EtherCalc review (2026): is it any good?
Web spreadsheet for real-time shared editing, no sign-up
EtherCalc report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for a spreadsheet you share by link with no sign-up
EtherCalc is a web spreadsheet where you open a page, send the link and edit together, with no account. It is free on its hosted site or on your own server, but anyone with a sheet's link can edit it, and it is a basic sheet.
Who EtherCalc is for
- Fits if you need a quick shared sheet for a meeting without making accounts
- Works for developers who want to host a shared sheet on their own server
Who EtherCalc is not for
- Not for you if the data is private, as anyone who knows a sheet's URL can read and write it unless a key is set
- Skip it if you want a full spreadsheet, since it is a basic shared grid
- Watch out: self-hosting on the internet needs a reverse proxy for TLS and rate limits
- Watch out: the docs list only Safari, Chrome and Firefox as tested, and there are no phone or desktop apps
Why EtherCalc gets a 3.2
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree at ethercalc.net with no account, and free to self-host. Nobody charges for it, so it is free and substantial.
- AFree plan and trialNo plan and no cap on record: open a sheet and start. Self-hosting is optional.
- CFeaturesShared editing by URL and a REST API. It is a basic shared sheet, and the listing shows no apps and nothing beyond the grid.
- BEase of useNo store rating on record. Open a page and type; there is nothing to set up on the hosted site.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWeb only, with a documented REST API and a Drupal link. No desktop or phone app is listed.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from EtherCalc's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make EtherCalc? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/ethercalc#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/ethercalc.svg" alt="EtherCalc: 3.2 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where EtherCalc stands among spreadsheet and database tools
EtherCalc's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 38 of the 42 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 35 of 42) and worst on features (C, above 3).
EtherCalc has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 43 spreadsheet and database tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. EtherCalc’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 34 of 42, level with 8
- AFree plan and trialAbove 35 of 42, level with 7
- CFeaturesAbove 3 of 42, level with 15
- BEase of useAbove 31 of 42, level with 9
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 7 of 42, level with 32
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 42 spreadsheet and database tools. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep EtherCalc, or make your own?
Keep it
EtherCalc is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 38 of the 42 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade.
What you could not
- A spreadsheet engine with its formulas.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- It plugs into other products, Drupal among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. EtherCalc’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is EtherCalc?
EtherCalc is a web spreadsheet for real-time collaborative editing: open a page, share its URL and edit together. The project's GitHub README says it runs on Cloudflare or self-hosts with Docker, and documents a REST API.
Worth knowing
- Access is anonymous by design: anyone who knows a sheet's URL can read and write unless a key is configured.
- Internet-facing self-hosting needs a reverse proxy for TLS and rate limits, per the README.
- The documentation lists browsers tested as Safari, Chrome and Firefox only.
- It has no desktop or mobile apps.
Key features
- Shared editing by URL
- Anyone with a sheet's address can edit at the same time as others, per the site title.
- No account needed
- The repository describes it as a web spreadsheet with no sign-up and no install.
- REST API
- A documented API creates and reads sheets over HTTP.
- Self-hosting
- Runs with docker compose or an npm install, with no Cloudflare account required.
EtherCalc pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, EtherCalc is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- No plans or prices are published; the hosted site describes itself as needing no sign-up and no install.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Hosted at ethercalc.net with no account, or self-hosted with Docker or npm. |
Read from github.com on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with EtherCalc before you buy.
Works with
EtherCalc alternatives
- EtherCalc vs Google Sheets
Free plan · from $7/mo
- EtherCalc vs Grist
Free plan · from $8/mo
- EtherCalc vs Zoho Sheet
Free plan · from $2.50/mo
Common questions
Does EtherCalc have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. EtherCalc is listed for Web.
Does EtherCalc have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. EtherCalc is listed for Web.
Is EtherCalc open source?
EtherCalc is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Can EtherCalc be self-hosted?
Yes. EtherCalc's own site says it can be run on a server of your own.
Does EtherCalc have an API?
Yes. EtherCalc offers a public API, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.