You have .xls files that need to become .xlsx. Maybe Office 365 is finally refusing to run your macros. Maybe your compliance team flagged the legacy binary format as a security risk. Whatever the reason, you need a number.
Here it is: converting XLS to XLSX costs anywhere from $0 to $40,000 depending on volume, complexity, and method. If you are not sure about the differences between .xls and .xlsx formats, start there. This guide breaks down every option so you can pick the right one for your situation.
| Method | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| DIY (Save As in Excel) | $0 + your time | 1-5 simple files, no macros |
| Online converters | $0 (but strips macros) | Non-sensitive data-only files |
| PowerShell scripts | $0 (but limited) | Batch conversion of simple files |
| Professional software (LegacyLeaps) | $29-$97/file | 5-500+ files, macros, VBA |
| Consulting firms | $5,000-$40,000/project | Enterprise, compliance, 500+ files |
Let's dig into each one.
Cost: $0. Risk: High for complex files.
Open the .xls file. File > Save As > .xlsx. Done. This works perfectly for spreadsheets that contain only data and formulas. No macros, no ActiveX, no external connections.
Where it fails:
Time cost: 5-10 minutes per file for simple ones. 2-4 hours per file if you need to manually audit and fix VBA code. At a $75/hour loaded labor rate, that "free" conversion costs $150-$300 per complex file.
Cost: $0. Risk: Data exposure + macro loss.
Sites like CloudConvert, Zamzar, and Convertio will convert .xls to .xlsx in your browser. They handle the format translation correctly for data-only files.
The problems:
Use these only for non-sensitive, data-only files where you'd be comfortable emailing the contents to a stranger.
Cost: $0. Limitation: No VBA fixing, no validation.
A PowerShell script can batch-convert .xls files using Excel's COM automation:
$excel = New-Object -ComObject Excel.Application
$excel.DisplayAlerts = $false
Get-ChildItem "C:\Legacy\" -Filter *.xls | ForEach-Object {
$wb = $excel.Workbooks.Open($_.FullName)
$wb.SaveAs($_.FullName -replace '\.xls$','.xlsx'), 51)
$wb.Close()
}
$excel.Quit()This automates the "Save As" approach. Same limitations apply: macros are dropped, ActiveX controls may break, and there's no validation that the output matches the source. It's faster than doing it manually, but it doesn't solve the hard problems.
Useful for: bulk-converting hundreds of simple, data-only .xls files where you've confirmed none contain macros.
The free LegacyLeaps scanner identifies macros, ActiveX controls, and external dependencies in every file — before you spend a dollar. Know exactly what you're dealing with.
Run the Free ScanCost: $29-$97 per file. Outcome: Verified, complete conversion.
This is where tools like LegacyLeaps sit. Unlike the free options, professional migration software:
| Tier | Per-File Price | What's Included |
|---|---|---|
| Excel Standard | $29 | Data, formulas, formatting — no macros |
| Excel Pro | $97 | VBA macros, ActiveX, external dependencies, 64-bit audit |
| 10-Pack | $689 ($68.90/file avg) | Mix of Standard and Pro files |
| 50-Pack | $1,997 ($39.94/file avg) | Best value for department-scale migrations |
First-time savings: Use code FIRSTFILE at checkout for a discount on your first conversion. Works on both Standard and Pro tiers.
The free scan tells you which tier each file needs before you buy anything. Most organizations find 60-70% of their .xls library is Standard-tier — simple files that just need a clean format conversion. That's a significant cost difference at scale.
Cost: $5,000-$40,000 per project. Timeline: 4-16 weeks.
Enterprise IT consulting firms (Accenture, Deloitte, regional MSPs) will scope, plan, execute, and validate a full migration project. You're paying for:
The technical conversion itself is a small fraction of the engagement. Most of the cost is process, documentation, and meetings. For organizations with strict governance requirements and 500+ files across multiple departments, this overhead is unavoidable.
For everyone else, it's overkill. A 50-file department migration that costs $1,997 through LegacyLeaps self-service would run $15,000-$25,000 through a consulting firm.
Regardless of which method you choose, these factors push cost up or down:
A file with macros costs 3-5x more to convert than one without. VBA code needs 64-bit compatibility auditing, PtrSafe declarations, and functional testing. This is the line between $29 and $97 per file. See our converter comparison for how different tools handle macros.
