This question begs the assumption that you need “Spreadsheet software”. Without disputing this assumption we shall proceed to examine the gallery of spread sheet applications that are available in the market and begin by identifying the types of spreadsheets.
Spreadsheets can be distinguished on the basis of type. Spreadsheets can be online or desktop applications.

Online spreadsheets are web based applications that are platform independent—that is the operating system does not make a difference. They are therefore portable and can be accessed anywhere, anytime. These spreadsheets also offer collaboration and public sharing facilities and multiple users can access the spreadsheet simultaneously and make changes. Another interesting feature is the remote data update that is available with this kind of spreadsheets. This feature allows users to extract data from other spreadsheets online, even if the target spreadsheets are not active at the time of extraction of data. However, Web based spreadsheets have certain disadvantages. They are great for collaborating, and accessing anywhere, anytime, but they are slow when you want to click through the cells quickly or to create really big spreadsheets. Search functions are often missing.

OpenGoo, Simple Spreadsheet and WikiCalc are completely free non proprietary software. Proprietary online applications include BadBlue, EditGrid, Expresso spreadsheet, googledoc, OfficeWeb Apps, Resolver One, ThinkFree Calc, ZCubes-Calci and ZohoOffice Suite. Some of these applications are free, partly free and the others are priced.

Desktop Spreadsheet applications are applications that work on desktops. They are platform specific—that is, the platform makes a real difference. They are not portable and cannot be accessed from anywhere but on the desktops on which the application has been installed. It follows that collaboration is possible only between two people who have the application installed on identical desktops and the same is ported to the other via Email or some other removable media, creating version control nightmares.

Spreadsheet applications for desktops are available for free, under GPL, LGPL and for a price. The choice is fairly wide and many of the applications provide users with a variety of useful features. Gnumeric is a GPL application, while KSpread and OpenOffice.org Calc are LGPL. Proprietary spreadsheet software includes Microsoft excel, Numbers, Mesa and Tables.

If you are looking for spreadsheet applications and don’t know which one to buy or use, keep a watch on this site. We plan to put up a few detailed reviews of the different spread sheet software for the benefit of our readers!