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ToolGPA

Grist vs NocoDB

We give Grist a 3.4 GPA and NocoDB a 3.2, out of 4.0. Grist grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.

Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.

Grist

Open-source relational spreadsheet with Python formulas

Free plan · from $8/mo
Full detailsgetgrist.com

NocoDB

No-code database with a spreadsheet interface, cloud or self-hosted

Free plan · from $12/mo
Full detailsnocodb.com

How we grade them

3.4GPAGristVery good3.2GPANocoDBVery good
Value for money
BPro is $8 a user a month billed annually, or $10 monthly, a touch under the $9.99 this category typically starts at. It lifts you to 100,000 records a document and 3 years of snapshot history. Automations and priority email support need Business, at $24 with a 5-user minimum.
BPlus is $12 a seat a month billed annually, or $15 monthly, a little over the $9.99 this category typically starts at. The nice twist is that billing stops at 9 seats, so a big team pays $108 a month and no more. Connecting your own database on the cloud waits for Business at $24.
Free plan and trial
AUnlimited documents with up to 5,000 records each, 10 team members and 30 days of snapshot history. A small team could live here. The AI Assistant is the stingy part, at 100 one-time credits. And the self-hosted Community edition is free too.
BThe cloud Free plan is small: 3 editor seats, 10 commenter seats, 1,000 records, 1 GB of storage and 100 automation runs. Fine for a personal project, tight for a team. The self-hosted Community edition is free with unlimited records, storage and seats, if you'll run it.
Features
ASeveral linked tables in one document, formulas in multi-line Python or Excel-style functions, and access rules for tables, columns, records and single cells. Pages are laid out from tables, cards, charts and forms, and summary tables do the job of pivot tables.
AGrid, Form, Gallery, Kanban, Calendar and Map views of the same data, a visual workflow builder with conditions and loops, JavaScript scripts and webhooks. Access control goes down to field and record level. Row-level security and audit logs are kept for the Scale plan, though.
Ease of use
BNo App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. The hosted service means no server to run, and most Excel-like functions are supported. It does suit people who are comfortable with a bit of Python.
BNo App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. On the cloud it's a spreadsheet-like grid you sort, filter and group, and you can import from Airtable, Excel, CSV or JSON. Hosting the Community edition is your own job.
Platforms and integrations
BWeb, plus a separate open-source desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux that works on spreadsheets stored locally. No phone apps are listed. It connects through Zapier, Make and n8n, and there's an API.
BIt runs in a browser, with no desktop or phone apps listed. The connections are the strong part: Postgres and MySQL databases, Meta and Data APIs, webhooks, and links to Jira, GitHub, GitLab and Zendesk.
Best fora spreadsheet with linked tables and Python formulasa spreadsheet front end for Postgres or MySQL

The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Grist and NocoDB. How we grade

Where they differ

  • Grist starts at $8 per user / month, billed annually. NocoDB starts at $12 per seat / month, billed annually.
  • Only Grist lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
  • Grist is open source, according to its own site.
  • Grist also covers spreadsheets.
  • NocoDB also covers kanban boards, workflow automation, no-code and forms.
In commonFree planWebSelf-hostablePublic APIDatabases

At a glance

GristNocoDB
PricingFree planFree plan
Starts at$8 per user / month, billed annually$12 per seat / month, billed annually
Free planUnlimited documents with up to 5,000 records each, 10 team members, 30 days of snapshot history and 100 one-time AI Assistant credits. The self-hosted Community edition is also free.Cloud Free plan: 3 editor seats, 10 commenter seats, 1,000 records, 1 GB of storage, 100 automation runs and 1,000 API calls a month. The self-hosted Community edition is free.
Free trial30-day trial of the Pro and Business plansThe pricing FAQ mentions a free trial of paid plans; its length is not stated
Web
macOS
Windows
Linux
Made byGrist LabsNocoDB, Inc.
Price read fromgetgrist.comnocodb.com
CheckedOct 5, 2026Oct 5, 2026

Who each one suits

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

NocoDB

  • Teams that want a spreadsheet-style front end on Postgres or MySQL
  • Self-hosters who want unlimited records and seats at no charge
  • Larger teams, since Plus and Business billing stops at 9 seats

Worth knowing

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.

NocoDB

  • The cloud Free plan stops at 1,000 records, 1 GB of storage, 3 editors and 1,000 API calls a month.
  • The self-hosted Community edition is released under the Sustainable Use License, which NocoDB describes as fair-code.
  • External database connections are not supported on the cloud Plus plan; they start at Business, with 10 connections.
  • NocoDB says AI features, extensions and advanced form options are limited to its cloud and paid self-hosted versions.

Key features

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.

NocoDB

Spreadsheet interface for databases
Create an online database from scratch or connect an existing Postgres or MySQL database, then sort, filter and group records in a spreadsheet-like grid.
Multiple view types
The same data can be shown as a Grid, Form, Gallery, Kanban, Calendar or Map view, and the documentation also lists Timeline, Gantt and List views.
Workflows, scripts and webhooks
A visual workflow builder with triggers, actions, conditions and loops, JavaScript scripts with API access to a base, and webhooks that fire when records change.
Interfaces
Interfaces are focused apps built on the data in a base, with pages for dashboards, forms, tables and record detail. The cloud Free plan allows 1 interface of up to 3 pages.
Roles and access control
Five roles from Owner to Viewer, with access control at workspace, base, table, field and record level. Row-level security and audit logs are part of the Scale plan.
APIs and imports
Meta and Data APIs give programmatic access to bases, and data can be imported from Airtable, Excel, CSV and JSON files.

Plans

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.

NocoDB

  • Community$0

    Self-hosted fair-code edition with unlimited records, storage and seats, 6 view types, record comments and webhooks, and up to 2 workflows per base.

  • Free$0

    Cloud plan for up to 3 editors and 10 commenters: 1,000 records, 1 GB of storage, 100 automation runs, 1 extension and 1 interface.

  • Plus$12

    per seat / month, billed annually ($15 billed monthly)

    50,000 records, 20 GB of storage and 30,000 automation runs. Billing stops at 9 seats ($108 a month); seats beyond that are free.

  • Business$24

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

    300,000 records, 100 GB of storage, 10 external database connections, private bases and SAML single sign-on. Billing is capped at $216 a month.

  • Scale$45

    per seat / month, billed annually ($54 billed monthly)

    1 million records, 150 GB of storage, 5 million API calls a month, row-level security and audit logs. Listed with a 3-seat minimum.

  • EnterpriseCustom

    SCIM and SSO, team hierarchy, priority support and invoice-based payments, with a dedicated customer success manager.

Ways to pay less

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.

NocoDB

  • Annual discount

    20% off with annual billing

    NocoDB's pricing FAQ gives a 20% discount for annual billing: Plus is $12 per seat a month against $15 billed monthly, and Business $24 against $30.

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