Top 5 Smartsheet Alternatives for 2025
Top 5 Smartsheet Alternatives for 2025
Riley Walz
Riley Walz
Riley Walz
Jun 15, 2025
Jun 15, 2025
Jun 15, 2025
Managing projects and tasks can be overwhelming, especially if you're relying on outdated spreadsheets or getting bogged down by complex software. If you're feeling the pressure, it may be time to explore some alternatives, like Smartsheet. This guide Google Sheets hacks gives you the inside scoop on the top five Smartsheet alternatives for 2025 so you can start fresh and find a tool that works for you! You’ll learn about each software's unique features, pricing, and pros and cons so that you can make the best choice for your team's and project's needs.
Before we jump in, let’s talk about how the spreadsheet AI tool can help you on your journey to finding the perfect Smartsheet alternative. This Google Sheets add-on uses artificial intelligence to help you get organized, automate tasks, and even build out project plans before you transition to a new tool.
Table of Content
What Is Smartsheet?
Smartsheet is a cloud-based software platform that allows users to create, share, and automate spreadsheets online. While it looks like a spreadsheet, Smartsheet is much more than rows and columns. It's a dynamic work execution platform that enables you to plan, track, automate, and report on work in real-time. Whether you're organizing a marketing campaign, managing product development, or tracking operations across departments, Smartsheet helps you do it in one place.
Core Features of Smartsheet
Grid View (spreadsheet-style)
The core interface resembles Excel or Google Sheets but is interactive and collaborative.
Gantt Charts
Built-in timelines for project scheduling and task dependencies.
Card View
Kanban-style layout for visual task tracking.
Calendar View
Great for planning events, due dates, or campaigns.
Automation Rules
Set triggers and actions to automate reminders, status changes, or email alerts — without coding.
Dashboards & Reporting
Real-time visual reporting with widgets, charts, and summary metrics pulled from live sheets.
Role-Based Permissions
Control who can view, edit, or manage specific sheets or dashboards.
Who Uses Smartsheet?
Smartsheet is widely adopted across industries like:
Marketing & Creative Agencies – for campaign planning, asset reviews, content calendars
IT & Software Teams – for deployment tracking, sprint planning, bug tracking
Operations & Supply Chain – for inventory tracking, vendor management
Construction & Field Services – for schedule management and job-site tracking
Finance & Admin – for reporting, budgeting, and compliance tracking
It’s used by over 90% of Fortune 100 companies, yet it's flexible enough for smaller teams.
Why Is It Popular?
Ease of Use – Familiar spreadsheet interface, but with deeper functionality
Collaboration – Everyone works from the same live sheet
Scalability – Grows with your team’s complexity
All-in-One Platform – Combines planning, tracking, automation, and reporting in one tool
No-Code Automations – Build workflow logic without technical skills
Related Reading
• Google Docs Hacks
• Best AI Tools for Data Analysis
• Can ChatGPT Analyze Excel Data
• How to Use AI in Google Docs
• How to Analyze Data in Google Sheets
7 Key Features to Look for in Smartsheet Alternatives
1. Customizable Views: Unlocking Team Workflows
Smartsheet offers multiple project views, including Grid, Gantt, and Card (Kanban), which are essential for various team workflows — from task boards to long-term roadmaps.
What to look for in an alternative
Does it offer multiple ways to visualize data?
Can you switch between views without losing formatting or filters?
Are views user-specific or shared across teams?
Ideal alternatives
Airtable, ClickUp, and Coda all offer dynamic, toggleable views suited for task or project management.
2. Workflow Automation and Triggers: Streamlining Processes
One of Smartsheet’s best features is its ability to automate repetitive processes — status updates, alerts, and conditional workflows — with no coding.
What to look for in an alternative
Does it support no-code automation?
Can you build conditional logic (e.g., “If status is complete, send email”)?
Are automation templates or assistants (like Numerous AI) built-in?
Ideal alternatives
Coda and Airtable both support automations; Excel, combined with Power Automate, is a robust option but requires more technical expertise.
3. Real-Time Collaboration and User Permissions: A Team Player
Smartsheet enables multiple users to collaborate in real-time while controlling access levels — including view-only, editor, and admin.
What to look for
Does the platform support multi-user editing?
Are there advanced permissions for rows, columns, or pages?
Can different teams have custom dashboards or filtered views?
Ideal alternatives
Zoho Sheet (great permissions), Excel 365 (robust for enterprise), Notion (collaborative pages with share control)
4. Templates and Ready-Made Solutions: Hit the Ground Running
Smartsheet offers dozens of templates across industries — marketing calendars, hiring pipelines, IT ticketing, etc.
What to look for
Does the tool provide pre-built templates for your specific use case?
Are they interactive and customizable?
Are there templates for both structure (data) and logic (automations)?
Ideal alternatives
Airtable and Notion have some of the most extensive template libraries; Coda’s “Doc Gallery” is rich with startup-ready frameworks.
5. Integrated AI Capabilities: Planning for the Future
AI is no longer optional. Smartsheet’s AI capabilities are growing but still limited compared to emerging competitors.
