# Datarails vs Microsoft Excel: which do AI models recommend for financial modeling, September 2026

Finance AI Recommendation Index, September 2026 Edition, Financial modeling and scenario planning. Eight of twelve models named Datarails first on the direct prompt; zero named Microsoft Excel. Page: https://finance-ai-index.com/planning/financial-modeling-and-scenario-planning/datarails-vs-microsoft-excel/

| | First-choice share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels | Models naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Datarails | 19% | #1 of 8 | 5% | 21 | 11 of 12 |
| Microsoft Excel | 11% | #4 of 8 | 21% | 14 | 8 of 12 |

## The direct prompt, model by model

- GPT-5.4 mini: datarails first (first choices: Datarails) (alternatives: Abacum, Anaplan)
- Perplexity Sonar: datarails first (first choices: Datarails, Drivetrain) (alternatives: Anaplan, Planful, Vena)
- Grok 4.1 Fast: datarails first (first choices: Cube, Datarails) (alternatives: Drivetrain, Limelight, Pigment, Vena)
- Mistral Small: datarails first (first choices: Datarails, Limelight) (alternatives: Cube, Planful, Vena)
- Llama 4 Maverick: datarails first (first choices: Datarails) (alternatives: Abacum, Cube, Lucanet xP&A, Mosaic, Vena)
- Kimi K2: datarails first (first choices: Datarails) (alternatives: Aleph, Centage Planning Maestro, Cube)
- GLM 4.7 FlashX: datarails first (first choices: Datarails) (alternatives: Cube, Drivetrain, Mosaic, Planful)
- MiniMax M2.5: datarails first (first choices: Datarails) (alternatives: Cube, Planful)
- Gemini 3.5 Flash: neither first, one named (first choices: Mosaic, Pigment) (alternatives: Centage Planning Maestro, Cube, Datarails, Planful, Vena)
- DeepSeek V4 Flash: neither first, one named (first choices: Limelight) (alternatives: Abacum, Cube, Datarails, Pigment, Planful)
- Claude Haiku 4.5: neither named
- Qwen 3.7 Flash: neither named (first choices: Cube) (alternatives: Fathom, Float, Jedox, Jirav, Planful, Vena)

## What the models said about Datarails

- "Avoid pricier dedicated tools like Finmark ($50+/month) or Datarails until revenue grows" (Grok 4.1 Fast, budget prompt, hard negative)
- "Datarails is widely considered the best financial modeling software for most mid-market B2B companies" (MiniMax M2.5, direct prompt, first choice)
- "If you rely heavily on Excel and want a seamless transition, Datarails is the top pick." (Mistral Small, direct prompt, first choice)

## What the models said about Microsoft Excel

- "Microsoft Excel | General‑purpose financial modeling | Dominant in finance, powerful formulas, Python in Excel, AI Copilot, wide ecosystem" (GLM 4.7 FlashX, comparative prompt, first choice)
- "Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets remain the practical sweet spot, offering functionality, familiarity, and affordability." (Claude Haiku 4.5, budget prompt, first choice)
- "For many small businesses, the absolute best tool is the one you likely already own." (Qwen 3.7 Flash, budget prompt, first choice)

Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all twelve models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category. Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category. Published under CC BY 4.0; the output is the models' output, and nothing here is a recommendation by the index.