Short answer
AppSheet is Google's no-code app builder on Google Sheets, cloud Excel files or databases. Building and testing with up to 10 test users is free; production costs from US$5 per user per month (pricing page, 27 September 2026). It suits few users and simple rules; when fees grow with headcount or sheet data stops agreeing, move to a real system.
Key points
- Free to build and test with up to 10 test users; production is billed per user per month.
- Starter US$5, Core US$10, Enterprise Plus US$20 per user a month; Publisher Pro US$50 per app.
- Some Google Workspace plans already include AppSheet Core, so check before you buy.
- 30 staff on Core cost US$3,600 a year, and the bill grows with every hire.
- Most pain comes from using a spreadsheet as the database, not from AppSheet itself.
What is AppSheet, and what can it do?
AppSheet reads tables from a spreadsheet or database and generates app screens from them: data-entry forms, lists, search, barcode scanning with a phone camera, and automations such as an email when a new row arrives. Someone comfortable in Excel can finish a first app quickly.
In Thailand, Google searches show what people build with it most: stock systems and queue or booking systems. Both start from data already in a sheet and a need for screens that work on a phone.
How much does AppSheet cost?
Building and testing are free with up to 10 test users. In production you pick a plan priced per user per month, except Publisher Pro, which is per app for public apps without sign-in. Google says some Workspace plans already include AppSheet Core, so if your company uses Workspace, check before buying more.
As an example, 30 staff on Core is US$300 a month, or US$3,600 a year, and it grows with every hire.
The per-user plans, in US dollars a month.
about.appsheet.com/pricing, 27 September 2026. Publisher Pro is left out: it is US$50 per app per month.
| Plan | Price | For |
|---|---|---|
| Prototype | Free, up to 10 test users | Building and testing |
| Starter | US$5 per user/month | Basic apps on sheets and cloud files |
| Core | US$10 per user/month | Advanced app and automation features, security controls |
| Enterprise Plus | US$20 per user/month | Enterprise data sources, priority support |
| Publisher Pro | US$50 per app/month | Public apps, no sign-in |
What is AppSheet good at?
AppSheet is fast and cheap at the start. The team sees real screens quickly, changes them without waiting on anyone, and the data stays in a sheet everyone already knows. When you aren't yet sure what the rules of a process should be, it is an excellent place to experiment: find out what the work really needs, then decide how much more to invest.
What are AppSheet's limitations as an app grows?
Most limits come from using a spreadsheet as the database and from the rules living in one builder's head, not from AppSheet itself. They tend to arrive together, when users grow from a handful to a few dozen.
- Per-user fees grow with headcount, unlike a system you pay to build once and then add users to
- A sheet has no database-style integrity rules: people can edit it directly, and duplicate product codes or negative stock save without complaint
- Layered permissions (a branch sees only its own stock, a manager approves only up to their limit) are possible, but harder to maintain the more complex they get
- Business rules spread across dozens of expressions and conditions; once the builder leaves, nobody dares change them
- Screens and flows must fit what the tool supports, so a job that needs a specific screen needs a workaround
- Pricing and terms are set by the provider, and if they change, the business has to adapt
AppSheet on Google Sheets
- Cost grows with every user
- Duplicate codes and negative stock can be saved
- Rules scattered across dozens of expressions
- Screens limited to what the tool supports
Purpose-built system
- Paid to build once, then add users
- The database enforces valid data
- Rules written down as an agreed scope
- Screens designed around the work
What are the signs you have outgrown AppSheet?
If three or more of these are true, start talking about a real system. That doesn't mean dropping AppSheet tomorrow, but you should know where you are heading before the data gets messier.
- Someone regularly fixes data that disagrees between sheets
- The yearly subscription is close to the cost of building a system
- Only one person can change the app
- It must connect to accounting, sales or LINE OA and cannot do it fully
- Customers or partners need access too
- When management asks for a number, someone has to compile it from several sheets
How do you move from AppSheet to a real system without losing data?
Export and clean every table first, rebuild the most painful part first, and run old and new side by side until the totals match. Starting from AppSheet is an advantage here: you already have real data and a proven workflow, which make a better spec than any requirements document written from imagination.
- Export and cleanEvery table; fix duplicate codes, inconsistent spellings and blanks.
- List what users doEach group's tasks in the old app become the scope and test list.
- Most painful part firstFor example multi-branch stock; the rest stays on the old app for now.
- Run side by sideCompare totals on both until they match, then retire the old app.
- Keep the old sheetsRead-only, as history.
Before deciding to stay or move
- Have you priced the plan on real user numbers, including planned hires?
- Does your Google Workspace plan already include AppSheet Core?
- Can more than one person maintain the app?
- Does the sheet data agree without someone fixing it?
- Does the work need to connect to other systems, and can it fully?
- Can you export every table if you move?
Frequently asked questions
Is AppSheet free?
Free while you build and test with up to 10 test users. In production it costs US$5 per user per month on Starter and US$10 on Core, per AppSheet's pricing page on 27 September 2026. Some Google Workspace plans already include AppSheet Core, so check your plan before paying for it separately.
Does AppSheet work with Excel?
Yes, if the Excel file sits in a cloud file service AppSheet can connect to. The underlying limit stays, though: neither Excel nor Google Sheets was designed for many people editing data at once the way a database is. With many users, plan to move the data into a real database.
Can you build a stock or inventory system in AppSheet?
Yes, and it is one of the most common AppSheet builds. It suits one shop or warehouse with a few users. With several branches, transfers between warehouses, lot or expiry tracking, or links to sales and accounting, teams usually hit data-integrity limits in the sheet, such as duplicate codes or negative stock that save without complaint.
How much does AppSheet cost for 30 users?
On Core at US$10 per user per month, 30 users cost US$300 a month or US$3,600 a year, per AppSheet's pricing page on 27 September 2026. The figure grows with every hire. Before buying, check whether your Google Workspace plan already includes AppSheet Core.
What happens to my data if I stop using AppSheet?
If the app runs on Google Sheets or Excel, the data stays in your files and you can export it. What you lose are the screens, expressions and rules configured in the app, so document them before you leave. If you used AppSheet's own database, export the data first.