What to look for
Is there native AI support for summarizing, predicting, or automating content?
Can you embed tools like Numerous to generate prompts, content, or automate formulas?
Is the AI explainable and transparent (not just "magic")?
Ideal alternatives
Numerous (for AI layers on spreadsheets), Coda (for AI assistants), and Airtable (basic AI extensions in beta)
6. Scalability and Data Performance: Planning for Growth
Some tools are excellent for light usage but break down at scale. Smartsheet handles moderate data well, but can become sluggish with large datasets or complex automations.
What to look for
Can the tool handle tens of thousands of rows?
Does performance stay smooth with filters, formulas, and multi-user edits?
Is there an audit trail or version history for safety?
Ideal alternatives
Microsoft Excel (performance beast), Baserow (for structured data and open-source scaling), and Zoho Sheet
7. App and Workflow Integration: Streamlining Processes
Smartsheet integrates with Google Workspace, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Jira, and more. A modern tool must connect with the rest of your stack.
What to look for
Are there native integrations for tools you already use?
Is there a connector to Zapier, Make, or Power Automate?
Can the platform act as a hub, or will you still need workarounds?
Ideal alternatives
Airtable, Coda, Excel + Power Platform, and ClickUp all excel here.
Numerous is an AI-powered tool that enables content marketers, E-Commerce businesses, and more to automate tasks many times over through AI, such as writing SEO blog posts, generating hashtags, mass categorizing products with sentiment analysis and classification, and more, simply by dragging down a cell in a spreadsheet.
With a simple prompt, Numerous returns any spreadsheet function, complex or straightforward, within seconds. The capabilities of Numerous are endless. It is versatile and can be used with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI, in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Learn more about how you can 10x your marketing efforts with Numerous’s ChatGPT for Spreadsheets tool.
Related Reading
• How to Automate Excel
• What is Smartsheet
• Google Docs AI Scraping
• Google Sheets Data Visualization
• How to Auto Fill in Google Sheets
• How to Auto Sum in Google Sheets
• Google Docs Automation
Top 5 Smartsheet Alternatives in 2025
1. Numerous: The Game Changer for Google Sheets and Excel
Numerous isn’t a standalone spreadsheet platform — it’s a powerful AI writing and data automation tool that works inside Google Sheets and Excel. Numerous transforms your ordinary spreadsheets into intelligent content engines and productivity tools.
Why It’s a Great Alternative to Smartsheet
Where Smartsheet focuses on traditional project views and workflows, Numerous adds automation, writing, and content generation abilities right inside your sheet. It’s perfect for creators, marketers, startups, and educators who want more than just tasks and tables.
Top Features
Natural language formula generation (no need to write complex syntax)
Bulk content creation (e.g., blog outlines, product descriptions)
Smart summarization and formatting
Templates for to-do lists, content calendars, and editorial pipelines
Seamless integration with both Google Sheets and Excel
Who It’s Best For
Writers, marketers, and content strategists
Educators and students
Anyone who works with large volumes of written or structured data
Users who want to stay inside Sheets or Excel but supercharge it
Standout Use Case
A content team uses Numerous to generate SEO-optimized article outlines from a topic list, summarize long responses, and auto-format deliverables — all within Google Sheets.
2. Google Sheets: The Simplicity of Spreadsheet Collaboration
Google Sheets remains one of the most widely used spreadsheet platforms globally. Cloud-based, fast, and intuitive, it offers basic project planning, task tracking, and data analysis — plus a large marketplace of add-ons, such as Numerous.
Why It’s a Great Alternative to Smartsheet
For many teams, Smartsheet may be overkill. Google Sheets provides real-time collaboration, unlimited version history, and ease of use at no cost. Add-ons (like Gantt Chart Builders, automation tools, and AI) fill many gaps.
Top Features
Cloud-based and real-time collaboration
Integration with Google Workspace (Docs, Gmail, Calendar)
App Script support for advanced automation
Explore tool for AI-powered insights
Huge add-on ecosystem including Numerous
Who It’s Best For
Small teams and startups
Students and educators
Writers, planners, and digital marketers
Freelancers and consultants who need flexibility
Standout Use Case
A small team uses Google Sheets with Numerous add-ons to manage a content calendar, automate task reminders, and generate short-form social media copy from product features.
3. Microsoft Excel: The Complex Data and Financial Modeling Standard
Excel is the gold standard in spreadsheets, particularly in corporate, financial, and data-heavy environments. Excel 365 brings these capabilities online with added AI and automation support.
Why It’s a Great Alternative to Smartsheet
Excel handles large datasets better than Smartsheet, supports deeper analytics, and allows for extremely custom workflows through formulas, Power Query, and VBA. It’s a powerhouse — if you know how to use it.
Top Features
Power Query, Power Pivot, and Macros
Advanced conditional formatting and custom formulas
Integration with Power Automate for workflow automation
Built-in AI “Analyze Data” panel
Seamless sync with SharePoint and Teams
Who It’s Best For
Analysts, accountants, and finance teams
Operations managers
Enterprise-level reporting teams
Technical users are comfortable with formulas
Standout Use Case
A finance department uses Excel to model revenue forecasts, automate data pulls from external APIs, and generate monthly investor dashboards — without third-party software.
