# Microsoft Excel vs Google Sheets: which do AI models recommend for financial modeling, October 2026

Finance AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition, Financial modeling and scenario planning. Zero of fourteen models named Microsoft Excel first on the direct prompt; zero named Google Sheets. Page: https://finance-ai-index.com/planning/financial-modeling-and-scenario-planning/microsoft-excel-vs-google-sheets/

| | First-choice share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels | Models naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Excel | 14% | #1 of 14 | 24% | 17 | 12 of 14 |
| Google Sheets | 9% | #5 of 14 | 15% | 13 | 12 of 14 |

## The direct prompt, model by model

- Claude Haiku 4.5: neither named (first choices: Datarails) (alternatives: Cube, Drivetrain, Planful, Prophix One)
- GPT-5.4 mini: neither named (first choices: Datarails, Planful) (alternatives: Anaplan, Vena)
- Gemini 3.5 Flash: neither named (first choices: Aleph, Cube) (alternatives: Abacum, Bob Finance, Pigment, Vena)
- Perplexity Sonar: neither named (first choices: Datarails, Limelight) (alternatives: Abacum, Workday Adaptive Planning)
- Grok 4.1 Fast: neither named (first choices: Cube, Datarails, Drivetrain, Jirav) (alternatives: Abacum)
- Mistral Small: neither named (first choices: Abacum) (alternatives: Cube, Datarails)
- DeepSeek V4 Flash: neither named (first choices: Cube) (alternatives: Datarails, Jirav, Planful, Vena)
- Llama 4 Maverick: neither named
- Qwen 3.7 Flash: neither named (first choices: Vena, Workday Adaptive Planning) (alternatives: Fathom, PlanGuru)
- Kimi K2: neither named (first choices: Drivetrain) (alternatives: Mosaic, Pigment)
- GLM 4.7 FlashX: neither named (first choices: Datarails) (alternatives: Abacum, Cube, Lucanet xP&A, Mosaic)
- MiniMax M2.5: neither named (first choices: Drivetrain) (alternatives: Abacum, Cube, Datarails, Pigment)
- GPT-6 Luna: neither named (first choices: Workday Adaptive Planning) (alternatives: Cube, Vena)
- Muse Glimmer 30B: neither named (first choices: Datarails) (alternatives: Cube, Drivetrain, Mosaic, Planful)

## What the models said about Microsoft Excel

- "If you want to project a company's budget/revenue, use Excel for flexibility, or Cube to automate it." (Gemini 3.5 Flash, comparative prompt, first choice)
- "If your company already pays for Microsoft 365, use Excel instead rather than buying another tool." (GPT-6 Luna, budget prompt, first choice)
- "the best choice is usually Microsoft Excel if you need maximum flexibility at the lowest cost" (Perplexity Sonar, budget prompt, first choice)

## What the models said about Google Sheets

- "starting with Google Sheets or Excel and upgrading to a dedicated tool ... is the most cost-effective approach" (Kimi K2, budget prompt, first choice)
- "Best low-budget choice: Google Sheets for a small company building budgets, forecasts, and scenario models" (GPT-6 Luna, budget prompt, first choice)
- "start with Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets if you need a simple, flexible solution" (Mistral Small, budget prompt, first choice)

Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all fourteen models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category. Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category. Published under CC BY 4.0; the output is the models' output, and nothing here is a recommendation by the index.