Self-host Grist

updated Sep 2026prices checked · Jul 2026

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A relational spreadsheet from Grist Labs: tables with typed columns and Python formulas, linked widgets, forms and access rules, stored as SQLite documents on your own server.

Airtable / yr$288

Self-hosted / yr~$283

You keep$5/yr

Pocket the difference — spin it up on a cheap VPS in minutes.Start free on Kamatera →

Key facts

CategoryNo-code database

LicenseApache-2.0

StackTypeScript, Node.js, Python

Min RAM1024 MB

Official imageyes

Difficulty

Sourcegithub.com/gristlabs/grist-core

Websitegetgrist.com

What you need

Any VPS with at least 1024 MB of RAM
A domain you control — most self-hosted setups need HTTPS in front of them
Under an hour if you've used Docker before

Where to host itaffiliate disclosure

Hetzner Cloudrun it on

From $23.59/mo · 2 vCPU / 4 GB / 80 GB · EU + US

Get Hetzner Cloud

Kamaterafree trial

From $4/mo · 1 vCPU / 1 GB / 20 GB · US + EU + Asia

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DigitalOceanalso works on

From $6/mo · 1 vCPU / 1 GB / 25 GB · US + EU + Asia

Deploy on DigitalOcean →

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Install

Run these commands on your server:

# Grist (grist-core) — the official image; documents persist in ./persist
export GRIST_BOOT_KEY=$(openssl rand -hex 16); echo "boot key: $GRIST_BOOT_KEY"
docker run -d --name grist --restart unless-stopped \
  -p 8484:8484 -v "$PWD/persist:/persist" \
  -e GRIST_SESSION_SECRET=$(openssl rand -hex 32) -e GRIST_BOOT_KEY \
  gristlabs/grist:1.7.20
# open http://SERVER_IP:8484 — first run opens Quick setup; paste the boot key to pick the admin email and sign-in method