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Spreadsheets · head to head

Quadratic vs ThoughtSpot

Quadratic logo

Quadratic

Spreadsheets

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ThoughtSpot logo

ThoughtSpot

Business Intelligence

AI-powered analytics for the modern enterprise

From
$12999/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Quadratic has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; ThoughtSpot limited chart customization options; font, color, and size customizations for visualizations are restricted
  • They diverge on capability: Quadratic covers Multi-language cells, ThoughtSpot covers Natural Language Search.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Quadratic and ThoughtSpot actually diverge.

Attributes where Quadratic and ThoughtSpot differ
AttributeQuadraticThoughtSpot
Starting priceFree$12999/year
Pricing modelPer user per monthUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, LinuxWeb, Cloud, On-Premises
CategorySpreadsheetsBusiness Intelligence
FoundedUnknown2012

Identical on both: 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 Quadratic

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

Only in ThoughtSpot

  • Natural Language Search
  • SpotIQ AI
  • Liveboards
  • Embedded Analytics
  • Data Modeling
  • Snowflake
  • Databricks
  • BigQuery

What people use each for

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

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 ThoughtSpot
  • Ad hoc modelling where part of the logic is genuinely code and part is a judgement call typed into a cellnot ThoughtSpot
  • Sharing a reproducible analysis with a colleague who will only ever open a spreadsheet, not a notebooknot ThoughtSpot
  • Prototyping a data pull against a warehouse before committing it to a scheduled pipelinenot ThoughtSpot

ThoughtSpot

  • Self-service analyticsnot Quadratic
  • Data explorationnot Quadratic
  • Ad-hoc reportingnot Quadratic
  • Collaborative analysisnot Quadratic
  • Embedded analyticsnot Quadratic

Where each one falls short

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

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.

ThoughtSpot

  • Limited chart customization options; font, color, and size customizations for visualizations are restricted
  • Data modeling setup is complex and requires specialized expertise
  • High implementation costs restrict adoption for smaller organizations
  • Requires quality data and user training to fully realize benefits

Pricing, plan by plan

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

ThoughtSpot

$12999/year
  • StartupSpot$12999/year
    • Unlimited internal users
    • Up to 50 external customers
  • Essentials$25/per user per month
    • Self-service analytics
  • Pro$50/per user per month
    • Advanced analytics
    • Agentic features

Which should you pick?

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

Choose ThoughtSpot if

  • You need natural language search.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, On-Premises.
  • You also want spotiq ai.
ThoughtSpot review

Questions people ask

Is Quadratic or ThoughtSpot better?
Neither clearly leads. Quadratic starts at Free and ThoughtSpot at $12999/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Quadratic or ThoughtSpot?
Quadratic has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Quadratic and $12999/year for ThoughtSpot.
Does Quadratic or ThoughtSpot run on more platforms?
Quadratic runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux. ThoughtSpot runs on Web, Cloud, On-Premises.
Can I use Quadratic for free?
Yes. Quadratic has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ThoughtSpot starts at $12999/year.
What is Quadratic best used for?
Quadratic is most often used for an analyst who wants a sql result, a python transformation and a set of manual assumptions visible in one file instead of three tools, ad hoc modelling where part of the logic is genuinely code and part is a judgement call typed into a cell, sharing a reproducible analysis with a colleague who will only ever open a spreadsheet, not a notebook, prototyping a data pull against a warehouse before committing it to a scheduled pipeline. Of those, an analyst who wants a sql result, a python transformation and a set of manual assumptions visible in one file instead of three tools and ad hoc modelling where part of the logic is genuinely code and part is a judgement call typed into a cell are not what ThoughtSpot is typically brought in for.
What can Quadratic do that ThoughtSpot cannot?
Quadratic covers Multi-language cells, Infinite canvas, Direct database connections, AI agent in the sheet. ThoughtSpot covers Natural Language Search, SpotIQ AI, Liveboards, Embedded Analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

ThoughtSpot: What is ThoughtSpot's core capability?

ThoughtSpot pioneered search-driven analytics, allowing users to type questions and get charts back instantly without complex setup. This semantic layer approach democratizes data access for business users.

Source
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.

ThoughtSpot: What are ThoughtSpot's pricing plans?

ThoughtSpot offers StartupSpot at $12,999 per year for startups, an Essentials plan starting at $25 per user per month, a Pro plan at $50 per user per month, and custom Enterprise pricing for large deployments.

Source
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.

ThoughtSpot: Does ThoughtSpot support embedded analytics?

Yes, ThoughtSpot provides embedded analytics capabilities for building data-driven applications, with pricing varying based on deployment model and scale.

Source
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.

ThoughtSpot: What is SpotIQ?

SpotIQ is ThoughtSpot's AI-driven anomaly detection feature that automatically identifies interesting patterns and insights in data without manual configuration.

Source
ThoughtSpot: Can ThoughtSpot handle complex data models?

While ThoughtSpot excels in self-service BI and intuitive querying, data modeling can be complex and requires expertise to set up properly.

Source
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