Also, CSV files store only the values, whereas other formats can store the formatting, formulas, etc. The difference between CSV files and other extensions is that CSV stores the data as text, whereas other extensions store them as binary files. Other common file extensions are XLS, XLSX, ODB. However, to view the contents of the file in an easy to read format, we recommend using a CSV reader.ĬSV is not the only file format that enables the storage of spreadsheets and tables. You can open a CSV file using any text editor and see the contents as they are stored, that is values separated by commas. CSV files are used to store simple tabular data like spreadsheets and databases.
So what exactly are these CSV files, how are they different from traditional spreadsheet extensions like XLS and XLSX, and what are the best CSV editors available for Mac computers and macOS? Let’s find out! What is a CSV file?ĬSV (Comma Separated Value) is a file format that contains plain text values separated by commas. If you’re a student or someone who deals with spreadsheets for work, there’s a good chance you have come across CSV files before. These are our top picks for the best CSV file readers available for Mac in 2020.
