SpecialistNonprofit offer

Grist

Open-source spreadsheet-database hybrid with fine-grained access control.

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Strong choiceStrong open-source spreadsheet-database with fine-grained access control.

See how Grist fits your setup. Add the tools you already use.

Price

Free plan · paid from US$8/user/month (Pro, billed annually)

Nonprofit offer

Yes

Available in

🌍Anywhere

Suits

Volunteer-run · Small · Medium

50% off the Pro plan for non-profit organisations; the Free plan also covers up to 5,000 records at no cost.

Sign up for the Pro team plan, then email your Letter of Determination (or equivalent proof of nonprofit status) to Grist support at least a week before your free trial ends. For a Business plan discount, contact Grist directly.

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Great for

Organisations wanting a spreadsheet-like database with real access controls
Teams that care about open source or self-hosting for data control
Generous free plan and 50% nonprofit discount
Open source with a self-host option
Strong permission controls for sensitive data

Watch out for

Teams wanting polished ready-made apps without any set-up
Organisations needing hundreds of thousands of records per document
Less well known so fewer ready-made templates and consultants
Region choice on hosted service is an Enterprise feature
Learning formulas takes some effort

Problems it solves

“We outgrew our spreadsheets but can't afford a big donor database”“I need some staff to see sensitive client info and others not to”“We want to keep our data on our own servers”“We need to track grants, deadlines and funder reports in one place”“I want to import our old Excel files and make them into a proper database”“Our volunteer sign-ups and hours are a mess and we need one system”

About Grist+

Grist combines the familiar feel of a spreadsheet with the power of a relational database, including formulas, linked tables, charts and layouts for data entry. Nonprofits use it for donor, volunteer and grant tracking. It is open source, so you can use the hosted service or run it on your own servers, and it has granular access rules to protect sensitive records.

Pricing: Free plan: up to 5,000 records per document. Pro is US$10/user/month monthly or US$8 annual (100,000 records per document). Business is US$24 annual (US$30 monthly), minimum 5 users. Free open-source Community Edition for self-hosting. Organisations with under US$1 million income may qualify for a free self-hosted activation key.

Key features+

Spreadsheet formulas on a relational databaseGranular access rules by row and columnCustom widgets, charts and layoutsOpen source with self-hosting optionREST API and webhooks

Works with (6)+

Zapier

Make

n8n

Google Workspace for Nonprofits

Stripe

QuickBooks Online

AI features+

AI Assistant for writing formulas, with monthly credits on paid plans (100 one-time credits on the Free plan).

Data & privacy+

Self-hosting keeps data entirely under your control. Enterprise customers can choose the hosting region for a dedicated server. Grist is a US-headquartered company; confirm region options and its DPA before storing EU or UK personal data on the hosted service.

How sure are we?+

Partly confirmed on the vendor's pages; some details from reputable secondary sources. Prices and nonprofit programs change often, so check with Grist before you commit. Rankings on Nonprofit Tools are never for sale.

Sources · last checked 2026-10-02