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Spreadsheets · head to head

Google Sheets vs Teable

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
Teable logo

Teable

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheet interface over real PostgreSQL tables, so the data stays queryable by anything that speaks SQL

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.; Teable the automation builder is far less capable than the established commercial alternatives, so multi step workflows usually end up in an external tool that must be paid for and maintained separately.
  • They diverge on capability: Google Sheets covers Real-time collaboration, Teable covers PostgreSQL native storage.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Google Sheets and Teable differ
AttributeGoogle SheetsTeable
Pricing modelFree personally, bundled into paid Google Workspace for organisationsOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Linux

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Google Sheets

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

Only in Teable

  • PostgreSQL native storage
  • Multiple views
  • Linked records and rollups
  • Generated REST API
  • Real time collaboration
  • Self hosting via Docker
  • Field level permissions

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 Teable
  • A school or nonprofit already using free or discounted Google Workspace for Educationnot Teable
  • A company standardising on Google Workspace for email and file storage that gets Sheets includednot Teable
  • A team building lightweight internal tools with Apps Script rather than a dedicated databasenot Teable

Teable

  • A team that has hit the record ceiling of a hosted spreadsheet database and does not want to move to raw SQLnot Google Sheets
  • Operational data that a business intelligence tool must also read directly, without an export or a sync jobnot Google Sheets
  • A regulated or data resident organisation that needs the underlying database inside its own infrastructurenot Google Sheets
  • An internal tool where a grid interface and a REST API over the same table are both requirednot 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.

Teable

  • The automation builder is far less capable than the established commercial alternatives, so multi step workflows usually end up in an external tool that must be paid for and maintained separately.
  • Self hosting moves PostgreSQL backups, version upgrades, connection pooling and capacity planning onto your team, and the licence saving disappears if that time is costed honestly.
  • The integration catalogue is small, so connecting to a common business system often means writing against the REST API rather than installing a connector.
  • The project is young relative to the products it replaces, and interface and API changes still arrive at a pace that requires reading release notes before upgrading.
  • Storing every table as a real PostgreSQL table means schema changes are real migrations, so a careless field type change on a large table can lock it far longer than a spreadsheet user would expect.

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

Teable

Free
  • Self hosted open sourceFree
    • No licence fee
    • Unlimited rows subject to your PostgreSQL capacity
    • Docker deployment

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Teable if

  • You need postgresql native storage.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux.
  • You also want multiple views.
Teable review

Questions people ask

Is Google Sheets or Teable better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Sheets starts at Free and Teable at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Sheets or Teable?
Google Sheets starts at Free and Teable at Free.
Does Google Sheets or Teable run on more platforms?
Google Sheets runs on Web, iOS, Android. Teable runs on Web, Linux.
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 Teable is typically brought in for.
What can Google Sheets do that Teable cannot?
Google Sheets covers Real-time collaboration, Formulas and pivot tables, Apps Script automation, Excel compatibility. Teable covers PostgreSQL native storage, Multiple views, Linked records and rollups, Generated REST API.

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.

Teable: How many rows can it actually hold?

As many as your PostgreSQL instance can serve. There is no product imposed record limit on the self hosted edition, which is the main reason to choose it.

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.

Teable: Can I query the data with SQL directly?

Yes. Tables are real PostgreSQL tables, so any SQL client or reporting tool can read them.

Google Sheets: Does Google Sheets work with Excel files?

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

Teable: Is self hosting genuinely free?

The licence is. The database server, backups and the engineer maintaining them are not.

Teable: Does it replace Airtable feature for feature?

No. Views and field types are close; automations, apps and the integration catalogue are not.

Teable: What happens to my data if the project stops?

It remains in a standard PostgreSQL database that you control, which is a materially better exit than a proprietary export format.

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