Grist vs Rowy
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
VS
Rowy
Spreadsheet-like UI for Firestore databases
| Feature | Grist | Rowy |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 93 · Excellent | 22 · At risk |
| Category | Office Suites | Office Suites |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 11,851 | ★ 6,842 |
| First released | 2021 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Airtable, Google Sheets | Airtable |
What are Grist and Rowy?
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
Rowy
Rowy is an open-source low-code platform that provides a spreadsheet-like interface for managing Firestore databases. It pairs data management with cloud functions.
- Spreadsheet UI for Firestore
- Cloud function automation
- Rich field types
- Low-code extensibility
Grist vs Rowy: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Grist versus MIT for Rowy.
Why pick each one
Choose Rowy if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 6.8k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Grist or Rowy better?
Neither is universally better. Grist has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Grist and Rowy free and open-source?
Yes. Grist is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Rowy under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Grist and Rowy with Docker?
Grist: yes. Rowy: yes.