4. Airtable: The Visual Workflows and Team Projects Leader
Airtable is a visual database that meets spreadsheet — ideal for managing structured content, collaborative projects, or campaign planning. It’s more flexible than Smartsheet for front-end use cases and visual dashboards.
Why It’s a Great Alternative to Smartsheet
While Smartsheet is task- and Gantt-focused, Airtable offers views, databases, and app-like dashboards in a more modern, visual format. It’s the go-to for content teams, creative agencies, and digital marketers.
Top Features
Toggle between Grid, Kanban, Gallery, Timeline, and Calendar
Interface Designer for building internal apps
Automations (Slack, Gmail, Webhooks, etc.)
Linked records and rich field types
Vast library of project templates
Who It’s Best For
Marketing, media, and creative teams
Product teams planning roadmaps or launches
Agencies and consultants
Non-technical users who want beautiful tools
Standout Use Case
A content marketing agency tracks client deliverables, editorial deadlines, and creative briefs in Airtable — using automation to notify stakeholders and mark approvals.
5. Baserow: The Open-Source, Privacy-First Data Management Alternative
Baserow is an open-source Airtable alternative. It offers a database-style spreadsheet system you can host yourself or use in the cloud. It’s ideal for users who need complete data control and custom workflows.
Why It’s a Great Alternative to Smartsheet
Unlike Smartsheet’s SaaS model, Baserow gives you complete ownership of your infrastructure. It’s ideal for developers, regulated industries, and organizations seeking secure, extensible spreadsheets.
Top Features
Self-host or use the managed cloud version
Relational tables and formulas
REST API access and plugin ecosystem
No user limit on self-hosted plans
Developer-first design with full customization
Who It’s Best For
Developers and data engineers
Privacy-conscious teams (legal, healthcare, education)
NGOs and open-source communities
Teams with custom infrastructure needs
Standout Use Case
An NGO uses Baserow to track donations, volunteers, and events, all hosted on their private server, ensuring full compliance with local privacy laws.
Numerous is an AI-powered tool that enables content marketers, Ecommerce businesses, and more to do tasks many times over through AI, like writing SEO blog posts, generating hashtags, mass categorizing products with sentiment analysis and classification, and many more things by simply dragging down a cell in a spreadsheet. With a simple prompt, Numerous returns any spreadsheet function, simple or complex, within seconds. The capabilities of Numerous are endless. It is versatile and can be used with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.
Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI, in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Learn more about how you can 10x your marketing efforts with Numerous's ChatGPT for spreadsheets tool.
Make Decisions At Scale Through AI With Numerous AI’s Spreadsheet AI Tool
Numerous is an AI-powered tool that enables content marketers, Ecommerce businesses, and more to do tasks many times over through AI, like writing SEO blog posts, generating hashtags, mass categorizing products with sentiment analysis and classification, and many more things by simply dragging down a cell in a spreadsheet. With a simple prompt, Numerous returns any spreadsheet function, simple or complex, within seconds.
The capabilities of Numerous are endless. It is versatile and can be used with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI, in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Use Numerous AI’s spreadsheet AI tool to make decisions and complete tasks at scale.
Related Reading
• Best Add-ons for Google Sheets
• Best Add-ons for Google Docs
• Google Sheets Alternatives
• Excel Alternatives
• Smartsheet vs Excel
Managing projects and tasks can be overwhelming, especially if you're relying on outdated spreadsheets or getting bogged down by complex software. If you're feeling the pressure, it may be time to explore some alternatives, like Smartsheet. This guide Google Sheets hacks gives you the inside scoop on the top five Smartsheet alternatives for 2025 so you can start fresh and find a tool that works for you! You’ll learn about each software's unique features, pricing, and pros and cons so that you can make the best choice for your team's and project's needs.
Before we jump in, let’s talk about how the spreadsheet AI tool can help you on your journey to finding the perfect Smartsheet alternative. This Google Sheets add-on uses artificial intelligence to help you get organized, automate tasks, and even build out project plans before you transition to a new tool.
Table of Content
What Is Smartsheet?
Smartsheet is a cloud-based software platform that allows users to create, share, and automate spreadsheets online. While it looks like a spreadsheet, Smartsheet is much more than rows and columns. It's a dynamic work execution platform that enables you to plan, track, automate, and report on work in real-time. Whether you're organizing a marketing campaign, managing product development, or tracking operations across departments, Smartsheet helps you do it in one place.
Core Features of Smartsheet
Grid View (spreadsheet-style)
The core interface resembles Excel or Google Sheets but is interactive and collaborative.
Gantt Charts
Built-in timelines for project scheduling and task dependencies.
Card View
Kanban-style layout for visual task tracking.
Calendar View
Great for planning events, due dates, or campaigns.
Automation Rules
Set triggers and actions to automate reminders, status changes, or email alerts — without coding.
