Google Sheets vs Grist Comparison
Compare Google Sheets vs Grist features, pricing, and more.
Last updated: November 2026
Google Sheets
7.2/10
Google Sheets is a browser-based spreadsheet in Google Workspace that teams can edit together and often use to track simple projects and tasks.
Grist
6.8/10
Grist is an open-source relational spreadsheet-database with Python formulas, available as a cloud service or self-hosted, for teams building custom trackers and lightweight apps.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | G Google Sheets | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 7.2/10 | 6.8/10 |
| Analytics | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Cost | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Customization | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Integration | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Scalability | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Security | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Support | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | €7/user/mo Business Starter | $10/user/mo Pro |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | €211/mo Business Plus | Free Free |
| Features | ||
| App integrations | ||
| Client collaboration | ||
| Collaboration tools | ||
| File sharing | ||
| Spreadsheet interface | ||
| Task lists | ||
| Timeline view | ||
| Workflow automation | ||
| Dashboards | Not listed | |
| Databases | Not listed | |
| Gantt charts | Not listed | |
| Kanban boards | Not listed | |
| Reporting | Not listed | |
| Scheduling | Not listed | |
| Time tracking | Not listed | |
Google Sheets vs Grist cost by team size
| Team size | Google Sheets | Grist |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | €21/moBusiness Plus | FreeFree |
| 5 users | €106/moBusiness Plus | FreeFree |
| 10 users | €211/moBusiness Plus | FreeFree |
| 25 users | €528/moBusiness Plus | FreeSelf-hosted Community |
| 50 users | €1,055/moBusiness Plus | FreeSelf-hosted Community |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
GWhy choose Google Sheets
- Higher Ease of Use score (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Cost score (9/10 vs 8/10)
- Better fit for freelancers (8/10 vs 6/10)
Why choose Grist
- Has a free plan (Google Sheets does not)
- Higher Customization score (9/10 vs 8/10)
- Higher Scalability score (5/10 vs 4/10)
- Better fit for enterprise (6/10 vs 4/10)
- Better fit for operations teams (7/10 vs 5/10)
Pros & Cons
GGoogle Sheets
Pros
- Real-time co-editing, comments and version history make it easy for a team to share one tracker.
- Prebuilt project management and event-planning templates mean teams do not have to build a tracker from scratch.
- There is no extra cost for organisations that already pay for Google Workspace seats.
- Connected Sheets can analyse BigQuery or Looker data with billions of rows directly in a spreadsheet.
- On higher Workspace tiers, Gemini can create trackers and write formulas from plain-language prompts.
Cons
- It has no native Gantt charts, task dependencies or time tracking for real project scheduling.
- Missed deadlines do not trigger automatic alerts, so team members have to be notified by hand.
- Large or complex shared sheets slow down and are easy to break when several people edit at once.
- Timeline view is limited to certain paid Workspace editions.
- Dashboards and reporting have to be built by hand or added with add-ons.
Grist
Pros
- Python formulas and relational references give more modelling power than ordinary spreadsheets.
- The open-source core can be self-hosted for free, which is useful for privacy-sensitive organisations.
- The free tier allows unlimited documents and up to 10 members.
- Linked widgets (table, card, chart, calendar, form, custom) let teams build tailored project apps.
- Reviewers praise the responsive support team and active community.
Cons
- There are no built-in Kanban or Gantt views, so project workflows must be assembled by hand.
- Per-document record caps (5,000 on Free, 150,000 on Business) limit large datasets.
- The company has acknowledged performance concerns with large databases.
- Automations require the $30-per-user Business plan, which has a five-user minimum.
- Few public reviews exist, and no compliance certifications are listed.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Google Sheets scores higher on our Project Management criteria: 7.2/10 against 6.8/10 for Grist. The largest gap is in Ease of Use: 8/10 for Google Sheets and 6/10 for Grist.
Grist has a free plan; Google Sheets does not list one.
Grist is the better fit for enterprise: we rate it 6/10 for them, against 4/10 for Google Sheets.
