If you're searching for an alternative to Spreadsheets, you've probably outgrown one of these: the per-seat cost math, missing production primitives, or the workflow that doesn't survive the second show. Here's what to look at — and what's worked for teams that switched.
Setting the record straight before talking alternatives. Spreadsheets earned its place — here's where it shines.
These are the gaps we hear from teams searching for an alternative. Your mileage may vary.
Spreadsheets are free. They're also infinitely flexible. That's why every production team starts there, and why every production team eventually realizes they're spending 40% of operations on maintaining the spreadsheet, not running the show.
Every row has typed columns. Status is a controlled enum. Due dates are actual dates. Finance rolls up because it was typed correctly the first time — not because someone cleaned it up on Monday morning.
An intern cannot see exec compensation. A vendor cannot see another vendor's pricing. A client cannot edit the production schedule. RLS enforces all of this in the database.
'Owning the spreadsheet' is a full-time role at most 10+ person production shops. That role goes away. Your spreadsheet person becomes a producer again.
The path teams take to move off Spreadsheets.
See how production teams evaluate other tools.
Free forever for small teams. Migrate when you're ready.