Stacks / Forms
Grist
Spreadsheets you host. Grist core is Apache-2.0 — Google Sheets without the workbook in someone else's building.
The problem
Google Sheets is a workbook you rent with the Workspace seat. You wanted rows, relations, and a file you can export. Grist core is Apache-2.0: a spreadsheet that is also a database. The hosted product at getgrist.com adds extras — this page is the self-hosted core image. Baserow stays the Airtable-shaped grid on /replace/airtable. Nextcloud Office can open a .xlsx; it is not a live sheet.
Replaces
Google Sheets
Estimated SaaS saved
$1,200
per year, small team, before lock-in
Start on RailwayBaserow if this is Airtable, not a spreadsheet
Placeholder: Grist core (gristlabs/grist-oss) plus a volume for documents. Bind HTTP to 0.0.0.0:$PORT. No one-click template in this repo yet — Start on Railway. Airtable-shaped bases stay on /stacks/baserow-appsmith.
The stack
- Grist
Apache-2.0 spreadsheet-database (grist-core / self-host)
Cost table
| You stop paying | Typical / year | Self-host instead |
|---|---|---|
| Google Sheets / Workspace (small team) | $1,200 | Grist core + a volume |
Agent setup prompt
Replace Google Sheets with self-hosted Grist core (https://github.com/gristlabs/grist-core). - Official OSS image, persist documents on a volume. Bind HTTP to 0.0.0.0:$PORT. Import one CSV you actually use. - Do not deploy the hosted getgrist.com extras and call that the OSS path. Full-edition SSO is a separate product. - Airtable stays on /stacks/baserow-appsmith. Docs stay on /stacks/nextcloud-files. Write AGENT_PROMPT.md.
Also as markdown: /stacks/grist-sheets.md
FAQ
- Grist or Baserow?
- Grist if people live in a spreadsheet. Baserow if they live in an Airtable base. Pick one.
- Why not Nextcloud Office?
- Nextcloud Office opens a file. Grist is a live sheet with relations. /replace/google-docs is the document editor.