Learning Hub
Best Excel Courses and Learning Resources (2026)
Reviewed and ranked — free YouTube channels, structured Udemy courses, and university-level Coursera specialisations. Skip the bad ones.
Quick Pick by Level
- Beginner: Microsoft's free training at support.microsoft.com
- Intermediate: Kyle Pew's Udemy course — 900k students, covers everything ($15–20 on sale)
- Advanced / career: Excel Skills for Business on Coursera (Macquarie University, free to audit)
Free Learning Resources
Genuinely useful — not just link dumps.
Microsoft Excel Training
Official video walkthroughs for every Excel feature. Authoritative, always up to date, organised by skill level.
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ExcelJet.net
The best reference site for Excel functions and formulas. Every function has a plain-English explanation, syntax breakdown, and working example.
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Chandoo.org
Free tutorials, templates, and challenges covering formulas, dashboards, Power Query, and VBA. Strong community forum.
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Excel Campus (YouTube)
Jon Acampora's channel — practical, real-world tutorials on formulas, Power Query, and productivity. Excellent production quality.
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Leila Gharani (YouTube)
One of the clearest Excel teachers on YouTube. Covers everything from basics to Power BI integration, with consistent updates for new features.
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ExcelIsFun (YouTube)
Mike Girvin's massive archive — thousands of videos, deeply technical. Best for people who want to understand exactly how things work.
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Best Udemy Courses
Udemy courses go on sale regularly for $15–20. Never pay full price — wait for a sale or use a coupon.
Microsoft Excel – Excel from Beginner to Advanced
All levelsKyle Pew · 900,000+ students
The most-taken Excel course on Udemy. Covers everything from entering data to pivot tables, VLOOKUP, and macros. Well-paced and genuinely complete.
View on Udemy →Microsoft Excel: Data Analysis with Excel Pivot Tables
IntermediateMaven Analytics · 200,000+ students
Focused entirely on pivot tables and data analysis — the right course if you already know Excel basics and want to get fast at summarising data.
View on Udemy →Excel VBA Programming – The Complete Guide
Intermediate–AdvancedBoris Paskhaver · 150,000+ students
Best-rated VBA course on Udemy. Covers recording macros, writing your own, working with files, and building user interfaces.
View on Udemy →Best Coursera Courses
Coursera courses can be audited for free. Pay only if you want the certificate.
Excel Skills for Business Specialisation
Beginner → AdvancedMacquarie University
4-course series covering Essentials, Intermediate I & II, and Advanced. Structured university-style with graded assignments. The most credentialled free-to-audit Excel course available.
View on Coursera →Data Analysis and Visualization with Excel
IntermediateDuke University
Focuses on using Excel for statistical analysis, dashboards, and data storytelling. Good bridge course for people moving toward data analytics roles.
View on Coursera →What to Learn Based on Your Level
| Your Level | Recommended Path | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Complete beginner | Microsoft's free training (microsoft.com) → Kyle Pew's Udemy course | Formulas, formatting, basic functions, simple charts |
| Intermediate | Leila Gharani YouTube + ExcelJet reference | XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, pivot tables, conditional formatting |
| Advanced | Chandoo.org Power Query series + Maven Analytics pivot tables course | Power Query, dynamic arrays, data modelling |
| VBA / automation | Boris Paskhaver's VBA course on Udemy | Macros, automation, custom functions, file handling |
| Excel + AI | ExcelErrorFinder Excel + AI guide | Using Copilot, ChatGPT, and AI tools with spreadsheets |
| Excel for data roles | Coursera Excel Skills for Business (Macquarie) | Credentialled learning, statistical analysis, dashboarding |
New in 2025–2026
AI is changing how people learn Excel
You can now paste a formula error into ChatGPT and get a fix in seconds. Microsoft Copilot writes formulas from plain English. Learning Excel and learning to use AI tools together is the fastest path to spreadsheet proficiency in 2026.
Formula Guides for Self-Learners
Excel Formulas Hub
Every essential formula category — lookup, conditional math, logic, and text — with full guides.
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XLOOKUP Complete Guide
The modern replacement for VLOOKUP — simpler, more powerful, with examples.
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INDEX MATCH Complete Guide
The flexible lookup formula that works in all Excel versions.
Read guide →
SUMIFS and COUNTIFS Guide
Conditional summing and counting with multiple criteria.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to learn Excel for free?
Microsoft's own Excel training at support.microsoft.com covers every feature with video walkthroughs at no cost. ExcelJet.net has function-by-function guides with real examples. YouTube channels — particularly Leila Gharani and ExcelIsFun — cover everything from basics to advanced techniques.
How long does it take to learn Excel?
Basic proficiency takes 1–2 days. Intermediate skills (XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, pivot tables) take 2–4 weeks of practice. Advanced Excel (Power Query, dynamic arrays, VBA) takes 3–6 months of regular use. The fastest path is learning functions you need for your actual work.
Is an Excel certification worth it?
Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification is recognised by employers and worth pursuing for data-heavy roles. Pairing it with the Coursera Excel Skills for Business specialisation (Macquarie University) carries more weight for career advancement.