The Univer Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Univer 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.
Univer
The Insider’s Guide
Embeddable spreadsheet, document and slide SDK
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among spreadsheet and database tools, read from Univer’s own pages.
Made by Univer · checked Nov 12, 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 Univer’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Univer’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.6
GPA, above 0 of the 63 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade
Univer is an Office SDK that developers embed in their own products to edit spreadsheets, documents and slides, with a server component for collaboration and file conversion and an AI SDK for agents. The core is open source under Apache-2.0, and a commercial self-hosted edition adds features such as charts, pivot tables and real-time collaboration.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Univer, taken from its own pages and our grades.
A developer installs the packages and writes the integration.
- 1
Best for developers embedding spreadsheets, docs and slides in an app
Univer is an SDK developers embed to edit spreadsheets, documents and slides inside their own product, with an open-source core under Apache-2.0.
- 2
Paid plans start at $83.33 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $99 per month, or from $1,000 per year billed annually.
- 3
There is a free plan
Freemium: commercial SDK capabilities with watermarks and feature limits, for development and testing. Includes 10 exports a month.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Spreadsheets, docs and slides SDK
Web SDK embeds Office-style editing in a product; Business adds charts, pivot tables, printing and an advanced formula engine.
- 6
Server SDK
Handles real-time collaboration, history and Office file import and export in your own environment.
- 7
AI SDK
Lets agents read and edit Office content and collaborate with people. It includes no model; you connect your own.
- 8
A 1.6 GPA, above 0 of 63
That is against the other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Univer you would be making a spreadsheet engine with its formulas. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Univer at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $99 per month, or from $1,000 per year billed annually
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Univer
- Category
- Spreadsheets & Databases
- Our grade
- 1.6 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for developers embedding spreadsheets, docs and slides in an app
Univer is an SDK developers embed to edit spreadsheets, documents and slides inside their own product, with an open-source core under Apache-2.0. Production use needs a licence from $99 a month or $1,000 a year, and it is not a spreadsheet for end users.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Business starts at $99 a month, or from $1,000 a year, against $12 in the middle of spreadsheet tools and $65 for the dearest tenth. Model services and infrastructure are extra. |
| Free plan and trial | C | The open-source core is free and the Freemium tier is for development and testing, with watermarks and 10 exports a month. Production use is paid. |
| Features | D | An SDK for sheets, docs and slides, a server component and an AI SDK. It needs an application built around it, and the open core lacks charts, pivots and real-time collaboration. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. A developer installs the packages and writes the integration. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web components for React, Vue and Angular. No desktop or phone app is listed. |
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 Univer is for
- Fits if you build a product that needs a spreadsheet editor inside it
- Makes sense if you need an Apache-2.0 core you can host yourself
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you want a spreadsheet to use, as it is a developer toolkit
- Pricey if you are small, since a production licence starts at $99 a month
- Tight if you stay on Freemium, as it adds watermarks and feature limits
- Watch out: a Business licence covers one main domain and its subdomains
- Watch out: licences run 1 to 12 months with no automatic renewal
Good to know
Good for
- Developers adding a spreadsheet editor to their own product
- Teams that must run office editing on their own servers
Worth knowing
- It is a developer SDK, not a ready-made spreadsheet app for end users.
- Production use requires Business or Enterprise; the Freemium tier adds watermarks and feature limits.
- A Business license covers one main domain and its subdomains; other domains need separate licenses.
- Model services and infrastructure costs are not included in the license fee.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$83.33
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
Univer has a free plan. Paid plans start at $99 per month, or from $1,000 per year billed annually.
Model services and infrastructure are extra.
Freemium
$0
Watermarks and feature limits; meant for development and testing, with 10 exports a month.
Business
$99
per month and up, or from $1,000 per year billed annually
Self-hosted Office SDK for production: 25+ editing connections, 5,000+ exports a month, one main domain and its subdomains. Licenses run 1 to 12 months with no automatic renewal.
Enterprise
Custom
Unlimited editing connections and exports, distributed deployment and advanced support.
