Despite the release of Microsoft Chart, a graphics companion program, Multiplan continued to be outsold by Lotus 1-2-3.

According to Bill Gates, this was due to the excessive number of ports (there were approximately 100 different versions of Multiplan).

called the Commodore 64 version of Multiplan, distributed by Human Engineered Software, a "professional quality spreadsheet ...

[7] A second review in the magazine noted the limitation of the computer's 40-column screen, but praised the ability to stop any ongoing action.

It also praised the documentation, and concluded that "its ease of use and foolproof design make Multiplan an outstanding value".