The Numbers app is arguably the closest thing that has come to breaking the spreadsheet monopoly of Excel.
That's quite a bold claim to hear if you are a number cruncher. But bear with it for now, as the bad news is that it's only available for Apple. There's no Android version available. But you can open Numbers files on a Windows machine and collaborate in real-time with Mac users to edit a spreadsheet.
So it's not quite the groundbreaking, paradigm-shifting app we may have hoped for. However, if you're an iOS user, you are in luck. You now have the option of two killer spreadsheet apps to choose from.
Apple users, will of course, always opt for Mac software before holding their nose to use anything related to Microsoft. However, this is no bad thing in this instance as Numbers is a rather nifty new take on spreadsheets and number juggling.
● Real-time collaboration on a spreadsheet for you and your team
● PC users can collaborate via Numbers for iCloud
● More than 30 Apple-built templates
● Intelligent keyboard accessible by double-tapping a cell
● Reduce everyday actions to a single tap
● Touch and drag reordering and resizing of columns, rows, and tables
● Export to Microsoft Excel
The templates are great if you don't fancy starting from scratch to design a modern professional looking spreadsheet. You can select a pre-designed Numbers spreadsheet for invoicing, keeping track of your personal or home budget, creating a checklist, or calculating your mortgage.
You can work with the Apple Pencil on supported devices to draw and write, or go completely digital and use your finger.
A single tap will have you adding tables, text, charts, and images. You can also bring your data to life with interactive charts.
● Real-time collaboration with other users
● Beautifully crafted contemporary spreadsheet templates
● Innovative app custom-created for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
● Supports Multi-touch gestures and Smart Zoom
● Over 250 powerful, number-crunching functions to choose from
● Multi-language support
● A native Mac-only app
● You will inevitably have to use Excel sooner or later
● Not universally liked by iOS users
Numbers is an innovative app that feels fresh but vaguely familiar at the same time. If you have ever used a spreadsheet before, you will quickly pick up Numbers in short orders. There's no great learning curve involved.
Head to Apple's App Store to get your hands on the app. You will need to set aside 525.3 MB's worth of storage and run iOS 13.1 or later.
Interestingly, while the vast majority of reviews at the App Store are very positive, the app gets a measly 3.2 out of five rating. This curious rating appears to be a result of almost as many one-star reviews as five-star reviews. The implication appears to be that iOS users have a love-hate relationship with Numbers.
But, as they say, each to their own. Give this app a go; it may well prove to be a revelation if your usual go-to is Excel.
