The best Excel course for most analysts in 2026 is XelPlus because it covers modern formulas, Power Query, Power BI, and practical Copilot workflows in one curriculum. Choose Miss Excel if you are a beginner, Excel Campus if your goal is VBA or automation, Excel University if you are in accounting or finance, and Excel.TV Academy if you want dashboard and reporting depth.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. Excel TV may earn a commission if you buy through those links, at no extra cost to you. We rank these courses by use-case fit, curriculum depth, practical trade-offs, and how current the training is for Microsoft 365 and Copilot-era Excel.
Quick Recommendation
| If you are… | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A data analyst or reporting analyst | XelPlus | Best blend of Excel 365, Power Query, Power BI, and Copilot |
| Brand new to Excel | Miss Excel | Most approachable beginner path and short lesson style |
| Automating repetitive reports | Excel Campus | Strongest VBA, macro, add-in, and workflow automation focus |
| An accountant, CPA, or finance user | Excel University | Built around accounting, auditability, and reporting workflows |
| Building dashboards for stakeholders | Excel.TV Academy | Deep dashboard, Power Query, PivotTable, and VBA catalogue |
At a Glance
| # | Provider | Best for | Copilot coverage | Price tier | Link status checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | XelPlus | Analytics, Power BI, modern formulas | Strong | $$$ | Resolves to XelPlus courses |
| 2 | Excel Campus | VBA, macros, workflow automation | Light | $$ | Public store resolves |
| 3 | Miss Excel | Beginners and visual learners | Light | $$$ | Seasonal offer URL resolves |
| 4 | Excel University | Accountants, CPAs, finance teams | Light | $$ | Affiliate redirect resolves |
| 5 | Excel.TV Academy | Dashboards, VBA, Power Query | Integrated | $$$ | Redirects to live academy |
The right course depends less on the star rating and more on the work you need Excel to do. A beginner-friendly course is the wrong purchase if you already know formulas and need Power Query. A deep VBA course is the wrong purchase if your job is moving toward Power BI and Copilot. Match the course to the workflow first.
How We Evaluated These Courses
We scored the providers on five practical criteria:
| Criterion | What it means |
|---|---|
| Current Excel coverage | Dynamic arrays, XLOOKUP, LET/LAMBDA, Power Query, Microsoft 365 changes |
| Real work fit | Whether the lessons map to workplace tasks, not just feature tours |
| Depth | Whether the course teaches why formulas, models, or dashboards work |
| AI/Copilot readiness | Whether Copilot is taught as a workflow to validate, not magic |
| Buyer clarity | Whether the platform is honest about who the course is and is not for |
We also checked the outbound course links during this update. Four affiliate or direct links resolved normally. The old Excel Campus affiliate redirect returned a server error during testing, so the page now points to the working Excel Campus store instead of sending readers to a broken redirect.
Best Excel Course by Use Case
| Use case | Best choice | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| Learn modern Excel as an analyst | XelPlus | Excel.TV Academy |
| Learn Excel from scratch | Miss Excel | XelPlus |
| Learn VBA and macros | Excel Campus | Excel.TV Academy |
| Build finance and accounting reports | Excel University | Excel Campus |
| Build dashboards | Excel.TV Academy | XelPlus |
| Add Power BI to Excel skills | XelPlus | Excel.TV Academy |
| Learn with CPE-style structure | Excel University | Excel Campus |
| Keep lessons short and energetic | Miss Excel | XelPlus |
XelPlus Review
Best for: Analytics, Power BI, modern formulas, and Copilot workflows
Leila Gharani’s XelPlus platform is the best overall choice for analysts who want a single learning path across Excel 365, Power Query, Power BI, and Copilot. The curriculum is current, the explanations are clear, and the teaching style works well for people who need to apply skills immediately in reports, dashboards, and analysis workbooks.
