A AppSheet alternative — Exepad
Same describe-the-app rhythm without a spreadsheet underneath. Exepad publishes a real web app on a custom domain with a native database, forms, transactional email, auth, hosting, and SSL — one subscription, no per-user fees.
One subscription. Eight production components.
Everything you need in the plan. No add-ons, no separate vendor invoices.
Database
Forms
File storage
Hosting
SSL
Visitor analytics
Custom domain
Honest take, no bashing
What each tool does best, side by side.
What AppSheet is good at
AppSheet is the most direct path from a Google Sheet or Workspace data source to a mobile-first internal app. The Google Sheets, Excel, and SQL connectors are mature, Gemini AI features are included in the subscription, and the Core tier is bundled into many Google Workspace plans at no marginal cost. Teams whose work is already inside Google Workspace get an app builder with very little setup.
Where Exepad fits differently
Exepad publishes a real web app on a custom domain rather than a mobile-first internal-tool shell. The plan bundles a native relational database, forms with conditional logic, transactional email, edge hosting, automatic SSL, file storage, role-based authentication, first-party visitor analytics, and a REST + MCP API — without per-user pricing, spreadsheet schemas as a precondition, or row-count ceilings tied to Workspace licenses.
Exepad vs. AppSheet
Side-by-side on the 14 dimensions that actually move the needle.
Time to first published app
Exepad
4–10 minutes
AppSheet
30–90 minutes once a Sheet or database schema is prepared.
Database included
Exepad
Native relational database, AI-modeled from your description.
AppSheet
AppSheet database (10 DBs × 2,500 rows per Core user); external Sheets, Excel, SQL.
Authentication included
Exepad
Native auth with magic-link, social, role-based permissions.
AppSheet
Google sign-in, Microsoft, Apple, SAML; per-user license model.
Email sending included
Exepad
Transactional email — confirmations, automations, sender reputation managed.
AppSheet
Automation can send emails via Gmail / Workspace; volume tied to Workspace limits.
Hosting included
Exepad
Edge hosting on Cloudflare, no row or app caps.
AppSheet
Hosted by Google; ~200,000-row practical ceiling per app, performance degrades earlier.
File storage included
Exepad
Native object storage served from the global edge.
AppSheet
File-attachment fields stored in Google Drive or the connected source.
Form backend included
Exepad
Native forms with validation, conditional logic, direct database writes.
AppSheet
Form views write back to the connected Sheet or database.
Visitor analytics included
Exepad
First-party analytics in every paid plan.
AppSheet
Bring your own GA4; built-in usage stats focus on app actions.
Search built in
Exepad
Site-wide search across pages and records, included.
AppSheet
Per-view search; limited site-wide search across data slices.
Custom domain
Exepad
Included on every paid plan; automatic SSL.
AppSheet
Publisher Pro feature; standard apps run under app.appsheet.com / Workspace.
GEO (AI citation) ready
Exepad
Schema.org JSON-LD, semantic HTML, direct-answer blocks ship by default.
AppSheet
Internal-tool focus; no native GEO/AEO surface, requires custom HTML embeds.
SSL + bank-level security
Exepad
Edge SSL, automated backups, 99.9% uptime, tenant isolation.
AppSheet
Google-grade infrastructure; SSO + audit logs on Enterprise Plus.
Lighthouse Performance score
Exepad
95+ guaranteed across pages.
AppSheet
Mobile-shell scores well; web view is functional but unoptimized for public Lighthouse audits.
Designed for non-technical users
Exepad
Describe in English; the platform generates schema, UI, and back-end together.
AppSheet
Database-first; schema must be defined before the app builder is usable.
Starting price
Exepad
$25/mo — unlimited apps, one USD wallet.
AppSheet
Starter $5/user; Core $10/user; Enterprise Plus $20/user; Publisher Pro $50/mo per app.
Code export
Exepad
Not required — the platform runs the app; REST + MCP API exposes the data.
AppSheet
No source-code export; configuration tied to AppSheet runtime and Google data.
Pricing snapshot May 2026 from about.appsheet.com/pricing. AppSheet's Starter ($5/user/mo) and Core ($10/user/mo) charge per app user; Enterprise Plus ($20/user/mo) adds external data and governance. Each Core user is entitled to 10 AppSheet databases of up to 2,500 rows. The per-user model scales linearly — a 50-user app on Core runs $500/mo before any external Sheet or SQL bills. Exepad's plan replaces every meter with one subscription — see /pricing for current tiers.
When each one wins
Pick the right tool — both have legitimate strengths.
Pick AppSheet when…
Your team is already deep inside Google Workspace.
Operations and field teams whose source of truth is Google Sheets, who use Gmail and Calendar all day, and whose Workspace plan already bundles AppSheet Core. The marginal cost of adding an AppSheet app is minimal.
Mobile-first internal tools for a field workforce.
Construction, logistics, and field-service teams who need offline-capable forms, barcode scans, and signature capture on phones and tablets. AppSheet's mobile shell and OCR features are first-class.
A small per-user count where the $5–$10/user pricing wins.
A 5–10 person operations team whose linear per-user pricing on Starter or Core is cheaper than a flat Exepad tier, and whose app stays under the row and feature caps.
