Looking for a StaySorted alternative? An honest comparison
StaySorted (by Sheets Help) is the best-known add-on that keeps Google Sheets rows sorted as they are added. If its price or its limits don't fit you, there are two other ways to get the same result: a free Apps Script you paste yourself, and KeepSorted, the add-on we are building. We make KeepSorted, so read this as a vendor's page; every fact about StaySorted below comes from its public Google Workspace Marketplace listing, checked on 1 November 2026.
At a glance
| StaySorted | KeepSorted | Free Apps Script | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can you install it today? | Yes, in the Workspace Marketplace | Not yet: built and in testing, waitlist below | Yes, paste it (5 minutes) |
| Users / rating | 40K+ users, 3.4 stars (listing) | New, no ratings yet | n/a |
| Price | Free 7-day trial, then $4.50/month or $47/year (listing) | Free tier with no time limit; Pro $5/month or $39/year | Free |
| What is free | The 7-day trial | 1 sorted area per tab, up to 2 sort columns, sorting on edits by people | Everything, you maintain it |
| Several tables on one tab | Not stated on the listing; one 3-star review says stacked tables are sorted "into one bunch" | Pro: up to 10 areas per tab, sorted separately | Side by side yes, stacked no |
| Custom order (High > Medium > Low) | Not stated on the listing | Pro | Needs a helper column |
| Rows from Google Forms | See its listing | Pro | Yes, with a form trigger |
"Not stated on the listing" means we did not find it in StaySorted's public description, not that it is missing: try its free trial to check.
What StaySorted's reviewers say
Its public listing has 3.4 stars. The low ratings we read on 1 November 2026 are mostly about price for a single function ("$5 bucks a month for a simple function", "$50 per year is kind of insane for a simple sorting extension. A dozen-line App Script will achieve the same thing for free") and one about stacked tables. Read the full set on its listing, since a few quotes are never the whole picture.
When each one is the better choice
- StaySorted: you need a no-code add-on installed today, and the price is fine for you. It is the established option with tens of thousands of users.
- The free script: you are comfortable pasting code once, have one table per tab, and only people edit the sheet (or you add the form or timer trigger). That reviewer is right that a short script does the basic job: copy it from our auto-sort guide, the date and Google Forms version or the multiple-columns version.
- KeepSorted (once listed): you want a sidebar instead of code and a free tier that does not expire, or Pro features like stacked tables and custom orders at $39/year.
KeepSorted in short
Select the rows, choose up to 2 sort columns (Free) or 5 (Pro), and KeepSorted keeps the real rows in order: not a SORT() copy on another tab. Header rows stay on top, blank rows go last, formatting and formulas move with their rows. Pro adds stacked tables sorted separately, custom orders, and sorting after Google Forms responses, other editors' changes and an hourly check.
KeepSorted is built and in testing. It is not in the Google Workspace Marketplace yet. Leave your email and we send one message when you can install it.
The scripts on this page stay free either way.
More KeepSorted guides
- Auto sort script generator
- Auto-sort alphabetically (A to Z)
- Auto-sort when a new row is added
- Auto-sort by date, newest first (and Google Forms)
- Auto-sort by multiple columns, when data changes
Sources
- StaySorted on the Google Workspace Marketplace (users, rating, "Free 7-day trial, then $4.50/month or $47/year", reviews; checked 1 Nov 2026)
- Apps Script triggers (what the free script can and cannot catch)