Smartsheet Licenses: What Is the Best License Type for Your Business?

When your organization adopts Smartsheet, one of the initial and most important decisions is: which license type best aligns with your business needs? The license choice is about more than cost; it impacts who can create and edit content, how workflows scale, how you manage users, and how you control spend. Over recent years, Smartsheet has updated its licensing model. What matters now is aligning the right license type with your use-case, user roles, and growth strategy.

Let’s walk through the key elements of the license model, the different plan types, and how you can determine which license type is best for your business.

Key considerations when selecting a Smartsheet license

Before choosing a license, indicate the following dimensions:

• User roles & access levels

Smartsheet differentiates between several user categories: for instance, in the new model, there are Members (paid users), Provisional Members, Guests, and Viewers. Comprehending who in your organization requirements full access (create/edit/comment) versus read-only or external access is crucial.

• Feature needs and scope of use

Do you only need project-sheet creation for a small team? Or do you plan to roll out enterprise-wide workflow automation, dashboarding, portfolio management, and integrations with other systems? More advanced use-cases will broadly need higher-tier licenses. For example, the Business plan gives more flows, automations, storage, and integrations than Pro. 

• Cost control and license management

Licensing cost is not simply the list price. Usage patterns, external collaborators, under-utilized seats, and role miss-assignment can inflate costs. Auditing and aligning actual usage to license types matters now more than ever. 

• Transitioning from legacy licensing

If your organization has held Smartsheet licenses under older plans, note that Smartsheet moved to a “User Subscription Model (USM)” which streamlines seat types and introduces reconciliation periods. Ensuring you are correctly aligned before renewal can lessen unexpected costs.

• Scale, governance & future growth

As you scale, you may need enterprise-grade governance (SSO, advanced integrations, premium support), unlimited storage, and enterprise-wide licensing flexibility. Higher-tier plans deliver that.

With those in mind, let’s compare the common license types and their suitability.

License Types – What Are the Options

Smartsheet offers a range of licenses designed for different levels of use — from individuals getting started to large organizations needing advanced security and integrations. Here’s a concise look at each:

1. Smartsheet Free

As the name suggests, this plan is free and ideal for individuals or very small teams exploring Smartsheet.

Includes:

• 1 licensed user, 2 editors
• 2 sheets
• Gantt, Grid, Card, Calendar views
• 500 MB storage, 100 automations/month
• Dashboards, reports, and community support

Best for: Pilot use or lightweight personal task management.
Limitations: Not suitable for multi-user collaboration or complex automation.

2. Smartsheet Pro

The Pro license is built for small teams that need more flexibility and collaboration power.

Includes:

• Up to 10 editors, unlimited viewers and sheets
• Unlimited dashboards, reports, and forms
• 20 GB storage, 250 automations/month
• Integrations with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Slack, Box, and Dropbox
• User management and email support

Best for: Small project teams managing shared workspaces and integrations.
Limitations: Limited governance and automation for growing organizations.

3. Smartsheet Business

The Business license is a major step up — perfect for mid-sized teams and growing organizations using Smartsheet as a core work management tool.

Includes:

• Everything in Pro plus:
• Unlimited free editors, user/group/license management
• Baselines, conditional logic forms, and publishing
• 1 TB storage and unlimited automations
• Resource management integration and document builder
• Proofing, dashboards, and professional support

Best for: Teams scaling Smartsheet across departments or business units.
Limitations: Lacks enterprise-grade security features like SSO or advanced user provisioning.

4. Smartsheet Enterprise

The Enterprise plan is built for large organizations that need full-scale governance, control, and security.

Includes:

• All Business features plus enterprise-grade security and admin controls
• Single Sign-On (SSO) and domain-based sharing restrictions
• Centralized user provisioning and management
• Dedicated Customer Success Manager
• Access to Smartsheet’s Centre of Excellence online training and certification
• Unlimited sheets and advanced control over publishing and attachments

Best for: Enterprises managing sensitive data, multiple departments, or global teams.
Limitations: Higher cost, suited mainly for large-scale implementations.

Licensing: Costs, Plans, and Transitioning to the New Model

Smartsheet licenses follow an annual subscription model, with costs relying on the number of licensed users. While Smartsheet does not publicly list prices for higher tiers like Enterprise or Premier, Pro plans usually start around $7–10 per user/month, billed annually.