The free plan
Freemium: commercial SDK capabilities with watermarks and feature limits, for development and testing. Includes 10 exports a month.
Read from univer.ai on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Annual license from $1,000
The pricing page lists Business from $99 a month, or from $1,000 a year billed annually.
Stated on univer.ai
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Embeddable spreadsheet, document and slide SDK. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, real-time collaboration, AI agents, spreadsheets.
An SDK for sheets, docs and slides, a server component and an AI SDK.
- Spreadsheets, docs and slides SDK
- Web SDK embeds Office-style editing in a product; Business adds charts, pivot tables, printing and an advanced formula engine.
- Server SDK
- Handles real-time collaboration, history and Office file import and export in your own environment.
- AI SDK
- Lets agents read and edit Office content and collaborate with people. It includes no model; you connect your own.
- File formats
- Sheets import XLS, XLSX, CSV and TSV and export XLSX, CSV and TSV; the vendor warns unsupported elements may be dropped in conversion.
- Customizable interface
- A plugin architecture for toolbars, menus and components written in React, Vue 3 or Web Components.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- React
- Vue
- Angular
Univer is made by Univer.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
0/63
Other spreadsheet and database tools it is graded above
Univer's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 0 of the 63 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, and level with 4.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 21 of 63) and worst on features (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $83.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $12 for the category: 45 of the 47 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. 51 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 64 spreadsheet and database tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Univer’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 1 of 63
- CFree plan and trialAbove 10 of 63
- DFeaturesAbove 0 of 63
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 63
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 21 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. Univer 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
To replace Univer you would be making a spreadsheet engine with its formulas. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 59 of the 63 other spreadsheet and database tools grade higher. It costs $1,000 a year. Univer is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- A spreadsheet engine with its formulas.
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- It plugs into other products, React, Vue and Angular among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. Univer’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
GRID, Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel and Grist
The 4 tools Univer is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 1.8GPA
GRID
Free trial
Spreadsheet engine and agent tools for developers building products.
- Univer has a free plan. GRID does not, though it has a free trial.
- Univer is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.4GPA
Google Sheets
Free plan · from $7/mo
Browser-based spreadsheet, free with a Google Account.
- Only Google Sheets lists iOS and Android apps.
- Univer is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Univer also covers AI agents.
- 3.4GPA
Microsoft Excel
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Spreadsheet app sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser.
- Only Microsoft Excel lists Windows, macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- Univer is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Univer also covers AI agents.
- 2.6GPA
Grist
Free plan · from $8/mo
Open-source relational spreadsheet with Python formulas.
- Only Grist lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Univer also covers AI agents.
- Grist also covers databases.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
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 Univer free?
Univer has a free plan. Freemium: commercial SDK capabilities with watermarks and feature limits, for development and testing.
How much does Univer cost?
Univer lists 3 plans. Freemium: $0.
What platforms does Univer work on?
Univer is available on Web.
Does Univer offer any discounts?
Univer publicly lists the following: Annual license from $1,000.
Does Univer have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Univer is listed for Web.
Does Univer have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Univer is listed for Web.
Is Univer open source?
Yes. Univer is open source, according to its own site.
Does Univer have an API?
Yes. Univer offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Univer integrate with?
Univer's listing names React, Vue and Angular. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Univer?
Univer is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Univer?
The closest alternatives to Univer in our directory are GRID, Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel and Grist.
How does Univer compare with other spreadsheet and database tools?
Univer's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 0 of the 63 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, and level with 4.
Is Univer good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Univer D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $83.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $12 for the category: 45 of the 47 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Univer?
To replace Univer you would be making a spreadsheet engine with its formulas.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Univer’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Univer's own pages on 12 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 Univer. Prices change, so check univer.ai 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
- Univer, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/univer
- 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, "Univer: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/univer
Know someone choosing between spreadsheet and database tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/univer/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded spreadsheet and database tools after Univer, 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 Univer’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. Univer is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Univer. Prices and plans change: check univer.ai before you buy.