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Spreadsheets · head to head

SeaTable vs Sigma Computing

SeaTable logo

SeaTable

Spreadsheets

German-hosted database-spreadsheet hybrid from the team behind Seafile, with a self-hosted server edition

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sigma Computing logo

Sigma Computing

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheet-style analytics that queries a cloud data warehouse directly with no extract layer

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SeaTable has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: SeaTable the free self-hosted Developer Edition is capped at three users, so the pattern that makes Baserow and NocoDB attractive, running it yourself for free at real headcount, is not available and any serious on-premises deployment needs a paid per-user licence.; Sigma Computing every user interaction is a live warehouse query, so compute costs rise with adoption and land on the warehouse invoice rather than the BI line item, which routinely surprises the team that approved the purchase.
  • They diverge on capability: SeaTable covers Typed column database, Sigma Computing covers Spreadsheet interface over SQL.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SeaTable and Sigma Computing actually diverge.

Attributes where SeaTable and Sigma Computing differ
AttributeSeaTableSigma Computing
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer user per monthquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, LinuxWeb

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 SeaTable

  • Typed column database
  • Multiple views
  • Universal app builder
  • Python and JavaScript scripting
  • Self-hosted server
  • German data centres

Only in Sigma Computing

  • Spreadsheet interface over SQL
  • No extract layer
  • Input tables and write-back
  • Workbooks
  • Embedded analytics
  • Version control and dbt awareness

What people use each for

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

SeaTable

  • A German or Austrian company that needs a shared operational database but cannot put customer records on a US-hosted servicenot Sigma Computing
  • Replacing a sprawl of Excel files used by several departments with one permissioned base and per-view sharingnot Sigma Computing
  • Running a small internal tool, such as an equipment register or an application tracker, without commissioning a bespoke buildnot Sigma Computing
  • Teams already using Seafile that want structured data alongside their file sync platformnot Sigma Computing

Sigma Computing

  • A finance or operations team that lives in spreadsheets and needs warehouse-scale data without exporting CSVsnot SeaTable
  • An organisation that has consolidated on Snowflake or Databricks and wants one governed access layer rather than several desktop toolsnot SeaTable
  • Planning and scenario work where users need to type assumptions back into governed tables rather than into a local filenot SeaTable
  • Embedding customer-facing analytics into a product where each tenant must only see their own rowsnot SeaTable

Where each one falls short

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

SeaTable

  • The free self-hosted Developer Edition is capped at three users, so the pattern that makes Baserow and NocoDB attractive, running it yourself for free at real headcount, is not available and any serious on-premises deployment needs a paid per-user licence.
  • Row limits are counted across the whole account rather than per base, so the free plan ceiling of 10,000 rows and the Plus ceiling of 50,000 rows arrive sooner than people expect once a few tables hold historical records.
  • The integration catalogue is short compared with Airtable, and many connections have to be routed through Zapier, Make or n8n, which adds a second subscription and a second failure point.
  • English documentation and community content lag the German material, so non-German teams hit thinner tutorials and fewer worked examples when they get to scripting and the app builder.
  • The vendor is a small German company rather than a venture-funded platform, which is a stability advantage but means a slower feature pace and fewer third-party consultants available to hire if a project needs outside help.

Sigma Computing

  • Every user interaction is a live warehouse query, so compute costs rise with adoption and land on the warehouse invoice rather than the BI line item, which routinely surprises the team that approved the purchase.
  • It cannot work without a supported cloud data warehouse, so an organisation running analytics on an on-premises database or a plain application database has nothing to connect to.
  • Pricing is not published and seats are differentiated by capability, so budgeting requires a sales cycle and a headcount forecast before you can compare it with a tool you could simply buy.
  • Performance is only as good as the warehouse behind it, which means slow or badly modelled tables surface as a slow interface and the fix is a data engineering project, not a Sigma setting.
  • Statistical and scientific visualisation is limited compared with dedicated tools, so anything beyond standard business charting has to be done elsewhere and brought back in.

Pricing, plan by plan

SeaTable

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 25 users
    • 10,000 rows in total
    • 2 GB storage
  • Plus$7/month
    • Billed annually, 9 EUR if billed monthly
    • 50,000 rows
    • 50 GB storage
  • Enterprise$14/month
    • Billed annually, 18 EUR if billed monthly
    • Unlimited rows
    • 100 GB storage
  • Dedicated Cloud$undefined/year
    • Quoted, minimum 100 users
    • Dedicated instance
    • Unlimited rows

Sigma Computing

On request
  • Sigma Computing$undefined/year
    • Quoted per organisation
    • Seat types are differentiated by whether a user views, explores or authors
    • Warehouse compute is billed separately by your cloud data warehouse vendor

Which should you pick?

Choose SeaTable if

  • You need typed column database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Linux.
  • You also want multiple views.
SeaTable review

Choose Sigma Computing if

  • You need spreadsheet interface over sql.
  • You also want no extract layer.
Sigma Computing review

Questions people ask

Is SeaTable or Sigma Computing better?
Neither clearly leads. SeaTable starts at Free and Sigma Computing at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SeaTable or Sigma Computing?
SeaTable has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for SeaTable and On request for Sigma Computing.
Does SeaTable or Sigma Computing run on more platforms?
SeaTable runs on Web, iOS, Android, Linux. Sigma Computing runs on Web.
Can I use SeaTable for free?
Yes. SeaTable has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sigma Computing starts at On request.
What is SeaTable best used for?
SeaTable is most often used for a german or austrian company that needs a shared operational database but cannot put customer records on a us-hosted service, replacing a sprawl of excel files used by several departments with one permissioned base and per-view sharing, running a small internal tool, such as an equipment register or an application tracker, without commissioning a bespoke build, teams already using seafile that want structured data alongside their file sync platform. Of those, a german or austrian company that needs a shared operational database but cannot put customer records on a us-hosted service and replacing a sprawl of excel files used by several departments with one permissioned base and per-view sharing are not what Sigma Computing is typically brought in for.
What can SeaTable do that Sigma Computing cannot?
SeaTable covers Typed column database, Multiple views, Universal app builder, Python and JavaScript scripting. Sigma Computing covers Spreadsheet interface over SQL, No extract layer, Input tables and write-back, Workbooks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SeaTable: Where is SeaTable cloud data actually stored?

In data centres in Germany, under German and EU law, with a standard GDPR processing agreement available.

Sigma Computing: Does Sigma store a copy of my data?

No. Queries are executed on your warehouse and results are returned for display, which is why there is no extract refresh to manage.

SeaTable: Is SeaTable open source?

No. Seafile, from the same team, is open source. SeaTable is a commercial product with a free self-hosted edition limited to three users.

Sigma Computing: What does it actually cost?

The vendor does not publish prices. Expect an annual contract priced by seat type, plus a warehouse compute increase you should model separately.

SeaTable: How does it compare with Airtable on price?

Plus is 7 EUR per user per month billed annually against Airtable Team at 20 USD, but SeaTable applies hard row ceilings on every plan below Enterprise.

Sigma Computing: Can business users break the warehouse?

They can run expensive queries. Warehouse sizing, query limits and materialised tables are the controls, and they need configuring before a wide rollout.

SeaTable: Can I move an existing Airtable base across?

Yes, SeaTable imports Airtable bases and Excel files, though formula fields and automations usually need rebuilding by hand.

Sigma Computing: Is it a replacement for a modelling layer like dbt?

No. Sigma works best on top of modelled tables and is usually deployed alongside dbt rather than instead of it.

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