The strongest part of XelPlus is its coverage of modern Excel. Dynamic arrays, XLOOKUP, LET, LAMBDA, Power Query, and Power BI are treated as connected tools instead of separate topics. That matters because current analyst work rarely stops at one formula. You may clean data in Power Query, model it in Power Pivot or Power BI, and then use Excel formulas for final analysis.
Strengths:
- Deep coverage of Excel 365 features, including dynamic arrays and modern formulas
- Strong Power Query and Power BI material for analysts moving beyond worksheet-only reporting
- Practical Copilot coverage that focuses on prompts, validation, and workflow support
- Clear teaching style with polished examples and well-structured lessons
Considerations:
- Premium pricing compared with one-off Udemy courses
- Power Apps and automation outside the Excel/Power BI stack are not the main focus
- Beginners can use it, but absolute beginners may prefer a gentler first course
Best fit: Analysts, data professionals, operations managers, and anyone whose Excel work now overlaps with Power BI or Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Rating: 4.3/5
Excel Campus Review
Best for: VBA, macros, add-ins, and workflow automation
Excel Campus is the best fit when your main problem is repetition. If you spend every week cleaning the same report, formatting the same workbook, or clicking through the same refresh steps, Jon Acampora’s courses are more directly useful than a general Excel course.
The platform leans heavily into VBA, macros, PivotTables, add-ins, and practical productivity workflows. That makes it less flashy than a Copilot-first course, but still highly valuable for real business work. A lot of teams still run on Excel files that need reliable automation, not a total rebuild.
Strengths:
- Strongest VBA and macro focus on this list
- Practical lessons for analysts who need to save time in existing workbooks
- Good coverage of PivotTables, add-ins, and repeatable workflow improvements
- Clear explanations for non-developers learning automation
Considerations:
- The old affiliate redirect returned a server error in testing, so this page now links to the working public store
- Copilot coverage is lighter than XelPlus
- Power BI is not the core strength
Best fit: Analysts, operations users, finance teams, and managers who need to automate recurring Excel tasks without becoming software developers.
Rating: 3.7/5
Miss Excel Review
Best for: Beginners and visual learners
Miss Excel is the best choice for people who feel intimidated by Excel and want the first 90 days of learning to feel approachable. Kat Norton’s style is visual, short-form, energetic, and beginner-friendly. That is a real advantage for learners who have bounced off traditional corporate training.
This is not the deepest advanced Excel platform on the list. It is not where we would send someone whose main goal is VBA, Power Query, or enterprise BI. But for new learners, the low-friction teaching style can be the difference between finishing a course and abandoning it after a few lessons.
Strengths:
- Best beginner experience on this list
- Short lessons that are easier to fit into a normal workday
- Strong for confidence-building, basic formulas, PivotTables, and common office workflows
- Seasonal offer URL resolved during this update
Considerations:
- Premium pricing for mostly beginner-to-intermediate coverage
- Limited depth on VBA, Power Query, and Power BI
- Advanced analysts will outgrow the platform quickly
Best fit: Beginners, admins, coordinators, entrepreneurs, and visual learners who need to become comfortable in Excel before moving into advanced topics.
Rating: 3.3/5
Excel University Review
Best for: Accountants, CPAs, and finance teams
Excel University is the strongest fit for accounting and finance users because it teaches Excel in the context of month-end close, reconciliations, reporting, and audit-friendly workbook design. The examples feel closer to finance work than general office training.
Jeff Lenning’s approach is structured and professional. If you need a course that maps to CPA or finance development rather than casual skill-building, this is the clearest fit. It also works well for teams that need consistent training across a finance department.
Strengths:
- Built around accounting and finance workflows
- Strong fit for CPAs, bookkeepers, controllers, and FP&A teams
- Good coverage of PivotTables, Power Query, formulas, and reporting discipline
- Affiliate redirect resolved to the training page during this update
Considerations:
- True beginners may need a simpler Excel basics course first
- Less broad than XelPlus for Power BI and modern analytics
- Not the best choice for creative dashboard design or general beginner confidence
Best fit: Accountants, CPAs, finance teams, controllers, and spreadsheet-heavy professionals who care about auditability and repeatable reporting.
