Google Sheets vs Smartsheet: Complete Comparison (2026)

G

Why choose Google Sheets

• Higher Cost score (9/10 vs 4/10)
• Higher Ease of Use score (8/10 vs 6/10)
• Better fit for freelancers (8/10 vs 2/10)
• Better fit for startups (7/10 vs 4/10)

Why choose Smartsheet

• Higher Scalability score (9/10 vs 4/10)
• Higher Security score (9/10 vs 7/10)
• Better fit for enterprise (9/10 vs 4/10)
• Better fit for mid-market (8/10 vs 5/10)
• Includes Gantt charts, which Google Sheets lacks

G

Google 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.

Smartsheet

Pros

• The spreadsheet grid feels familiar to Excel users and supports strong formulas across sheets.
• One sheet can be viewed as a grid, Gantt chart, board or calendar.
• Its compliance record is strong, including SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, FedRAMP and HIPAA support under a BAA on Enterprise.
• Dashboards can be shared with stakeholders who cannot open the underlying sheets.
• Bi-directional Jira and Salesforce connectors plus a well-documented API suit larger IT estates.

Cons

• There is no free plan, and reviewers on Capterra repeatedly call pricing high and restrictive for small teams.
• The 2024 to 2025 move to paid Member licensing ended free collaborators and raised costs for many existing customers.
• Advanced automations are complex to set up, according to reviewers.
• Key capabilities such as Dynamic View, Data Shuttle and Resource Management are sold as extra-cost add-ons or held for top tiers.
• Some users report slow dashboards and performance problems on large sheets.
• Pro allows 250 automations per month and caps teams at 10 Members.