Google Sheets as a Database

Can you really use Google Sheets as a database? The answer is: Yes, but with caveats.

The Pros:

• Free: No hosting costs for the database.
• Visual: You can open the "database" and edit it like a spreadsheet. Clients love this.
• Easy: No SQL to learn, no servers to provision.

The Cons:

• Speed: It's slower than a real SQL database.
• Limits: Google has API rate limits (don't try to make 100 requests per second).
• Scale: Not for millions of rows.

When to use it? It is perfect for internal tools, prototypes, CMS for small websites, or simple apps where the admin needs an easy interface to manage data.

I built several real-world SaaS applications using this exact stack in my Full Stack Google Sheets course.