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Subly vs a spreadsheet

A spreadsheet is fine for a short list in one currency that someone checks every month. Once you pass about 15 items, pay in two currencies or share the job, Subly keeps the list current and tells you before anything renews.

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14 days of Business, no credit card. Free plan after that.

Why people pick Subly over Spreadsheet

The differences that matter

  • It stays current

    Subly
    New charges show up
    Spreadsheet
    Out of date by next month

    Upload a statement or connect a bank and new subscriptions appear on their own. A sheet only knows what someone typed.

  • It tells you first

    Subly
    Renewals, price rises, refund windows
    Spreadsheet
    Nothing, unless you look

    Subly speaks up before a renewal, when a price goes up and when something you cancelled charges again.

  • Someone decides

    Subly
    An owner, reminded
    Spreadsheet
    A column nobody reads

    Each renewal reaches the person who owns it, by email, chat or Slack, with Keep or Plan to cancel.

What you would pay

The price for your team, with renewal alerts on

Each product’s cheapest plan that fits, at list prices, Nov 2026. Subly yearly billing costs about two months less.

Monthly price for each team size
TeamSublySpreadsheet
Just you, 30 tools$5/monthPersonal$0/monthSheet · No alerts
3 people$5/monthPersonal$0/monthSheet · No alerts
10 people$19/monthBusiness · Slack app and forecast included$0/monthSheet · No alerts

Feature by feature · checked Nov 2026

Subly and Spreadsheet, line by line

Where a vendor’s own site doesn’t mention something, the table says so instead of guessing.

  • Yes:
  • Partly:
  • No:
  • Not stated:
SublySpreadsheet
Getting your data in
Reads a bank or card statementUpload a file and it finds what repeatsYes:Subly: PDF or CSV, no bank login. One on Free, unlimited from PersonalNo:Spreadsheet: You type every row
Bank connectionYes:Subly: US, Canada and Europe, read-only through Plaid. From PersonalNo:Spreadsheet: No
Picks up receipts or invoicesYes:Subly: Forward receipts to your own Subly address. From PersonalNo:Spreadsheet: No
Imports revenue from StripeYes:Subly: Recurring revenue from Stripe. Business and TeamNo:Spreadsheet: No
Lifetime deals and refund windowsYes:Subly: AppSumo import and a heads-up before each refund window closes. Every planNo:Spreadsheet: Only if you add the date and remember it
Hearing about it in time
Renewal alerts by emailYes:Subly: Every plan, Free includedNo:Spreadsheet: Not without scripts
Alerts in SlackYes:Subly: A Slack app with Keep, Plan to cancel and Snooze buttons. From BusinessNo:Spreadsheet: No
Teams, Discord or TelegramYes:Subly: Microsoft Teams, Discord, Telegram and push. From PersonalNo:Spreadsheet: No
Tells you about price risesYes:Subly: “Notion Plus went up 20%: $10 → $12”. Every planNo:Spreadsheet: Only if someone compares statements
Catches charges after you cancelledYes:Subly: Every planNo:Spreadsheet: No
The whole picture
Money coming inClient retainers, payouts, recurring revenueYes:Subly: Retainers, payouts and recurring revenue next to costs. Every planPartly:Spreadsheet: If you add the rows
Cash forecastYes:Subly: 13 weeks of your balance, with what-ifs. Business and TeamPartly:Spreadsheet: If you build and keep it up
Several currenciesYes:Subly: 150+, each item in its own, totals in yoursPartly:Spreadsheet: Formulas you maintain
People and owners
People on the accountYes:Subly: 3 on Personal, 10 on Business, 20 on TeamYes:Spreadsheet: Anyone you share it with
An owner on every itemYes:Subly: Renewals go to the owner, who decides. From PersonalPartly:Spreadsheet: A column; nobody gets reminded
AI and automation
AI assistantYes:Subly: Claude connector (MCP) and Ask Subly. From PersonalNo:Spreadsheet: No
API and webhooksYes:Subly: REST API and signed webhooks. From PersonalNo:Spreadsheet: No
Price and reach
Free planYes:Subly: Up to 20 items, with email alertsYes:Spreadsheet: Free
Where it worksYes:Subly: Anywhere. Statement upload needs no bankYes:Spreadsheet: Anywhere

Fair is fair

What Spreadsheet does well

  • Free, or already paid for, and as flexible as you make it.
  • No data shared with a vendor.
  • Our free template has the columns and formulas.

Pick Spreadsheet if

You have under about 15 items, mostly in one currency, and someone likes a monthly check.

Pick Subly if

You want every recurring payment found for you, in and out, with an owner who hears before it renews.

Switching

Moving from a spreadsheet takes one sitting

  1. 01

    Import the sheet

    Subly reads CSV and Excel. Check names, amounts, billing cycles and renewal dates.

  2. 02

    Upload one statement

    See what the sheet never had.

  3. 03

    Give each item an owner

    Renewals reach the person who decides.

Not ready to sign up? Add up what your tools cost first, free, then bring the list with you.

Made by Subly. What we say about Spreadsheet comes from its own website, checked November 5, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.

More comparisons

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free subscription tracker spreadsheet?

Yes. Our template has the columns and formulas for monthly and yearly totals. See the subscription tracker spreadsheet guide on the blog.

When should I stop using a spreadsheet?

When the list passes about 15 items, you pay in more than one currency, a price rise slips past, or more than one person needs to keep it up.

How is my data handled?

Your data is yours. It is encrypted in transit and at rest, never sold and never used for any other purpose. Bank connections are read-only. You can download all your data at any time, and if you ever decide to leave Subly, your data is deleted from our servers.

Try it on your own numbers.

Upload one statement and see every recurring charge Subly finds, with what renews next and what went up. Then decide.

Start free trial

Free for 14 days with the full Business plan, no credit card needed. The Free plan is yours to keep.