Smartsheet vs 15Five

Smartsheet

Smartsheet is a work management platform that combines the familiarity of spreadsheets with powerful project management and collaboration features. It is widely used by enterprise teams for project tracking, resource management, and automated workflows. Smartsheet is particularly popular with teams comfortable with Excel who need more collaboration and automation capabilities.

Paid pricing · Get Pricing →

15Five

15Five is a continuous performance management platform focused on weekly check-ins, OKRs, and employee engagement. It helps managers stay connected with their teams through structured feedback and recognition tools. 15Five is popular with remote and distributed teams that need async communication tools.

Paid pricing · Get Pricing →

Pros

• ✓Familiar spreadsheet interface reduces learning curve for Excel users
• ✓Powerful automation and workflow capabilities
• ✓Strong enterprise security and compliance features
• ✓Excellent for managing large portfolios of projects

Cons

• ✗Pricing is higher than many competitors
• ✗Interface feels dated compared to modern tools
• ✗No free plan — 30-day trial only
• ✗Less intuitive for teams unfamiliar with spreadsheet-style tools

Pros

• ✓Simple and intuitive weekly check-in format that drives adoption
• ✓Strong OKR and goal-setting tools
• ✓Excellent manager training and coaching resources
• ✓Good engagement survey tools with benchmarking

Cons

• ✗Limited HR functionality beyond performance and engagement
• ✗No payroll or benefits administration
• ✗Reporting could be more advanced for data-driven HR teams

Best For

Enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-familiar project management with powerful automation

Best For

Companies focused on employee engagement and performance