Smartsheet review (2026): features, pros and cons, and what to check before you buy
Spreadsheet-style work management platform with sheets, automation and enterprise governance, sold per member.
Our take for buyers
Smartsheet is a work management platform with sheets, automation and enterprise governance, sold per member. It suits mid-size and large organizations that need SAML SSO, regional hosting and a public DPA, and teams used to spreadsheets. G2 rates it 4.4 from 22,617 reviews, with praise for collaboration, tracking and automation options.
Reviewers also describe a steep learning curve, especially around formulas, plus slow performance and Excel-like limits. Test it with your largest real sheets before committing. Note that SAML SSO and directory provisioning sit on Enterprise and above, so Business teams only get Google, Microsoft or Apple login.
Pros
- Good team collaboration and tracking.
- Strong automation options.
- Versatile for many project types.
Cons
- Steep learning curve, especially formulas.
- Expensive.
- Slow performance and Excel-like limits.
- Best for
- Teams used to spreadsheets who want structured project tracking.
- Starting price
- About $9 per member/month billed yearly (Pro; estimate, the vendor does not clearly label monthly vs yearly prices)
- G2 rating
- 4.4 (22,617 reviews)
What is Smartsheet?
Spreadsheet-style work management platform with sheets, automation and enterprise governance, sold per member. Spreadsheet-fluent teams get familiar grid tracking plus governance, SAML SSO and regional hosting for larger rollouts. Budget for per-member pricing and paid add-ons such as Resource Management, and during a trial test formulas, since reviewers call them the hard part. Smartsheet was founded in 2005 and is based in Bellevue, US.
Category: Project Management Software
Smartsheet key features
| Criterion | What we found |
|---|---|
| Workload and resource management | Resource Management is a paid add-on on Business and Enterprise. |
| Integrations | Directory integrations on Enterprise; Bridge is Enterprise add-on. |
| Pricing model and real cost | Per member; contributors and guests unlimited and free; add-ons like Dynamic View (from $125/month) and Data Shuttle (from $100/month) |
| Target company size | Pro 1 to 10 members; Business 3+; Enterprise 10+. |
Smartsheet plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro | about $12 monthly / $9 yearly (estimated) | member/month | 1 to 10 members, new customers only; unlimited contributors |
| Business | about $24 monthly / $19 yearly (estimated) | member/month | 3+ members; activity log; 1 TB attachments |
| Enterprise | Contact sales | 10+ members; SAML SSO, directory integrations | |
| Advanced Work Management | Contact sales | Premium Support included |
30-day free trial, no credit card. The vendor page does not clearly label the price figures; the monthly vs yearly split is an estimate, so confirm on the vendor site.
Who should shortlist Smartsheet
A strong fit for
- Teams used to spreadsheets who want structured project tracking.
- Mid-size and large organizations needing governance, SAML SSO and regional hosting.
A weak fit for
- Small teams on a tight budget (G2 reviewers often cite price)
- Teams wanting a quick setup without learning formulas.
Smartsheet alternatives
AsanaCross-functional teams that want timelines and unlimited automations from the Starter tier.
monday.comSmall and mid-size teams that want customizable boards and many automations.
WrikeMid-size teams running cross-functional projects with approvals.
ClickUpSmall and mid-size teams that want one flexible tool replacing several apps.
TrelloSmall teams that want a visual Kanban board with minimal setup.
JiraSoftware and IT teams running agile sprints and backlogs.
Security, admin and compliance
Smartsheet lists SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 27701, FedRAMP and HIPAA with a BAA on Enterprise. SAML 2.0 is on Enterprise and Advanced Work Management, while all plans offer Google, Microsoft and Apple sign-in. SCIM is not named, though directory integrations for provisioning come with Enterprise and up. The activity log starts on Business, and event reporting is an Enterprise add-on. Data residency covers an EU environment in Germany and Ireland, plus US and Australia regions. The standard DPA is public and no customer paper is accepted.
- SAML SSO
- Google/Microsoft/Apple on all plans; SAML 2.0 on Enterprise and Advanced Work Management.
- SCIM provisioning
- Not named; directory integrations (provisioning) on Enterprise and up.
- Audit logs
- Activity log on Business and up; Event reporting add-on on Enterprise.
- Data residency
- EU environment (Germany, Ireland); Smartsheet Regions offers US and Australia.
- Public DPA
- Yes, public standard DPA at smartsheet.com/legal/dpa (updated April 2026), no customer paper accepted.
- Certifications
- SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 27701, FedRAMP, HIPAA (Enterprise with BAA)
Contract and buying terms
- Contract
- Cancel or change seats anytime per User Agreement; Enterprise has SLA.
- Support
- Premium Support add-on on Business and Enterprise; included in Advanced Work Management.
- Starting price
- About $9 per member/month billed yearly (Pro; estimate, the vendor does not clearly label monthly vs yearly prices)
- Pricing model
- Per user.
- Free plan or trial
- Free trial.
What to test in a Smartsheet demo or trial
Use the 30-day trial with a real project and your largest sheet to test the performance and Excel-like limits that reviewers report. Have a non-expert try to build a tracker and a report, since the steep learning curve around formulas is a common complaint. Test automation on a real approval flow. Check whether you need paid add-ons such as Resource Management, Dynamic View or Data Shuttle, and confirm the exact member prices, because the vendor page does not clearly label monthly versus yearly figures.
Questions to ask Smartsheet before you sign
These are the points Smartsheet's public pages leave open. Get the answers in writing before procurement signs off.
- What will the price be at renewal, and is the increase capped?
Things to know before a demo
- SAML SSO and user provisioning (directory integrations) only on Enterprise and Advanced Work Management; Business has Google/Microsoft/Apple login.
- Resource management, Dynamic View and Data Shuttle are paid add-ons even on Business.
- Event reporting (six months of logs), data egress and CMEK are Enterprise add-ons.
- EU environment hosts data in Germany and Ireland on AWS.
- Pro plan is limited to new customers and 10 members.
Smartsheet FAQ
What is Smartsheet used for?
Spreadsheet-fluent teams get familiar grid tracking plus governance, SAML SSO and regional hosting for larger rollouts. Budget for per-member pricing and paid add-ons such as Resource Management, and during a trial test formulas, since reviewers call them the hard part. It suits teams used to spreadsheets who want structured project tracking.
Does Smartsheet support SAML SSO?
SAML 2.0 is on Enterprise and Advanced Work Management. Business supports Google, Microsoft and Apple login only.
Can Smartsheet host data in the EU?
Yes. There is an EU environment with data in Germany and Ireland, and Smartsheet Regions offers US and Australia.
Does Smartsheet offer audit logs?
An activity log is available on Business and up. Event reporting, which covers six months of logs, is an Enterprise add-on.
Vendor profile
- Founded
- 2005.
- Headquarters
- Bellevue, US.
- Employees
- 3,000+.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Smartsheet's own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.