My Story: From Frustration to Solution
Hey everyone, I'm thrilled to share the story of a project I've worked hard on. While working on a React side project, I realized I needed a reliable data grid to bring my ideas to life, but with no budget to spend on expensive tools, I decided to build my own solution from scratch.
The AG Grid Dream—and the Cost Barrier
I really wanted to use AG Grid because it has all those fancy Enterprise features like cell selection and row grouping. But I'm pretty broke, and their pricing was impossible for me.
$1,000 per year per developer, plus $750 per license! That was way out of my budget of $0.00.
Want to see a detailed cost breakdown? Check out our comprehensive Simple Table vs AG Grid comparison with real ROI calculations.
Why Alternatives Fell Short
I looked at other options, hoping to find a free or affordable solution. Here's what I found—and why they didn't work for me:
TanStack Table
TanStack Table is lightweight and free, but it doesn't have a built-in UI. I really needed cell selection without building the entire interface from scratch.
Handsontable
Handsontable seemed promising, but customizing its UI was impossible. I spent hours fighting its styles, and it was so frustrating—I hope you never have to deal with that!
Enter Simple Table: My Solution
So, I decided to build my own solution: Simple Table, a lightweight (35 kB) React data grid that's free for everyone.
It's got all the basics a table needs, including:
- • Alignment, filters, and sorting for easy data management
- • Virtualization and infinite scroll for handling large datasets
- • Pagination and nested headers for better organization
- • Row grouping and cell selection for advanced functionality
At just 35 kB and completely free, Simple Table is designed to be accessible for developers like me who can't afford pricey Enterprise licenses.
Wrapping Up: A Labor of Love
Building Simple Table has been a true labor of love for me. As a full-time front-end developer, I've dedicated every weekend for months to create a tool that solves real problems for developers like us, especially those who can't afford expensive Enterprise licenses. I hope Simple Table can help make your React projects easier and more affordable.
If you're currently evaluating AG Grid or considering alternatives, I've put together a detailed feature-by-feature comparison that includes cost analysis, bundle size impact, and enterprise feature breakdown. It might help you make the best decision for your project and budget.
Ready to try a free React data grid?
Simple Table is lightweight, free, and packed with features to make your React tables shine. I'd really appreciate it if you could check it out and share your feedback—it'd mean the world to me and help make this project even better.