12 Best Microsoft Excel Courses in 2026

If you've watched a coworker manipulate data in Excel with a few keystrokes while you're still manually copying and pasting cells one at a time, you know exactly how limiting basic Excel skills can be. What takes them thirty seconds takes you thirty minutes, and somewhere in that gap is a productivity advantage that compounds over every workday for an entire career.

Excel is one of those skills where the difference between basic and proficient is enormous. Knowing how to enter data and create simple formulas is useful. Knowing how to use pivot tables, VLOOKUP, conditional formatting, and macros makes you genuinely valuable. Understanding Power Query, dynamic arrays, and advanced data analysis techniques puts you in a category most professionals never reach.

The frustrating part is that Excel proficiency looks like magic when you don't have it, but it's actually just a learnable skill set. Nobody is born knowing how to build complex financial models or automate reporting dashboards. They learned it somewhere, and in 2026, you can learn it too, often for free, always on your own schedule.

This guide covers the 12 best Excel courses available in 2026, ranging from beginner-friendly introductions to advanced data analysis and automation training. Whether you're starting from zero or trying to move from intermediate to expert, there's a course here that will get you there.

What Do Excel Courses Teach?

Excel courses vary dramatically in what they cover and who they're designed for. Understanding the different skill levels helps you choose courses that match where you are now.

Beginner courses typically cover:

• Interface navigation and basic operations
• Entering and formatting data
• Basic formulas and functions (SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT)
• Creating simple charts and graphs
• Sorting and filtering data

Intermediate courses add:

• Advanced formulas (IF, VLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, SUMIFS)
• Pivot tables and pivot charts
• Conditional formatting and data validation
• Named ranges and structured references
• Basic data analysis techniques

Advanced courses include:

• Power Query for data transformation
• Power Pivot and data modeling
• Advanced functions (array formulas, dynamic arrays)
• Macros and VBA automation
• Financial modeling and scenario analysis
• Dashboard creation and visualization

The best Excel courses combine clear instruction with hands-on practice. You learn by doing, not just watching, which means the skills actually stick.

1. Microsoft Excel - Excel from Beginner to Advanced (Udemy - Kyle Pew)

Pricing: Typically $15–$20 during frequent Udemy sales (regular price ~$90)

Best for: Complete beginners who want comprehensive coverage from basics through advanced topics

Overview:

This is consistently one of the highest-rated Excel courses on Udemy, with hundreds of thousands of students and near-perfect reviews. Kyle Pew takes you from absolute basics through advanced functions, pivot tables, and even some VBA automation.

The course is structured logically, includes downloadable exercise files, and covers both Windows and Mac versions of Excel.

Key Features:

• Over 18 hours of video content
• Covers beginner through advanced topics in one course
• Downloadable practice files for every section
• Includes pivot tables, formulas, charts, and basic macros
• Lifetime access after purchase
• Certificate of completion

Why it's great:

The progression is smooth, you're never thrown into advanced topics without proper foundation. Kyle's teaching style is clear and patient, which matters when you're learning technical skills. For the sale price, the value is exceptional.

Downside:

Like all Udemy courses, the certificate won't carry much weight with employers. Use it to build actual skills and create work samples, not just to collect a badge.

2. Excel Skills for Business Specialization (Macquarie University - Coursera)

Pricing: Free to audit; certificate ~$49/month through Coursera Plus

Best for: Business professionals who want university-backed credentials and systematic progression

Overview:

Macquarie University's Excel specialization is one of the most comprehensive structured programs available online. It includes four courses, Essentials, Intermediate I, Intermediate II, and Advanced, taking you from complete beginner to expert-level skills.

The courses are taught by university faculty and designed specifically for business applications of Excel, covering scenarios and examples from real workplace situations.

Key Features:

• Four courses covering beginner through advanced levels
• University credential from Macquarie University
• Focus on business applications and real-world scenarios
• Covers formulas, pivot tables, data analysis, and automation
• Free to audit with full access to content
• Graded assignments in paid track

Why it's great:

The systematic progression ensures you don't skip foundational concepts, and the university credential carries more weight than platform certificates. The business focus means you're learning Excel as it's actually used in professional environments.

Downside:

It's longer and more structured than some learners want. If you just need specific skills quickly, a more targeted course might be more efficient.

