Statistics that explain themselves.
Run t-tests, ANOVA, regression and 30+ analyses in Google Sheets. ExplainStats picks the right test, checks the assumptions and tells you what the results mean, in plain language and ready to paste into your report.
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Assistant: which test? | ||
| 2 | ● Statistically significant (p < .001, α = 0.05) | ||
| 3 | Recommended test | One-way ANOVA + Tukey HSD | |
| 4 | |||
| 5 | Check | Result | Status |
| 6 | Sample size | n = 12, 12, 12 | ✔ |
| 7 | Normality: Method A | W = 0.970, p = .915 | ✔ |
| 8 | Normality: Method B | W = 0.980, p = .982 | ✔ |
| 9 | Normality: Method C | W = 0.979, p = .981 | ✔ |
| 10 | Outliers | 0 / 36 | ✔ |
| 11 | Equal variances (Brown-Forsythe) | p = .323 | ✔ |
| 12 | |||
| 13 | Anova: Single Factor | ||
| 14 | Source of Variation | F | p |
| 15 | Between Groups | 22.8727 | <.001 |
| 16 | |||
| 17 | |||
Getting the numbers is easy. Knowing what they mean is hard.
Most statistics tools stop at a table of numbers. ExplainStats also answers the three questions every student and analyst asks.
“Which test should I use?”
“Can I trust this result?”
“How do I write this up?”
Not sure which test? Ask the Assistant.
Say what you want to do (compare groups, compare before and after, find a relationship, predict a value or analyse counts) and select your data. The Assistant checks the conditions, chooses the right test, runs it and explains why.
- Checks normality (Shapiro-Wilk), outliers and equal variances (Brown-Forsythe)
- Switches to Welch, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, Wilcoxon or Friedman when needed
- Adds the right post-hoc test (Tukey, Games-Howell or pairwise) when the result is significant
Results you can actually read.
Every analysis comes with a clear summary: what was tested, whether it is significant and how big the effect is, plus a paragraph you can paste straight into your report.
- A green badge tells you at a glance whether the result is significant
- Effect sizes explained: Cohen’s d, η², r, Cramér’s V
- Results paragraph and APA-style line, ready to paste
Show the steps, as live formulas.
Tick one box and ExplainStats builds a sheet where every step of the calculation is a real Google Sheets formula on your data, with a sentence saying what it means. Ideal for homework, teaching and double-checking.
- Descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, correlation, regression and chi-square
- Formulas stay live: change the data and every step updates
- Each step explained in one sentence
| Step | Result | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Observations | 20 | =COUNT(G2:G21) |
| Slope | 3.6863 | =SLOPE(G2:G21,E2:E21) |
| Intercept | 50.8526 | =INTERCEPT(G2:G21,E2:E21) |
| R² | 0.9052 | =RSQ(G2:G21,E2:E21) |
| t Stat | 13.1132 | =B5/B8 |
| P-value | 1.19E-10 | =T.DIST.2T(ABS(B9),B4-2) |
The right chart, drawn for you.
Box plots, histograms with a normal curve, Q-Q plots, scatter plots with a trend line, residual plots, interaction plots and control charts are created automatically next to your results.
- Axes scaled to your data, not stuck at zero
- Ready for reports and slides
- Chart data kept in the sheet, so you can restyle anything
Built for the classroom.
Give every student their own dataset, get the answer key instantly and switch the explanations off during exams.
- Exercise generator: up to 60 different datasets, with the answer key
- Exam mode protected by a PIN, and it stays on in copies of the spreadsheet
- Sample data and a step-by-step guide included
| Student | F | df | P-value | Significant? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.2666 | 2, 57 | 0.1129 | No |
| 2 | 0.1920 | 2, 57 | 0.8258 | No |
| 8 | 5.0959 | 2, 57 | 0.0092 | Yes |
| 11 | 3.7670 | 2, 57 | 0.0291 | Yes |
Every tool you need, in one sidebar.
Everything from the classic Analysis ToolPak, plus the modern tests your course actually asks for.
Start here
Describe
Compare means
Non-parametric
Relationships
Counts & surveys
Business & quality
Data & teaching
Tools marked Pro are free for everyone until January 31, 2027.
Everything you used. And everything it was missing.
Same classic output tables, so your course material still makes sense, and a lot more around them.
| Classic Analysis ToolPak | ExplainStats | |
|---|---|---|
| Descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, regression | ||
| Non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon, Kruskal-Wallis) | ||
| Post-hoc tests (Tukey, Games-Howell) | ||
| Automatic assumption checks | ||
| Which-test assistant | ||
| Plain-language interpretation | ||
| Results paragraph + APA line | ||
| Step-by-step live formulas | ||
| Charts made for you | Some | |
| Teacher tools (exam mode, exercises) |
Comparison with the feature set of the classic Analysis ToolPak. Analysis ToolPak is a Microsoft Excel feature; ExplainStats is not affiliated with Microsoft.
Your data stays in your spreadsheet.
ExplainStats is built on a simple rule: your data is yours.
Runs inside Google Sheets
Every calculation happens inside Google Sheets. Your spreadsheet data is never sent to our servers.
Only this spreadsheet
The add-on uses the narrowest permission Google offers: it can only see the spreadsheet you open it in.
No account, no ads, no tracking
Nothing to sign up for. We don’t sell, share or look at your data.
Start free. Upgrade when it helps.
The free plan covers every classic tool. Pro adds the Assistant, the steps, the report text and the advanced tests.
Free
- 21 classic tools: everything the Analysis ToolPak did, and more
- Charts drawn automatically
- Plain-language summary of every result
- 5 Pro uses per month
- English, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Pro
- Which-test Assistant with assumption checks
- Show the steps as live formulas
- Results paragraph + APA line, ready to paste
- 15 advanced tools: non-parametric, post-hoc, Welch, Fisher, Cronbach, A/B tests, sample size, control charts
- Teacher tools: exam mode and exercise generator
- Unlimited use
Questions & answers
Is ExplainStats free?
Yes. The free plan includes 21 classic tools with charts and a plain-language summary, with no time limit. Until January 31, 2027, every Pro feature is free too.
I used the Analysis ToolPak. Will I find the same tools?
Yes: descriptive statistics, histogram, t-tests, z-test, F-test, one- and two-factor ANOVA, correlation, covariance, regression, rank and percentile, sampling, random numbers, moving average and exponential smoothing, with the same classic output tables and an explanation on top.
Is my data safe?
ExplainStats runs inside Google Sheets and only has access to the spreadsheet you open it in. Your spreadsheet data is never sent to our servers. There is no account, no advertising and no tracking.
How accurate are the results?
The statistics engine is checked by more than 1,400 automated tests that compare its results with reference implementations (SciPy, statsmodels) and with spreadsheet formulas.
Which languages are available?
English, French, Spanish and Portuguese: the sidebar, the result tables and the explanations are all translated.
Does it work in Excel?
No. ExplainStats is a Google Sheets add-on. It works in any browser with a free Google account or Google Workspace.
I’m a teacher. Can students use it during an exam?
You decide. Exam mode, protected by a PIN, hides the explanations, the Assistant and the steps in that spreadsheet and in its copies. The exercise generator gives each student a different dataset and gives you the answer key.
How do I install it?
From the Google Workspace Marketplace in one click, then open Extensions › ExplainStats in any spreadsheet. The public launch is planned for October 2026.
Who makes ExplainStats?
An independent developer based in France. Questions or ideas: contact@explainstats.com.
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