Head-to-Head
Deepnote vs Rows (2026)
Deepnote
Freemium★ 4.6
Best for: collaborative data science and ml experiments across distributed teams, teaching and sharing reproducible data analysis without local setup
Rows
Freemium★ 4.4
Best for: running ai text analysis across thousands of rows of customer data, building live dashboards connected directly to apis and databases
Deepnote is a collaborative data science notebook for teams that code - Python, SQL, R in a Jupyter-compatible environment with real-time multiplayer and scheduling. Rows is an AI-powered spreadsheet with built-in data connectors and GPT functions inside cells, built for analysts who think in spreadsheets rather than code. The choice depends on whether your team writes code or formulas.
Feature Comparison
Ease of Use
Rows requires no coding - GPT functions work like Excel formulas. Deepnote requires Python or SQL knowledge to get full value.
Data Connectivity
Rows has 50+ native connectors to live data sources - Stripe, HubSpot, Google Analytics. Deepnote connects to databases via code and has fewer turnkey integrations.
Collaboration
Deepnote offers real-time multiplayer notebook editing similar to Google Docs. Rows supports collaborative editing but is less optimized for simultaneous code development.
AI Features
Rows embeds GPT directly into cells for classification, summarization, and generation at scale. Deepnote AI assists with code generation and debugging.
Sharing and Publishing
Rows publishes analyses as interactive shareable reports with a URL. Deepnote can publish notebooks but the output is less polished for non-technical audiences.
Scalability
Deepnote handles large datasets with compute resources and scheduled runs. Rows works best for datasets that fit in a browser-based spreadsheet environment.
Pricing
Both offer free plans. Deepnote teams plans from $39/month. Rows paid plans from $59/month.
Verdict
This comparison is context-dependent. Deepnote scores 28/35 and Rows scores 31/35. Choose based on your specific workflow needs.
Bottom Line
Deepnote and Rows are both AI-augmented data tools but serve different users. Deepnote is a collaborative Jupyter-style notebook for data scientists and analysts who write Python and SQL. Rows is an AI-powered spreadsheet for business analysts and operators who think in cells, formulas, and dashboards. Both ship AI assistants, but the underlying paradigm differs: Deepnote is code-first with AI helping write code; Rows is spreadsheet-first with AI helping write formulas and pull live data. Pick Deepnote if your team writes Python/SQL daily. Pick Rows if your team lives in spreadsheets. Pricing: Deepnote free tier + $39/user/mo Pro; Rows free tier + $59/user/mo Pro.
Pick Deepnote
You are a data scientist or analyst comfortable with Python and SQL, and you want a collaborative notebook with native AI code assistance, scheduled notebooks, and one-click sharing. Deepnote is faster than Jupyter for collaboration and cheaper than Hex for small teams. Best for data teams of 2-20 doing exploratory analysis.
Pick Rows
You are a business analyst, growth operator, or RevOps person who lives in spreadsheets and wants AI to write formulas, fetch live data from 50+ APIs (Stripe, HubSpot, Google Analytics), and build dashboards in cells. Rows AI Analyst feels like Excel + ChatGPT + Zapier in one tool. Best for non-engineers running operational dashboards.
Frequently asked
Can Rows replace Excel for non-technical users?
For most operational use cases, yes. Rows reads as a spreadsheet, supports standard Excel formulas, and adds live data integrations and AI assistance. Power users with VBA macros or 1M+ row datasets will hit limits; for under 100K rows and standard analytics, Rows is a stronger daily driver.
Does Deepnote have AI code assistance?
Yes. Deepnote AI uses GPT-4 to suggest, complete, and fix Python and SQL code, plus generate visualisations and explain blocks. It is comparable to GitHub Copilot for notebooks.
Which is better for SQL-heavy work?
Deepnote. Native SQL blocks with parameterised queries, schema explorer, and direct connections to Snowflake/BigQuery/Postgres. Rows can run SQL but it is not the primary mode.
Do both support real-time collaboration?
Yes. Both ship Google-Docs-style multi-cursor collaboration. Deepnote collaboration is more polished for code review workflows; Rows collaboration is smoother for live spreadsheet editing.