Dashboards & Reporting
Real-time visual reporting with widgets, charts, and summary metrics pulled from live sheets.
Role-Based Permissions
Control who can view, edit, or manage specific sheets or dashboards.
Who Uses Smartsheet?
Smartsheet is widely adopted across industries like:
Marketing & Creative Agencies – for campaign planning, asset reviews, content calendars
IT & Software Teams – for deployment tracking, sprint planning, bug tracking
Operations & Supply Chain – for inventory tracking, vendor management
Construction & Field Services – for schedule management and job-site tracking
Finance & Admin – for reporting, budgeting, and compliance tracking
It’s used by over 90% of Fortune 100 companies, yet it's flexible enough for smaller teams.
Why Is It Popular?
Ease of Use – Familiar spreadsheet interface, but with deeper functionality
Collaboration – Everyone works from the same live sheet
Scalability – Grows with your team’s complexity
All-in-One Platform – Combines planning, tracking, automation, and reporting in one tool
No-Code Automations – Build workflow logic without technical skills
Related Reading
• Google Docs Hacks
• Best AI Tools for Data Analysis
• Can ChatGPT Analyze Excel Data
• How to Use AI in Google Docs
• How to Analyze Data in Google Sheets
7 Key Features to Look for in Smartsheet Alternatives
1. Customizable Views: Unlocking Team Workflows
Smartsheet offers multiple project views, including Grid, Gantt, and Card (Kanban), which are essential for various team workflows — from task boards to long-term roadmaps.
What to look for in an alternative
Does it offer multiple ways to visualize data?
Can you switch between views without losing formatting or filters?
Are views user-specific or shared across teams?
Ideal alternatives
Airtable, ClickUp, and Coda all offer dynamic, toggleable views suited for task or project management.
2. Workflow Automation and Triggers: Streamlining Processes
One of Smartsheet’s best features is its ability to automate repetitive processes — status updates, alerts, and conditional workflows — with no coding.
What to look for in an alternative
Does it support no-code automation?
Can you build conditional logic (e.g., “If status is complete, send email”)?
Are automation templates or assistants (like Numerous AI) built-in?
Ideal alternatives
Coda and Airtable both support automations; Excel, combined with Power Automate, is a robust option but requires more technical expertise.
3. Real-Time Collaboration and User Permissions: A Team Player
Smartsheet enables multiple users to collaborate in real-time while controlling access levels — including view-only, editor, and admin.
What to look for
Does the platform support multi-user editing?
Are there advanced permissions for rows, columns, or pages?
Can different teams have custom dashboards or filtered views?
Ideal alternatives
Zoho Sheet (great permissions), Excel 365 (robust for enterprise), Notion (collaborative pages with share control)
4. Templates and Ready-Made Solutions: Hit the Ground Running
Smartsheet offers dozens of templates across industries — marketing calendars, hiring pipelines, IT ticketing, etc.
What to look for
Does the tool provide pre-built templates for your specific use case?
Are they interactive and customizable?
Are there templates for both structure (data) and logic (automations)?
Ideal alternatives
Airtable and Notion have some of the most extensive template libraries; Coda’s “Doc Gallery” is rich with startup-ready frameworks.
5. Integrated AI Capabilities: Planning for the Future
AI is no longer optional. Smartsheet’s AI capabilities are growing but still limited compared to emerging competitors.
What to look for
Is there native AI support for summarizing, predicting, or automating content?
Can you embed tools like Numerous to generate prompts, content, or automate formulas?
Is the AI explainable and transparent (not just "magic")?
Ideal alternatives
Numerous (for AI layers on spreadsheets), Coda (for AI assistants), and Airtable (basic AI extensions in beta)
6. Scalability and Data Performance: Planning for Growth
Some tools are excellent for light usage but break down at scale. Smartsheet handles moderate data well, but can become sluggish with large datasets or complex automations.
What to look for
Can the tool handle tens of thousands of rows?
Does performance stay smooth with filters, formulas, and multi-user edits?
Is there an audit trail or version history for safety?
Ideal alternatives
Microsoft Excel (performance beast), Baserow (for structured data and open-source scaling), and Zoho Sheet
7. App and Workflow Integration: Streamlining Processes
Smartsheet integrates with Google Workspace, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Jira, and more. A modern tool must connect with the rest of your stack.
What to look for
Are there native integrations for tools you already use?
Is there a connector to Zapier, Make, or Power Automate?
Can the platform act as a hub, or will you still need workarounds?
Ideal alternatives
Airtable, Coda, Excel + Power Platform, and ClickUp all excel here.
Numerous is an AI-powered tool that enables content marketers, E-Commerce businesses, and more to automate tasks many times over through AI, such as writing SEO blog posts, generating hashtags, mass categorizing products with sentiment analysis and classification, and more, simply by dragging down a cell in a spreadsheet.
With a simple prompt, Numerous returns any spreadsheet function, complex or straightforward, within seconds. The capabilities of Numerous are endless. It is versatile and can be used with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI, in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Learn more about how you can 10x your marketing efforts with Numerous’s ChatGPT for Spreadsheets tool.