Rating: 3.2/5
Excel.TV Academy Review
Best for: Dashboards, VBA, Power Query, and advanced reporting
Disclosure: Excel.TV Academy is our own platform. It is included because it fills a specific gap: dashboard and reporting workflows that combine formulas, charts, PivotTables, Power Query, and VBA. The flagship dashboard material is especially useful for analysts who need to produce stakeholder-facing Excel reports rather than only learn isolated features.
Excel.TV Academy is not the best first stop for a complete beginner. It is stronger after you already know the basics and want to build polished workbooks, dashboards, and automated reporting tools.
Strengths:
- Strong dashboard and reporting focus
- Practical coverage of Power Query, PivotTables, VBA, and chart techniques
- Useful for analysts who need to ship real workbooks to stakeholders
- Academy URL resolves to the live Excel TV academy
Considerations:
- Smaller catalogue than XelPlus or Excel Campus
- Less beginner-friendly than Miss Excel
- Because it is our own platform, compare it against the alternatives above before choosing
Best fit: Intermediate Excel users, dashboard builders, analysts, and people who want Excel reports that look and behave like real tools.
Rating: 3.7/5
Beginner Path
If you are new to Excel, do not start with the most advanced platform just because it has the highest ceiling. Start with the course that gets you through formulas, tables, charts, sorting, filtering, and PivotTables without overwhelming you.
Recommended path:
- Start with Miss Excel if confidence and pace are the main barriers.
- Move to XelPlus once you are comfortable with formulas and want modern Excel.
- Add Excel Campus only if you need macros or VBA.
The beginner mistake is buying a huge professional platform and then never opening it. Completion matters more than feature coverage in the first month.
Analyst and Data Professional Path
Analysts should prioritize modern Excel and data transformation. In 2026, that means XLOOKUP, dynamic arrays, Power Query, Power Pivot or Power BI, and enough Copilot knowledge to use AI without trusting it blindly.
Recommended path:
- Start with XelPlus for modern Excel, Power Query, and Power BI.
- Add Excel.TV Academy if dashboard delivery is part of your job.
- Use Excel Campus later if repetitive workbook automation becomes a bottleneck.
This path is best for reporting analysts, operations analysts, marketing analysts, business analysts, and anyone who regularly prepares data for decision-makers.
Finance and Accounting Path
Finance users need different Excel training than general analysts. Auditability, consistent workbook structure, repeatable close processes, and clear documentation matter more than novelty.
Recommended path:
- Start with Excel University for accounting and finance-specific training.
- Add Excel Campus for VBA, macro, and repetitive report automation.
- Add XelPlus if your team is moving reporting into Power BI.
This path is best for accountants, CPAs, FP&A analysts, controllers, and finance managers.
Automation Path
If your goal is automation, be clear about the kind of automation you need.
| Automation need | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Click fewer buttons in existing workbooks | Excel Campus |
| Clean imported data every week | XelPlus or Excel.TV Academy |
| Build refreshable dashboards | Excel.TV Academy |
| Automate finance reports | Excel Campus plus Excel University |
| Use AI to draft formulas or summarize data | XelPlus |
Do not assume Copilot replaces VBA or Power Query. Copilot can help draft formulas and explain data, but repeatable business processes still need structured workbooks, tested queries, or macros.
How to Choose Before You Buy
Use this short checklist before purchasing:
- Watch a free lesson from the instructor before buying.
- Confirm the course uses your Excel version, especially if you use desktop Excel at work.
- Check whether practice files are included.
- Decide whether you need certificates, CPE, or just practical skills.
- Look for recent lessons on Copilot, Power Query, or Excel 365 if those matter to your job.
- Avoid paying for an advanced platform if you only need a beginner refresh.
What Not to Buy
The wrong Excel course usually fails in one of three ways: it is too basic for your job, too advanced for your current skill level, or too broad to finish. Avoid any course that promises to teach “everything in Excel” without showing a clear path through formulas, tables, PivotTables, Power Query, and reporting. Excel is too large for a single vague course to cover well.
