What is the difference between Smartsheet and Hive?

Smartsheet is best for Enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-style project management, while Hive is best for Teams wanting project management with built-in email. Smartsheet starts at $7/user/mo and Hive starts at Free.

Is Smartsheet or Hive cheaper?

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

Is there a free alternative to Smartsheet?

Yes, Hive offers a free tier (Free for up to 10 users).

Smartsheet vs Hive

Smartsheet is enterprise work management platform with spreadsheet interface, automations, and dashboards, while Hive is project management with Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and integrated email within the platform. The biggest difference up front: Hive is free, while Smartsheet starts at $7/user/mo. Smartsheet is built for enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-style project management, whereas Hive targets teams wanting project management with built-in email.

At a glance

	Smartsheet	Hive
Best for	Enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-style project management	Teams wanting project management with built-in email
Starting price	$7/user/mo	Free
Free tier	—	✓
Open source	—	—
Free tier available	—	✓
Open source	—	—
Analytics	—	✓
Automations	✓	—
Dashboards	✓	—
Email Integration	—	✓
Forms	—	✓
Gantt Charts	—	✓
Resource Mgmt	✓	—
Spreadsheet UI	✓	—

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

Hive

Strengths

Gantt charts visualize project timelines with task dependencies at a glance
Includes Email Integration as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows
Free for up to 10 users — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
Established product with 11+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem

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
Mobile experience lags behind the desktop version in features and polish

Try Hive → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Hive is completely free (Free for up to 10 users), 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: Smartsheet offers Automations, Dashboards and Resource Mgmt that Hive lacks. Hive brings Analytics, Email Integration and Forms that Smartsheet does not have.

Team fit: Smartsheet is geared toward enterprise teams, while Hive is aimed at mid-size teams 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: 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. Hive's biggest strengths are: gantt charts visualize project timelines with task dependencies at a glance. includes email integration as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows.

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

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

Choose Hive if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams wanting project management with built-in email
Budget is a hard constraint — Hive is free, Smartsheet is not
You specifically need Analytics and Email Integration
You care about includes email integration as a core feature, purpose-built for project management workflows
Your team size fits the mid-size teams profile Hive is designed for