Google’s built-in unit converter is fast when you’re online, but it needs a connection, converts one pair at a time and sits inside a page of search results. The best alternatives depend on the job: a converter app for frequent or offline use, the iPhone Calculator for quick one-offs on an iPhone, a spreadsheet’s CONVERT function for converting whole columns of numbers, and Wolfram|Alpha for compound or unusual units.
What does Google’s unit converter do well? #
Plenty. Search “unit converter” or type something like “3 quarts in liters” and Google shows an editable converter. Google’s help page lists temperature, length, mass, speed, volume, area, fuel consumption and currency among its categories. The factors are standard, so the answers are right, and it works in any browser on any device.
Where does Google’s converter fall short? #
- It needs a connection. On a plane, abroad without data or in a basement, it’s gone.
- One pair at a time. If you want a weight in pounds, ounces and stone, that’s three changes to the dropdowns.
- Ambiguous units. “Gallon,” “pint,” “cup” and “ton” each mean different amounts in the US and UK. Check which one the converter picked before you trust the number.
- Cooking answers come from websites. Searching “cup of flour in grams” often shows an answer box quoted from a web page, not from the unit converter, and different pages use different figures. A cup of all-purpose flour is 120 g on King Arthur Baking’s chart and 125 g in USDA data, for example.
- It’s a search page. Ads and other results come with it, and every conversion is a query sent to Google.
Google unit converter alternatives compared #
| Alternative | Works offline | Best for | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| A converter app | Usually, for units | Frequent use, travel, cooking | One more app to install |
| iPhone Calculator | Test it | Quick one-offs on iPhone | iPhone only, one pair at a time |
| Spreadsheet CONVERT | Yes, in desktop Excel | Converting lists of numbers | You need the unit codes |
| Wolfram|Alpha | No | Compound units, plain-English questions | Needs a connection |
| A printed chart | Yes | The same few conversions daily | Only covers what’s on it |
A converter app #
A dedicated app computes conversions on your phone, so most work with no signal, and many show every unit in a category at once. On Android, Converter NOW is free, open source and ad-free, with 200+ units. On iPhone, Units – Pro Unit Converter and Unit Converter – Scientific are ad-free. We compare them in detail in our best unit converter app roundup, and the ones that work without a connection in best offline unit converter app.
Convert Units Calculator is our app, and it fixes the specific gaps above. It works fully offline, lists the whole category below the result (so pounds, ounces and grams appear together), and keeps US and UK gallons, pints and fluid ounces separate. Its Cooking category asks for the ingredient and shows the grams per cup it uses. Version 1.0.5 brings 140 units in 19 categories. It has no currency converter, so keep a connected tool for exchange rates.
The iPhone Calculator #
The Calculator app on current iPhones can convert units or currency. It’s already installed and ad-free, and good for a quick answer while you’re doing other math. It converts one pair at a time and only runs on Apple devices. The full comparison is in iPhone Calculator unit conversion vs a converter app.
A spreadsheet’s CONVERT function #
If you need to convert fifty values, not one, a spreadsheet beats any converter. Excel’s CONVERT function takes a number, a from-unit code and a to-unit code. Microsoft’s CONVERT documentation gives these examples:
| Formula | Result |
|---|---|
| =CONVERT(1,“lbm”,“kg”) | 0.4535924 |
| =CONVERT(68,“F”,“C”) | 20 |
| =CONVERT(6,“gal”,“l”) | 22.71741274 |
Put your values in column A, type =CONVERT(A2,“lbm”,“kg”) in B2 and fill down, and a whole shipping manifest converts at once. Two things to know: the unit codes are case-sensitive, and pounds of mass are “lbm,” not “lb.” Google Sheets has a CONVERT function too, though it runs in the browser. Desktop Excel is the one that works offline.
Wolfram|Alpha #
Wolfram|Alpha answers plain-English questions, which makes it good for conversions that aren’t a simple pair: compound units like pounds per square foot to kilograms per square meter, or questions that mix a conversion with a calculation. It’s a web service with apps, so it needs a connection.
A printed chart #
If you convert the same five things every day, such as oven temperatures or a few cup measures, a chart taped inside a cupboard is faster than any screen. Our metric to imperial conversion chart is designed to print.
Worked example: converting a list of weights #
Say a supplier sends 30 package weights in pounds and your shipping form wants kilograms.
- Google: 30 separate searches, or one search with the dropdown changed 30 times.
- A converter app: faster, but still 30 entries.
- A spreadsheet: paste the list into column A, enter =CONVERT(A2,“lbm”,“kg”) once, fill down. Done in under a minute, and the factor is the exact 0.45359237.
For one conversion, use whatever is closest. For many, use a spreadsheet.
Frequently asked questions #
Is Google’s unit converter accurate? #
Yes, for standard units. It uses the same defined factors as any reputable converter (1 inch = 2.54 cm, 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg). Errors usually come from picking the wrong unit, such as a US gallon when you meant an imperial one.
Can I use Google’s unit converter offline? #
No. It’s part of Google Search, so it needs an internet connection. For offline use, install a converter app that computes on the device and test it in airplane mode.
How do I convert units in Excel? #
Use =CONVERT(number, “from_unit”, “to_unit”). For example, =CONVERT(68,“F”,“C”) returns 20. Unit codes are case-sensitive, so “C” (Celsius) works where “c” doesn’t.
What’s the best Google unit converter alternative for cooking? #
One that asks which ingredient you’re measuring, because cups to grams has no single answer. An ingredient-aware app or a published weight chart is more reliable than a search answer box.
Is there a unit converter without ads? #
Yes. Converter NOW on Android and Units – Pro Unit Converter and Unit Converter – Scientific on iPhone have no ads. A spreadsheet’s CONVERT function is ad-free too.