Legacy forms with ActiveX buttons, dropdowns, and checkboxes require special handling. Some controls don't have direct modern equivalents and need replacement with Form Controls or userform objects.
Files that pull data from ODBC connections, other workbooks, or network paths need each dependency verified after conversion. A file that references \\server\share\data.xls needs that path updated too.
Per-file cost drops significantly with volume. A single Pro conversion is $97. Fifty files through the 50-Pack is $39.94 average — a 59% reduction.
Number of sheets, formula complexity, embedded objects, conditional formatting rules, pivot tables with external sources — each adds conversion time and verification effort.
The free methods have real costs that don't show up on an invoice:
That VBA macro running your monthly report saves 4 hours of manual work each month. Lose it in a bad conversion and you're paying $300/month in staff time (at $75/hour) until someone rebuilds it. The $97 Pro conversion pays for itself in the first month.
Uploading a file with customer PII to an online converter is a data breach under most regulatory frameworks. A single HIPAA violation starts at $100. A GDPR fine can reach 4% of annual revenue. The "free" converter becomes astronomically expensive if your compliance team finds out.
You convert 50 files with a PowerShell script. Three weeks later, accounting reports that five files have broken formulas. Now you're debugging Excel files under pressure, with no audit trail of what changed. At $75/hour, 3 hours of debugging per file is $225/file — more expensive than the professional conversion.
When a regulator asks "what changed during your file migration?" and you used Save As or a PowerShell script, the answer is "we don't know." Professional tools generate conversion reports showing exactly what was preserved, modified, or flagged.
Here's the math for a typical 50-file migration with mixed complexity (35 Standard, 15 Pro):
| Approach | Direct Cost | Time Cost (@ $75/hr) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual (Save As + fix macros) | $0 | 80 hrs = $6,000 | $6,000 |
| PowerShell + manual VBA fixes | $0 | 50 hrs = $3,750 | $3,750 |
| LegacyLeaps 50-Pack | $1,997 | 5 hrs = $375 | $2,372 |
| Consulting firm | $18,000 | 10 hrs (your time) | $18,750 |
The LegacyLeaps option costs 60% less than DIY when you factor in labor. And unlike the manual approach, you get verified output and an audit trail.
Start with the free scan to see exactly what you're working with. Use code FIRSTFILE for a discount on your first conversion.
View Pricing & Get Started| Your Situation | Best Option |
|---|---|
| 1-5 files, no macros, low stakes | DIY Save As (free) |
| 10-50 files, mixed complexity | LegacyLeaps self-service ($29-$97/file) |
| 50-500 files, department migration | LegacyLeaps 50-Pack ($1,997) |
| Any file with VBA or ActiveX | LegacyLeaps Pro tier ($97/file) |
| 500+ files, SOX/HIPAA compliance | Consulting firm or IT Teams plan |
| Files with proprietary/sensitive data | Offline tool only (never online converters) |
From $0 to $40,000 depending on method and scale. Simple files convert free with Excel's Save As. Files with macros cost $97/file through professional software. Enterprise projects with consulting oversight run $5,000-$40,000. The average business with 50 mixed-complexity files spends $1,997-$2,500 total through LegacyLeaps.
Yes, with caveats. Excel's Save As is free but drops macros. Online converters are free but upload your data to third-party servers and strip VBA code. PowerShell scripts automate Save As but don't fix compatibility issues. Free works for simple, non-sensitive files only.
VBA macros are the primary cost driver. A macro-free file is a straightforward format translation ($29). A file with VBA needs code auditing, 64-bit compatibility fixes, and functional testing ($97). ActiveX controls, external data connections, and complex dependencies add additional effort.
For non-sensitive files with no macros, yes. For anything containing PII, financial data, trade secrets, or VBA code — absolutely not. Your file contents are transmitted to and processed on third-party servers. This violates most data handling policies and regulatory frameworks. For a full breakdown of safe options, see our office file conversion tools comparison.
Simple files: seconds. Complex files with VBA: 1-4 hours of professional processing time. Batch processing 50+ standard files through LegacyLeaps: minutes per file. The bottleneck is always testing — verifying everything works correctly in the output file.
Practical fixes for legacy Excel and Access problems. No spam.