First introduced for Mac in 2007, Apple Numbers is the iPhone maker’s answer to the best-selling Microsoft Excel. It’s part of the iWork suite, which also includes Pages and Keynote. Like these other apps, Apple Numbers is only offered on Apple devices, including Mac, iPad, and iPhone. However, there is also a web-based solution for anyone with an iCloud account and browser.
The clean look and ease of use have always been a strong selling point for Apple Numbers. Unfortunately, since it’s not available for Windows or Android, its usefulness is limited to a handful of users.
Apple Numbers: Subscriptions and Pricing
Apple billed Numbers once and the rest of the iWork suite. However, since 2017 the apps can be used on multiple devices completely free of charge. Also, Apple’s iMovie and GarageBand went free at the same time. Apple Numbers are preinstalled on Mac and iPad; You can download your free copy for iPhone from the App Store.
Apple numbers: functions
As any Microsoft Excel user will tell you, this software title uses tables as the primary container with other media types added as optional add-ons. In contrast, Apple Numbers takes a free-form “canvas” approach, where tables are just one of many types of media that you can place in a document. This difference is reason enough for longtime Microsoft Excel users never to switch. And yet, Apple Numbers isn’t targeting these users. Instead, it is aimed at creatives, students, and regular home users who want to create eye-catching, sometimes glamorous documents, which in most cases happen to contain tables. As Apple is currently explaining on the Numbers website with the app: “Everything is correct. Nice.”
With that in mind, several features of Apple Numbers stand out, so it’s worth considering starting with its many templates.
Like its companion app, Apple Pages, Apple Numbers offers a number of models that you can use to start a new document. These take a variety of forms, including personal finance, business, and education. After you’ve chosen a template, including a blank one, you can quickly add your information and make adjustments. It is also possible to create templates as a starting point for future documents. In fact, you can access it on any device using iCloud. The many pre-made templates include templates for asset tracking, shared expenses, there is even a trip planner, and much more.
One of the newest and most valuable features of Apple Numbers is: redesigned shapes. With a new setup, forms are much easier to create and modify. Also, forms are available on multiple devices and look particularly impressive on iPads, where digital form creation may be needed most.
While Microsoft Excel has more built-in functionality, it doesn’t lack Apple Numbers here. It supports Hundreds of functions, and the intuitive control of the app enables you to carry out complex calculations in just a few steps. You can also use the PivotTable data analysis tool to quickly examine patterns and trends.
Meanwhile, iPad users with an Apple Pencil can take advantage of the handwriting tool built into every iWork app, including Apple Numbers. scribble automatically converts your handwritten numbers and dates into typed text. Imagine using this tool with digital forms that end users may need to fill out in a school or organization – no input required.
One of the main reasons to use Apple Numbers as an exclusive Apple user is that integration with other Apple devices. Regardless of whether you switch between iPad and Mac, iPhone to the Internet, etc., your documents are always accessible and safe as long as you save the documents in iCloud. For example, you can start a Numbers document on your MacBook Air at home, make changes on your iPad, and then go back. As long as there is an internet connection, the data is automatically synchronized.
Understanding how Apple works is also important collaborate and share documents in Apple numbers. It’s easy to share content with other Apple users. For example, you can now add a file to a shared iCloud Drive folder to view and edit with a team. The comment option makes it possible to see all changes in real time. Add comments or reply to others to create conversation threads.
You can also share Numbers documents with Microsoft Excel users. To do this, however, you must first convert the file to Numbers.
Finally there is Smart categories. The tool allows you to organize and summarize tables for quick additional insight. For example, For can use smart categories to group data by different values and date ranges. From there, all you have to do is add a few more steps to graph the summarized data.
Apple Pages: Interface and Usage
Like other iWork apps, Apple Numbers doesn’t crash with something like Microsoft’s tired ribbon. Instead, the various options are found via a minimalist toolbar and optional sidebars. This setup works because it’s very intuitive. For example, new users will understand the options available under the Insert, Table, and Chart headings on the toolbar. The same goes for the Table, Cell, Text, and Arrange tabs in the sidebar.
Apple numbers: support
Apple has adequate support for Numbers through its website. There’s also an active Apple Numbers community online, and Apple Books has several guides, many of which are free.
Apple numbers: the competition
No doubt almost the whole world uses Microsoft Excel when it comes to spreadsheets. Apple is aware of this and is not specifically targeting business users for Numbers.
Microsoft Excel and Apple Numbers are still not the only options available. Google Sheets, like Apple Numbers, is another free option. There’s also Zoho Sheet, LibreOffice, and more.
look at the best spreadsheet software and the Best free office software.
Apple Numbers: Final Verdict
There are two ways to look at Apple Numbers and how they fit into the spreadsheet universe. First, if you only use Apple products and only want to work with Apple users, Numbers is a great choice. And because it’s free, you have nothing to lose.
Everyone else will almost certainly start using Microsoft Excel, reluctantly or not, and that’s fine. Unlike Apple Numbers, Microsoft Excel is available on multiple platforms including Windows, Mac, and mobile devices, which makes it ideal for most of the world, especially those who want to do complex calculations that require a lot of functionality. However, it’s not free, which is something that people without a corporate account should keep in mind.
We have ours too Microsoft Excel Review and a full iWork review.
