Is Microsoft Spreadsheet Compare available on Mac?
No. Microsoft Spreadsheet Compare and the Excel Inquire add-in are Windows desktop tools, available with Office Professional Plus or Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, not Excel for Mac.
Browser comparison on macOS
Compare Excel files on Mac without Spreadsheet Compare
Need Spreadsheet Compare for Mac? Microsoft Spreadsheet Compare is not available on Mac. WorkbookDiff runs in Safari or Chrome on macOS to compare aligned XLSX files locally, without uploading workbook bytes or installing Inquire.
How to compare Excel files on Mac
- Open WorkbookDiff in a modern Safari or Chrome browser on macOS; JavaScript must be enabled.
- Choose two unencrypted XLSX files from your Mac, up to 20 MB each. Keep sheet names and cell positions aligned.
- Choose Compare Excel Files. No Windows desktop tool or Excel Inquire add-in is required.
- Review the local results and download the free CSV; keep the report private if it contains sensitive data.
Worked example: one changed budget cell
| Cell | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Budget!A1 | Item | Item |
| Budget!A2 | Travel | Travel |
| Budget!B2 | 100 | 125 |
Create budget-before.xlsx and budget-after.xlsx with these same cell positions and no other changes. The result is one cell-value-changed entry at Budget!B2, from 100 to 125. The originals are not modified.
Microsoft Spreadsheet Compare / Inquire vs WorkbookDiff
| Workflow | Microsoft Spreadsheet Compare / Inquire | WorkbookDiff |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Windows desktop Excel tools; Spreadsheet Compare and Inquire are not available on Mac. | Browser-based local processing, including Safari and Chrome on macOS; no Excel add-in required. |
| Availability | Available with Office Professional Plus or Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise; edition and installation matter. | Free XLSX comparison and CSV export without signup. Optional paid handoff report is separate. |
| Scope | Spreadsheet Compare can compare values, formulas, formatting and VBA; Inquire provides workbook analysis. | Aligned XLSX values, stored formulas, worksheet visibility, hidden rows/columns and used range. No formatting or VBA comparison; no recalculation. |
WorkbookDiff is not a feature-for-feature replacement for the Microsoft desktop tools. Check your workbook layout and required comparison scope before choosing.
Microsoft documents the desktop workflow in Basic tasks in Spreadsheet Compare.
Frequently asked questions
How can I compare Excel files on Mac in Safari or Chrome?
Open WorkbookDiff in a modern Safari or Chrome browser with JavaScript enabled. Select the original and revised XLSX workbooks, choose Compare Excel Files, then review or export the differences locally.
Is comparison free, and do I need an account?
Comparing two supported XLSX files and exporting the CSV difference report are free, with no signup. The optional paid audit handoff report is a separate product.
Are my workbook files uploaded?
No. The comparison workflow reads and compares workbook bytes locally in your browser. This is not a promise of zero network traffic: the site can load assets and send limited analytics.
Can I compare XLS or CSV files?
No. The comparison tool accepts only unencrypted .xlsx workbooks, up to 20 MB per file. It does not accept .xls, .xlsm, .xlsb, CSV or ODS. CSV is an export format, not a comparison input.
Will it match moved rows or compare formatting?
No. Version comparison uses worksheet names and cell coordinates, so keep rows and columns aligned. It does not compare formatting, charts, pivot tables or VBA. Use the separate reconciliation-by-ID beta for key-based matching.
Compare guides
Choose the guide for your comparison task: Compare Excel files without uploading · Compare Excel formulas and detect formula replaced by value changes · Export an Excel difference report CSV · Compare two Excel files · Excel diff for XLSX workbooks · Compare Excel files on Mac.