Questions, answered
The short version: your data stays yours, you see every change before it happens, and you only pay at the download.
What does TidyCell actually do?
You open a messy Excel or CSV file, choose a focused tool, preview its proposed changes, and approve the step. You can undo or redo as you work, compare against the original, and download the cleaned version of your real file. Most cleaning is deterministic and happens entirely in your browser.
Do I need an account to try it?
No. Open a file and start cleaning right away — no signup and no card. Your recent files can be kept in this browser for local recovery; TidyCell does not store them on its servers.
What file types work?
Excel files (.xlsx) and CSVs, up to 50 MB. Multi-sheet workbooks are supported on paid tiers; the free tier cleans your first sheet.
Do I need to know formulas, or how to prompt an AI?
Neither. Pick the tool that matches the job and use its guided controls. Ask TidyCell accepts plain-English questions when you want help understanding the data, but cleaning does not depend on writing a prompt.
Is my file uploaded to your servers?
No. Your spreadsheet opens, is cleaned, and is exported entirely in your browser — it never travels to a TidyCell server, and we keep no copy of it. There's no server-side “processing” step and no cloud storage of your data. Recent files can be kept in this browser for your own convenience, and you can clear them anytime.
Does the AI see my whole spreadsheet?
No. Most tools use no AI at all. AI features receive bounded, purpose-built receipts rather than a workbook. Find a Problem is the explicit exception: after a local scan, it shows you the exact limited candidate cells and nearby context and sends them only if you approve.
What happens to my file after I clean it?
The workbook stays in your browser. TidyCell does not upload or store it on its servers. Local recovery copies and recent-file history remain under this browser's storage controls.
Can TidyCell delete rows from my data without telling me?
Never. Rows that fail a validation you enabled are quarantined, not deleted — pulled out into a separate, downloadable file with a plain reason for each row. You can rescue them with a fix, or keep them out. Silently losing data is the one thing the product is designed to make impossible.
Is the preview really what I'll download?
Yes. The preview and download derive from the same cleaned workbook. TidyCell mutates the uploaded workbook rather than rebuilding it, preserving formulas, formatting and rich workbook content whenever an edit can be applied safely.
What kinds of messes can it fix?
Inconsistent date formats, casing chaos (JANE DOE / jane doe), stray whitespace, currency stored as text, duplicate rows, blank rows, junk placeholders (N/A, TBD, “-”, 00/00/0000), case-variant categories (Payment vs payment), near-miss typos, columns that need splitting or merging, messy headers, and values that don't belong in their column. The features page has before → after examples of each.
What if a tool proposes something I don't want?
Do not approve it. Each tool previews its work before committing a step, and committed steps can be undone or redone. Pro also includes direct cell editing for exceptions.
Will it do the same thing every time?
Yes. Approved cleaning operations are deterministic, so the same operation and inputs produce the same output across every applicable row.
Will my formulas, formatting, and other sheets survive?
Yes. TidyCell edits your uploaded workbook in place rather than rebuilding it from scratch, so what you download is your real file — formulas still calculating, number formats, merged cells, column widths, charts, pivot tables, and every other worksheet intact. It only changes the cells your approved cleanup actually touched.
What's actually free?
Tidy Cleanup and downloads are free up to 1,000 rows on a single sheet. On a larger file, you can still work locally and download the first 1,000 rows free so you can judge the result before paying.
I have one big file. Do I need a subscription?
No — that's the $4 single-file option: clean one file up to 100,000 rows and download it, no account needed.
What does Pro add?
Pro ($12/mo) covers files up to 100,000 rows with multi-sheet support, Numbers & Currency, Column Parsing, Filter & Read, Find a Problem, Ask TidyCell, cell editing, and Split Sheets.
When do I pay?
Only when you choose a paid option. Uploading, cleaning, and previewing are free, and a larger one-off file is paid at download — you'll never pay for a result you haven't seen.
How do I cancel?
From your account page, one click into the billing portal (handled by Stripe). Your plan runs to the end of the paid period; no emails, no phone calls, no retention dance.