Google Sheets vs Resource Management by Smartsheet: Complete Comparison (2026)

G

Why choose Google Sheets

• Higher Cost score (9/10 vs 4/10)
• Higher Customization score (8/10 vs 4/10)
• Better fit for freelancers (8/10 vs 2/10)
• Better fit for startups (7/10 vs 2/10)

Why choose Resource Management by Smartsheet

• Higher Scalability score (7/10 vs 4/10)
• Higher Analytics score (7/10 vs 6/10)
• Better fit for enterprise (7/10 vs 4/10)
• Better fit for mid-market (7/10 vs 5/10)
• Includes Time tracking, which Google Sheets lacks

G

Google Sheets

Pros

• Real-time co-editing, comments and version history make it easy for a team to share one tracker.
• Prebuilt project management and event-planning templates mean teams do not have to build a tracker from scratch.
• There is no extra cost for organisations that already pay for Google Workspace seats.
• Connected Sheets can analyse BigQuery or Looker data with billions of rows directly in a spreadsheet.
• On higher Workspace tiers, Gemini can create trackers and write formulas from plain-language prompts.

Cons

• It has no native Gantt charts, task dependencies or time tracking for real project scheduling.
• Missed deadlines do not trigger automatic alerts, so team members have to be notified by hand.
• Large or complex shared sheets slow down and are easy to break when several people edit at once.
• Timeline view is limited to certain paid Workspace editions.
• Dashboards and reporting have to be built by hand or added with add-ons.

Resource Management by Smartsheet

Pros

• Heatmaps and a visual schedule show availability and percentage allocation across every project in one place.
• Comes with Time + Fees, Expense, Budget, and Utilization reports, so services firms do not have to build them.
• Placeholders and role-based planning let managers staff a project before naming people, and help forecast hiring.
• Reviewers say time logging and adding projects are easy, and that teams need little training.
• Connects to Smartsheet projects through Control Center and Advanced Reporting.

Cons

• Prices are not published, and it costs extra on top of a Smartsheet Business or Enterprise plan.
• Smartsheet's documentation says it has no task-level tracking, subtasks, dependencies, or Gantt views.
• Its dashboards cannot be customized, and permissions are set only at the project or account level.
• Reviewers report that exported data lands in the wrong fields and that work items cannot be tied to subphases.
• One reviewer reports a minimum purchase of 15 licences.