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Comparison · Collab
Joplin vs Smartsheet
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Joplin and Smartsheet — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Joplin vs Smartsheet: at a glance
What is Joplin?
Joplin fixes 50+ server security issues found in a Claude-assisted review of Joplin Cloud.
Joplin added AI in 3.7 (chat, semantic search, MCP), all opt-in, and has since named Mistral's EU endpoint as the provider behind Joplin Cloud AI. Its November 2 post reports a full review of Joplin Server, which also runs Joplin Cloud, done with Claude through Anthropic's Cyber Verification Program: no critical findings, but more than 50 high, medium and lower issues fixed. Self-hosters need 3.7.4 or later, which changes LDAP and SAML sign-in behavior.
What is Smartsheet?
Smartsheet adds a Gantt view and lifts table view to 500,000-cell sheets.
Smartsheet is rebuilding its core around table view. Since late October it has added a table view report builder, support for Enterprise sheets above 500,000 cells and reports above 1,500,000 rows, and a new Gantt view with critical path and % Complete. Earlier that month it retired card view for Enterprise and limited AI to Table, Board and Timeline views.
Joplin vs Smartsheet: editorial side-by-side
Joplin
5.0COLLAB
Joplin fixes 50+ server security issues found in a Claude-assisted review of Joplin Cloud.
◆ Current state
Joplin added AI in 3.7 (chat, semantic search, MCP), all opt-in, and has since named Mistral's EU endpoint as the provider behind Joplin Cloud AI. Its November 2 post reports a full review of Joplin Server, which also runs Joplin Cloud, done with Claude through Anthropic's Cyber Verification Program: no critical findings, but more than 50 high, medium and lower issues fixed. Self-hosters need 3.7.4 or later, which changes LDAP and SAML sign-in behavior.
◆ Where it's heading
Joplin's recent posts are about trust: privacy terms for AI, a named data processor, and now an audited server. The product is positioning its cloud as safe to put notes in while feature releases stay on a roughly four-month cycle.
◆ Prediction
The next feature release, around 3.8, would fit the four-month cadence in early 2027; the security post suggests more server-side hardening will land in point releases before then.
Smartsheet
5.0COLLABPM
Smartsheet adds a Gantt view and lifts table view to 500,000-cell sheets.
◆ Current state
Smartsheet is rebuilding its core around table view. Since late October it has added a table view report builder, support for Enterprise sheets above 500,000 cells and reports above 1,500,000 rows, and a new Gantt view with critical path and % Complete. Earlier that month it retired card view for Enterprise and limited AI to Table, Board and Timeline views.
◆ Where it's heading
The pattern is consolidation onto a newer set of views: old views retire, and table, board, timeline and now Gantt pick up scale and features. The size limits point to large enterprise portfolios as the target customer.
◆ Prediction
More features will likely move into the new views and older ones retire, as card view did; which view goes next is not stated.
Alternatives to Joplin and Smartsheet
Other Collab products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Joplin or Smartsheet.
Koofr
Koofr's iOS app gets a text editor, and public links get minute-level expiry.
Double
Double's Ask Double now sets up allocations and remembers how a firm codes vendors.
Mattermost
Mattermost v12 adds device and channel attributes to its access policies.
Asana
Asana gives client portal activity its own Inbox tab, a week after launching Tables.
SiYuan
SiYuan's sixth 3.8.10 alpha repeats alpha.5's list as the release nears beta.
See all Joplin alternatives → · See all Smartsheet alternatives →
Recent activity from Joplin and Smartsheet
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 2d agoSmartsheetVisualize your project schedule in the new Gantt view
- 2d agoSmartsheetWork with large-scale sheets and reports in table view
- 3d agoJoplinA full security review of Joplin Server and Joplin Cloud
- 8d agoSmartsheetBuild reports in table view
- 10d agoSmartsheetUse AI tools in Table, Board, and Timeline views
- 10d agoSmartsheetManage your sheet and row attachments in table view
- 10d agoSmartsheetSync Workday data into Smartsheet
- 15d agoJoplinHow we protect your privacy with Joplin Cloud AI
- 1mo agoJoplinYour notes and AI: privacy first
- 2mo agoJoplinWhat's new in Joplin 3.7 ⚡
- 6mo agoJoplinWhat's new in Joplin 3.6
- 8mo agoJoplinIntroducing our Warrant Canary
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Joplin and Smartsheet?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Joplin and Smartsheet are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Joplin better than Smartsheet?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Joplin and Smartsheet are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Collab products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Joplin?
Top Joplin alternatives in Collab are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Joplin alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/joplin for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to Smartsheet?
Top Smartsheet alternatives in Collab are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Smartsheet alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/smartsheet for the full list with editorial commentary on each.