Shortlist by what you need
Start here if you know why you are leaving Sheldon.
Want the closest match?
FlowshotMost similar to Sheldon in what it does, its category and its price.
Visit (opens Flowshot in a new tab)Need a free plan?
Formulas HQHas a free plan, rated 3.8 out of 5.
Visit (opens Formulas HQ in a new tab)Want the lowest price?
GPT WorkspaceFrom $9/mo, the lowest starting price here.
Visit (opens GPT Workspace in a new tab)Want the best rated?
GPTforWorkRated 4.2 out of 5 in our review, against 3.4 for Sheldon.
Visit (opens GPTforWork in a new tab)
At a glance
Green means better than Sheldon, red means worse. Prices are starting prices per month.
| Tool | Our rating | Starts at | Free plan | Best for | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 SheldonBaseline | 3.4 | Free | Yes | Free Chrome extension AI assistant working inside Gmail, Google Sheets, LinkedIn and Quora - writes professional email replies, builds complex Excel formulas from a description, and generates code snippets. | |
| Flowshot | 3.6+0.2 | $9/mo | Yes | Four AI functions live inside Google Sheets - autocomplete a column from examples, write =AI formulas, generate any formula from instructions, or =IMAGINE an image in a cell. | vs Sheldon |
| Formulas HQ | 3.8+0.4 | $5.99/mo | Yes | AI formula generator for Excel, Google Sheets, VBA, and regular expressions. | vs Sheldon |
 Formula.dog | 3.5+0.1 | Free | Yes | Describe a spreadsheet problem in plain English and get a working Excel or Sheets formula back - five a day free, no signup. | vs Sheldon |
 superReply | 3.4Same | Free | Yes | AI drafts the reply to any email, DM or message across Gmail, Outlook, WhatsApp, Slack, LinkedIn, Upwork and Fiverr - matches your tone, offers several options, 90 free replies a month. | vs Sheldon |
| GPTforWork | 4.2+0.8 | $29/mo | No | An AI agent built into Excel and Google Sheets that automates formulas, cleanup, and bulk content generation. | vs Sheldon |
 AI Perfect Assistant | 3.7+0.3 | $9.99/mo | Yes | ChatGPT-powered add-in that automates writing, slides, and formulas across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. | vs Sheldon |
 ChatExcel | 3.6+0.2 | Free | Yes | Chinese AI spreadsheet assistant from Beijing Yuankong Intelligent Technology that turns natural-language requests into Excel formulas, PPT slides and Word documents. | vs Sheldon |
| GPT Workspace | 3.6+0.2 | $9/mo | Yes | Third-party AI agent that brings ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Grok into Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drive, from $9 a month. | vs Sheldon |
The alternatives in detail
In order of how closely each one matches Sheldon.
Flowshot
3.6$9/mo
vs Sheldon+0.2
Four AI functions live inside Google Sheets - autocomplete a column from examples, write =AI formulas, generate any formula from instructions, or =IMAGINE an image in a cell.
- Autocomplete - fills cell ranges based on existing examples
- =AI formula for custom instructions or questions within a cell
- =FORMULA - generates any spreadsheet formula from plain language
Native formula integration means results recalculate and reference cells like any built-in function
Paid tier pricing scales up quickly ($9 to $129/month) for heavier usage
Formulas HQ
3.8$5.99/mo
vs Sheldon+0.4
AI formula generator for Excel, Google Sheets, VBA, and regular expressions.
- Natural-language to Excel/Google Sheets formula generation
- VBA macro and Google Apps Script generation
- Regular expression builder with plain-language input
Covers Excel, Google Sheets, VBA, Apps Script, and regex in one tool instead of separate generators
Free tier caps out at 5 generations per month, low for daily spreadsheet work
Formula.dog
3.5Free
vs Sheldon+0.1
Describe a spreadsheet problem in plain English and get a working Excel or Sheets formula back - five a day free, no signup.
- Excel and Google Sheets formulas from plain English
- VBA and macro support
- Five free generations a day with no signup
Solves the intent-to-syntax translation, which is the actual difficulty
A formula that returns a number is not necessarily correct
superReply
3.4Free
vs SheldonSame
AI drafts the reply to any email, DM or message across Gmail, Outlook, WhatsApp, Slack, LinkedIn, Upwork and Fiverr - matches your tone, offers several options, 90 free replies a month.
- AI reply generation across Gmail, Outlook, WhatsApp, Slack, LinkedIn, Upwork, and Fiverr
- Tone-matched response suggestions
- Multiple reply options per message
Covers seven platforms from one extension, not just email
Free tier's 90 emails/month is limiting for high-volume users
GPTforWork
4.2$29/mo
vs Sheldon+0.8
An AI agent built into Excel and Google Sheets that automates formulas, cleanup, and bulk content generation.
- Bulk-generates and translates content directly inside spreadsheet cells
- Detects and corrects formula errors automatically across sheets
- Builds pivot tables, charts, and models from plain-language prompts
Works inside existing Excel and Google Sheets files without exporting data
Pay-as-you-go credits get higher-priced for teams running frequent, large-volume jobs
AI Perfect Assistant
3.7$9.99/mo
vs Sheldon+0.3
ChatGPT-powered add-in that automates writing, slides, and formulas across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Native add-ins for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Teams
- Slide Creator that builds decks from an outline
- Formula Checker for Excel spreadsheets
Works inside Office documents instead of a separate browser tab
Token limits on paid tiers cap heavy daily use
ChatExcel
3.6Free
vs Sheldon+0.2
Chinese AI spreadsheet assistant from Beijing Yuankong Intelligent Technology that turns natural-language requests into Excel formulas, PPT slides and Word documents.
- Generates Excel formulas and operations from a plain-language request
- Extends into AI-generated PowerPoint slides and Word documents
- Published use cases for financial audits and business data analysis
Removes the need to memorize Excel formula syntax
The live site was unreachable during this review; details rely on third-party sources
GPT Workspace
3.6$9/mo
vs Sheldon+0.2
Third-party AI agent that brings ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Grok into Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drive, from $9 a month.
- An AI agent built into Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drive
- Access to GPT, Claude, Gemini and Grok models in one subscription
- Formula writing and data analysis inside Google Sheets
Multiple model providers available from one subscription
Not affiliated with Google despite the close branding, which the FAQ has to clarify
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is Sheldon free?
Sheldon has a free plan.
What is the best free alternative to Sheldon?
Formulas HQ is the highest-rated alternative here with a free plan (3.8 out of 5). Other free options: AI Perfect Assistant, Flowshot, ChatExcel.
What is the cheapest alternative to Sheldon?
Among paid plans, Formulas HQ has the lowest starting price (from $5.99/mo). If you need it free, start with Formulas HQ.
How did you pick these alternatives?
We match tools on what they do, their category and their price, using the details in our directory. Ratings come from our reviews and reader reviews.