monday.com vs Smartsheet: Which is better in 2026?
A side-by-side comparison of pricing, features, and use cases to help you decide between monday.com and Smartsheet.
Work OS that powers teams to run processes and workflows
Enterprise work management platform built on a spreadsheet
Head-to-head comparison
| Feature | monday.com | Smartsheet |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $9/mo | $9/mo |
| Free plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Pricing model | freemium | paid |
| G2 rating | 4.7/5 ↑ | 4.4/5 |
| Capterra rating | 4.6/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Founded | 2012 | 2005 |
monday.com: pros & cons
- ✓Very visual and intuitive
- ✓Highly customisable
- ✓Strong automation
- ✓Great dashboards
- ✗Minimum 3 seats on paid plans
- ✗Automations limited on lower tiers
- ✗Can get expensive for large teams
Smartsheet: pros & cons
- ✓Familiar spreadsheet interface
- ✓Powerful Gantt views
- ✓Strong enterprise features
- ✓Good for operations teams
- ✗Looks and feels dated
- ✗No free plan
- ✗Less intuitive than monday.com
- ✗Expensive at scale
Choose monday.com if...
monday.com is the better choice if you need custom workflows or automations, or want to start for free. It scores 4.7/5 on G2.
Read monday.com review →Choose Smartsheet if...
Smartsheet is the better choice if you prioritise spreadsheet-style grid or gantt chart. It scores 4.4/5 on G2.
Read Smartsheet review →Our verdict
monday.com edges ahead on user ratings (4.7/5 on G2). Both are similarly priced. The right choice depends on which features matter most to your team — use the comparison table above to decide.
monday.com vs Smartsheet: frequently asked questions
Is monday.com better than Smartsheet?
monday.com has a higher G2 score (4.7/5 vs 4.4/5). The best tool depends on your specific use case and budget.
Which is cheaper, monday.com or Smartsheet?
Both start at $9/mo.
What is the main difference between monday.com and Smartsheet?
monday.com focuses on custom workflows, automations, integrations. Smartsheet focuses on spreadsheet-style grid, gantt chart, automations. Both serve similar use cases but differ in approach and pricing model.