Our verdict · 8.0/10 Excellent
Ideal for spreadsheet-minded teams that need real project controls. Less intuitive for visual, creative teams.
Key takeaways
- Best for: Operations and PMO teams.
- Strongest area: Security & privacy (8.8/10). Weakest: Value for money (7.4/10).
- Price: From around $9–12 / member / month — free trial available.
- Watch out for: Less intuitive for non-spreadsheet users.
What is Smartsheet?
Smartsheet looks like a spreadsheet but adds Gantt charts, forms, automations, dashboards and resource management. It is popular in operations, construction and enterprise PMOs where teams think in rows and columns.
Smartsheet is made by Smartsheet and is reviewed here as a project management tool. It is priced on a subscription basis, and our editorial score is 8.0 out of 10, calculated from six weighted criteria.
Who it’s for — and who should skip it
Choose Smartsheet if
- Operations and PMO teams
- Construction and field projects
- Spreadsheet users
Not for you if
- Visual or creative teams
- Very small budgets
Key features
Multiple views of the same sheet.
Alerts, approvals and updates.
Roll-up reporting.
Collect requests into sheets.
- Microsoft 365
- Google Workspace
- Slack
- Salesforce
- Jira
Pros & cons
What we like
- Familiar grid interface
- Strong Gantt and dependencies
- Automations and forms
- Enterprise-grade controls
Watch out for
- Less intuitive for non-spreadsheet users
- Minimum seats on Business
- Add-ons cost extra
Pricing & true cost
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | ≈ $9 / user / mo | Billed annually |
| Business | ≈ $19 / user / mo | Billed annually; minimum members |
| Enterprise | Custom quote | Quote |
Pricing watch-out: Business plans need a minimum number of members.
True cost at 5, 10 and 25 seats
Cheapest paid plan that fits each team size, from indicative list prices checked October 31, 2026. Excludes tax, add-ons, onboarding fees and promotional discounts.
Pricing watch-outs
- Quote-only tier. Enterprise has no public price. Ask for a written quote that includes onboarding and support fees.
- Steep tier jump. Moving from Pro to Business raises the per-user price from $9 to $19 (2.1×). Check which features force the upgrade.
Contract questions to ask before you sign
- Does the plan auto-renew, and how many days’ notice do you need to cancel?
- Is the advertised price for annual billing? What is the month-to-month price?
- Is the first-year price a promotion? What will renewal cost, and is it capped?
- Is there a minimum number of seats, or a charge for inactive users?
- Are onboarding, implementation or premium-support fees extra?
- How do we export all our data if we leave, and in what format?
General questions for any vendor — not findings about this product. Build a full checklist with our requirements builder.
Indicative USD pricing, last checked October 31, 2026. Vendors change prices and promotions often — always confirm on their website. Model your own numbers with our SaaS TCO calculator.
Score breakdown
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Features & fit | 25% | 8.6 | 2.20 | |
| Ease of use | 20% | 7.4 | 1.50 | |
| Value for money | 20% | 7.4 | 1.50 | |
| Support & reliability | 10% | 7.8 | 0.80 | |
| Security & privacy | 10% | 8.8 | 0.90 | |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 15% | 8.4 | 1.30 | |
| Overall | 100% | Weighted for business software products | 8.0 | |
Security & compliance facts
| Item | Status | Question to ask Smartsheet |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-factor authenticationStops most account takeovers from reused or phished passwords. | Not verified by us | Can admins enforce MFA for every user, on every plan? |
| Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)Lets you remove a leaver’s access everywhere from one place. | Not verified by us | Is SSO included on the plan we are buying, or only on enterprise tiers? |
| SOC 2 Type II reportIndependent audit of the vendor’s security controls — often required by larger customers. | Not verified by us | Can we see your current SOC 2 Type II report (under NDA if needed)? |
| ISO/IEC 27001 certificationInternational standard for running an information-security programme. | Not verified by us | Which legal entity and services does your ISO 27001 certificate cover? |
| GDPR data processing agreementNeeded if you handle personal data of people in the EU/UK. | Not verified by us | Do you offer a signed DPA and list your sub-processors? |
| HIPAA business associate agreementRequired before US healthcare businesses store protected health information. | Not verified by us | Will you sign a BAA, and on which plans? |
We have not yet verified these items for Smartsheet against a primary source, so we don’t claim them either way. Check Smartsheet’s trust or security page and ask for documents in writing.
Before you buy any project management tool
Check Smartsheet against the same list we use for every project management tool — and confirm each point on the plan you intend to buy, not the top tier.
- Views your team prefers (board, list, timeline)
- Recurring tasks and templates
- Guest/client access pricing
- Automations on your tier
- Time tracking or integration
See every ranked option in Project Management.
Smartsheet alternatives
Pick an alternative by what matters to you
- Cheaper
Trello≈ $50/mo vs $90/mo at 10 users (cheapest paid plans, indicative) - Has a free plan
AsanaSmartsheet has no free plan; Asana does - Easier to useTrelloEase-of-use score 9.4 vs 7.4
- Better integrationsAsanaIntegrations score 9.0 vs 8.4
- Higher overall scoreAsanaOverall 8.5 vs 8.0
Computed from our published scores and indicative pricing for tools in the same category as Smartsheet. Scores are editorial; see the methodology.
Editor’s picks
Powerful work management for teams that need structure and reporting.
Colourful, flexible work boards that adapt to almost any process.
Polished work management for teams that need clarity on who does what, by when.
Head-to-head comparisons
Review history
- Scored under methodology v2.0 (six weighted criteria, computed overall score).
Smartsheet FAQ
Is Smartsheet like Excel?
It uses a familiar grid but adds project controls, automation and collaboration.
Does Smartsheet have a free plan?
Not currently; there is a free trial.
Does Smartsheet have a free plan?
No, Smartsheet does not offer a permanent free plan, but a free trial is available. Pricing starts at From around $9–12 / member / month (indicative).
Who is Smartsheet best for?
Smartsheet is best for: operations and PMO teams; construction and field projects; spreadsheet users.
How much does Smartsheet cost for a team of 10?
On indicative list prices, the cheapest paid plan that fits 10 users (Pro) works out at roughly $90 per month, or about $1,080 per year, before tax, add-ons and discounts.
How is the Smartsheet score calculated?
The 8.0/10 overall score is a weighted average of six sub-scores — features & fit, ease of use, value, support & reliability, security & privacy, and integrations — using the published weights for software products. Affiliate relationships have no input. See our methodology page for the full rubric.
What are the best alternatives to Smartsheet?
Popular alternatives include Wrike, monday.com, Asana. See our comparisons for side-by-side verdicts.