What is the difference between Height and Smartsheet?

Height is best for Teams wanting an AI-native project management tool, while Smartsheet is best for Enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-style project management. Height starts at Free and Smartsheet starts at $7/user/mo.

Is Height or Smartsheet cheaper?

Height starts at Free with a free tier. Smartsheet starts at $7/user/mo.

Is there a free alternative to Smartsheet?

Yes, Height offers a free tier (Free for small teams).

Height vs Smartsheet

Height is AI-first project management with autonomous task management and smart prioritization, while Smartsheet is enterprise work management platform with spreadsheet interface, automations, and dashboards. The biggest difference up front: Height is free, while Smartsheet starts at $7/user/mo. Height is built for teams wanting an ai-native project management tool, whereas Smartsheet targets enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-style project management.

At a glance

	Height	Smartsheet
Best for	Teams wanting an AI-native project management tool	Enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-style project management
Starting price	Free	$7/user/mo
Free tier	✓	—
Open source	—	—
Free tier available	✓	—
Open source	—	—
AI Tasks	✓	—
Automations	—	✓
Dashboards	—	✓
Forms	✓	—
Real-Time Collab	✓	—
Resource Mgmt	—	✓
Spreadsheet UI	—	✓
Spreadsheet View	✓	—

Height

Strengths

Includes AI Tasks as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows
Includes Spreadsheet View as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows
Free for small teams — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
Includes forms alongside the core feature set — fewer separate tools needed

Weaknesses

Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Migrating existing projects from another tool can be time-consuming
Limited team/admin features if your organization eventually scales up

Try Height → Full review

Smartsheet

Strengths

Spreadsheet-style interface is familiar to anyone who has used Excel
Built-in automations handle repetitive tasks like status changes and assignments
Affordable at $7/user/mo — one of the lower-priced options in the project management category
Established product with 20+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem

Weaknesses

No free plan — you need to pay $7/user/mo from day one to use it
Enterprise-focused design means the interface can feel heavy for smaller teams
Migrating existing projects from another tool can be time-consuming
Overkill for freelancers or small teams who need something lightweight

Try Smartsheet → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Height is completely free (Free for small teams), which makes it the obvious pick if budget is the top concern. Smartsheet starts at $7/user/mo. That cost buys you a more polished or feature-rich experience, so it comes down to whether the extras justify the spend.

Feature gaps: Height offers AI Tasks, Forms and Real-Time Collab that Smartsheet lacks. Smartsheet brings Automations, Dashboards and Resource Mgmt that Height does not have.

Team fit: Height is geared toward small teams teams, while Smartsheet is aimed at enterprise teams. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.

Where each tool shines: Height's biggest strengths are: includes ai tasks as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows. includes spreadsheet view as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows. Smartsheet's biggest strengths are: spreadsheet-style interface is familiar to anyone who has used excel. built-in automations handle repetitive tasks like status changes and assignments.

Watch out for: With Height, users commonly note that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade. With Smartsheet, the main complaint is that no free plan — you need to pay $7/user/mo from day one to use it.

Choose Height if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams wanting an ai-native project management tool
Budget is a hard constraint — Height is free, Smartsheet is not
You specifically need AI Tasks and Forms
You care about includes spreadsheet view as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows
Your team size fits the small teams profile Height is designed for

Choose Smartsheet if...

You need a tool built for enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-style project management
You specifically need Automations and Dashboards
You care about built-in automations handle repetitive tasks like status changes and assignments
Your team size fits the enterprise profile Smartsheet is designed for