Pick Exepad when…
The published app is a public-facing website.
Founders, marketing teams, and agencies whose 'app' has to rank in Google, get cited by AI Overview and ChatGPT, and live on a custom domain at sub-second loads. Exepad ships semantic HTML, JSON-LD schema, and Lighthouse 95+ by default.
User counts are climbing and per-user pricing is biting.
Teams whose AppSheet app is shared with 30+ named users — internal staff, customers, contractors — where per-user pricing now exceeds $300–$500/mo. Exepad does not meter named users on its standard tiers.
You want one platform for app, site, and forms — without Google as a precondition.
Founders and small teams who do not already pay for Google Workspace, who do not want their source data tied to Sheets, and who need a database, transactional email, and a marketing site under one plan.
What the typical stack costs
Line-item breakdown of what most teams actually pay each month — and what the same setup costs on Exepad.
What the move actually looks like
Most AppSheet-to-Exepad moves take a day. Export each connected Sheet or AppSheet database as CSV, paste the schema and a description of the app into Exepad, and let the platform generate the database, screens, forms, and auth. Google sign-in maps to Exepad's social-login flow. If your value is the deep Workspace integration — Sheets, Gmail automations, Calendar bookings woven through one app — stay on AppSheet. If your value is a public-facing app on your own domain at a flat monthly cost, expect a one-day rebuild.
Your migration checklist
The concrete steps most teams follow when moving from AppSheet to Exepad — usually a day, not a week.
Audit the existing AppSheet apps
List every connected Sheet, every AppSheet database, every automation, and every published target (mobile / Publisher Pro web).
Export AppSheet databases and Sheets as CSV
Preserve column types and IDs. Each CSV imports as a relational table in Exepad.
Describe the app to Exepad in plain English
Paste the screen list, user roles, and key flows. Exepad drafts pages, schema, forms, and auth in one pass.
Move auth and user permissions
Replace AppSheet's per-user license with Exepad's magic-link + role-based access. Re-invite editors and end users via the new flow.
Re-point the custom domain
Update DNS to Exepad's edge. SSL provisions automatically. Keep the AppSheet app live until cutover is verified.
Set 301 redirects from old shareable URLs
Mirror the AppSheet URL structure where possible so bookmarks and any indexed pages survive the move.
Common mistakes
What people get wrong when evaluating AppSheet alternatives — and what to do instead.
Mistake
Comparing AppSheet's $5/user headline against Exepad's flat plan
Fix
Multiply by your actual user count and add the Workspace seats. At 25+ users the math flips quickly.
Mistake
Designing in the AppSheet 'database-first' mindset for Exepad
Fix
Exepad generates the schema from the description. Lead with the user story; the database falls out of it.
Mistake
Trying to keep AppSheet alongside Exepad permanently
Fix
Pick one source of truth. Exepad's REST + MCP API can still feed Sheets-based dashboards if specific analysts need them.
Mistake
Skipping 301 redirects after cutover
Fix
Internal-tool bookmarks and any externally shared links get lost otherwise. Redirect every URL before the AppSheet app is paused.
Mistake
Forgetting to budget for SEO/GEO once the app moves
Fix
AppSheet apps are not built for public crawlability. Exepad ships JSON-LD and semantic HTML by default — re-prompt meta and direct-answer blocks for any page you want cited.
Frequently asked
How much cheaper is Exepad than a typical AppSheet stack in 2026?+
An AppSheet Core deployment for 25 users runs $250/mo on its own; add Workspace seats and any external data and the bill climbs to $400–$700/mo. Exepad bundles all of that into one subscription. See /pricing for current tiers.
Does Exepad require Google Workspace like AppSheet does?+
No. Exepad ships a native relational database and authentication in every plan. Google sign-in is supported as a social-login option; it is not a prerequisite for the app to run.
Can Exepad publish a real public website like AppSheet's Publisher Pro?+
Yes. Every Exepad app publishes to a custom domain with SSL on day one — no separate Publisher Pro line item. Pages render semantic HTML with JSON-LD schema so they rank in Google and get cited by AI assistants.
How does Exepad handle 50+ concurrent users?+
Without per-user pricing. Exepad's standard plans support unlimited named end users for a flat monthly fee. AppSheet's per-user license multiplies linearly past a small team.
Will the published app run fast as data grows?+
Yes. Exepad's native relational database scales independently of the front-end and serves from Cloudflare's global edge. AppSheet's practical row ceiling is roughly 200,000 per app with degradation earlier; Exepad does not gate row counts.
Will AI assistants cite content from my Exepad app?+
Yes. Exepad ships GEO-ready output by default — JSON-LD schema, semantic HTML, direct-answer blocks. AppSheet apps are internal-tool first and have no native GEO or AEO surface.
How long does migration from AppSheet take?+
Most teams cut over in one day. Audit the AppSheet workspace, export Sheets and databases as CSV, describe the app to Exepad, map roles, re-point the custom domain, set 301 redirects.
Can Exepad fully replace AppSheet for my use case?+
For public web apps and most internal-tool patterns — yes. For field workforces that depend on AppSheet's mobile shell, OCR, and offline forms within Google Workspace, AppSheet remains the more direct fit.
Move from AppSheet to Exepad
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