MIT OR Apache-2.0freeRuns locallyWriting & Office
GridCraft: Open-Source Excel Alternative
Pure-Rust clean-room Excel-style spreadsheet in the ArtCraft suite (alpha).
- License
- MIT OR Apache-2.0
- Stars
- 5,913 (2026-10-20)
- Platforms
- macOS, Windows, Linux, BSD, Web
- First seen
- 2026-10-07
TL;DR. GridCraft is Pure-Rust clean-room Excel-style spreadsheet in the ArtCraft suite (alpha). License: MIT OR Apache-2.0 (verified). Platforms: macOS, Windows, Linux, BSD, Web. Price: free. Runs locally: yes. It is an alternative to Microsoft Excel.
| Name | GridCraft |
|---|---|
| Language | Rust |
| Suite | ArtCraft |
| License | MIT OR Apache-2.0 |
| Pricing | free |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux, BSD, Web |
| Runs locally | Yes |
| Stats | 5,913 stars · 2,742 forks (as of 2026-10-20) |
| First seen | 2026-10-07 |
| Repository | https://github.com/storytold/gridcraft |
GridCraft is an open-source spreadsheet described by its authors as a clean-room take on modern spreadsheet workflows in pure Rust. It is listed here as a Microsoft Excel alternative because that is the editorial mapping, not because we measured feature parity.
Official hosts we opened on 2026-10-20: the GitHub repository storytold/gridcraft, release v0.8.0 (published 2026-10-18T01:47:37Z), and the product page getartcraft.com/apps/gridcraft.
Key facts (2026-10-20)
| Field | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stars | 5,913 | GitHub API storytold/gridcraft |
| Forks | 2,742 | same |
| Created | 2026-10-07T05:18:16Z | same |
| Last push | 2026-10-19T21:12:29Z | same |
| License files | MIT OR Apache-2.0 (dual) | LICENSE-MIT, LICENSE-APACHE, README, Cargo.toml |
| GitHub license field | Apache-2.0 | GitHub API |
| Language | Rust | GitHub / README |
| Maturity | alpha | README / ROADMAP.md |
| Latest release | v0.8.0, 2026-10-18T01:47:37Z (not a prerelease) | GitHub Releases |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux, BSD, Web (WebAssembly) | README |
| Suite | ArtCraft (33,771★, Apache-2.0, created 2022-03-31) | storytold/artcraft |
What the README says it does
Copied labels (not independently tested): ribbon, formula bar, Name Box, sheet tabs, fill handle, Format Cells, Paste Special, conditional formatting, tables, charts, 500+ worksheet functions plus LET, LAMBDA, MAP, REDUCE, SCAN, BYROW, BYCOL and MAKEARRAY, dynamic arrays, pivot tables, Flash Fill, data validation. XLSX is the native format. CSV/TSV too. Legacy .xls opens with values, formulas and number formats (formatting and objects not yet). XLSB and ODS worksheet data can be imported using saved values instead of formulas.
Those are copied labels. We have not independently enumerated functions or round-tripped a real-world .xlsx corpus.
Gaps versus Microsoft Excel
Do not treat GridCraft as a drop-in Excel. The README (checked 2026-10-20) says it is alpha: core workflow works, but depth, fidelity and file compatibility are still rough. The 89% ribbon / 513-function figures are a parity inventory, not a count of working implementations. Weighted estimate: about 50% ready for real work. Next up listed: XLSX fidelity on real-world files, very large workbooks and multi-threaded recalc, chart depth, text in every script, and .xls import.
If you need a long-standing office suite today, see LibreOffice Calc and ONLYOFFICE on Excel alternatives.
Install (from the official README, not yet tested)
git clone https://github.com/storytold/gridcraft
cd gridcraft
cargo run --release -p gridcraft -- --sample salesRelease notes for v0.8.0 point at signed Windows/macOS/Linux/BSD/web builds. The product page lists the same v0.8.0 standalone installers plus the ArtCraft Launcher. forkalt has not run those installers.
Related
- Excel alternatives
- WordCraft · DeckCraft · PhotoCraft · CADCraft · FigCraft (same ArtCraft / storytold suite)
- PhotoCraft vs GIMP
- How to install PhotoCraft
- ArtCraft parent: https://github.com/storytold/artcraft
FAQ
Is GridCraft free?
Yes, as open-source software. The repository is dual-licensed MIT OR Apache-2.0 (LICENSE-MIT, LICENSE-APACHE, README license section, Cargo.toml, checked 2026-10-20). GitHub’s license field shows Apache-2.0. That is not legal advice; read the LICENSE files.
How mature is it? Does it replace Microsoft Excel?
The README labels GridCraft alpha. It says the core workflow works end to end, covers 89% of a ribbon-command catalog and 513 worksheet functions as a parity inventory (not a count of working implementations), and estimates about 50% ready for real work. We do not claim Excel parity.
Which platforms are listed?
The README (checked 2026-10-20) lists native macOS, Windows, Linux and BSD, plus the browser via WebAssembly. Latest GitHub release is v0.8.0 (published 2026-10-18T01:47:37Z) with signed desktop builds. We have not run an installer on a named OS.
Is it part of ArtCraft, like PhotoCraft and WordCraft?
Yes. GridCraft is one of the Crafting Apps from the ArtCraft / storytold team, the same family as PhotoCraft, WordCraft, DeckCraft, CADCraft, and FigCraft. The parent repo storytold/artcraft had 33,771 stars, Apache-2.0, created 2022-03-31, in the 2026-10-20 check.
Sources & verification
- https://github.com/storytold/gridcraft
- https://github.com/storytold/gridcraft/releases/tag/v0.8.0
- https://github.com/storytold/gridcraft/blob/main/LICENSE-APACHE
- https://github.com/storytold/gridcraft/blob/main/LICENSE-MIT
- https://github.com/storytold/gridcraft/blob/main/ROADMAP.md
- https://getartcraft.com/apps/gridcraft
- https://github.com/storytold/artcraft
License notes are not legal advice. Read the original LICENSE. Trademark & disclaimer.