AnyDB versus Smartsheet

Smartsheet has earned its place as a go-to for teams who think in rows and columns. It’s approachable, flexible, and works well for tracking projects, programs, and stakeholder dashboards.

But when operations grow, the cracks start to show. Sheet size ceilings (around 20k rows), performance slowdowns, and add-on requirements for granular sharing (like Dynamic View) make scaling harder. Automation and dashboard limits also creep in unless you upgrade to higher-tier plans.

The turning point usually comes when workflows go beyond timelines and Gantt charts. Suddenly, the platform that once fit like a glove starts feeling more like a suit one size too small.

AnyDB was built for exactly this moment.

It bridges the gap between data and workflows, gives you granular control without complexity, and does it all without surprise fees.

In this article, we’ll explore the key ways AnyDB outperforms Smartsheet for business operations. Making it easier to scale, simplify, and run your processes with confidence.

Why Smartsheet Starts to Strain Under Operation Scale

Smartsheet is a great entry point for teams that think in grids. It’s familiar, approachable, and perfectly fine for managing straightforward projects. But when operations scale, it can start to show its limits.

Here’s where the friction often begins:

Customization Feels Boxed In

Smartsheet offers flexible fields and templates, but it isn’t a relational database. Linking across sheets often relies on formulas and can get brittle as systems grow. To securely share “just a slice” of data with a client or vendor, you usually need a paid add-on (Dynamic View).

As one Reddit user put it, dealing with admin settings and permissions “is way more complex than it should be” and often leads to unnecessary overhead.

If you’re building a sprint board with custom fields for QA status, release notes, and priority scoring, you might feel like you’re bending the platform to your will rather than having it work for you.

Scaling Hits Limits

Sheets max out around ~20,000 rows before performance noticeably degrades. Dashboards and automations are capped by plan (e.g., 250 automations/month on Pro, unlimited only at Business+).

These ceilings can force redesigns or upgrades.

Data and Tools Don’t Talk Natively Enough

Modern operations rely on tools that work together. CRMs, ERPs, calendars, chat apps: they should all integrate without drama.

Smartsheet integrates broadly, but keeping multiple sheets in sync with external systems (CRMs, ERPs, Slack, etc.) often requires add-ons like Data Shuttle or manual exports. That patchwork creates extra overhead for ops teams that want one connected system.

These aren’t dealbreakers for everyone, but they’re red flags for teams with complex, fast-moving operations.

When your platform starts creating the very bottlenecks it was meant to remove, it’s time to explore more adaptable solutions.

5 Ways AnyDB Outperforms Smartsheet for Business Operations

AnyDB was built differently.

From the ground up, it’s designed to connect your data, people, and processes in one place so your team can actually get work done. No endless workarounds. No chasing missing files. One system, live and in sync.

1. Purpose-Built Operational Templates

AnyDB ships with live templates for onboarding, asset tracking, vendor compliance, and more—built with workflows, approvals, and automation already embedded. Faster setup, fewer bolt-ons.

2. Records That Scale Like a System

In Smartsheet, records and tasks often live in separate places. In AnyDB, every “row” is a record that can hold tasks, files, comments, and status updates—linked across databases. No 20k-row ceiling, no sharding sheets, no performance drag.

3. Granular Permissions, No Add-Ons Required

AnyDB offers role-based permissions from team → database → record → cell. You can share “only what someone should see” without buying a Dynamic View-style add-on.

4. Native Cross-Database Linking

Connect HR to Finance, Vendors to Compliance, or Clients to Contracts with a few clicks. No formulas or patchwork integrations needed to build a single source of truth.

5. Transparent Pricing, Guests Included

Unlimited records and free external collaborators on every plan. Smartsheet charges per user, and granular external access often requires add-ons.