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Spreadsheets · head to head

APITable vs Quadratic

APITable logo

APITable

Spreadsheets

Open source spreadsheet database with an API first design and an embeddable widget system

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Quadratic logo

Quadratic

Spreadsheets

Infinite-canvas spreadsheet that runs Python, SQL and formulas in the same grid

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: APITable records are held in the product own schema rather than as native database tables, so the practical row ceiling is a product limit and large tables should be load tested before commitment.; Quadratic aI usage is metered as a dollar allowance rather than a flat entitlement, so a team that adopts the agent enthusiastically will exhaust 20 USD per user per month quickly and the true cost per seat becomes unpredictable.
  • They diverge on capability: APITable covers API first design, Quadratic covers Multi-language cells.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which APITable and Quadratic actually diverge.

Attributes where APITable and Quadratic differ
AttributeAPITableQuadratic
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feePer user per month
PlatformsWeb, LinuxWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Spreadsheets).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in APITable

  • API first design
  • Widget SDK
  • Embeddable views
  • Multiple view types
  • Linked records and formulas
  • Self hosting
  • Real time collaboration

Only in Quadratic

  • Multi-language cells
  • Infinite canvas
  • Direct database connections
  • AI agent in the sheet
  • WebAssembly engine
  • Python package support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

APITable

  • Embedding an editable table view inside a product you are building, rather than sending users to another toolnot Quadratic
  • An internal platform where tables are read and written mostly by code through the API and only occasionally by peoplenot Quadratic
  • A self hosted replacement for a per seat spreadsheet database where seat count is the cost drivernot Quadratic
  • Building a custom dashboard widget that sits beside the data instead of in a separate reporting toolnot Quadratic

Quadratic

  • An analyst who wants a SQL result, a Python transformation and a set of manual assumptions visible in one file instead of three toolsnot APITable
  • Ad hoc modelling where part of the logic is genuinely code and part is a judgement call typed into a cellnot APITable
  • Sharing a reproducible analysis with a colleague who will only ever open a spreadsheet, not a notebooknot APITable
  • Prototyping a data pull against a warehouse before committing it to a scheduled pipelinenot APITable

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

APITable

  • Records are held in the product own schema rather than as native database tables, so the practical row ceiling is a product limit and large tables should be load tested before commitment.
  • The hosted free tier caps records per space, so evaluating on the cloud version gives a misleading picture of what the software can do when self hosted.
  • Automation is thin compared with the commercial alternatives, and most real workflows end up in an external automation tool.
  • The self hosted deployment is heavier than a single container, so running it properly means managing several services rather than one.
  • Documentation and community activity are uneven in English, and finding an answer to an operational problem can take longer than the problem itself deserves.

Quadratic

  • AI usage is metered as a dollar allowance rather than a flat entitlement, so a team that adopts the agent enthusiastically will exhaust 20 USD per user per month quickly and the true cost per seat becomes unpredictable.
  • Self-hosting is available only on the Enterprise plan, so an organisation that cannot send data to the vendor cloud has to enter a sales negotiation rather than run a container.
  • Excel and Google Sheets compatibility is partial, so files with heavy conditional formatting, pivot tables or macros do not survive a round trip and have to be rebuilt.
  • The product is young and the connector list is short, covering the main relational databases and two warehouses, so anything else has to be reached through Python code you write and maintain yourself.
  • There is no real mobile editing experience, which matters more than it sounds for a spreadsheet because approvals and quick checks routinely happen on a phone.

Pricing, plan by plan

APITable

Free
  • Self hosted open sourceFree
    • No licence fee
    • No product record cap on self hosted deployments
    • Docker and Kubernetes deployment

Quadratic

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • Limited AI usage
    • Limited files and connections
    • Limited sharing
  • Pro$18/month
    • Billed annually
    • 20 USD of AI credits per month
    • Unlimited files
  • Business$36/month
    • Billed annually
    • 40 USD of AI credits per month
    • Advanced permissions
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Quoted
    • Self-hosting option
    • Custom AI usage

Which should you pick?

Choose APITable if

  • You need api first design.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux.
  • You also want widget sdk.
APITable review

Choose Quadratic if

  • You need multi-language cells.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want infinite canvas.
Quadratic review

Questions people ask

Is APITable or Quadratic better?
Neither clearly leads. APITable starts at Free and Quadratic at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, APITable or Quadratic?
APITable starts at Free and Quadratic at Free.
Does APITable or Quadratic run on more platforms?
APITable runs on Web, Linux. Quadratic runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
Can I use APITable for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is APITable best used for?
APITable is most often used for embedding an editable table view inside a product you are building, rather than sending users to another tool, an internal platform where tables are read and written mostly by code through the api and only occasionally by people, a self hosted replacement for a per seat spreadsheet database where seat count is the cost driver, building a custom dashboard widget that sits beside the data instead of in a separate reporting tool. Of those, embedding an editable table view inside a product you are building, rather than sending users to another tool and an internal platform where tables are read and written mostly by code through the api and only occasionally by people are not what Quadratic is typically brought in for.
What can APITable do that Quadratic cannot?
APITable covers API first design, Widget SDK, Embeddable views, Multiple view types. Quadratic covers Multi-language cells, Infinite canvas, Direct database connections, AI agent in the sheet.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

APITable: What is the record limit?

The self hosted edition has no product cap, but performance is bounded by the internal schema rather than by your database. Test at your expected size.

Quadratic: Do I need to know Python to use it?

No, formulas work on their own, but the reason to choose Quadratic over Google Sheets is the code cells, so a team with no Python will not get the value.

APITable: Can I embed it in my own product?

Yes, and that is the main reason to choose it. Views embed and the widget SDK extends them.

Quadratic: What happens when the AI credits run out?

Prompting stops until the next monthly reset or until you move up a plan; the spreadsheet itself keeps working normally.

APITable: Is the hosted version representative?

No. Its free tier caps records per space, which is a commercial limit rather than a technical one.

Quadratic: Can it replace a BI tool?

Not for scheduled distribution or governed metrics. It is for exploratory work by one person or a small team, not for dashboards a hundred people read.

APITable: How hard is self hosting?

Harder than a single container. Plan for several services and someone to keep them running.

Quadratic: Is my database query sent to the vendor?

Connections run through the vendor service on all plans except Enterprise self-hosting, which is the option to take if that is unacceptable.

APITable: Does it do automations?

Lightly. Expect to pair it with an external automation tool for anything multi step.

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