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Chatbots for spreadsheets: Copilot, Gemini, ChatGPT and Claude compared

ComparisonBy Lucas Matías García TorresUpdated Data checked 4 min read

Reviewed by Lucas Matías García Torres on . How we work.

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A white and graphite robot head in profile with an open panel showing glowing circuitry

Short answer

On October 23, 2026 four assistants work with spreadsheets: Copilot in Excel and Claude for Excel inside your workbook, Gemini inside Google Sheets, and ChatGPT on an uploaded copy of the file. Copilot needs a Microsoft 365 plan that includes it, Claude for Excel needs Claude Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise, and Gemini needs an eligible Google plan. Excel's COPILOT function stopped working on September 14, 2026: recalculated cells return #NAME?.

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If you want a chatbot for Excel or Google Sheets, four assistants can now work directly with your spreadsheets: Copilot in Excel, Gemini in Google Sheets, ChatGPT's data analysis and Claude for Excel. On October 23, 2026 the differences that matter are where each one runs (inside Excel, inside Sheets or on an uploaded copy of your file), which plan you need and whether it edits your workbook or analyzes a copy. This guide compares the four from their official help pages, read on October 23, 2026, and explains how to prepare your data and check the results.

Four ways to put a chatbot on a spreadsheet

Table: spreadsheet assistants compared (official help pages, checked October 23, 2026)

Copilot in Excel Gemini in Google Sheets ChatGPT data analysis Claude for Excel
Where it works inside Excel: Windows, Mac and web with edit, chat and plan modes; iPad chat and plan; iPhone and Android chat only side panel inside Sheets ("Ask Gemini", top right) in ChatGPT, on files you upload add-in inside Excel on the web, Windows and Mac
Plan needed a Microsoft 365 plan that includes it, such as Premium an eligible Google Workspace or Google plan any plan, with upload caps (Free: 3 uploads a day) Claude Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise
What it does formulas across sheets, charts, PivotTables, sorting, filtering and conditional formatting tables, formulas, analysis, charts, pivot tables and conditional formatting; summarizes Drive and Gmail files runs Python on your data and draws interactive bar, line, pie and scatter charts builds and edits models, cites the cells it used, keeps formula links and debugs errors like #REF!
Main limit needs AutoSave on, and Automatic calculation to edit works best with native Sheets files; chat history is lost on reload analyzes a copy, may not read the whole file and cannot make web requests no data tables, macros or VBA; not on Excel 2016 or 2019 perpetual licenses, iPad or Android

The biggest practical split is between the tools that work in your live workbook (Copilot, Gemini in Sheets and Claude for Excel) and ChatGPT, which works on an uploaded copy. ChatGPT's analysis runs Python in what OpenAI describes as a stateful Jupyter environment, which makes it strong for cleaning and charting a CSV export, but the result is a new file or a chart, not a change to the spreadsheet your team is using.

The COPILOT function is gone

If you used the =COPILOT() formula in Excel, Microsoft's help page says the function is no longer available from September 14, 2026. Cells that already used it keep their cached values, but recalculating them returns #NAME?. Microsoft points users to Copilot in Excel instead. If a shared workbook depended on that function, copy the values out before anyone triggers a recalculation.

Which one fits your work

  • You live in Excel and need formulas, PivotTables or charts in the real workbook. Copilot in Excel is built in, and Claude for Excel is the add-in option if you already pay for Claude. Claude's cell-level citations make it easier to check where a number came from.
  • Your team works in Google Sheets. Gemini is already in the side panel if your plan includes it. Convert uploaded .xlsx files to Sheets first, because Google says Gemini works best with native Sheets files.
  • You have a one-off export to clean, analyze and chart. ChatGPT's data analysis accepts .xls, .xlsx and .csv files, and its upload FAQ puts the practical limit for spreadsheets at about 50 MB per file.

Price is part of the choice. Copilot in Excel comes with certain Microsoft 365 subscriptions, and in Family and Premium the app features are for the subscription owner only and are not shared with family members. Our pages on Microsoft Copilot pricing, Gemini pricing, ChatGPT pricing and Claude pricing compare the plans.

Prepare the data first

Every one of these tools does better with a clean table. OpenAI's advice is to put descriptive headers in the first row and use one row per record. Keep one table per sheet where you can, remove totals rows from the middle of the data and give columns plain names, because the assistant reads those names to understand what each column means. In Excel, Microsoft requires AutoSave for Copilot and asks for Automatic calculation before Copilot edits a workbook. In Google Sheets, convert the file to the native format before you ask Gemini anything.

Check every number and watch for hidden instructions

These assistants write formulas and summaries that look right and can still be wrong. Microsoft's own FAQ tells you to review and verify what Copilot produces, and OpenAI warns that ChatGPT may not analyze the whole file. Spot-check totals by hand, open the formulas the assistant wrote and compare a pivot table with a manual filter. Our guide to model hallucinations explains why confident answers can be wrong.

Files can also carry attacks. Anthropic tells users of Claude for Excel to work only with trusted spreadsheets, because hidden instructions inside a workbook can manipulate the assistant. That is a prompt injection, and it applies to any assistant that reads a file from someone else. Finally, think about where the data goes: for confidential figures, read the vendor's data policy for your plan first, and our guide on whether ChatGPT is safe lists the settings to check.

