What is Google Sheets API?

Google Sheets API is a REST-based API that is used to perform read and write operations on Google Sheets. You can use this API with your preferred programming language such as Python, JavaScript, Dart, PHP, etc.

Is Google Sheets API Free or Paid?

Google Sheets API is available for free with no additional charges. However, there is a limit on total number of viewers. If your application or website is suffering from heavy traffic, then an error message may pop up saying ‘Error 429: Too many requests’. You will only get an error message without any charges.

Features of Google Sheets API:

• You can integrate other Google products such as Google Translate, Google Forms, Google Finance, etc into your application.

• You can collaborate with others and work on the same sheet in real time from anywhere in the world.

• You can edit your Google Sheets even without the internet with the help of the Google Docs offline extension on Google Chrome.

Limitations of Google Sheets API:

Along with various features and advantages, Google Sheets API has a few limitations. These limitations are imposed on both read and write requests to ensure the safety and security of the system. These limitations are as follows: 

1. Read and Write Requests: There are quotas for both read and write requests:

For read requests,

• Per minute per project: 300

• Per minute per user per project: 60

For write requests,

• Per minute per project: 300

• Per minute per user per project: 60

2. Time-Based Quota Error:

You can view your quotas and manage them using either Google Cloud Console, Service Usage API, Google Cloud CLI or Quota Metrics in Cloud Monitoring. In case you exceed the quota limit, you can apply for more after your request meets certain conditions.

We all are familiar with spreadsheets and worked with them since we first learned about computers. We are used to arranging our data in a tabular manner in the form of rows and columns. When we are working on a project and wish to save our data in a tabular form, we think of relational databases. Instead of going with a relational database, we can use Google Sheets spreadsheets as a database to store our data, and to connect it with our app or platform, we require Google Sheets API.

Google Sheets API enables the developers to work with and manipulate the spreadsheet and its contents from outside the Google Sheets with the help of your preferred programming language. You can also use any app or platform to help your project and API connects with each other. With the help of Google Sheets API, you can import data, perform tasks automatically, and work on applications that use Google Sheets as a database.