Related Reading
• How to Automate Excel
• What is Smartsheet
• Google Docs AI Scraping
• Google Sheets Data Visualization
• How to Auto Fill in Google Sheets
• How to Auto Sum in Google Sheets
• Google Docs Automation
Top 5 Smartsheet Alternatives in 2025
1. Numerous: The Game Changer for Google Sheets and Excel
Numerous isn’t a standalone spreadsheet platform — it’s a powerful AI writing and data automation tool that works inside Google Sheets and Excel. Numerous transforms your ordinary spreadsheets into intelligent content engines and productivity tools.
Why It’s a Great Alternative to Smartsheet
Where Smartsheet focuses on traditional project views and workflows, Numerous adds automation, writing, and content generation abilities right inside your sheet. It’s perfect for creators, marketers, startups, and educators who want more than just tasks and tables.
Top Features
Natural language formula generation (no need to write complex syntax)
Bulk content creation (e.g., blog outlines, product descriptions)
Smart summarization and formatting
Templates for to-do lists, content calendars, and editorial pipelines
Seamless integration with both Google Sheets and Excel
Who It’s Best For
Writers, marketers, and content strategists
Educators and students
Anyone who works with large volumes of written or structured data
Users who want to stay inside Sheets or Excel but supercharge it
Standout Use Case
A content team uses Numerous to generate SEO-optimized article outlines from a topic list, summarize long responses, and auto-format deliverables — all within Google Sheets.
2. Google Sheets: The Simplicity of Spreadsheet Collaboration
Google Sheets remains one of the most widely used spreadsheet platforms globally. Cloud-based, fast, and intuitive, it offers basic project planning, task tracking, and data analysis — plus a large marketplace of add-ons, such as Numerous.
Why It’s a Great Alternative to Smartsheet
For many teams, Smartsheet may be overkill. Google Sheets provides real-time collaboration, unlimited version history, and ease of use at no cost. Add-ons (like Gantt Chart Builders, automation tools, and AI) fill many gaps.
Top Features
Cloud-based and real-time collaboration
Integration with Google Workspace (Docs, Gmail, Calendar)
App Script support for advanced automation
Explore tool for AI-powered insights
Huge add-on ecosystem including Numerous
Who It’s Best For
Small teams and startups
Students and educators
Writers, planners, and digital marketers
Freelancers and consultants who need flexibility
Standout Use Case
A small team uses Google Sheets with Numerous add-ons to manage a content calendar, automate task reminders, and generate short-form social media copy from product features.
3. Microsoft Excel: The Complex Data and Financial Modeling Standard
Excel is the gold standard in spreadsheets, particularly in corporate, financial, and data-heavy environments. Excel 365 brings these capabilities online with added AI and automation support.
Why It’s a Great Alternative to Smartsheet
Excel handles large datasets better than Smartsheet, supports deeper analytics, and allows for extremely custom workflows through formulas, Power Query, and VBA. It’s a powerhouse — if you know how to use it.
Top Features
Power Query, Power Pivot, and Macros
Advanced conditional formatting and custom formulas
Integration with Power Automate for workflow automation
Built-in AI “Analyze Data” panel
Seamless sync with SharePoint and Teams
Who It’s Best For
Analysts, accountants, and finance teams
Operations managers
Enterprise-level reporting teams
Technical users are comfortable with formulas
Standout Use Case
A finance department uses Excel to model revenue forecasts, automate data pulls from external APIs, and generate monthly investor dashboards — without third-party software.
4. Airtable: The Visual Workflows and Team Projects Leader
Airtable is a visual database that meets spreadsheet — ideal for managing structured content, collaborative projects, or campaign planning. It’s more flexible than Smartsheet for front-end use cases and visual dashboards.
Why It’s a Great Alternative to Smartsheet
While Smartsheet is task- and Gantt-focused, Airtable offers views, databases, and app-like dashboards in a more modern, visual format. It’s the go-to for content teams, creative agencies, and digital marketers.
Top Features
Toggle between Grid, Kanban, Gallery, Timeline, and Calendar
Interface Designer for building internal apps
Automations (Slack, Gmail, Webhooks, etc.)
Linked records and rich field types
Vast library of project templates
Who It’s Best For
Marketing, media, and creative teams
Product teams planning roadmaps or launches
Agencies and consultants
Non-technical users who want beautiful tools
Standout Use Case
A content marketing agency tracks client deliverables, editorial deadlines, and creative briefs in Airtable — using automation to notify stakeholders and mark approvals.
5. Baserow: The Open-Source, Privacy-First Data Management Alternative
Baserow is an open-source Airtable alternative. It offers a database-style spreadsheet system you can host yourself or use in the cloud. It’s ideal for users who need complete data control and custom workflows.
Why It’s a Great Alternative to Smartsheet
Unlike Smartsheet’s SaaS model, Baserow gives you complete ownership of your infrastructure. It’s ideal for developers, regulated industries, and organizations seeking secure, extensible spreadsheets.
