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Business Intelligence · head to head

Deepnote vs Google Sheets

Deepnote logo

Deepnote

Business Intelligence

Collaborative cloud workspace for data analytics and machine learning

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Sheets logo

Google Sheets

Spreadsheets

Cloud spreadsheet, free for a personal Google account and bundled into paid Google Workspace for organisations

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Deepnote free plan limited to 3 editors, restricting team usage; Google Sheets performance degrades noticeably on very large or formula-heavy spreadsheets compared with desktop Excel, particularly with complex array formulas.
  • They diverge on capability: Deepnote covers Collaborative notebooks, Google Sheets covers Real-time collaboration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Deepnote and Google Sheets actually diverge.

Attributes where Deepnote and Google Sheets differ
AttributeDeepnoteGoogle Sheets
Pricing modelSubscription with free tierFree personally, bundled into paid Google Workspace for organisations
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceSpreadsheets

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

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 Deepnote

  • Collaborative notebooks
  • Interactive dashboards
  • Data agent building
  • Scheduled pipelines
  • Model management
  • 100+ integrations
  • GPU support
  • API deployment

Only in Google Sheets

  • Real-time collaboration
  • Formulas and pivot tables
  • Apps Script automation
  • Excel compatibility
  • Offline mode
  • Connected Sheets

What people use each for

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

Deepnote

  • Data exploration and analysis workflowsnot Google Sheets
  • Building interactive business intelligence dashboardsnot Google Sheets
  • Collaborative machine learning model developmentnot Google Sheets
  • Automating ETL and data pipeline orchestrationnot Google Sheets
  • Creating shareable reports without exportsnot Google Sheets

Google Sheets

  • A freelancer or small team wanting real-time spreadsheet collaboration without installing softwarenot Deepnote
  • A school or nonprofit already using free or discounted Google Workspace for Educationnot Deepnote
  • A company standardising on Google Workspace for email and file storage that gets Sheets includednot Deepnote
  • A team building lightweight internal tools with Apps Script rather than a dedicated databasenot Deepnote

Where each one falls short

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

Deepnote

  • Free plan limited to 3 editors, restricting team usage
  • Limited revision history on free plan compared to competitors
  • Requires Team plan or higher for automated scheduling
  • GPU support incurs additional charges beyond base subscription
  • No mentioned offline capability

Google Sheets

  • Performance degrades noticeably on very large or formula-heavy spreadsheets compared with desktop Excel, particularly with complex array formulas.
  • Its charting and pivot table features are less capable than Excel for advanced statistical or financial analysis.
  • Offline editing requires the Chrome browser or a specific offline-enabled setup, so it is not as seamless as a native desktop application.
  • The free personal tier has no admin controls, audit logging or data loss prevention, so it is not appropriate for regulated business data on its own.
  • Apps Script has execution time limits and quota restrictions that make it unsuitable for heavier automation workloads a dedicated backend would handle better.

Pricing, plan by plan

Deepnote

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 editors
    • Up to 5 projects
    • Limited Deepnote AI
  • Team$39/month
    • Unlimited viewers and notebooks
    • Full Deepnote AI access
    • Premium integrations
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Everything in Team plan
    • Custom contracts
    • Priority support

Google Sheets

Free
  • Personal Google accountFree
    • Full Sheets functionality
    • 15GB shared Drive storage across Gmail, Drive and Photos
    • No admin controls
  • Google Workspace Business Starter$7/month
    • Sheets bundled with Gmail, Drive and Meet
    • Admin console and centralised management
    • 30GB pooled storage per user

Which should you pick?

Choose Deepnote if

  • You need collaborative notebooks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want interactive dashboards.
Deepnote review

Choose Google Sheets if

  • You need real-time collaboration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want formulas and pivot tables.
Google Sheets review

Questions people ask

Is Deepnote or Google Sheets better?
Neither clearly leads. Deepnote starts at Free and Google Sheets at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Deepnote or Google Sheets?
Deepnote starts at Free and Google Sheets at Free.
Does Deepnote or Google Sheets run on more platforms?
Deepnote runs on Web, API. Google Sheets runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Deepnote for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Deepnote best used for?
Deepnote is most often used for data exploration and analysis workflows, building interactive business intelligence dashboards, collaborative machine learning model development, automating etl and data pipeline orchestration. Of those, data exploration and analysis workflows and building interactive business intelligence dashboards are not what Google Sheets is typically brought in for.
What can Deepnote do that Google Sheets cannot?
Deepnote covers Collaborative notebooks, Interactive dashboards, Data agent building, Scheduled pipelines. Google Sheets covers Real-time collaboration, Formulas and pivot tables, Apps Script automation, Excel compatibility.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Deepnote: What is included in the free Deepnote plan?

The free plan includes up to 3 editors, up to 5 projects, limited Deepnote AI, basic machines with 5 GB RAM, and 7-day revision history.

Source
Google Sheets: Is Google Sheets really free?

Yes, for a personal Google account with full functionality, subject to the 15GB Drive storage limit shared across Google services.

Deepnote: What data sources can Deepnote integrate with?

Deepnote integrates with 100+ data sources including major data warehouses like Snowflake, BigQuery, and Redshift, as well as BI platforms like Looker, Tableau, and Power BI.

Source
Google Sheets: Why would a business pay for something that is free?

Businesses pay for Google Workspace, which bundles Sheets with admin controls, larger storage, audit logs and support that a personal account lacks.

Deepnote: Does Deepnote support collaboration?

Yes, Deepnote provides real-time collaborative notebooks where multiple team members can work simultaneously. The Team plan allows unlimited viewers and notebooks.

Source
Google Sheets: Does Google Sheets work with Excel files?

Yes, it opens, edits and exports Microsoft Excel format files directly.

Deepnote: What compliance certifications does Deepnote have?

Deepnote is SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, and CCPA compliant and offers role-based access control, single sign-on, and directory synchronization.

Source
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