3. Excel Essentials: The Complete Excel Series (LinkedIn Learning - Dennis Taylor)

Pricing: Included with LinkedIn Premium (~$39.99/month)

Best for: Professionals who want courses that display directly on LinkedIn profiles

Overview:

Dennis Taylor's Excel series on LinkedIn Learning covers the full range from basic to advanced, broken into multiple courses you can take individually or as a complete series. The content is practical, well-organized, and updated regularly.

Completed courses show directly on your LinkedIn profile, which adds visible credibility when recruiters or hiring managers review your background.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive series covering all skill levels
• Shows directly on LinkedIn profile when completed
• Regularly updated for new Excel features
• Downloadable exercise files
• Clear, practical instruction
• Includes advanced topics like Power Query and Power Pivot

Why it's great:

The LinkedIn integration means your learning is visible to your professional network. The course quality is consistently high, and Dennis Taylor is one of the clearest Excel instructors out there.

Downside:

LinkedIn Premium's monthly cost is high if you're only using it for Excel training. The value improves if you're also using LinkedIn Learning for other professional development.

4. Excel Exposure (Free Online Course)

Pricing: Completely free

Best for: Budget learners who want comprehensive free training

Overview:

Excel Exposure offers a complete free Excel training program covering basics through advanced topics. The lessons are text and screenshot-based rather than video, which some learners find easier to follow at their own pace.

The site includes practice exercises and quizzes to test your understanding as you progress through the material.

Key Features:

• Completely free with no subscription
• Covers beginner through advanced topics
• Text and screenshot format for easy reference
• Practice exercises included
• Covers formulas, pivot tables, VBA, and more
• No registration required

Why it's great:

It's comprehensive and completely free. The text format also makes it easy to reference specific topics when you need a quick refresher, unlike video courses where you have to search through timestamps.

Downside:

No certificate, and the format feels dated compared to modern video courses. It's pure functionality over polish, which is fine if you're focused on learning rather than credentials.

5. Excel - Advanced Excel Formulas & Functions (Udemy - Maven Analytics)

Pricing: Typically $15–$20 on sale (regular price ~$90)

Best for: Intermediate users who want to master complex formulas and functions

Overview:

Maven Analytics focuses specifically on advanced formulas and functions that separate proficient Excel users from basic ones. You'll learn INDEX/MATCH, array formulas, dynamic arrays (new in Microsoft 365), advanced conditional logic, and more.

The course assumes you already understand Excel basics and jumps straight into power-user territory.

Key Features:

• Focused specifically on advanced formulas
• Covers INDEX/MATCH, array formulas, and dynamic arrays
• Real-world business scenarios and examples
• Downloadable practice files
• Over 7 hours of focused content
• Lifetime access

Why it's great:

Instead of spending time on basics you already know, this course goes deep on the formulas that make Excel truly powerful. If you're comfortable with basics and want to level up your formula game, this is one of the best options.

Downside:

Not for beginners. If you don't already understand basic formulas, cell references, and Excel navigation, you'll be lost immediately.

6. Microsoft Excel - Data Analysis with Excel Pivot Tables (Udemy - Maven Analytics)

Pricing: Typically $15–$20 on sale (regular price ~$90)

Best for: Analysts who need to master pivot tables for data analysis

Overview:

Pivot tables are one of Excel's most powerful features, but most people either don't use them or only scratch the surface of what's possible. This course goes deep on pivot table functionality, teaching you to analyze large datasets, create dynamic reports, and build interactive dashboards.

You'll work with real datasets and learn techniques that apply directly to business analytics and reporting roles.

Key Features:

• Focused entirely on pivot tables and pivot charts
• Covers calculated fields, slicers, and timeline filters
• Interactive dashboard creation
• Real business datasets for practice
• Over 4 hours of targeted content
• Lifetime access

Why it's great:

Pivot table mastery is one of those skills that looks impressive and is genuinely valuable. Many analysts spend hours doing manually what pivot tables could do in minutes, this course closes that gap.

Downside:

It's narrow in focus. If you need broader Excel training, you'll need to combine this with other courses covering different topics.

7. Microsoft Excel - Power Query, Power Pivot & DAX (Udemy - Maven Analytics)

Pricing: Typically $15–$20 on sale (regular price ~$90)

Best for: Advanced users working with large datasets and business intelligence

Overview:

Power Query and Power Pivot transform Excel from a spreadsheet tool into a serious business intelligence platform. This course teaches you to import data from multiple sources, transform and clean it efficiently, build data models, and create calculations using DAX (Data Analysis Expressions).

These are the skills that separate Excel power users from Excel developers, and they're increasingly expected in data analyst and business intelligence roles.

