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Spreadsheets · head to head

Rowy vs Semantic Kernel

Rowy logo

Rowy

Spreadsheets

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Semantic Kernel logo

Semantic Kernel

Machine Learning

Model-agnostic SDK for AI orchestration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Semantic Kernel steep learning curve for advanced features
  • They diverge on capability: Rowy covers Firestore backed grid, Semantic Kernel covers Multi-model support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Rowy and Semantic Kernel actually diverge.

Attributes where Rowy and Semantic Kernel differ
AttributeRowySemantic Kernel
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeOpen source, no pricing
PlatformsWebPython, .NET, Java
CategorySpreadsheetsMachine Learning

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 Rowy

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

Only in Semantic Kernel

  • Multi-model support
  • Agent framework
  • Multi-agent systems
  • Plugin ecosystem
  • Vector database integration
  • Multimodal support
  • Local model support
  • Enterprise observability

What people use each for

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

Rowy

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

Semantic Kernel

  • Building enterprise AI applications with LLM integrationnot Rowy
  • Creating multi-agent systems for complex workflowsnot Rowy
  • Developing AI-powered chatbots and assistantsnot Rowy
  • Implementing RAG systems with vector databasesnot Rowy

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Semantic Kernel

  • Steep learning curve for advanced features
  • Documentation focuses on Azure cloud services
  • Configuration complexity for multi-model scenarios
  • Requires understanding of AI/LLM concepts

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Semantic Kernel

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • MIT license
    • Full framework access
    • All language SDKs

Which should you pick?

Choose Rowy if

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

Choose Semantic Kernel if

  • You need multi-model support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Python, .NET, Java.
  • You also want agent framework.
Semantic Kernel review

Questions people ask

Is Rowy or Semantic Kernel better?
Neither clearly leads. Rowy starts at Free and Semantic Kernel at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rowy or Semantic Kernel?
Rowy starts at Free and Semantic Kernel at Free.
Does Rowy or Semantic Kernel run on more platforms?
Rowy runs on Web. Semantic Kernel runs on Python, .NET, Java.
Can I use Rowy for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Rowy best used for?
Rowy is most often used for a firebase application that needs an internal admin interface without building one, operations staff correcting production records in firestore without developer involvement, attaching a small transformation or notification function to a field change without a full deployment pipeline, a content team populating documents that a mobile application reads directly from firestore. Of those, a firebase application that needs an internal admin interface without building one and operations staff correcting production records in firestore without developer involvement are not what Semantic Kernel is typically brought in for.
What can Rowy do that Semantic Kernel cannot?
Rowy covers Firestore backed grid, Browser authored cloud functions, Typed columns, Runs in your Google Cloud project. Semantic Kernel covers Multi-model support, Agent framework, Multi-agent systems, Plugin ecosystem.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Rowy: Where is my data stored?

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

Semantic Kernel: What LLM providers does Semantic Kernel support?

Semantic Kernel supports OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, Hugging Face, Nvidia, and other providers through extensible model implementations.

Source
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.

Semantic Kernel: Can I run Semantic Kernel locally?

Yes. Semantic Kernel supports local models through Ollama, LMStudio, and ONNX for complete data control and offline operation.

Source
Rowy: Can it do joins across collections?

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

Semantic Kernel: Is Semantic Kernel free?

Yes. Semantic Kernel is MIT-licensed open source and completely free. You only pay for external LLM APIs you use.

Source
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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