Discover the Best Handsontable Alternative for Your Web Development Needs
Handsontable is a robust JavaScript Spreadsheet Component widely used for building interactive tables and data grids within web applications, available for React, Angular, and Vue. However, depending on specific project requirements, budget constraints, or desired features, developers often seek viable Handsontable alternatives. This article delves into various powerful options that can serve as excellent replacements, offering diverse functionalities from open-source flexibility to advanced enterprise-grade features.
Top Handsontable Alternatives
Looking for a spreadsheet component or data grid that offers more features, better performance, or a different licensing model than Handsontable? Here's a curated list of top alternatives designed to meet a wide array of development needs, whether you're building a simple data table or a complex collaborative spreadsheet application.
EtherCalc
EtherCalc is an excellent open-source web spreadsheet that allows multiple users to edit the same document simultaneously, with changes reflected instantly. It's available across various platforms including Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, and BSD. Its key features like web-based accessibility, calculators, and real-time collaboration make it a strong Handsontable alternative for projects requiring collaborative data entry.
DataTables
DataTables is a highly flexible open-source plug-in for the jQuery Javascript library, built on the principles of progressive enhancement. It's self-hosted and provides advanced features for data presentation and manipulation, making it a robust Handsontable alternative for jQuery-based projects that need powerful table functionalities without a dependency on external services.
Keikai
Keikai is a commercial web spreadsheet specifically designed for handling big data, boasting superior speed and advanced features. Available for Mac, Windows, and self-hosted environments, Keikai offers unique capabilities like double donut charts, embeddability, and robust export options to Excel and PDF, making it a powerful Handsontable alternative for enterprise-level big data applications.
Zoho Sheet
Zoho Sheet is a free, web-based spreadsheet tool that also offers mobile apps for Android and iPhone/iPad. It's designed for collaborative data analysis, featuring functions, charts, pivots, comments, and real-time team collaboration. As a comprehensive online spreadsheet solution, Zoho Sheet provides a strong Handsontable alternative, especially for teams seeking a full-featured, integrated office suite experience.
ag-Grid
ag-Grid is a highly acclaimed feature-rich datagrid available in both free open-source and commercial enterprise versions. It integrates seamlessly with popular frameworks like React and offers extensive functionalities such as filtering, grouping, aggregation, and pivoting. Available for Mac, Windows, and Linux, ag-Grid is a top-tier Handsontable alternative for developers needing advanced data manipulation capabilities in their grids.
Webix DataTable
Webix DataTable, also known as DataGrid, is a powerful JavaScript grid control built with an innovative HTML5-based approach. It's available as freemium and open-source, with options for web and self-hosted deployments. Its modern architecture and support for frameworks like React make it a compelling Handsontable alternative for those seeking a high-performance and visually appealing data grid component.
dhtmlxSpreadsheet
dhtmlxSpreadsheet is an open-source JavaScript and PHP spreadsheet software designed for integrating Excel-looking interactive tables into web pages for online access and editing. Primarily available for Linux, its focus on PHP integration and web-based spreadsheet functionality makes it a suitable Handsontable alternative for developers working with PHP backends and requiring robust spreadsheet capabilities.
ZingGrid
ZingGrid is an interactive, mobile-friendly JavaScript library for data grids and tables, offering a wealth of built-in and out-of-the-box features. Available for free for personal use and with commercial options for web projects, it includes features like column types, conditional styles, content filtering, and infinite scroll. ZingGrid presents a versatile Handsontable alternative for developers prioritizing ease of use and mobile responsiveness.
FancyGrid
FancyGrid is a commercial, self-hosted product designed for various complexities, from business analytics to CRUD applications and live data editing. It's a plugin-free solution, offering a streamlined experience for integrating tables and grids into websites. For developers requiring a professional, comprehensive data grid solution for complex applications, FancyGrid stands out as a strong Handsontable alternative.
Essential JS 2 for JavaScript by Syncfusion
Essential JS 2 for JavaScript by Syncfusion is a commercial UI controls library that boasts over 60 high-performance, lightweight components, including a powerful DataGrid, Charts, Tree Grid, and Pivot tables. Available for Mac, Windows, and Linux, it also offers features like autocompletion, batch editing, and Gantt charts. This comprehensive suite makes it an excellent Handsontable alternative for developers building feature-rich applications with a need for diverse UI components.
Choosing the right spreadsheet component or data grid depends heavily on your project's specific needs. Whether you prioritize open-source flexibility, advanced features for big data, collaborative capabilities, or integration with specific frameworks, the Handsontable alternatives listed above offer a wide range of solutions. Explore their features, licensing models, and platform compatibility to find the best fit for your web development endeavors.