Key Features:

• Covers Power Query for data transformation
• Power Pivot for data modeling
• DAX formulas for advanced calculations
• Real business scenarios and datasets
• Over 8 hours of advanced content
• Microsoft 365 focused

Why it's great:

Once you understand Power Query and Power Pivot, you can do things in Excel that most people think require specialized BI tools like Tableau or Power BI. These skills are genuinely differentiating in the job market.

Downside:

Requires Microsoft 365 or Excel 2016/2019 with Power Query and Power Pivot enabled. Won't work with older versions or Excel for Mac in some cases. Also definitely not for beginners.

8. Excel VBA Programming - The Complete Guide (Udemy - Boris Paskhaver)

Pricing: Typically $15–$20 on sale (regular price ~$90)

Best for: Users who want to automate repetitive tasks with macros and VBA

Overview:

VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) is Excel's programming language, and it allows you to automate virtually anything you can do manually. This comprehensive course teaches you programming fundamentals, macro recording, VBA coding, and building custom Excel applications.

If you find yourself doing the same Excel tasks repeatedly, VBA automation can save hours of work every week.

Key Features:

• Complete VBA programming course from scratch
• No programming experience required
• Covers macro recording and custom VBA code
• Building user forms and custom applications
• Over 16 hours of content
• Real automation projects throughout

Why it's great:

Automation is one of the highest-leverage skills you can develop. Learning to automate repetitive Excel tasks pays dividends every single day. Boris's teaching style is clear and assumes no prior programming knowledge.

Downside:

VBA has a steeper learning curve than formulas or pivot tables. It requires patience and practice, and not everyone needs this level of Excel capability for their work.

9. Financial Modeling in Excel (Corporate Finance Institute - CFI)

Pricing: Free introductory course; full program requires CFI membership (~$497/year)

Best for: Finance professionals building financial models and forecasts

Overview:

CFI's financial modeling course teaches you to build three-statement models (income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement) in Excel, complete with assumptions, scenarios, and sensitivity analysis. It's designed for financial analysts, investment bankers, and anyone in corporate finance.

The free introductory course covers basics, while the full program goes deep into valuation, M&A modeling, and LBO analysis.

Key Features:

• Focused on financial modeling best practices
• Three-statement model building
• Valuation techniques and DCF analysis
• Industry-standard formatting and structure
• Certificate upon completion
• Taught by finance professionals

Why it's great:

If you work in finance or want to, financial modeling skills are essentially mandatory. CFI's training is industry-recognized and teaches you to build models the way investment banks and corporate finance teams actually do it.

Downside:

It's specialized and expensive beyond the intro course. Only worth it if financial modeling is directly relevant to your career path.

10. Excel Charts and Graphs (Coursera - Macquarie University)

Pricing: Free to audit; certificate ~$49/month

Best for: Creating professional visualizations and dashboards

Overview:

Part of Macquarie's Excel specialization, this course focuses specifically on creating effective charts, graphs, and visualizations in Excel. You'll learn when to use different chart types, how to design clear visuals, and how to build interactive dashboards.

Good data visualization is surprisingly rare, most people create cluttered, confusing charts. This course teaches you to communicate data clearly and professionally.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive coverage of Excel chart types
• Design principles for effective visualization
• Creating interactive dashboards
• University credential from Macquarie
• Free to audit
• Real business examples

Why it's great:

Being able to present data visually in a way that actually communicates insights is valuable across every business function. Charts that clearly tell a story are far more influential than spreadsheets full of numbers.

Downside:

It's focused solely on visualization. For formula skills, data analysis, or automation, you'll need separate courses.

11. Excel Quick Tips (YouTube - MyExcelOnline)

Pricing: Completely free

Best for: Quick learning of specific Excel techniques and shortcuts

Overview:

MyExcelOnline's YouTube channel offers hundreds of short videos covering specific Excel tips, tricks, and techniques. Each video focuses on a single topic, a specific formula, a keyboard shortcut, a formatting technique, making it easy to find exactly what you need when you need it.

This isn't a comprehensive course, but it's an invaluable supplementary resource for ongoing learning.

Key Features:

• Hundreds of short tutorial videos
• Completely free on YouTube
• Covers tips across all skill levels
• Easy to find specific topics
• New content added regularly
• No registration required

Why it's great:

When you're stuck on a specific Excel problem or want to learn one particular technique, 5-minute YouTube videos are often more efficient than working through hour-long course modules. This channel is one of the best for targeted learning.