Existing users shifting to the licensing system in 2025 can easily migrate by adjusting admin permissions and upgrading sheets. Smartsheet ensures that automation quotas, dashboards, and integrations carry over smoothly during this transition.

• Member vs Guest vs Viewer — Understanding User Roles

Smartsheet divides user access into three key categories:

• Licensed Members: Can create and own sheets, dashboards, and workflows.
• Unlicensed Members (Collaborators): Can edit or comment depending on permissions.
• Viewers: Can only view data and dashboards, but cannot make edits.

This differentiation helps organizations maintain control while enabling collaboration. For instance, you can assign contractors as viewers while keeping internal teams as licensed editors.

• License Management Steps

Managing licenses effectively helps avoid overuse and security gaps. Here’s a quick breakdown of how admins can manage Smartsheet licenses:

• Access the Admin Center – Navigate to the Admin Console → User Management.
• Add or Remove Licensed Users – Assign or revoke licenses based on project activity.
• Monitor License Utilization – Regularly review automation, dashboard, and sheet usage.
• Set Permissions – Ensure proper sharing settings to prevent external access leaks.
• Plan Upgrades – When projects expand, upgrade to higher tiers for automation and integrations.

• Hidden Costs and Limitations

While Smartsheet offers flexibility, some costs can add up:

• Premium apps and connectors (like Salesforce or Jira) are not included in Business or Enterprise plans.
• Storage limits might need external tools for large file sharing.
• AI features are still in beta for lower-tier plans.
• Overuse of automations or dashboards may trigger additional charges.

Comprehending these costs early ensures your business invests in the right tier from the beginning.

• Smartsheet AI Capabilities

Smartsheet is quickly evolving with AI-powered project assistance. The 2025 update introduces:

• AI Smart Summaries for sheets and dashboards
• Predictive Task Prioritization to identify challenges
• Automated Data Formatting and formula recommendations
• AI-assisted Resource Planning for Managers

These AI tools are presently available in Business, Enterprise, and Premier plans, improving project efficiency and reporting accuracy.

Smartsheet vs Other Work Management Tools

When comparing Smartsheet to alternatives such as Asana, Trello, or Microsoft Planner, Smartsheet stands out for its spreadsheet-style flexibility and enterprise scalability. However, it can feel overpowering for small teams that only need task boards or calendars.

Smartsheet’s edge lies in its capability to manage:

• Department-wide project management
• Data-driven reporting
• Automation-heavy workflows
• Cross-platform integrations

It’s a strong contender for organizations already integrated in Microsoft 365 or managing complex projects throughout departments.

Choosing the Best Smartsheet License for Your Business

When deciding which license suits your organization best, consider:

• Team Size: Pro for small teams, business for departments, Enterprise/Premier for corporations.
• Data Security: Enterprise or Premier for regulated industries.
• Collaboration Needs: More editors require higher plans.
• Integrations: Choose business or higher for third-party system integration.

If your business is scaling fast, it’s best to begin with Smartsheet Business, as it offers flexibility, advanced automation, and growth potential without the heavy cost of Enterprise plans.

Final Thoughts

Smartsheet’s licensing structure offers scalability for all types of businesses, from startups to global enterprises. Selecting the right license ensures your team has access to the right tools, storage, and automation power.

Whether you’re managing internal projects or coordinating large-scale operations, the best Smartsheet license is the one that aligns with your workflow complexity, collaboration level, and budget.

Smartsheet Business remains the most balanced choice for most organizations, offering potential features, automation, and flexibility without overpaying for enterprise-scale control.

How Veridian Solutions Can Help

At Veridian Solutions, we specialize as a Smartsheet Gold Partner to help organizations navigate these decisions and deploy Smartsheet in a way that drives real business value. With extensive experience in consulting and a proven track record across several industries, we support clients across every phase: from planning the right license structure, to designing customized workflows, to educating teams so they feel confident and in control.

Our mission is to simplify work and boost efficiency. We don’t just deliver the system; we ensure you comprehend how to use it, how to regulate it, and how to scale it. With our key values of innovation, adaptability and collaboration, we personalize solutions to your unique requirements, not simply a one-size-fits-all license recommendation.

If you’re considering Smartsheet or revisiting your license strategy, Veridian Solutions can help you evaluate existing usage, map your roles, align features to value, recommend the best license tier, and establish administration to manage seats wisely. Contact us to explore how you can make Smartsheet work smartly for your organization, with comprehensibility, control and confidence.