Grist vs Microsoft Excel

Grist

• Spreadsheet users who have outgrown a single sheet and need linked tables
• Teams that must limit what each collaborator can see in one document
• Organizations that want to self-host open-source software
• People comfortable writing Python in formulas

Microsoft Excel

• People who need a full desktop spreadsheet on Windows or Mac
• Analysts working with PivotTables, Power Query and Python
• Households: Microsoft 365 Family covers 1 to 6 people
• Occasional users who only need the free browser version

Grist

• Records per document are capped at 5,000 on Free, 100,000 on Pro and 150,000 on Business.
• Business has a 5-user minimum, and Automations and priority email support start on that plan.
• On Grist's own servers, custom SSO, a custom domain and audit log streaming are listed under Enterprise only.
• The desktop app is a separate open-source build for Windows, macOS and Linux that works on spreadsheets stored locally.

Microsoft Excel

• The Windows and Mac apps need a Microsoft 365 subscription or a one-time Office purchase; only the web and mobile versions are free.
• Excel for the web and the mobile apps have many, but not all, desktop features; macro-enabled workbooks open in a browser but the macros do not run.
• Copilot needs a paid subscription, has usage limits, and on shared plans works for the subscription owner only.
• Microsoft 365 Business Basic ($7.00 per user / month paid yearly, or $5.40 without Teams) includes only the web and mobile versions of Excel.

Grist

Relational spreadsheet documents

A Grist document is a relational spreadsheet-database with multiple tables, stored in SQLite format. Linked widgets pull up the details and related records of a selected row.

Python and Excel-style formulas

Formulas can be single or multi-line Python with the full standard library available, and most Excel-like spreadsheet functions are supported as well.

Granular access rules

Rules decide who can see or edit individual tables, columns, records and cells, so one document can be shared in part with team members, guests or public links.

Custom layouts, charts and widgets

Pages are arranged by dragging tables, cards and charts into place. Summary tables work as pivot tables, and custom widgets show data on a map or calendar.

Forms

Forms and surveys are built from a table and shared with a link, and the responses are analyzed in the same document as they arrive.

AI Assistant

Answers questions about data and formulas in plain language and can create or modify records and formulas. Usage is metered in credits, with extra packs from $10 a month on paid plans.

Microsoft Excel

Copilot in Excel

Edits formulas, tables and formatting from a written request and suggests formulas for the data. It needs a Microsoft 365 subscription and a workbook saved to OneDrive with AutoSave on.

PivotTables and charts

PivotTables calculate, summarize and analyze data to show comparisons, patterns and trends, and work with PivotCharts, slicers and timeline controls.

Power Query

Imports or connects to external data from files, databases, the web and Azure, then reshapes it before loading. It is available in Excel for Windows, Mac and the web; support on Mac and the web is newer than on Windows.

Python in Excel

Python formulas run in the grid using Anaconda libraries such as pandas and Matplotlib. It comes with eligible Microsoft 365 plans; a $24 per user / month add-on gives faster premium compute.

Co-authoring

Several people can work in one workbook stored in OneDrive or SharePoint Online and see each other's changes within seconds. In the Windows and Mac apps this requires a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Templates

Microsoft offers free Excel templates in more than 40 categories as ready-made starting points for common spreadsheets.

Grist

• Free$0

  Unlimited documents with up to 5,000 records each, 10 team members, 30 days of snapshot history and 100 one-time AI Assistant credits.

• Grist Community edition$0

  Free and open-source edition hosted on your own server, with community support, custom domain and custom branding.

• Pro$8

  per user / month, billed annually ($10 billed monthly)

  Up to 100,000 records per document, snapshot history going back 3 years and AI Assistant credits starting at 100 a month.

• Business$24

  per user / month, billed annually ($30 monthly); min. 5 users

  Up to 150,000 records per document, 5 years of snapshot history, 2,000 AI Assistant credits a month, Automations and priority email support.

• Grist (self-hosted)$24

  per user / month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly)

  Self-hosted edition with admin controls, the AI Assistant, Automations, custom SSO and audit log streaming, sold without support.

• EnterpriseCustom

  A dedicated server in a chosen region, or a supported self-hosted installation, with custom SSO, custom domain and audit log streaming.

Microsoft Excel

• Free$0

  Excel for the web for 1 person, with sharing and real-time collaboration and 5 GB of cloud storage. Works on web, iOS and Android.

• Microsoft 365 Personal$9.99

  per month, or $99.99 per year

  1 person signed in on up to 5 devices, 1 TB of cloud storage, and the Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook desktop apps with Copilot.

• Microsoft 365 Apps for business$10.00

  per user / month, paid yearly

  Desktop versions of Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook for up to 300 employees, with 1 TB of cloud storage per user.

• Microsoft 365 Family$12.99

  per month, or $129.99 per year

  Everything in Personal for 1 to 6 people, with 1 TB of storage per person. AI features are for the subscription owner only.

• Microsoft 365 Premium$19.99

  per month, or $199.99 per year

  Everything in Family, plus extensive Copilot usage and agentic AI features such as advanced research and analytics.

• Office Home 2024$179.99

  one-time purchase for 1 PC or Mac

  Classic 2024 desktop versions of Excel, Word, PowerPoint and OneNote, with no upgrade path to the next major release.

Grist

• Annual discount

  Save 20% by paying annually

  Pro is $8 per user a month billed annually against $10 billed monthly, and Business is $24 against $30.

• Nonprofit

  50% off Pro for nonprofits

  Non- and not-for-profit organizations are eligible for a 50% discount on the Pro plan, requested by emailing a Letter of Determination before the free trial ends.

• Other savings

  Free activation key for small self-hosters

  Individuals and organizations with less than $1 million in total annual income may request a free activation key for self-hosted Grist.

Microsoft Excel

• Annual discount

  Save up to 17% by paying yearly

  Microsoft 365 Personal is $99.99 a year against $9.99 a month, Family $129.99 against $12.99 and Premium $199.99 against $19.99.

• Education

  Students save 50% on Microsoft 365 Personal

  Verified college and university students get Microsoft 365 Personal at half price. Student status has to be re-verified each year to keep the discount.

• Education

  Office 365 A1 free for eligible schools

  Educators and students with an eligible education email address get Office 365 A1 at no cost, which includes the web versions of Excel and the other core apps.

• Nonprofit

  Nonprofit staff pricing on Microsoft 365 E3

  Eligible nonprofits can buy Microsoft 365 E3, with desktop, web and mobile versions of Excel, for $9.75 per user / month paid yearly.

• Lifetime license

  Office Home 2024 one-time purchase

  $179.99 buys the classic 2024 desktop versions of Excel, Word, PowerPoint and OneNote for 1 PC or Mac, with no subscription.