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Spreadsheets · head to head

Google Sheets vs Monday.com

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
Monday.com logo

Monday.com

Technology

A platform built for a new way of working

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Google Sheets performance degrades noticeably on very large or formula-heavy spreadsheets compared with desktop Excel, particularly with complex array formulas.; Monday.com expensive at scale with 3-seat minimum and costs increasing quickly with team size
  • They diverge on capability: Google Sheets covers Formulas and pivot tables, Monday.com covers Customizable workflows.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Sheets and Monday.com actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Sheets and Monday.com differ
AttributeGoogle SheetsMonday.com
Pricing modelFree personally, bundled into paid Google Workspace for organisationsUnknown
CategorySpreadsheetsTechnology
FoundedUnknown2012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 Google Sheets

  • Formulas and pivot tables
  • Apps Script automation
  • Excel compatibility
  • Offline mode
  • Connected Sheets

Only in Monday.com

  • Customizable workflows
  • Multiple views (Kanban, Gantt, Calendar)
  • Automation engine
  • Mobile apps
  • Forms
  • Dashboards
  • Workload management
  • Slack

Both cover

  • Real-time collaboration

What people use each for

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

Google Sheets

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

Monday.com

  • Project managementnot Google Sheets
  • Sales CRMnot Google Sheets
  • Marketing campaignsnot Google Sheets
  • HR processesnot Google Sheets
  • IT ticketingnot Google Sheets

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Monday.com

  • Expensive at scale with 3-seat minimum and costs increasing quickly with team size
  • Limited free plan with only 2 users and 3 boards
  • Mobile app provides reduced functionality compared to web version
  • Email CC/BCC limitations for looping in stakeholders without full board access
  • WorkForms can only create new items, not update existing ones

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Monday.com

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Monday.com review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Sheets if

  • You need formulas and pivot tables.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want apps script automation.
Google Sheets review

Choose Monday.com if

  • You need customizable workflows.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want multiple views (kanban, gantt, calendar).
Monday.com review

Questions people ask

Is Google Sheets or Monday.com better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Sheets starts at Free and Monday.com at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Sheets or Monday.com?
Google Sheets starts at Free and Monday.com at Free.
Does Google Sheets or Monday.com run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Google Sheets for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Google Sheets best used for?
Google Sheets is most often used for a freelancer or small team wanting real-time spreadsheet collaboration without installing software, a school or nonprofit already using free or discounted google workspace for education, a company standardising on google workspace for email and file storage that gets sheets included, a team building lightweight internal tools with apps script rather than a dedicated database. Of those, a freelancer or small team wanting real-time spreadsheet collaboration without installing software and a school or nonprofit already using free or discounted google workspace for education are not what Monday.com is typically brought in for.
What can Google Sheets do that Monday.com cannot?
Google Sheets covers Formulas and pivot tables, Apps Script automation, Excel compatibility, Offline mode. Monday.com covers Customizable workflows, Multiple views (Kanban, Gantt, Calendar), Automation engine, Mobile apps. Both handle Real-time collaboration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Monday.com: Does Monday.com have a free plan?

Yes, Monday.com offers a free plan limited to 2 users and 3 boards. Paid plans start at around $9 per seat per month and require a minimum of 3 seats.

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.

Monday.com: Can I use Monday.com on mobile?

Monday.com is available on iOS and Android, but the mobile app lacks the full depth of the desktop version, making complex board management more difficult on the go.

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

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

Monday.com: Does Monday.com support offline work?

Monday.com is primarily a cloud-based platform and does not have robust offline capabilities. You need an internet connection to access and edit boards.

Source
Monday.com: What is Monday.com's pricing based on?

Pricing is based on the number of seats and which product module you choose (Work Management, Sales CRM, Dev, or Service). Each module has different features and pricing.

Source
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Related pages

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