Downside:

No structure or progression. Great as a supplement to systematic courses, but you won't build comprehensive Excel skills from YouTube alone.

12. Excel LAMBDA Functions (Microsoft Learn - Free)

Pricing: Completely free

Best for: Advanced users learning Excel's newest custom function capabilities

Overview:

LAMBDA is one of Excel's newest and most powerful features, allowing you to create custom functions without VBA. Microsoft Learn offers free documentation and tutorials on LAMBDA, which represents the cutting edge of Excel functionality in 2026.

This is for advanced users who want to stay current with Excel's evolving capabilities.

Key Features:

• Official Microsoft documentation and training
• Completely free
• Covers newest Excel features
• Creating custom reusable functions
• Reduces need for VBA in many scenarios
• Regularly updated

Why it's great:

LAMBDA and related features (LET, MAKEARRAY, etc.) are transforming what's possible in Excel without programming. Learning them now puts you ahead of most Excel users who haven't discovered these capabilities yet.

Downside:

Requires Microsoft 365 subscription and very advanced Excel knowledge. This is genuinely cutting-edge stuff that builds on expert-level foundations.

How to Choose the Right Excel Course

The right course depends on your current skill level and what you need Excel for.

If you're starting from zero: Begin with either the Udemy beginner-to-advanced course or Macquarie's specialization. Both take you from basics through advanced topics systematically. Choose Udemy for one-time purchase, Macquarie for university credentials.

If you know basics but struggle with formulas: Maven Analytics' Advanced Formulas course teaches the functions that separate proficient users from basic ones. Focus here before moving to other advanced topics.

If you analyze data but don't use pivot tables well: Maven's Pivot Tables course is focused and practical. Master this one skill and your data analysis efficiency will increase dramatically.

If you work with large datasets from multiple sources: Power Query and Power Pivot transform how you handle data. Maven's course on these topics is worth the investment if you regularly work with complex data.

If you do repetitive Excel tasks: VBA automation pays for itself quickly. Boris Paskhaver's complete VBA course teaches you to automate almost anything in Excel.

If you work in finance: CFI's financial modeling training is industry-standard. The membership is expensive but worth it if building financial models is central to your role.

If you need specific skills quickly: YouTube channels like MyExcelOnline let you learn individual techniques without working through full courses. Great for targeted problem-solving.

Building Excel Expertise: A Recommended Path

Rather than jumping around randomly, consider this structured progression:

Phase 1: Foundations (2-4 weeks)

• Complete a comprehensive beginner course (Udemy or Macquarie)
• Practice daily with real work data
• Focus on navigation, basic formulas, and formatting

Phase 2: Core Skills (1-2 months)

• Master advanced formulas (INDEX/MATCH, SUMIFS, array formulas)
• Learn pivot tables thoroughly
• Practice conditional formatting and data validation

Phase 3: Specialization (2-3 months)

• Choose based on your role: Power Query for data work, VBA for automation, financial modeling for finance
• Build real projects applying these skills
• Create portfolio examples

Phase 4: Mastery (ongoing)

• Stay current with new Excel features
• Learn complementary tools (Power BI, SQL, Python)
• Teach others, explaining cements expertise

What to Do While Learning Excel

Courses teach you what's possible. Practice makes you proficient. Here's how to maximize your learning:

Apply skills to real work immediately: Don't wait until you "finish" a course to use what you're learning. Apply each new technique to actual work problems within days of learning it.

Build a portfolio of Excel work: Create examples of dashboards, analyses, or automated reports you can show in interviews or to managers. Real work samples demonstrate capability better than certificates.

Teach someone else what you're learning: Explaining Excel techniques to colleagues reinforces your own understanding and builds your reputation as the Excel expert on your team.

Set specific skill goals: "Learn Excel" is too vague. "Build a pivot table dashboard for our sales data" or "Automate my weekly report with VBA" gives you concrete targets.

Practice with your own data: Course exercises are useful, but you'll learn faster working with data you actually care about. Apply course techniques to your own work or personal projects.

Conclusion

Excel proficiency is one of those skills that compounds over an entire career. Every report you build faster, every analysis you automate, every insight you uncover through data, it all adds up to hundreds of hours saved and countless opportunities created.

The difference between basic Excel skills and genuine proficiency is enormous, but the gap is completely closable with the right training and consistent practice. In 2026, that training is more accessible than ever, world-class instruction available for twenty dollars or less, often completely free.

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