Software Advice verdict · build Seeking alternatives
1.0K searches/mo-25% ↓cooling

Free browser-based Gantt tool that lives inside Google Sheets as a sidebar, rendering real Gantt bars from the user's own data without migrating to another app

A generation of project managers learned to plan inside Google Sheets and no free tool has respected that habit since Gantter went paid

Built for Small teams and freelancers using Google Sheets for project planning who need basic Gantt visualization without subscription costs..

The angle

Staying inside Sheets means zero switching cost and zero data migration, which is the exact reason users fled when Gantter started charging

“Gantter used to be free and was much easier to use than manually making a Gantt chart on Google Sheets. We switched to Gantter until they started charging.…”

The receipts — real demand

“Gantter used to be free and was much easier to use than manually making a Gantt chart on Google Sheets. We switched to Gantter until they started charging.”
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4 / 10 · idea quality

demand score 6.7 — the receipts are below

Pain 7
Willingness to pay 7
Feasibility 7
Specificity 8
Audience 8
Competition 8

Why this is a gap

Surfaced from a high-intensity complaint with clear willingness to pay and a specific, reachable audience.

The market

Small teams and freelancers using Google Sheets for project planning have steady demand (1000 monthly searches). These users want basic Gantt visualization without subscription costs—a cost-sensitive segment actively searching for free alternatives.

Competition & the opening

Already owned an incumbent owns the exact job Moat 2/10 · no real moat Market 8/10 · broad market
Category giants · 8/10 vs Smartsheet (Google Sheets-native Gantt add-on + standalone SaaS, free tier)ProjectSheet Planning (Google Workspace Marketplace add-on, free Gantt in Sheets)Slick Gantt (Google Sheets add-on, Google Workspace Marketplace, free)TeamGantt (free tier, browser-based Gantt SaaS)Instagantt (dedicated Gantt SaaS, free tier, Google-ecosystem friendly)GanttPRO (browser-based Gantt SaaS, free trial, G2 category leader)

Gantter, Smartsheet, and native Google Sheets Gantt add-ons exist (competition 7/10). The opening is a free, lightweight Gantt tool that integrates cleanly into Sheets without monthly fees—targeting users burned by Gantter's paywall transition.

What's hard to build

Building interactive Gantt charts inside Google Sheets requires deep familiarity with Google Apps Script, which is underpowered for complex UI rendering. At feasibility 7/10, the hard part is handling drag-and-drop task dependencies and real-time updates within Sheets' API constraints.

Why now

Gantter and Monday.com moved upmarket; massive demand for free Gantt tooling in Google ecosystem.

How you'd monetize

Freemium with $12/mo paid tier