What we checked

  • Copilot in Excel creates formulas across sheets, charts and PivotTables and can sort, filter and apply conditional formatting; edit, chat and plan modes are available on Windows, Mac and the web; on iPad chat and plan are available and edit is rolling out; on iPhone and Android only chat; Copilot in Excel may not be included in every subscription. (Microsoft, )
  • Copilot in Excel requires a qualifying plan such as Microsoft 365 Premium; Calculation Options must be set to Automatic for editing; it is trained mostly on English; users should review and verify its output. (Microsoft, )
  • Copilot is available in Microsoft 365 Personal, Family and Premium; in Family and Premium the Copilot features in the apps are for the subscription owner only and are not shared; Copilot in Excel requires AutoSave. (Microsoft, )
  • The COPILOT function is no longer available from September 14, 2026; cached values remain, recalculation returns #NAME?; Microsoft recommends Copilot in Excel. (Microsoft, )
  • Gemini in Google Sheets creates tables, formulas, analysis, charts, conditional formatting and pivot tables and can summarize Drive and Gmail files; it opens from Ask Gemini at the top right; it requires an eligible Google Workspace or Google plan; chat history is lost when the page reloads and is not saved to Gemini Activity; it works best with native Sheets files. (Google, )
  • ChatGPT data analysis accepts xls, xlsx and csv files among others; runs Python in a stateful Jupyter environment; draws interactive bar, line, pie and scatter charts; cannot make external web requests; may not analyze the full file; recommends descriptive headers and one row per record. (OpenAI, )
  • ChatGPT file uploads: spreadsheets about 50 MB per file; 80 files every 3 hours; Free plan 3 uploads per day. (OpenAI, )
  • Claude for Excel is available on Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans; supports Excel on the web, Windows (Microsoft 365 build 16.0.13127.20296 or later) and Mac 16.46 or later, not Excel 2016 or 2019 perpetual licenses, iPad or Android; cites cells, preserves formula relationships, debugs errors like #REF! and builds models; does not support data tables, macros or VBA; users should only work with trusted spreadsheets because hidden instructions can manipulate Claude. (Anthropic, )

What may change

  • Plans, platforms and features of these assistants change often and roll out by region and account. This page is reviewed quarterly.
  • The data preparation tips beyond headers and one row per record are our editorial advice, not vendor requirements.

Frequently asked questions

Which chatbot works inside Excel?

Copilot in Excel is built into Excel on Windows, Mac and the web, with edit, chat and plan modes. Claude for Excel is an add-in for Excel on the web, Windows and Mac that needs a Claude Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan. ChatGPT works on files you upload, not inside Excel.

Is Copilot in Excel included in my Microsoft 365 subscription?

It depends on the plan. Microsoft says Copilot in Excel may not be included in every subscription and lists plans such as Microsoft 365 Premium. In Family and Premium, the Copilot features in the apps are for the subscription owner only and are not shared with family members.

What happened to the COPILOT function in Excel?

Microsoft retired it: the COPILOT function is no longer available from September 14, 2026. Cells that used it keep their cached values, but a recalculation returns #NAME?. Microsoft recommends using Copilot in Excel instead.

How big a spreadsheet can I upload to ChatGPT?

OpenAI's upload FAQ gives about 50 MB per spreadsheet file, and caps uploads at 80 files every 3 hours, with 3 uploads a day on the Free plan. OpenAI also notes that ChatGPT may not analyze the whole file, so check that the answer covers all rows.

Can a spreadsheet trick an assistant?

Yes. Anthropic warns users of Claude for Excel to work only with trusted spreadsheets, because hidden instructions inside a workbook can manipulate the assistant. This kind of prompt injection applies to any assistant that reads files from other people.

Sources

  1. Get started with Copilot in Excel: edit, chat and plan modes and supported platforms, Microsoft. Accessed October 23, 2026.
  2. Frequently asked questions about Copilot in Excel: requirements, calculation settings and reviewing output, Microsoft. Accessed October 23, 2026.
  3. Frequently asked questions about Copilot in Microsoft 365 Personal, Family and Premium subscriptions, Microsoft. Accessed October 23, 2026.
  4. COPILOT function in Excel: retirement on September 14, 2026 and what happens to existing formulas, Microsoft. Accessed October 23, 2026.
  5. Collaborate with Gemini in Google Sheets: tables, formulas, analysis, charts and eligible plans, Google. Accessed October 23, 2026.
  6. Data analysis with ChatGPT: supported files, Python environment, interactive charts and limitations, OpenAI. Accessed October 23, 2026.
  7. Uploading files and audio to ChatGPT: size limits, upload caps by plan and data use, OpenAI. Accessed October 23, 2026.
  8. Claude for Excel: plans, supported Excel versions, capabilities, limitations and safety guidance, Anthropic. Accessed October 23, 2026.

Spotted an error or an outdated price? Tell us and we will fix it.

Change history

  • : First published. Checked against Microsoft's Copilot in Excel help pages, Google's Gemini in Sheets help page, OpenAI's data analysis and file upload articles and Anthropic's Claude for Excel page on October 23, 2026.

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