EtherCalc vs Grist
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted office suites options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Grist
Spreadsheet meets database for structured data
| Feature | EtherCalc | Grist |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 87 · Excellent | 93 · Excellent |
| Category | Office Suites | Office Suites |
| License | CPAL-1.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,050 | ★ 11,851 |
| First released | 2013 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Google Sheets | Airtable, Google Sheets |
What are EtherCalc and Grist?
EtherCalc
EtherCalc is an open-source web spreadsheet that allows real-time collaboration. Multiple users can edit the same spreadsheet simultaneously from their browsers.
- Real-time spreadsheet editing
- No login required
- REST API for cells
- Lightweight deployment
Grist
Grist is an open-source modern relational spreadsheet that combines the flexibility of a spreadsheet with the robustness of a database. It supports formulas, Python, and access rules.
- Relational spreadsheet engine
- Python formula support
- Granular access control
- Custom widgets and views
EtherCalc vs Grist: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — CPAL-1.0 for EtherCalc versus Apache-2.0 for Grist. EtherCalc is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Grist. EtherCalc is the more established project (first released 2013), while Grist arrived in 2021. Grist has the considerably larger community, at 11,851 GitHub stars versus 3,050.
Why pick each one
Choose EtherCalc if…
- Released under the CPAL-1.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is EtherCalc or Grist better?
Neither is universally better. Grist has the larger community, while EtherCalc is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are EtherCalc and Grist free and open-source?
Yes. EtherCalc is licensed under CPAL-1.0 and Grist under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run EtherCalc and Grist with Docker?
EtherCalc: yes. Grist: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, EtherCalc or Grist?
EtherCalc has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Grist. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.