Top Features
Self-host or use the managed cloud version
Relational tables and formulas
REST API access and plugin ecosystem
No user limit on self-hosted plans
Developer-first design with full customization
Who It’s Best For
Developers and data engineers
Privacy-conscious teams (legal, healthcare, education)
NGOs and open-source communities
Teams with custom infrastructure needs
Standout Use Case
An NGO uses Baserow to track donations, volunteers, and events, all hosted on their private server, ensuring full compliance with local privacy laws.
Numerous is an AI-powered tool that enables content marketers, Ecommerce businesses, and more to do tasks many times over through AI, like writing SEO blog posts, generating hashtags, mass categorizing products with sentiment analysis and classification, and many more things by simply dragging down a cell in a spreadsheet. With a simple prompt, Numerous returns any spreadsheet function, simple or complex, within seconds. The capabilities of Numerous are endless. It is versatile and can be used with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.
Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI, in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Learn more about how you can 10x your marketing efforts with Numerous's ChatGPT for spreadsheets tool.
Make Decisions At Scale Through AI With Numerous AI’s Spreadsheet AI Tool
Numerous is an AI-powered tool that enables content marketers, Ecommerce businesses, and more to do tasks many times over through AI, like writing SEO blog posts, generating hashtags, mass categorizing products with sentiment analysis and classification, and many more things by simply dragging down a cell in a spreadsheet. With a simple prompt, Numerous returns any spreadsheet function, simple or complex, within seconds.
The capabilities of Numerous are endless. It is versatile and can be used with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI, in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Use Numerous AI’s spreadsheet AI tool to make decisions and complete tasks at scale.
Related Reading
• Best Add-ons for Google Sheets
• Best Add-ons for Google Docs
• Google Sheets Alternatives
• Excel Alternatives
• Smartsheet vs Excel
Managing projects and tasks can be overwhelming, especially if you're relying on outdated spreadsheets or getting bogged down by complex software. If you're feeling the pressure, it may be time to explore some alternatives, like Smartsheet. This guide Google Sheets hacks gives you the inside scoop on the top five Smartsheet alternatives for 2025 so you can start fresh and find a tool that works for you! You’ll learn about each software's unique features, pricing, and pros and cons so that you can make the best choice for your team's and project's needs.
Before we jump in, let’s talk about how the spreadsheet AI tool can help you on your journey to finding the perfect Smartsheet alternative. This Google Sheets add-on uses artificial intelligence to help you get organized, automate tasks, and even build out project plans before you transition to a new tool.
Table of Content
What Is Smartsheet?
Smartsheet is a cloud-based software platform that allows users to create, share, and automate spreadsheets online. While it looks like a spreadsheet, Smartsheet is much more than rows and columns. It's a dynamic work execution platform that enables you to plan, track, automate, and report on work in real-time. Whether you're organizing a marketing campaign, managing product development, or tracking operations across departments, Smartsheet helps you do it in one place.
Core Features of Smartsheet
Grid View (spreadsheet-style)
The core interface resembles Excel or Google Sheets but is interactive and collaborative.
Gantt Charts
Built-in timelines for project scheduling and task dependencies.
Card View
Kanban-style layout for visual task tracking.
Calendar View
Great for planning events, due dates, or campaigns.
Automation Rules
Set triggers and actions to automate reminders, status changes, or email alerts — without coding.
Dashboards & Reporting
Real-time visual reporting with widgets, charts, and summary metrics pulled from live sheets.
Role-Based Permissions
Control who can view, edit, or manage specific sheets or dashboards.
Who Uses Smartsheet?
Smartsheet is widely adopted across industries like:
Marketing & Creative Agencies – for campaign planning, asset reviews, content calendars
IT & Software Teams – for deployment tracking, sprint planning, bug tracking
Operations & Supply Chain – for inventory tracking, vendor management
Construction & Field Services – for schedule management and job-site tracking
Finance & Admin – for reporting, budgeting, and compliance tracking
It’s used by over 90% of Fortune 100 companies, yet it's flexible enough for smaller teams.
Why Is It Popular?
Ease of Use – Familiar spreadsheet interface, but with deeper functionality
Collaboration – Everyone works from the same live sheet
Scalability – Grows with your team’s complexity
All-in-One Platform – Combines planning, tracking, automation, and reporting in one tool
No-Code Automations – Build workflow logic without technical skills
Related Reading
• Google Docs Hacks
• Best AI Tools for Data Analysis
• Can ChatGPT Analyze Excel Data
• How to Use AI in Google Docs
• How to Analyze Data in Google Sheets
7 Key Features to Look for in Smartsheet Alternatives
1. Customizable Views: Unlocking Team Workflows
Smartsheet offers multiple project views, including Grid, Gantt, and Card (Kanban), which are essential for various team workflows — from task boards to long-term roadmaps.
What to look for in an alternative
Does it offer multiple ways to visualize data?
Can you switch between views without losing formatting or filters?
Are views user-specific or shared across teams?
Ideal alternatives
Airtable, ClickUp, and Coda all offer dynamic, toggleable views suited for task or project management.
2. Workflow Automation and Triggers: Streamlining Processes
One of Smartsheet’s best features is its ability to automate repetitive processes — status updates, alerts, and conditional workflows — with no coding.
