You can get a free Excel certificate from LogicExcel (pass a timed exam), Excel Easy (complete all 49 chapters) or Great Learning Academy (complete its free beginner course). None of them is a Microsoft certification. The only Excel certification Microsoft itself issues comes from the paid MO-200 and MO-201 exams.
Free Excel Courses with Certificate: What Each One Proves
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LogicExcel is our site, so weigh what we say about it with that in mind. We checked every other provider below on its own pages on 24 October 2026.
Free Excel certificates compared
| Provider | What you do to earn it | Cost | What it proves |
| LogicExcel | Pass a timed exam at the end of a free course (Excel I to IV) | Free; print it or save it as a PDF | You passed a 10-question exam in 15 minutes at 70% or better |
| Excel Easy | Complete all 49 chapters of its tutorial | Free | You completed the tutorial |
| Great Learning Academy | Complete its free Excel for Beginners course | Free, sign-up to enrol | You completed the course |
| W3Schools | Pass its Excel exam | Paid exam, free tutorial | You passed its exam |
| Microsoft MO-200 / MO-201 | Pass a proctored exam | Paid, price set by country | Microsoft Office Specialist certification |
What a free certificate does and does not prove
A free certificate proves you finished something. It does not prove you can use Excel under time pressure. Employers who care about Excel skills usually test them directly: an Excel test at interview, a timed online assessment such as Indeed's, or a task in a sheet.
So the most useful free certificate is the one that made you prove the skill. That is why the LogicExcel certificate comes from a timed exam rather than from finishing the lessons. Even so, treat any free certificate as a line on your CV that starts a conversation, not as a qualification.
LogicExcel: certificate from a timed exam
Four free courses, shown on the site as Excel I to IV, each have 5 lessons, 30 quiz questions and a final exam.
- The exam: 10 questions, 15 minutes, 70% to pass.
- Attempts: three, with 24 hours between them.
- What you practise: every lesson is typed in a live sheet in the browser and marked as you go, so the exam tests something you have already done.
- Limits: it is our certificate, not an accredited or Microsoft qualification. There are no video lessons.
Excel Easy: certificate for finishing the tutorial
Excel Easy's free written tutorial covers the basics, functions, data analysis and VBA. It offers a certificate when you complete all 49 chapters, and it tracks your progress through them. You practise each example in your own copy of Excel.
Great Learning Academy: certificate for finishing a free course
Great Learning Academy offers a free Excel for Beginners course with a completion certificate. You sign up to enrol, and the course is self-paced.
Microsoft MO-200 and MO-201: the paid certification
If a job advert asks for a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification, only the Microsoft exams count. MO-200 is the Excel Associate exam and MO-201 is the Excel Expert exam. Both are paid, proctored exams, and the price depends on your country. Our guide to the MO-200 and MO-201 exams covers what each one tests and how to practise for it for free.
Which certificate should you get?
- You want proof for a CV, free: a LogicExcel course exam, because you had to pass a timed test to get it.
- You want a structured course you work through at your own pace: Great Learning's free beginner course.
- You prefer reading: Excel Easy, and its certificate when you finish.
- The job advert names MOS or MO-200: the Microsoft exam. Practise first with the free Excel test with answers.
- You have an Excel test at interview: skip certificates for now and practise the test itself.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a free Excel certificate?
Yes. LogicExcel gives one for passing a timed exam at the end of each of its four free courses, Excel Easy gives one for completing all 49 chapters, and Great Learning Academy gives one for completing its free beginner course.
Is there a free Microsoft Excel certification?
No. Microsoft's Excel certifications, MO-200 and MO-201, are paid proctored exams. Free certificates from training sites are issued by those sites, not by Microsoft.
Do employers accept free Excel certificates?
They show interest and effort, but employers who need Excel skills usually test them directly with an interview test or an online assessment. A certificate earned by passing a timed exam is better evidence than one earned by finishing lessons.
How long does it take to get a free Excel certificate?
Each LogicExcel course has 5 lessons and a 15-minute exam, so a few short sessions. Excel Easy's certificate requires all 49 chapters, which takes much longer.
What is the difference between a certificate and a certification?
A certificate usually shows you completed a course or passed a site's own test. A certification, such as Microsoft Office Specialist, comes from a proctored exam set by the software maker or an accredited body.
Which free Excel certificate is best for a job?
One that required you to pass a timed test, listed alongside the skills it covered, such as IF, COUNTIF, SUMIF, VLOOKUP and pivot tables. Be ready to show those skills in an interview test.
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