Every AI spreadsheet tool promises to transform how you work with data. “Just describe what you need” they say. “Let AI do the heavy lifting.” But when you actually need to analyze sales figures, build a financial model, or clean messy data, which one delivers?
A recent benchmark tested the three major contenders across 53 real-world tasks using public datasets. The results reveal some significant differences that the marketing materials don’t mention.
The Contenders
Rows is the newcomer — an AI-native spreadsheet built from scratch with GPT integration. Type natural language prompts directly in cells. $15-22/month for paid plans, free tier available.
Excel Copilot Agent Mode is Microsoft’s conversational AI inside Excel. It builds workbooks, creates pivot tables, and handles multi-step tasks through chat. Requires Microsoft 365 Copilot at $18-30/user/month on top of your existing subscription.
Google Sheets with Gemini adds AI features to the familiar Sheets interface. Fill with Gemini auto-populates tables, the sidebar helps with formulas. Requires Google AI Pro at $19.99/month.
First-Try Accuracy: Where Things Actually Break
The benchmark tested how often each tool got the right answer on the first attempt:
| Tool | First-Try Accuracy |
|---|---|
| Rows | 89% |
| Google Sheets | 57% |
| Excel Copilot | 53% |
That’s not a typo. The established players failed nearly half the time on first attempts. Even with three tries, Excel and Google Sheets only climbed to 64% each, while Rows reached 92%.
The testing used straightforward datasets — World Bank GDP figures, world capitals. Standard business data, not edge cases.
The Static Output Problem
Here’s where the benchmark reveals something the feature lists won’t tell you.
When you ask AI to analyze data, you want formulas that update when the data changes. Dynamic outputs that stay useful.
| Tool | Dynamic Outputs |
|---|---|
| Rows | 74% |
| Excel Copilot | 8% |
| Google Sheets | 6% |
Both Excel and Google Sheets overwhelmingly produced static outputs — hardcoded numbers, pasted values, chart images. Ask for a calculation, get a frozen snapshot instead of a live formula.
This matters. If your data updates monthly, you don’t want to re-run every AI request. You want spreadsheets that keep working.
What Each Tool Actually Does Well
Model Creation: Only Rows succeeded at building predictive or analytical models. Excel and Google Sheets scored 0% — not one successful run in multiple attempts. If you need forecasting or scenario modeling, the incumbents aren’t ready.
Spreadsheet Management: Tasks like formatting, organizing, and restructuring data. Rows hit 100%, Google Sheets managed 67%, Excel trailed at 33%.
Speed: Google Sheets responded in 10 seconds median. Excel took 32 seconds. Rows needed 138 seconds — the tradeoff for actually producing dynamic, functional outputs rather than static snapshots.
Classic Data Analysis: Summarizing, filtering, calculating. Rows at 89%, with Excel and Sheets both around 55%.
The Practical Differences
Excel Copilot Agent Mode became generally available on desktop and Mac in January 2026. It can now switch between OpenAI and Claude models, pull web data with citations, and handle multi-step tasks conversationally.
The catches: It only works with the currently open workbook — no accessing other files or enterprise data lakes. It makes direct changes without preview mode, which gets risky with shared files. And Python-based advanced analysis that was previously available isn’t fully integrated yet.
Google Sheets Gemini got significant updates in March 2026. Fill with Gemini can auto-populate tables with summarized or categorized data — reportedly 9x faster than manual entry for 100-cell tasks. The sidebar explains formula failures and suggests fixes.
The catches: Undo behavior can be inconsistent after Gemini actions. It struggles with domain-specific calculations. And it admitted it can’t calculate distances when asked, even for basic geographic data — “I’m still learning,” it said.
Rows delivers the best AI accuracy but requires learning a new interface. Native integrations pull live data from 50+ services (Shopify, Salesforce, HubSpot). Python is built in for advanced analysis without writing code.
The catches: It’s slower. The 138-second median response time means waiting for complex requests. And switching from Excel or Sheets has a learning curve.
The Pricing Reality
To use AI in spreadsheets across these platforms:
- Rows Pro: $22/user/month (includes unlimited AI prompts)
- Excel Copilot: $18-30/user/month add-on (requires existing Microsoft 365 subscription)
- Google Sheets with Gemini: $19.99/month for Google AI Pro
Excel’s pricing will rise further in July 2026 when Microsoft increases commercial Microsoft 365 prices to account for AI capabilities.
For most users, that means $20-50/month total depending on existing subscriptions.
What This Means
If you’re deeply embedded in Microsoft’s ecosystem and can tolerate 53% first-try accuracy with mostly static outputs, Excel Copilot saves you from switching tools. The model choice between GPT-5.2 and Claude Opus 4.5 is genuinely useful for different task types.
If you live in Google Workspace and want quick pattern-filling in familiar territory, Gemini in Sheets works for simpler tasks. The “Fill with Gemini” feature genuinely speeds up repetitive data entry.
If you actually need reliable AI analysis — dynamic formulas, working models, correct answers on first try — Rows wins by a wide margin. The 89% vs 53% accuracy gap isn’t close.
The uncomfortable finding: Both of the established spreadsheet giants shipped AI features that fail more often than they succeed on standard business tasks. Marketing has outpaced capability.
What You Can Do
Test with your actual data. The benchmark used generic datasets. Your mileage may vary with industry-specific terminology or complex nested calculations.
Start with the free tiers. Rows offers a free plan. Google Sheets has limited Gemini features on standard accounts. Try before committing.
Check your existing subscriptions. If you already pay for Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, the add-on AI pricing might be worth testing — just don’t expect the accuracy the marketing implies.
Consider the learning curve cost. Rows works better but requires adaptation. If your team can’t spare time to learn a new tool, 53% accuracy in the familiar interface might beat 89% accuracy in unfamiliar territory.
The AI spreadsheet wars are just heating up. These tools will improve. But right now, choosing based on marketing promises rather than actual benchmark results could cost you hours of manual corrections.