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Spreadsheets · head to head

Cube Software vs Rowy

Cube Software logo

Cube Software

Spreadsheets

FP&A layer that connects Excel and Google Sheets to source systems without asking finance to leave the spreadsheet

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rowy logo

Rowy

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheet interface for Google Cloud Firestore with cloud functions written in the browser

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Rowy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cube Software the pricing page is titled transparent and upfront pricing but shows no figures at all, only three tiers with quote buttons, so the marketing claim and the buying experience directly contradict each other.; Rowy every Firestore limit is inherited, including the one megabyte per document ceiling and roughly one sustained write per second per document, which surprises users who expect spreadsheet behaviour.
  • They diverge on capability: Cube Software covers Excel and Google Sheets add-ins, Rowy covers Firestore backed grid.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cube Software and Rowy actually diverge.

Attributes where Cube Software and Rowy differ
AttributeCube SoftwareRowy
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Excel add-in, Google Sheets add-onWeb

Identical on both: 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 Cube Software

  • Excel and Google Sheets add-ins
  • Source system connectors
  • Central dimensional model
  • Drill-down to source
  • Scenario planning
  • Dashboards
  • Workflow automation
  • Slack and Teams integration

Only in Rowy

  • Firestore backed grid
  • Browser authored cloud functions
  • Typed columns
  • Runs in your Google Cloud project
  • Role based access
  • Form view
  • Open source

What people use each for

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

Cube Software

  • A finance team on Google Workspace that cannot use the Excel-add-in-only planning tools most of the market sellsnot Rowy
  • A startup finance function of two or three people replacing a shared workbook without a six-month implementationnot Rowy
  • Consolidating actuals from an accounting system and a CRM into one forecast without building a warehousenot Rowy
  • Collecting departmental budget inputs on a schedule with an audit trail rather than by email attachmentnot Rowy

Rowy

  • A Firebase application that needs an internal admin interface without building onenot Cube Software
  • Operations staff correcting production records in Firestore without developer involvementnot Cube Software
  • Attaching a small transformation or notification function to a field change without a full deployment pipelinenot Cube Software
  • A content team populating documents that a mobile application reads directly from Firestorenot Cube Software

Where each one falls short

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

Cube Software

  • The pricing page is titled transparent and upfront pricing but shows no figures at all, only three tiers with quote buttons, so the marketing claim and the buying experience directly contradict each other.
  • Add-ons for premium support, additional modules and API access are priced separately, which means the tier you are quoted is a floor rather than the total.
  • The spreadsheet remains the modelling surface, so organisations that grow into large multidimensional planning problems will eventually migrate again to a purpose-built tool.
  • It is a layer over source systems rather than a system of record, so data quality problems in the ERP or CRM surface in the forecast and Cube gives you no way to fix them at source.
  • The vendor targets small finance teams, so buyers needing deep statutory consolidation, multi-entity currency translation or heavy allocation logic will find the functional depth thinner than the established enterprise platforms.

Rowy

  • Every Firestore limit is inherited, including the one megabyte per document ceiling and roughly one sustained write per second per document, which surprises users who expect spreadsheet behaviour.
  • Firestore has no joins, so linking tables in the grid is a convenience layer rather than a relational feature and reports across collections still need a separate query.
  • It is useful only to teams already on Firebase, so choosing it effectively locks the operational tooling to one cloud vendor.
  • Query costs are billed by document read, and an unfiltered grid on a large collection can generate a bill that a spreadsheet user has no intuition for.
  • Development activity has slowed relative to the broader category, so evaluate current maintenance before making it load bearing for internal operations.

Pricing, plan by plan

Cube Software

On request
  • Bronze$undefined/year
    • Full platform access
    • Unlimited dimensions and users
    • Unlimited dashboards
  • Silver$undefined/year
    • Everything in Bronze
    • Slack and Teams integration
    • Workflow automation
  • Gold$undefined/year
    • Everything in Silver
    • Premium support
    • All integrations and workflows

Rowy

Free
  • Open source self hostedFree
    • No licence fee
    • Deploys into your own Google Cloud project
    • You pay Google Cloud for Firestore reads, writes and storage

Which should you pick?

Choose Cube Software if

  • You need excel and google sheets add-ins.
  • You work on Web, Excel add-in, Google Sheets add-on.
  • You also want source system connectors.
Cube Software review

Choose Rowy if

  • You need firestore backed grid.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want browser authored cloud functions.
Rowy review

Questions people ask

Is Cube Software or Rowy better?
Neither clearly leads. Cube Software starts at On request and Rowy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cube Software or Rowy?
Rowy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cube Software and Free for Rowy.
Does Cube Software or Rowy run on more platforms?
Cube Software runs on Web, Excel add-in, Google Sheets add-on. Rowy runs on Web.
Can I use Rowy for free?
Yes. Rowy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cube Software starts at On request.
What is Cube Software best used for?
Cube Software is most often used for a finance team on google workspace that cannot use the excel-add-in-only planning tools most of the market sells, a startup finance function of two or three people replacing a shared workbook without a six-month implementation, consolidating actuals from an accounting system and a crm into one forecast without building a warehouse, collecting departmental budget inputs on a schedule with an audit trail rather than by email attachment. Of those, a finance team on google workspace that cannot use the excel-add-in-only planning tools most of the market sells and a startup finance function of two or three people replacing a shared workbook without a six-month implementation are not what Rowy is typically brought in for.
What can Cube Software do that Rowy cannot?
Cube Software covers Excel and Google Sheets add-ins, Source system connectors, Central dimensional model, Drill-down to source. Rowy covers Firestore backed grid, Browser authored cloud functions, Typed columns, Runs in your Google Cloud project.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cube Software: Does Cube work with Google Sheets?

Yes, and that is its main differentiator. Google Sheets is a first-class interface, not a secondary export.

Rowy: Where is my data stored?

In your own Firestore instance inside your own Google Cloud project. Rowy does not hold a copy.

Cube Software: Is pricing published?

No, despite the page being titled transparent pricing. All three tiers require a quote.

Rowy: What does it cost to run?

No licence fee. You pay Google Cloud for Firestore reads, writes, storage and function invocations, and an open grid on a big collection reads a lot.

Cube Software: Is it a replacement for our accounting system?

No. It reads actuals from your accounting or ERP system and adds planning, reporting and workflow on top.

Rowy: Can it do joins across collections?

Not really. Firestore does not support joins, and no interface layer can add them.

Cube Software: What are the tiers called?

Bronze, Silver and Gold, with add-ons for premium support, extra modules and API access.

Rowy: Is there a row limit?

Not from Rowy. The limits that bite are Firestore document size and per document write throughput.

Rowy: Is it suitable if I am not on Firebase?

No. It is specifically a Firestore interface.

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