The Pyspread Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Pyspread in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Pyspread
The Insider’s Guide
Free open-source spreadsheet where every cell holds Python code
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among spreadsheet and database tools, read from Pyspread’s own pages.
Made by Martin Manns and the pyspread team · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Pyspread’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Pyspread’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 38 of the 63 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade
Pyspread is a desktop spreadsheet that takes Python expressions in its cells instead of a spreadsheet formula language. Each cell returns a Python object that other cells can use, so lists, matrices and charts can sit in a grid. The project says its target users already know Python or want to learn it, and it is not aimed at people looking for a drop-in Excel replacement.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Pyspread, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The project warns that cell code is a steep climb for non-programmers.
- 1
Best for a free spreadsheet where every cell holds Python
Pyspread is a free, open-source spreadsheet where each cell is Python code.
- 2
It is free
Pyspread has no paid plan at all.
- 3
It runs on 2 platforms
Linux and Windows.
- 4
Python in cells
Cells accept Python expressions, so no separate spreadsheet formula language is needed.
- 5
Python modules available
Cells can use modules such as NumPy, and a macro panel can import your own modules.
- 6
Charts and images
Cells can show text, markup, images, dates or charts; Matplotlib and R charts are supported, some through optional dependencies.
- 7
A 2.6 GPA, above 38 of 63
That is against the other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Pyspread is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Pyspread at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- It is free
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Martin Manns and the pyspread team
- Category
- Spreadsheets & Databases
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for a free spreadsheet where every cell holds Python
Pyspread is a free, open-source spreadsheet where each cell is Python code. The project itself says the learning curve may be too steep without Python experience, it needs Python and PyQt6, and macOS isn't supported.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free under GPL v3 for anyone to download and run, with no paid plan. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright, with no cap and no paid tier. |
| Features | C | Python in cells, modules, charts, images and import and export. Long-running cells can lock the app, and it isn't built for heavy computation. |
| Ease of use | D | You install it with pip or a system package and it needs Python and PyQt6. The project warns that cell code is a steep climb for non-programmers. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | A program for computers only, on Linux and Windows. macOS is listed as unsupported, with links to NumPy, Matplotlib and R. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Pyspread is for
- Fits if you know Python and want formulas that are real code
- Works for people who need a free desktop sheet on Linux
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you use a Mac, as macOS is currently unsupported
- Not for you if you don't write Python, since every cell is code
- Too light for heavy number-crunching, as long-running cells can lock it up
- Tight if you want an easy install, since it needs Python and PyQt6
Good to know
Good for
- Python users comparing results of different parameter sets in a grid
- People who want to keep business data in CSV files and calculate with tested Python modules
Worth knowing
- The project says people without Python experience may find the learning curve for code in cells too steep.
- It is not built to parallelize heavy computation, and long-running cells can lock up the app.
- The install page lists Linux, POSIX platforms and Windows, and says macOS is currently unsupported.
- It needs Python and PyQt6, and is installed with pip or a system package.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Pyspread is free to use.
Free outright, with no cap and no paid tier.
Free
$0
Free software under the GPL v3 licence; no paid plans.
Read from pyspread.gitlab.io on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: Windows and Linux
Free open-source spreadsheet where every cell holds Python code. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, spreadsheets.
Python in cells, modules, charts, images and import and export.
- Python in cells
- Cells accept Python expressions, so no separate spreadsheet formula language is needed.
- Python modules available
- Cells can use modules such as NumPy, and a macro panel can import your own modules.
- Charts and images
- Cells can show text, markup, images, dates or charts; Matplotlib and R charts are supported, some through optional dependencies.
- Import and export
- Imports CSV, SVG and XLSX, and exports CSV, SVG and PDF; XLSX import needs optional dependencies and PDF is made by printing to file.
- Signed save files
- The pysu save format works with git, and blake2b signatures are meant to stop foreign code from running.
Where it runs
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- NumPy
- Matplotlib
- R
- Plotnine
Pyspread is made by Martin Manns and the pyspread team.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
38/63
Other spreadsheet and database tools it is graded above
Pyspread's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 38 of the 63 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 51 of 63) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Pyspread has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 64 spreadsheet and database tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Pyspread’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 48 of 63
- AFree plan and trialAbove 51 of 63
- CFeaturesAbove 5 of 63
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 63
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 3 of 63
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 59 spreadsheet and database tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Pyspread is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Pyspread is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could not
- A spreadsheet engine with its formulas.
- A real app for Windows and Linux. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Pyspread’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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
LibreOffice Calc, Gnumeric, VisiData, Mito and Calligra Sheets
The 5 tools Pyspread is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
LibreOffice Calc
Free
Free, open-source spreadsheet for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Only LibreOffice Calc lists a macOS app.
- 3.0GPA
Gnumeric
Free
Free, open-source spreadsheet program.
- Only Pyspread lists a Windows app.
- 2.6GPA
VisiData
Free
Terminal spreadsheet-style tool for exploring tabular data.
- Only Pyspread lists a Windows app.
- Only VisiData lists a macOS app.
- 2.0GPA
Mito
Free plan · from $20/mo
Jupyter extensions: spreadsheet view and AI chat that write Python.
- Only Pyspread lists Linux and Windows apps.
- Only Mito lists a web app.
- Mito also covers chat assistant.
- 2.8GPA
Calligra Sheets
Free
Desktop spreadsheet from KDE's Calligra office suite.
- Only Pyspread lists a Windows app.
- Calligra Sheets also covers templates.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Pyspread free?
Yes. Pyspread is free to use.
How much does Pyspread cost?
Pyspread lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Pyspread work on?
Pyspread is available on Linux and Windows.
Does Pyspread have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Pyspread is listed for Linux and Windows.
Does Pyspread have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Pyspread is listed for Linux and Windows.
Is Pyspread open source?
Yes. Pyspread is open source, according to its own site.
What does Pyspread integrate with?
Pyspread's listing names NumPy, Matplotlib, R and Plotnine. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Pyspread?
Pyspread is made by Martin Manns and the pyspread team.
What are the alternatives to Pyspread?
The closest alternatives to Pyspread in our directory are LibreOffice Calc, Gnumeric, VisiData, Mito and Calligra Sheets.
How does Pyspread compare with other spreadsheet and database tools?
Pyspread's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 38 of the 63 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, and level with 8.
Is Pyspread good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Pyspread A for value for money. Pyspread has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Pyspread?
Pyspread is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Pyspread’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Martin Manns and the pyspread team's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Martin Manns and the pyspread team. Prices change, so check pyspread.gitlab.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Pyspread, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/pyspread
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Pyspread: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/pyspread
Know someone choosing between spreadsheet and database tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/pyspread/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded spreadsheet and database tools after Pyspread, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Spreadsheets & Databases Insider's GuideEvery one of the 64 spreadsheet and database tools we grade, compared
- Zoho Sheet Insider's GuideCollaborative online spreadsheet with a free version3.6 GPA
- Google Sheets Insider's GuideBrowser-based spreadsheet, free with a Google Account3.4 GPA
- Microsoft Excel Insider's GuideSpreadsheet app sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Pyspread’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Pyspread is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Martin Manns and the pyspread team. Prices and plans change: check pyspread.gitlab.io before you buy.