Smartsheet vs. Excel: Which should you use?

Comparing Smartsheet and Excel is like comparing a bicycle and a miniature horse. They can both get you from point A to point B. And, sure, if you rub your eyes and squint hard enough, they kind of share the same silhouette. But that’s about it. 

The reality is, both apps are powerhouses when it comes to organizing data and managing tasks. But they do so in fundamentally different ways. In my opinion, that’s a good thing. It makes deciding between Smartsheet and Excel that much easier. 

After putting both platforms to the test, here’s my roundup of the key differences between Smartsheet and Excel to help you decide which app is right for you. 

Smartsheet vs. Excel at a glance

Smartsheet was built for project management

Everyone has a different way of managing projects. And when you collaborate on projects as a team, you need a tool that’s flexible enough to meet everyone’s needs. 

With Smartsheet, you can choose from a handful of views: grid, card, timeline, Gantt, and calendar. This flexibility allows teams to visualize their work in the most effective way possible, whether they need a high-level overview or detailed task tracking.

Excel, on the other hand, offers only a traditional grid view. But if a Gantt chart’s the view you’re after, you can always DIY your own. 

Smartsheet also allows you to attach files directly to rows or sheets, making it easy to keep all relevant documents, images, and other resources in one place. You can also have conversations about specific tasks or the project at large with per-row and per-sheet comment threads. 

You can have threaded conversations in Excel, but it’s harder to navigate. And if you want to attach files with your comment, you’re out of luck. The best you’ll be able to do is share a link to the file (if it’s stored in the cloud). 

If you’re looking for a comprehensive project management solution that makes collaboration a breeze, Smartsheet is hands-down the way to go. 

Excel is the gold standard for spreadsheet software 

When it comes to raw spreadsheet power, you can’t beat Excel. It’s the quintessential spreadsheet app. Whether you’re working with intricate financial models, large data sets, or complex statistical analysis, Excel offers all the functionality you need to crunch numbers and visualize your data. 

Smartsheet incorporates a spreadsheet-like interface. But that’s about the extent to which it even comes close to Excel on this front. Smartsheet simply doesn’t offer the same depth and breadth of data analysis tools to be a true competitor in the spreadsheet space. 

Smartsheet makes it easy to automate workflows

If you’re using Smartsheet as a project management app, chances are that you need a way to automate your most repetitive tasks like assignment alerts, approval requests, and status updates. 

Smartsheet offers an easy-to-use workflow builder to help you do exactly this—and it goes beyond simple task automation. You can create multi-step workflows that work on conditional logic (if this happens, then do this action), making it easy to keep projects moving smoothly without constant oversight. For example, you can set up a workflow that automatically pings a task assignee to share a weekly progress update if the task is not yet complete. 

You can also automate workflows in Excel, but the experience isn’t nearly as user-friendly as Smartsheet’s workflow builder. For one thing, unless you use Excel’s limited set of pre-made workflows that are primarily focused on formatting your data and tidying up your spreadsheet, you’ll need to have a decent grasp on coding language to create custom workflows. For another, Excel doesn’t display automated workflows as a visual flowchart of if/then actions the same way Smartsheet does. 

If the ability to automate workflows is high on your list of needs, Smartsheet and Excel also integrate with Zapier. In the case of Smartsheet, this means you can do things like automatically pull data into Smartsheet from your other apps and create more powerful workflows. And in the case of Excel, this means you can build automated workflows without needing to first get a software engineering degree.   

Learn more about how to automate Smartsheet and how to automate Excel, or get started with one of these premade templates.  

Zapier is the leader in workflow automation—integrating with 6,000+ apps from partners like Google, Salesforce, and Microsoft. Use interfaces, data tables, and logic to build secure, automated systems for your business-critical workflows across your organization’s technology stack. Learn more.

Excel (online) offers more practical functionality for free 

When it comes to cost and accessibility, Smartsheet and Excel both offer free plans. But there’s one significant limitation to Smartsheet’s free plan: users can’t create new sheets. They can only view, edit, and update files that have been shared with them. To unlock the ability to create your own, you’re looking at a reasonable $9/user/month (billed annually) for the Pro plan. 

Excel, on the other hand, lets users on a free plan do it all: create, edit, and share. The only caveat is that you’re limited to using Excel online. To get the desktop app, you’ll need a Microsoft 365 subscription. But it’s a bit more affordable than Smartsheet—from $6/user/month (billed annually)—and with it, you’ll also get access to other Microsoft apps like Word, PowerPoint, and OneDrive.  

Smartsheet has more native integrations 

Excel has been a mainstay of the Microsoft 365 suite for nearly three decades. This means it plays pretty nicely with other Microsoft apps like Microsoft Teams, Word, Outlook, and OneDrive. For example, you can collaborate on and review Excel spreadsheets with teammates directly from Microsoft Teams. But that’s the extent of its built-in integrations.

Smartsheet, on the other hand, natively integrates with over 120 apps, including the entire suite of Microsoft 365 tools. This way, if you want to attach a Google Drive file to a task, for example, you can pull the file directly into your task using Smartsheet. 

Whether you choose Smartsheet or Excel, you can also unlock thousands more apps with Zapier’s Smartsheet and Excel integrations. 

Smartsheet is gaining popularity, but it’s not as well-known as Excel

Excel’s ubiquity in the professional world can’t be understated. It’s a staple in countless industries—from finance and marketing to education and engineering. This widespread usage means that most employees are probably already familiar with Excel, reducing the need for additional training and ensuring a smoother adoption process. Excel’s extensive user base also means that there’s a wealth of resources, tutorials, and community support available for users of all skill levels.

While Smartsheet’s gaining popularity, it’s still not as universally used as Excel. This can present challenges in terms of user adoption and familiarity. Teams might need more time and resources to get up to speed with Smartsheet, especially if they’re used to working with traditional spreadsheet apps like Excel.

Smartsheet vs. Excel: Which should you choose?

Let me answer your question with another question. What’s your focus: project management or data analysis? 

Choose Smartsheet if you need a project management tool that’s designed with modern, collaborative teams in mind. 

Choose Excel if you need a powerful spreadsheet tool that can perform complex calculations and offers numerous ways to visualize your data. 

If you already have a Microsoft 365 subscription and need only basic project management features—like a Gantt view to stay up to date on project progress—experiment with Excel’s built-in features. You may find that it offers more than enough to keep your team organized. If not, then you can consider using a dedicated project management tool like Smartsheet. 

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