Be especially careful with beginner courses that spend most of their time on interface tours. Knowing where the ribbon buttons are is useful, but workplace value comes from repeatable workflows: cleaning a messy export, building a formula that can be audited, refreshing a report, explaining the result, and preventing the same mistake next month.
Also avoid courses that treat Copilot as a replacement for Excel fundamentals. Copilot can draft formulas, summarize data, and suggest next steps, but it can also hallucinate logic, miss hidden filters, and produce formulas that look plausible but fail on edge cases. A good 2026 Excel course should teach Copilot alongside validation habits: checking source ranges, testing formulas on known examples, and comparing AI output against PivotTables or Power Query results.
Buying for a Team
If you are buying training for a team, choose the course based on the team’s shared bottleneck, not the strongest individual’s interests. A finance team struggling with month-end close needs audit-friendly workbook structure and repeatable reporting. An operations team drowning in weekly exports needs Power Query or macro automation. A sales or marketing team may need dashboards and chart communication more than VBA.
For team purchases, ask five questions before choosing:
| Team question | What it reveals |
|---|---|
| What spreadsheet task wastes the most hours each month? | Whether automation, Power Query, or dashboard training matters most |
| Which Excel version does everyone actually use? | Whether XLOOKUP, dynamic arrays, and Copilot lessons are usable |
| Do learners need certificates or CPE? | Whether Excel University or a formal platform is a better fit |
| Are users beginners, analysts, or power users? | Whether Miss Excel, XelPlus, or Excel Campus is the right starting point |
| Will the team maintain shared files? | Whether standards, documentation, and auditability should be prioritized |
The best team rollout is often two-stage: start everyone on a common baseline, then split into role-specific tracks. For example, finance users can continue into Excel University, analysts into XelPlus, and automation-heavy users into Excel Campus. That approach prevents beginners from being overwhelmed while still giving advanced users room to grow.
Platform vs One-Off Course
Platform subscriptions work best when Excel is part of your ongoing job identity. If you are an analyst, accountant, operations manager, or reporting lead, a platform can be worth it because Excel keeps changing. Microsoft 365 adds functions, Power Query gets interface changes, and Copilot is still evolving.
One-off courses work best when the goal is narrow. If you only need PivotTables, Power Query basics, or dashboard design, a focused course may be cheaper and easier to complete. That is why the separate Udemy Excel course guide exists: Udemy is often better for a single skill, while the platforms on this page are better for longer-term development.
The practical test is simple: if you can name the exact skill you need, a one-off course may be enough. If your goal is “become the Excel person on my team,” choose a platform with a structured path and updates.
FAQ
What is the best Excel course overall?
XelPlus is the best overall choice for most analysts because it covers the broadest modern Excel skillset: formulas, Power Query, Power BI, and Copilot workflows. It is not the cheapest option, but it is the most complete for current analyst work.
What is the best Excel course for beginners?
Miss Excel is the best beginner choice because the lessons are short, visual, and less intimidating than traditional spreadsheet training. Once you know the basics, move to XelPlus or Excel.TV Academy for deeper analytics and reporting skills.
What is the best Excel course for VBA?
Excel Campus is the best pick for VBA, macros, and workflow automation. It is the most automation-focused provider on this list.
What is the best Excel course for finance?
Excel University is the best pick for accounting and finance because it teaches Excel through reporting, auditability, and professional finance workflows.
Should I choose a platform course or a Udemy course?
Choose a platform course when you want a guided learning path and ongoing updates. Choose a Udemy course when you need one specific skill at a lower price. For budget options, see our separate best Excel courses on Udemy guide.
Is Copilot coverage important in an Excel course?
Yes, but it should not replace core Excel training. The best courses teach Copilot as a workflow assistant and show how to validate its output with formulas, PivotTables, Power Query, or manual checks.
