Grist
The actual product, self-hosted: formulas, relational records, forms, and views in one small workspace.
Technical Profile & Specs
verified 2026-08-10
- Cost
- $0 / forever (Open Source)
- License
- Apache-2.0
- Hosting Model
- Local or hosted (your machine or their cloud)
- Platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- Installation
- Hosted signup, desktop app, or Docker container for self-hosting
- Operational Setup
- None for hosted or desktop use; shared self-hosting requires Docker, authentication, backups, a public URL, and safe Python-formula sandboxing
- Where Your Data Lives
- Each document is a .grist SQLite database containing table data, attachments, document metadata, and recent history; CSV/Excel exports are also available
- The Catch / Trade-off
- Self-hosting preserves the product but gives up the paid hosted service's managed upgrades, backups, secure sharing, support, and operational reliability.
Replaces 5 paid apps
up to $57.24/mo ($687/yr) in subscriptions
Grist FAQ
Common questions
Is Grist free and open source?+
Grist is an open-source tool licensed under Apache-2.0 that runs on local or hosted. The actual product, self-hosted: formulas, relational records, forms, and views in one small workspace.
What paid software does Grist replace?+
Grist serves as a free replacement for 5 paid SaaS applications: Google Sheets, Grist, NocoDB Cloud, SeaTable Cloud, Smartsheet, saving up to $57.24/month ($687/year) in subscription bills.
How do you install and set up Grist?+
Installation: Hosted signup, desktop app, or Docker container for self-hosting. Setup notes: None for hosted or desktop use; shared self-hosting requires Docker, authentication, backups, a public URL, and safe Python-formula sandboxing
What is the catch or trade-off with Grist?+
Self-hosting preserves the product but gives up the paid hosted service's managed upgrades, backups, secure sharing, support, and operational reliability.