What is Smartsheet?

Smartsheet is a widely used platform that bridges the gap between traditional project management tools and spreadsheets. As businesses increasingly rely on it to streamline workflows and manage complex projects, understanding Smartsheet licensing becomes critical to maximizing value while minimizing costs. This blog delves into how Smartsheet licenses are costed, the differences between the old and new plans, the impacts of the plan changes, and what organizations need to watch for during the transition

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How Smartsheet Licenses Are Costed

‍Smartsheet employs a user-based pricing model, where costs vary based on user roles and the required features. Here are the main factors influencing license costs:

• User  Roles
  
  • Members:  Paid users who can create, edit, comment, and view sheets, workspaces and other items.
  • Provisional  Members: Temporarily free users granted full platform access for atleast 30 days. These users must be reconciled into paid or free roles after their provisional period.
  • Guests: Free users external to the organization’s domain, who can collaborate through commenting and basic editing actions but cannot create new sheets or workspaces. Guests must remain external collaborators and cannot be part of the organization’s internal domain.
  • Viewers: Free users who only need view access to items. They can see all shared content but cannot interact, comment, or edit. Viewers can be either internal or external to the organization’s domain.
• Add-Ons:    
  • Premium features like Control Center, Dynamic View, and Bridge.
  • Integration tools and API access.
 
• Plan  Tiers:
  • Variations in functionality across individual, business, and enterprise plans.

Understanding Smartsheet Licensing: Costs, Plans, and Transitioning to the New Model

The costs can escalate with additional features, storage requirements, or advanced capabilities like automated workflows and advanced reporting.Transition to the New Smartsheet Plan Smartsheet’s new user subscription model becomes effective on June 24, 2024, for all new plans. Existing customers on legacy plans will transition to the new model at their first renewal starting in 2025.Multi-year contract customers will move to the new plan upon their contract renewal in 2025 or later.This transition is designed to:

• Provide better transparency and predictability in pricing.
• Enable users to realize the value of the platform faster with simplified user types.
• Help SysAdmins manage licensing more effectively with clearer visibility into roles and usage.

Organizations still on the old plan can use this time to audit their usage, analyze their requirements, and plan for a seamless transition to the new model. Those already on the new plan can better understand their licensing needs and optimize their user assignments for cost efficiency.The Old Plan vs. The New Plan

‍Smartsheet has evolved its licensing structure to accommodate growing customer demands and align with modern usage patterns.Let’s break down the two models:

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‍Key Differences Between Old and New Plans

‍The transition to the new licensing model brings significant changes:

• Simplified  User Types:
  • Reduction from over 10 user types to four well-defined roles: Members, Provisional Members, Guests, and Viewers
 
• Viewer  Role Changes:
  • Previously, Viewers had undefined limitations on their access. Now, they are restricted strictly to viewing content without collaboration or editing      capabilities, ensuring clarity in their role.
 
• Guest  Role Adjustments:
  
  • Guests previously had broader flexibility for collaboration. Under the new model, their access is limited to commenting and basic editing within      shared items. Importantly, Guests must be external to the organization’s domain.
 
• Provisional  Use:
  • Temporary  full access for Provisional Members enables organizations to evaluate users’ needs before incurring costs.
 
• Reconciliation  Periods:
  • Quarterly reconciliation ensures that Provisional Members are either converted to paid Members or downgraded to free roles.

‍Detailed Changes to Viewer and Guest Roles

‍The changes to Viewer and Guest roles mark a significant shift in Smartsheet’s user management approach, enhancing clarity and control for organizations:

1. Viewer  Role:
   
   • Old  Plan: Viewers could interact with content to an undefined extent,  leading to potential misuse or confusion.
   • New  Plan: Viewers are now strictly limited to read-only access. They can view sheets, reports, dashboards, and workspaces but cannot collaborate, comment, or edit. This role is suitable for stakeholders who need visibility without engaging in active work.
   • Impact: Organizations can better allocate Viewer roles without concerns about unauthorized edits or engagement
 
2. Guest  Role:
   
   • Old  Plan: Guests had flexible access, including editing and limited collaboration capabilities, often leading to inconsistent usage.
   • New  Plan: Guests are limited to commenting and basic editing capabilities  within specific shared items. They cannot create new sheets or workspaces and must remain external to the organization’s domain. This distinction ensures that only external collaborators use Guest roles.
   • Impact: Enhanced security and control over external users, ensuring that Guest roles align with collaboration policies while preventing inappropriate internal use.

Real Impact of Plan Changes

‍The new Smartsheet licensing model can have a significant impact on how organizations manage access:

1. All  Members Paid:
   
   • Organizations will now pay for every Member, ensuring that both creation and collaboration are valued equally.
   • System Admins will have visibility and control over all Members and their roles.
 
2. Viewer  and Guest User Access:
   
   • Organizations  need to plan for stricter access controls for external collaborators.
   • Audit Viewer and Guest roles regularly to optimize license usage and avoid unnecessary costs.
 
3. Provisional  Members:
   
   • Leverage  the one-month provisional period for onboarding users without immediate cost.
   • Use reconciliation periods to transition provisional users into free or paid roles, minimizing potential surprises during billing.
 
4. Reconciliation  Periods and True-Up:
   
   • Quarterly reconciliations provide visibility into usage and allow for adjustments to align with organizational needs.
   • Prepare for potential scaling during these periods to ensure budget alignment.

