from your data | Not stated |
| Coefficient | Data connectors and AI dashboards for Sheets and Excel | Live data from your other tools | Not stated |
| Copilot in Excel | Microsoft's AI assistant inside Excel | Asking Excel questions in plain English | Not stated |
| Gemini in Google Sheets | Google Workspace's AI-powered spreadsheets | AI help inside Google Sheets | Not stated |
| Numerous.ai | Add-on bringing AI to Sheets and Excel | AI functions in familiar spreadsheets | Not stated |
| Quadratic | AI spreadsheet with code and databases | Spreadsheets that connect to databases | Not stated |
| SheetAI | AI inside Google Sheets for text and media | Bulk content generation from a formula | Yes |
| Shortcut | Excel AI for building and editing models | Financial models built with AI in Excel | Not stated |
| Sourcetable | AI spreadsheet and AI data analyst | Founder KPIs and quick analysis | Yes |
Eleven AI spreadsheet tools to try
Autosheet
Best for: Marketers and operations teams who want to clean, categorise, enrich or translate thousands of rows in Excel or Google Sheets.
Better Analyst
Best for: Small business owners who want to connect their data and turn it into an analysis, dashboard or report.
Bricks
Best for: Teams that want to upload a spreadsheet and get dashboards, slide decks and even org charts built from it.
Coefficient
Best for: Revenue and marketing teams that want live data from their CRM, ads and analytics tools pulled into spreadsheets.
Copilot in Excel
Best for: Microsoft 365 users who want AI help with formulas, charts and analysis without leaving Excel itself.
Gemini in Google Sheets
Best for: Google Workspace teams that want AI assistance built into the spreadsheets they already share and edit together.
Numerous.ai
Best for: People who want AI functions inside Google Sheets and Excel for writing, sorting and tidying data at scale.
Quadratic
Best for: Analysts who want an AI spreadsheet that works with big data, databases and code as well as formulas.
SheetAI
Best for: Marketers who want to write a formula, fill a column and generate text, images or other content in bulk inside Sheets.
Shortcut
Best for: Finance and consulting teams that want AI to build and edit detailed financial models inside Excel.
Sourcetable
Best for: Founders and small teams who want an AI spreadsheet for KPIs, models and ad hoc questions without learning complex formulas.
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Tidy tables make AI answers better
Here's a simple fix that improves almost every AI spreadsheet tool. UK Government Analysis Function guidance says to restructure tables so there are no split cells, merged cells or nested tables, because they make table structure hard to understand for assistive technology and for machine reading.
AI tools read your sheet in a similar way to a machine, so the same advice applies. Unmerge cells, keep one header row and put one table on each sheet, and you'll get far more accurate formulas, summaries and charts back.
Add-ons, built-in assistants or a new spreadsheet?
There are three routes here. Built-in assistants work inside Excel or Google Sheets. Add-ons bring extra AI functions to the files you already use. AI-first spreadsheets and data analysts ask you to upload or connect data, then build analysis and dashboards for you.
If your team won't move away from Excel, start with an assistant or add-on. If you're building reports from several sources, an AI data analyst may save more time.
Questions to ask before you add AI to your spreadsheets
- Does it work inside Excel, Google Sheets or its own app?
- Can it explain the formulas it writes?
- Where does my data go when I use it?
- Can it connect to my CRM, ads or accounting tools?
- Can it handle the size of my files?
- Can I check its answers against the original data?
Signs your spreadsheet isn't AI-ready
- Headers span several rows. Use a single header row.
- Cells are merged everywhere. Unmerge them first.
- Several tables share one sheet. Give each its own tab.
- Totals are typed in by hand. Use formulas instead.
Do you make an AI spreadsheet tool? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing an AI spreadsheet tool
Clean one important sheet first, then try the tool on it. You'll learn more from one tidy sales report than from throwing a messy workbook at AI and hoping for the best.
Always ask the tool to show its working and spot-check a few numbers by hand before you share anything. If you're rusty on the basics, my Google Sheets tutorial covers the structure AI tools read best.
Frequently asked questions
What is an AI spreadsheet tool?
An AI spreadsheet tool uses AI to write formulas, clean data, summarise results and answer questions about your spreadsheet in plain English.
Are there free AI spreadsheet tools?
Some offer free use or free options with your own API key. The free plan column above shows what each tool's own site says.
How do I get better answers from AI in spreadsheets?
Keep tables tidy. UK Government Analysis Function guidance advises against merged cells, split cells and nested tables because they confuse machine reading.
Can AI write Excel formulas for me?
Yes. Built-in assistants and add-ons can write and explain formulas from a plain-language request.
Is it safe to upload business spreadsheets to AI tools?
Check each tool's data and privacy terms first, and remove personal or sensitive data you don't need for the task.
Do I need to leave Excel or Google Sheets?
No. Several tools work inside the spreadsheets you already use, while others offer their own AI-first spreadsheet.
