Vikkla vs Excel

Excel is free and flexible — which is why many people use it to track job applications. But a job search isn't a data table; it's a flow with stages, deadlines, and follow-ups. Here's how a dedicated tool differs from a spreadsheet.

When Vikkla is a better fit

  • →You're applying to more than 10 jobs in parallel and losing track of which version went where
  • →You want to see the whole pipeline visually — what's where, what's next
  • →You need automatic reminders for deadlines and follow-ups
  • →You want the CV tailored per listing without copy-paste-edit cycles
  • →You want to save listings directly from LinkedIn/company sites with one click

When Excel is a better fit

  • →You're applying to fewer than 5 jobs and need no structure beyond a list
  • →You prefer free form and want to own the data as an .xlsx file
  • →You don't want to pay anything, not even €6/month

Feature by feature

VikklaExcel
Price per month€6Free (with Office)
Visual pipeline (kanban)✓—
Save jobs from any site with one click✓—
AI CV tailored per listing✓—
AI cover letter✓—
ATS analysis against specific listing✓—
Automatic deadline reminders✓—
Response-rate stats per CV version✓Manual via formulas
Free form, full control over schema—✓
Works offline—✓

Try Vikkla yourself

14 days free. No credit card. Cancel anytime from settings.

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Frequently asked questions

Why not just use Excel?
Excel is fantastic for tabular data — but a job search is a flow with stages, not a table. You spend time building and maintaining formulas to do what a dedicated tool does automatically. And Excel can't help with CV tailoring, ATS analysis, or reminders.
Can I import my spreadsheet to Vikkla?
Yes — email your .xlsx to support@vikkla.com during the trial and we'll import it manually for free. Columns we match: job title, company, location, deadline, URL, status.
What happens if I cancel Vikkla after the job search?
You can export all data as CSV (Excel-compatible) before cancelling. You keep your application history — we just remove the Vikkla account.
Isn't it overkill for 5–10 applications?
For 5–10 jobs, Excel or Notes is fine. Vikkla becomes obviously valuable at 15+ parallel applications, or over a longer search (3+ months). Then follow-up, CV-version handling, and reminders earn their keep.