Array Assistant vs AskCSV

Array Assistant is a Microsoft Excel add-in that puts nine AI helpers inside your workbook. You install the plugin, open a sheet, and run tools for formula writing, data cleanup, summaries, list building, trend spotting, and text drafting without leaving Excel.

Most spreadsheet add-ins charge from day one or hide everything behind one chat box. Array Assistant splits work into named tools like Formula Generator, Data Cleaner, and Trend Analyzer, each tuned to a spreadsheet task. The Basic plan stays free at 200 requests per month, and the site publishes solution pages for investment banking, private equity, accounting, venture capital, consulting, real estate, and insurance teams rather than pitching a generic assistant.

The plugin suits analysts, students, and business professionals who live in Excel and want faster formula work, cleaner columns, and quick text inside cells. Corporate teams can request custom pricing when they need unlimited usage across employees.

AskCSV runs CSV and TSV analysis entirely in your browser. You drop a file, ask business questions in plain English, and get tables or charts without uploading spreadsheet rows to AskCSV servers. It targets anyone who wants Excel-style answers from tabular exports while keeping revenue, customer, or HR data off shared infrastructure.

Most AI spreadsheet tools route your file through cloud models. AskCSV keeps the query path local instead. An on-device AI turns questions into SQL, DuckDB runs the query in the browser, and only app assets plus the cached model use the network. That trade-off means a one-time 1.8 GB model download and WebGPU browser requirements, but the site documents a verifiable zero-upload path you can confirm in DevTools.

Pro at $5 per month adds unlimited successful analyses, ZIP and chart PNG exports, deterministic two-file join or stack, and an ad-free interface. The free tier still covers 10 successful analyses per month with no account required, though ads fund that plan. Failed query attempts do not consume the monthly analysis counter.

The workflow fits analysts, marketers, and small business owners who work with sales exports, customer lists, or operational spreadsheets and need quick charts without building pivot tables. Google sign-in is only required when upgrading to Pro, with billing handled through Stripe while file data stays in the browser.