xlOptimizer differs radically from the built-in "solver" pack of Microsoft Excel in the sense that it implements a host of customizable, state-of-the-art metaheuristic (both evolutionary and swarm intelligence) algorithms, homogenized and arranged in an intuitive interface. These algorithms are considered to be very good "global optimizers", i.e. they are able to find very good solutions (from a practical point of view) with few function evaluations. This renders them ideal for very difficult (multi-parametric, non-differentiable, discontinuous, combinatorial, deceptive, etc) and/or expensive problems (i.e. when each function evaluation may require several minutes).

xlOptimizer is an add-in to Microsoft Excel 2016 and 365. It uses VSTO technology.

The add-in version features the following single-objective algorithms: Standard GA, PermGA for permutation-type problems, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) (Simple and Enhanced version), Differential Evolution (DE/rand/1/bin, DE/best/1/bin, DE/rand-best/1/bin, DE/rand/2/bin, DE/best/2/bin), Greedy Ascent Hill Climber (GAHC), Simulated Annealing, Artificial Bee Colony. It also features the following multi-objective algorithms: NSGA-III.