Google Sheets for Android

Google Sheets for Android, version 1.26.351.01.90, is the mobile app of Google's free, cloud-based spreadsheet. You can download it from Google Play to view, edit and share tables on your phone; below are answers to the questions people ask most.

What is Google Sheets?

Google Sheets is a spreadsheet that stores files in your Google account instead of on the device. It first launched on 9 March 2006 and belongs to Google's online office apps. The Android app lets you open any sheet you own or that someone shared with you, enter data, write formulas, sort and filter columns and add simple charts. Because several people can work in one file at the same moment, it is a favourite for shared lists, budgets, schedules and logs: one person adds a row from the phone, another sees it immediately on a laptop. Comments let you ask questions about a cell without changing the data. On a small screen the app is at its best for quick updates and checks rather than building a complex model, which is easier to do later on a computer in the browser. Everything you change is saved to the account as you go, so there is no separate save step to forget.

Is Google Sheets free?

Yes. The app and the service are free with a Google account. Businesses can pay for Google Workspace plans with extra storage and admin controls.

How do I install it?

1. Open Google Play and search for Google Sheets.
2. Check that the developer is Google LLC, then tap Install.
3. Sign in with your Google account.
4. Tap the plus button to create a sheet, or open one from the list.

Google's help page explains how to create and edit files on Android.

How much space does it need?

The app is about 112.18 MB according to catalogue data. The spreadsheets themselves live in your Google account.

Is it safe?

Yes, when installed from Google Play. Turn on two-step verification for your Google account, share sheets with named people rather than public links, and remove access for people who no longer need it.

Any tips for editing on a phone?

Freeze the header row so column names stay visible, turn the phone sideways to see more columns, and use filters instead of scrolling through long lists. For bigger changes, open the same file in a browser on a computer.

What are the pros and cons?

• Pro: free, with real-time collaboration.
• Pro: changes are saved automatically.
• Pro: same files on phone and computer.
• Con: complex work is awkward on a small screen.
• Con: needs a Google account.

What are the alternatives?

Other office apps for Android in our listings: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office 365, Google Docs for text and Adobe Acrobat Reader for PDFs.