Recommendations for Organizations

‍To make a smooth transition to the new Smartsheet plans and optimize licensing, consider the following steps:

• Conduct an Audit:
  
  • Assess current usage, focusing on active users, frequently used features, Viewer and Guest roles, and provisional user onboarding
 
• Plan for Provisional Members:
  
  • Ensure processes are in place to transition provisional users effectively within the one-month period.
 
• Engage with Smartsheet:
  • Leverage  Smartsheet’s customer success teams to understand the changes fully and get tailored recommendation.
 
• Budget  Proactively:
  
  • Factor in potential cost increases for new features or add-ons when planning  your IT budget.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Smartsheet Pricing and Plans

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Which Smartsheet plan is the most budget-friendly?

The entry-level plan is typically the Pro tier, offering essential project management features like Gantt charts, grid, board, and calendar views. Pricing is per Member and billed annually, making it the lowest barrier to entry for most teams.

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Are there discounts available for nonprofits or educational institutions?

Yes—Smartsheet extends discounted rates to verified nonprofits and academic organizations. Nonprofit rates usually land around 15% below standard pricing, while schools and universities can tap into education-specific plans.

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How does Smartsheet’s pricing compare to other platforms?

Compared to tools like Asana or Airtable, Smartsheet sits at a more premium price point but justifies this with deeper enterprise-grade features and customization. It remains competitive with robust platforms like Microsoft Project or Monday.com.

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Is a free version available?

While there’s no permanent free plan, new users can take Smartsheet for a test drive with a complimentary 30-day trial period—no commitment required.

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Can I secure better rates by prepaying?

Smartsheet rewards upfront payment with additional discounts, whether you're signing on for one or two years in advance. It’s worth considering if you’re looking to reduce long-term costs.

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How many projects or sheets can I manage?

The sheet or project limit depends on your plan: for example, Business allows you to manage up to 50,000 sheets, while Enterprise plans offer unlimited capacity—ideal for fast-growing or large organizations.

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Is there a Cheapest Smartsheet Plan Available?

For organizations seeking a budget-friendly entry point, the most affordable Smartsheet option is the Pro plan. Priced at $9 per member per month (billed annually), it covers essentials like Gantt charts, grid, board, and calendar views.

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What are the Sheet Creation Limits by Plan?

• Business Plan: Create up to approximately 50,000 sheets.
• Enterprise Plan: No preset limits, ideal for extensive project portfolios or complex workflows.

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Why Do Annual Contract Reviews Matter?

Annual contract reviews ensure that organizations stay aligned with evolving needs, optimize costs, negotiate better terms, and proactively plan for organizational changes.

Securing Volume Discounts for Larger Deployments

• Initiate discussions early with your Smartsheet account representative.
• Benchmark pricing against competitors like Asana, Monday.com, or Airtable.
• Consider multi-year commitments for greater leverage.

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Are There Discounts for Annual Contracts or Upfront Payments?

Annual agreements typically unlock 10%-20% discounts, with even deeper savings (15%-30%) available through multi-year upfront prepayments.

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Do nonprofits and educational institutions qualify for Smartsheet discounts?

Yes, verified nonprofits and educational institutions typically receive around a 15% discount, helping them maximize their budgets effectively.

Strategies to Secure Smartsheet Subscription Discounts

• Commit to annual agreements.
• Negotiate prepayment terms.
• Leverage nonprofit or educational status.
• Regularly review licensing to right-size and renegotiate.
• Consult procurement experts.

How Smartsheet Stacks Up Against Other Leading Platforms

Smartsheet offers a robust balance between spreadsheet flexibility and project management depth, excelling in automation, scalable analytics, and customizable workflows compared to simpler platforms like Asana and Airtable. For detailed project management, it competes closely with Wrike and Microsoft Project.

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Evaluating Smartsheet Alternatives: Key Strengths and Weaknesses

• Microsoft Project: Best for structured project management but with a steep learning curve.
• Asana: User-friendly and visual but lacks advanced analytics.
• Airtable: Flexible for custom data management but not specialized for structured project tracking.
• Monday.com: Visually engaging with extensive customization, but fewer advanced analytics features.
• Wrike: Comprehensive features ideal for enterprise scale, but more complex onboarding.
• Basecamp: Simple and intuitive for small teams but minimally advanced features.

Conclusion

‍Smartsheet’s licensing changes aim to align the platform’s pricing with its growing capabilities, but they also present challenges for organizations unprepared for the shift. By auditing current usage, planning for Viewer and Guest access, managing provisional users, and engaging with Smartsheet representatives, businesses can ensure a seamless transition while optimizing costs. Don’t wait until renewal time to act. Start evaluating your Smartsheet usage today to stay ahead of the curve and maximize the value of your investment.

How CloudNuro.ai Enhances Your Smartsheet Licensing Strategy

Optimizing your Smartsheet licensing can get complicated. This is where CloudNuro.ai steps in. As a leading SaaS management platform, CloudNuro.ai gives organizations complete visibility into their Smartsheet usage, license allocations, and costs. Our platform helps you:

• Uncover Unused Licenses: Quickly identify inactive or underutilized licenses, reducing unnecessary spending.
• Plan Proactively: Accurately forecast future licensing needs to avoid costly surprises.
• Optimize Spending: Negotiate better rates with detailed usage analytics.

Ensure your investment in Smartsheet delivers maximum ROI.

Ready to Optimize Your Smartsheet Investment?

👉 Book Your Demo with CloudNuro.ai Today and discover how easy it is to manage, optimize, and control your Smartsheet licenses.

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