Comparison · verified 2026-07-21
sheetfolk vs Smartsheet's household budget template: honest comparison
Smartsheet — the work-management platform company — publishes free budget templates for Google Sheets on its site, including a household budget template. sheetfolk sells one-time paid templates ($9–$29) built only for household money. This is a comparison of a free giveaway from a big software company against a paid specialist product, verified against Smartsheet's own template pages in July 2026.
| sheetfolk | Smartsheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9–$29 one-time per template | Free download from Smartsheet's template pages (as of July 2026) |
| What it is | The maker's core product — purpose-built household money workbooks | A free resource published by a work-management software company |
| Scope | Multi-tab linked workbooks: budget, sinking funds, debt payoff, net worth, dashboard | A budget sheet with Necessary, Discretionary and Investment expense sections and a real-time summary of monthly and yearly totals |
| Platform | .xlsx — opens in Excel, LibreOffice or Google Sheets | Google Sheets (Smartsheet also offers Excel budget templates) |
| Data entry | Manual entry | Manual entry |
| Support | Email support ([email protected]); written setup steps + FAQ on each page | None specific to the template — it's a free download, not a supported product |
The honest summary
Smartsheet's household budget template is free, comes from an established company, and covers the basics well: expense sections for necessary, discretionary and investment spending, with a summary panel totalling monthly and yearly income and expenses in real time. For a straightforward single-sheet household budget at no cost, it is a fine choice. sheetfolk's paid templates ($9–$29 one-time) are for households that want more than one sheet — linked tabs for sinking funds, debt payoff and net worth, a couples split calculator — and an actual maker to email when stuck.
Where Smartsheet's template is the better pick
Price and pedigree. It is a free download from a major software company's template library, it opens in Google Sheets, and its summary section updates monthly and yearly totals as you type. If your household budget is one income, one page of categories and a monthly check-in, the free template does the job and sheetfolk would be paying for depth you may not use.
Where sheetfolk fits better
Depth and support. Budget templates are a side resource for Smartsheet — its business is work-management software. They are sheetfolk's entire product. The Couples Budget Spreadsheet ($17) handles two incomes with shared and personal buckets and an income-proportional split calculator; the 2026 Ultimate Budget Bundle ($24) links budget, sinking funds, debts, net worth, savings rate and goals into one dashboard. Every template page shows the real tabs before you buy, and purchases include email support and free updates to your edition.
Questions
Is sheetfolk an alternative to Smartsheet's household budget template?
Yes — a paid one. Smartsheet's template is a free single-sheet household budget (verified July 2026); sheetfolk templates are $9–$29 one-time, multi-tab workbooks with sinking funds, debt payoff, net worth and a couples split calculator, plus email support. If the free single sheet covers your needs, use it.
Which is cheaper?
Smartsheet's — its household budget template is a free download from smartsheet.com (verified July 2026). sheetfolk templates cost $9–$29 one-time. The price difference buys specialization, linked multi-tab workbooks and support from the maker.
Isn't Smartsheet a project-management tool?
Yes — Smartsheet's core product is work-management software for businesses. The household budget template is one of many free spreadsheet templates it publishes as content on its website; it runs in Google Sheets (or Excel for their Excel versions), not in the Smartsheet platform itself.