What to look for in an alternative
Does it support no-code automation?
Can you build conditional logic (e.g., “If status is complete, send email”)?
Are automation templates or assistants (like Numerous AI) built-in?
Ideal alternatives
Coda and Airtable both support automations; Excel, combined with Power Automate, is a robust option but requires more technical expertise.
3. Real-Time Collaboration and User Permissions: A Team Player
Smartsheet enables multiple users to collaborate in real-time while controlling access levels — including view-only, editor, and admin.
What to look for
Does the platform support multi-user editing?
Are there advanced permissions for rows, columns, or pages?
Can different teams have custom dashboards or filtered views?
Ideal alternatives
Zoho Sheet (great permissions), Excel 365 (robust for enterprise), Notion (collaborative pages with share control)
4. Templates and Ready-Made Solutions: Hit the Ground Running
Smartsheet offers dozens of templates across industries — marketing calendars, hiring pipelines, IT ticketing, etc.
What to look for
Does the tool provide pre-built templates for your specific use case?
Are they interactive and customizable?
Are there templates for both structure (data) and logic (automations)?
Ideal alternatives
Airtable and Notion have some of the most extensive template libraries; Coda’s “Doc Gallery” is rich with startup-ready frameworks.
5. Integrated AI Capabilities: Planning for the Future
AI is no longer optional. Smartsheet’s AI capabilities are growing but still limited compared to emerging competitors.
What to look for
Is there native AI support for summarizing, predicting, or automating content?
Can you embed tools like Numerous to generate prompts, content, or automate formulas?
Is the AI explainable and transparent (not just "magic")?
Ideal alternatives
Numerous (for AI layers on spreadsheets), Coda (for AI assistants), and Airtable (basic AI extensions in beta)
6. Scalability and Data Performance: Planning for Growth
Some tools are excellent for light usage but break down at scale. Smartsheet handles moderate data well, but can become sluggish with large datasets or complex automations.
What to look for
Can the tool handle tens of thousands of rows?
Does performance stay smooth with filters, formulas, and multi-user edits?
Is there an audit trail or version history for safety?
Ideal alternatives
Microsoft Excel (performance beast), Baserow (for structured data and open-source scaling), and Zoho Sheet
7. App and Workflow Integration: Streamlining Processes
Smartsheet integrates with Google Workspace, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Jira, and more. A modern tool must connect with the rest of your stack.
What to look for
Are there native integrations for tools you already use?
Is there a connector to Zapier, Make, or Power Automate?
Can the platform act as a hub, or will you still need workarounds?
Ideal alternatives
Airtable, Coda, Excel + Power Platform, and ClickUp all excel here.
Numerous is an AI-powered tool that enables content marketers, E-Commerce businesses, and more to automate tasks many times over through AI, such as writing SEO blog posts, generating hashtags, mass categorizing products with sentiment analysis and classification, and more, simply by dragging down a cell in a spreadsheet.
With a simple prompt, Numerous returns any spreadsheet function, complex or straightforward, within seconds. The capabilities of Numerous are endless. It is versatile and can be used with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI, in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Learn more about how you can 10x your marketing efforts with Numerous’s ChatGPT for Spreadsheets tool.
Related Reading
• How to Automate Excel
• What is Smartsheet
• Google Docs AI Scraping
• Google Sheets Data Visualization
• How to Auto Fill in Google Sheets
• How to Auto Sum in Google Sheets
• Google Docs Automation
Top 5 Smartsheet Alternatives in 2025
1. Numerous: The Game Changer for Google Sheets and Excel
Numerous isn’t a standalone spreadsheet platform — it’s a powerful AI writing and data automation tool that works inside Google Sheets and Excel. Numerous transforms your ordinary spreadsheets into intelligent content engines and productivity tools.
Why It’s a Great Alternative to Smartsheet
Where Smartsheet focuses on traditional project views and workflows, Numerous adds automation, writing, and content generation abilities right inside your sheet. It’s perfect for creators, marketers, startups, and educators who want more than just tasks and tables.
Top Features
Natural language formula generation (no need to write complex syntax)
Bulk content creation (e.g., blog outlines, product descriptions)
Smart summarization and formatting
Templates for to-do lists, content calendars, and editorial pipelines
Seamless integration with both Google Sheets and Excel
Who It’s Best For
Writers, marketers, and content strategists
Educators and students
Anyone who works with large volumes of written or structured data
Users who want to stay inside Sheets or Excel but supercharge it
Standout Use Case
A content team uses Numerous to generate SEO-optimized article outlines from a topic list, summarize long responses, and auto-format deliverables — all within Google Sheets.
2. Google Sheets: The Simplicity of Spreadsheet Collaboration
Google Sheets remains one of the most widely used spreadsheet platforms globally. Cloud-based, fast, and intuitive, it offers basic project planning, task tracking, and data analysis — plus a large marketplace of add-ons, such as Numerous.
