Best Bricks Alternatives: Top AI Spreadsheets Compared

Bricks is an AI-powered spreadsheet designed to bridge the gap between data analysis and professional presentation. By combining a high-performance spreadsheet engine ("Grids") with a flexible reporting layer ("Boards"), Bricks allows users to clean data, generate formulas, and build executive-ready dashboards using natural language commands. However, while Bricks excels at turning CSVs into beautiful slides, users often seek alternatives for more robust live data integrations, advanced coding capabilities like Python or SQL within cells, or tools that function as add-ons to their existing Excel or Google Sheets workflows.

Best Bricks Alternatives Comparison Table

Rows

Rows is often described as "what Excel would look like if it were built today." It is a modern spreadsheet that prioritizes connectivity. Unlike Bricks, which focuses heavily on the presentation "Board" aspect, Rows shines in its ability to pull live data directly from tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, and Stripe without needing third-party connectors. Its built-in AI Analyst can summarize these datasets, identify trends, and even generate entire spreadsheet models from a single prompt.

One of the biggest advantages of Rows is its "Embed" and "Publish" features. You can turn any spreadsheet into a sleek, interactive web page or embed specific charts into Notion and Slack. While Bricks uses "Boards" for presentation, Rows treats the spreadsheet itself as the presentation layer, making it a powerful choice for teams that need to share live, auto-updating reports with stakeholders.

• Key Features: 50+ native SaaS integrations, AI-powered data enrichment, and beautiful embeddable charts.
• Choose this over Bricks if: You need your data to update automatically from external marketing or sales tools.

Equals

Equals is a spreadsheet built specifically for finance and "Go-To-Market" (GTM) teams who need to work with live production data. The primary differentiator here is the built-in SQL editor. While Bricks relies on natural language to manipulate CSV uploads, Equals connects directly to your data warehouse (PostgreSQL, Snowflake, BigQuery) and allows you to pull data using SQL or a visual query builder.

Once the data is in the sheet, Equals functions like a traditional, high-powered spreadsheet but with a modern AI assistant that helps write complex formulas and build charts. It also features a "Dashboards" mode that allows you to pin specific blocks of your spreadsheet to a presentation view, similar to Bricks' Boards, but with a much deeper connection to live backend databases.

• Key Features: Native SQL editor, direct database connections, and automated email/Slack reporting.
• Choose this over Bricks if: You are a power user who needs to query live databases rather than just uploading CSV files.

Quadratic

Quadratic is the "Data Scientist's spreadsheet." It breaks away from the traditional grid limits by offering an infinite canvas where you can write Python, SQL, and JavaScript directly inside cells. This makes it significantly more powerful than Bricks for complex data transformations that go beyond what natural language or standard formulas can handle.

Quadratic is ideal for users who find traditional spreadsheets too restrictive for advanced analysis. It uses a native rendering engine (similar to Bricks) to ensure performance remains high even with millions of rows. Its AI features focus on helping you write the code necessary to analyze your data, effectively acting as a pair-programmer for your spreadsheet tasks.

• Key Features: Multi-language support (Python, SQL, JS), infinite canvas, and real-time multiplayer collaboration.
• Choose this over Bricks if: You want to use Python libraries (like Pandas or Matplotlib) to analyze your spreadsheet data.

Polymer Search

Polymer Search is a unique alternative that focuses almost entirely on the "visualization" and "exploration" side of the data workflow. While Bricks is a spreadsheet you can turn into a dashboard, Polymer is an AI tool that takes a spreadsheet and instantly generates a searchable, filterable web application. It is designed for "teams who hate BI tools."

When you upload a file to Polymer, its AI automatically identifies data types and suggests the most relevant charts and filters. It is particularly popular for client reporting and internal knowledge bases because it allows non-technical users to "pivot" and filter data using a simple, Amazon-like search interface rather than wrestling with spreadsheet cells.

• Key Features: Instant AI-generated dashboards, powerful faceted search, and white-labeling for client reports.
• Choose this over Bricks if: Your primary goal is to let others explore and filter your data without them ever seeing a grid of cells.

Coefficient

If you love the AI and connectivity of Bricks but don't want to leave the familiar environment of Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, Coefficient is the best choice. It is a powerful add-on that lives inside your existing sheets. It provides two-way syncing with platforms like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Jira, and includes an "AI Copilot" to generate formulas, pivot tables, and charts on the fly.

Coefficient is particularly useful for enterprise teams who have already built complex models in Excel or Google Sheets and simply want to "supercharge" them with AI and live data. It eliminates the need to export and import CSVs, which is a common manual step in the Bricks workflow.

• Key Features: Two-way data sync with CRMs, AI formula builder, and automated data alerts.
• Choose this over Bricks if: You want to keep your existing Excel or Google Sheets workflow but add AI and live data sync.

Formula Bot

Formula Bot (formerly ExcelFormulaBot) is a specialized tool for those who primarily use Bricks for its natural language formula generation. It is one of the most affordable options on the market and offers a dedicated AI assistant that translates text instructions into complex Excel, Google Sheets, or SQL formulas.

While it has expanded to include a "Data Analyzer" that can generate charts and insights from uploaded files, it remains a "lite" alternative compared to the full-featured spreadsheet engines of Rows or Equals. It is perfect for individuals or students who need a helping hand with their spreadsheet logic without paying for a full enterprise platform.

• Key Features: Text-to-formula translation, SQL query generator, and a basic AI data analyzer.
• Choose this over Bricks if: You just need a cheap, reliable tool to help you write formulas and don't need a presentation "Board."

Decision Summary: Which Bricks Alternative is Right for You?

• Choose Rows if you are a marketer or operations manager who needs to pull live data from SaaS tools and share it as a beautiful web page.
• Choose Equals if you work in Finance or RevOps and need to query live production databases using SQL within a spreadsheet.
• Choose Quadratic if you are a data analyst or scientist who wants the flexibility of Python and an infinite canvas.
• Choose Polymer Search if you want to turn a messy spreadsheet into a professional, searchable dashboard for clients in seconds.
• Choose Coefficient if you want to stay in Google Sheets/Excel but want AI and live data connectors.
• Choose Formula Bot if you just need a simple, low-cost AI to help you write formulas and explain complex logic.