- Google Sheets alternatives side by side
- Ten spreadsheet and data tools to try instead of Google Sheets
- The size limit people hit without warning
- Spreadsheet or database? A quick test
- Moving a sheet without breaking it
- Collaboration and version history
- Privacy and where your data lives
- Formulas and functions that may not travel
- My plain advice on leaving Google Sheets
- Frequently asked questions
A good Google Sheets alternative depends on why you're leaving: you may want a desktop spreadsheet, an open-source suite, more privacy, or a database-style tool for data that's outgrown a grid. Check file compatibility, collaboration and how it handles large sheets. This page lists ten tools in no particular order.
Spreadsheets run a surprising amount of small business life: stock lists, content calendars, client trackers and the numbers your accountant asks for. When one sheet starts to creak, the answer is sometimes a different spreadsheet and sometimes not a spreadsheet at all.
Below are ten Google Sheets alternatives in no particular order, sorted alphabetically: classic spreadsheets, office suites and spreadsheet-database hybrids. Each description comes from the tool's own website, re-checked today. If you track client health in a sheet, my customer health score template shows a structure that moves well between tools.
Google Sheets alternatives side by side
In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site describes a free plan, free version or free open-source download. Trial only means a free trial without an ongoing free plan.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airtable | Spreadsheet-database | Linked records and views | Yes |
| Apple Numbers | Spreadsheet app | Visual spreadsheets on Apple devices | Yes |
| Baserow | No-code database | An open-source database with a grid view | Yes |
| Grist | Spreadsheet-database | Structured data with formulas | Yes |
| LibreOffice Calc | Desktop spreadsheet | Free offline spreadsheets | Yes |
| NocoDB | No-code database | Turning databases into sheets | Yes |
| ONLYOFFICE | Office suite | Editing Office files together | Yes |
| Smartsheet | Work management | Project plans in a grid | Trial only |
| WPS Office | Free productivity suite | A free office suite with spreadsheets | Yes |
| Zoho Sheet | Online spreadsheet | Online spreadsheets with a free start | Yes |
Ten spreadsheet and data tools to try instead of Google Sheets
Airtable
Best for: Teams who want a spreadsheet feel with linked records, forms and different views of the same data.
Apple Numbers
Best for: Mac, iPhone and iPad users who want clean, visual spreadsheets.
Baserow
Best for: Teams who want an open-source, self-hostable database that feels like a spreadsheet.
Grist
Best for: People who want spreadsheet formulas on top of structured, relational data.
LibreOffice Calc
Best for: Anyone who wants a free, open-source desktop spreadsheet that works offline.
NocoDB
Best for: Technical teams who want to put a spreadsheet interface on an existing database.
ONLYOFFICE
Best for: Teams who work with Excel files and want online co-editing in a separate suite.
Smartsheet
Best for: Teams who run projects, approvals and reports from spreadsheet-style plans.
WPS Office
Best for: People who want a free office suite with spreadsheets, documents and PDFs.
Zoho Sheet
Best for: Small businesses that want a free online spreadsheet with collaboration.
The size limit people hit without warning
Here's a limit most users never see until a sheet stops loading. Google's own Drive help page says spreadsheets created in or converted to Google Sheets can be up to 20 million cells or 100MB. Imports, logs and product feeds can reach that faster than you'd think. If you're close, a database-style tool or a desktop spreadsheet may be a better home for that data.
Spreadsheet or database? A quick test
- You copy the same customer details into several tabs: you probably need a database.
- Several people edit the same rows and overwrite each other: a tool with record-level history helps.
- You mainly do calculations and charts: a spreadsheet is still the right tool.
- You need forms that feed into the data: look at spreadsheet-database hybrids.
Moving a sheet without breaking it
- Make a copy of the sheet and remove anything you no longer need.
- Export it in a format the new tool can open, such as a standard spreadsheet file or CSV.
- Check formulas, dates and number formats after import.
- Rebuild any scripts or add-ons, since these rarely move automatically.
- Share it with your team and keep the old file read-only for a few weeks.
If you've built a calculator in a sheet, my story of building an AI lead calculator in a weekend shows what happened when I moved one out of a spreadsheet.
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I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Collaboration and version history
Real-time co-editing is one of the reasons people love online sheets, so check it carefully in any alternative. Look at how comments work, whether you can see who changed a cell and whether you can restore an older version. Desktop tools are often stronger for heavy calculations but weaker for teamwork, so some businesses use both.
Privacy and where your data lives
Some businesses move away from online spreadsheets because of where data is stored or who can access it. Open-source and self-hostable tools let you keep data on your own server, while office suites may let you choose a storage location. If sheets hold customer details, check sharing settings and remove public links you no longer need.
Formulas and functions that may not travel
Most everyday formulas move between spreadsheet tools without trouble, but some don't. Functions that pull live data from the web, query other files or call add-ons are often unique to one tool. Before you migrate a business-critical sheet, list the formulas it relies on and check each one in the new tool. It's tedious, but it's far quicker than finding a broken total in a report a month later.
Charts and conditional formatting can shift too, so open the busiest tabs side by side and compare them before you switch your team over.
Do you make a spreadsheet or no-code database tool? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on leaving Google Sheets
Ask whether you've outgrown the tool or outgrown the spreadsheet itself. If it's the tool, a desktop spreadsheet or office suite will feel familiar. If it's the format, try a spreadsheet-database hybrid with one real sheet before you move everything. Don't migrate your whole business in one weekend.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best free alternative to Google Sheets?
Several tools here describe a free plan or free version, including desktop and online options. The table shows what each site states.
How big can a Google Sheet be?
Google's Drive help says up to 20 million cells or 100MB for spreadsheets created in or converted to Google Sheets.
Can I open Google Sheets files in other tools?
Export as a standard spreadsheet file or CSV and most tools can open it. Check formulas and formatting afterwards.
When should I use a database instead of a spreadsheet?
When you're copying the same data into several places, linking records or building forms that feed the data.
Do Google Sheets scripts move to other tools?
Rarely. Plan to rebuild scripts and add-ons in the new tool.
Is there an offline alternative to Google Sheets?
Yes. Desktop spreadsheets work offline, and some online tools have desktop apps too.
Will my formulas work in another spreadsheet?
Most everyday formulas will, but functions that pull web data or rely on add-ons often won't. Test your key formulas first.