Why It’s a Great Alternative to Smartsheet
For many teams, Smartsheet may be overkill. Google Sheets provides real-time collaboration, unlimited version history, and ease of use at no cost. Add-ons (like Gantt Chart Builders, automation tools, and AI) fill many gaps.
Top Features
Cloud-based and real-time collaboration
Integration with Google Workspace (Docs, Gmail, Calendar)
App Script support for advanced automation
Explore tool for AI-powered insights
Huge add-on ecosystem including Numerous
Who It’s Best For
Small teams and startups
Students and educators
Writers, planners, and digital marketers
Freelancers and consultants who need flexibility
Standout Use Case
A small team uses Google Sheets with Numerous add-ons to manage a content calendar, automate task reminders, and generate short-form social media copy from product features.
3. Microsoft Excel: The Complex Data and Financial Modeling Standard
Excel is the gold standard in spreadsheets, particularly in corporate, financial, and data-heavy environments. Excel 365 brings these capabilities online with added AI and automation support.
Why It’s a Great Alternative to Smartsheet
Excel handles large datasets better than Smartsheet, supports deeper analytics, and allows for extremely custom workflows through formulas, Power Query, and VBA. It’s a powerhouse — if you know how to use it.
Top Features
Power Query, Power Pivot, and Macros
Advanced conditional formatting and custom formulas
Integration with Power Automate for workflow automation
Built-in AI “Analyze Data” panel
Seamless sync with SharePoint and Teams
Who It’s Best For
Analysts, accountants, and finance teams
Operations managers
Enterprise-level reporting teams
Technical users are comfortable with formulas
Standout Use Case
A finance department uses Excel to model revenue forecasts, automate data pulls from external APIs, and generate monthly investor dashboards — without third-party software.
4. Airtable: The Visual Workflows and Team Projects Leader
Airtable is a visual database that meets spreadsheet — ideal for managing structured content, collaborative projects, or campaign planning. It’s more flexible than Smartsheet for front-end use cases and visual dashboards.
Why It’s a Great Alternative to Smartsheet
While Smartsheet is task- and Gantt-focused, Airtable offers views, databases, and app-like dashboards in a more modern, visual format. It’s the go-to for content teams, creative agencies, and digital marketers.
Top Features
Toggle between Grid, Kanban, Gallery, Timeline, and Calendar
Interface Designer for building internal apps
Automations (Slack, Gmail, Webhooks, etc.)
Linked records and rich field types
Vast library of project templates
Who It’s Best For
Marketing, media, and creative teams
Product teams planning roadmaps or launches
Agencies and consultants
Non-technical users who want beautiful tools
Standout Use Case
A content marketing agency tracks client deliverables, editorial deadlines, and creative briefs in Airtable — using automation to notify stakeholders and mark approvals.
5. Baserow: The Open-Source, Privacy-First Data Management Alternative
Baserow is an open-source Airtable alternative. It offers a database-style spreadsheet system you can host yourself or use in the cloud. It’s ideal for users who need complete data control and custom workflows.
Why It’s a Great Alternative to Smartsheet
Unlike Smartsheet’s SaaS model, Baserow gives you complete ownership of your infrastructure. It’s ideal for developers, regulated industries, and organizations seeking secure, extensible spreadsheets.
Top Features
Self-host or use the managed cloud version
Relational tables and formulas
REST API access and plugin ecosystem
No user limit on self-hosted plans
Developer-first design with full customization
Who It’s Best For
Developers and data engineers
Privacy-conscious teams (legal, healthcare, education)
NGOs and open-source communities
Teams with custom infrastructure needs
Standout Use Case
An NGO uses Baserow to track donations, volunteers, and events, all hosted on their private server, ensuring full compliance with local privacy laws.
Numerous is an AI-powered tool that enables content marketers, Ecommerce businesses, and more to do tasks many times over through AI, like writing SEO blog posts, generating hashtags, mass categorizing products with sentiment analysis and classification, and many more things by simply dragging down a cell in a spreadsheet. With a simple prompt, Numerous returns any spreadsheet function, simple or complex, within seconds. The capabilities of Numerous are endless. It is versatile and can be used with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.
Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI, in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Learn more about how you can 10x your marketing efforts with Numerous's ChatGPT for spreadsheets tool.
Make Decisions At Scale Through AI With Numerous AI’s Spreadsheet AI Tool
Numerous is an AI-powered tool that enables content marketers, Ecommerce businesses, and more to do tasks many times over through AI, like writing SEO blog posts, generating hashtags, mass categorizing products with sentiment analysis and classification, and many more things by simply dragging down a cell in a spreadsheet. With a simple prompt, Numerous returns any spreadsheet function, simple or complex, within seconds.
The capabilities of Numerous are endless. It is versatile and can be used with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI, in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Use Numerous AI’s spreadsheet AI tool to make decisions and complete tasks at scale.
Related Reading
• Best Add-ons for Google Sheets
• Best Add-ons for Google Docs
• Google Sheets Alternatives
• Excel Alternatives
• Smartsheet vs Excel
© 2025 Numerous. All rights reserved.
© 2025 Numerous. All rights reserved.
© 2025 Numerous. All rights reserved.