Spreadsheet vs subscription tracking software: when to switch

Spreadsheets are a great start

Every founder begins with a sheet. It’s quick, flexible, and free. For a dozen tools and a single card, it works well. The challenge appears when the list grows, ownership changes, and renewals overlap.

This post shows the signs that it’s time to switch, what you gain with dedicated b2b SaaS software, and a simple migration approach.

Five signs it’s time to move on

1. You’ve missed a renewal
   Auto-renewals are designed to be quiet. If you’ve been caught once, assume it will happen again without better visibility.
2. No clear owner per tool
   Cells don’t send reminders. If nobody owns a subscription, decisions get delayed and costs drift.
3. Multiple versions of the truth
   Copies of the sheet appear in different folders. Numbers don’t match. Confidence drops and reviews stall.
4. Seat sprawl
   You pay for seats nobody uses because usage and billing are in different places.
5. Quarterly review takes hours
   If your review needs detective work each time, you’ve outgrown the sheet.

What dedicated software gives you

• A single source of truth: vendor, plan, price, owner, and renewal date in one place.
• Renewal visibility: automatic surfacing of what’s due, before it’s urgent.
• Right-sizing prompts: catch unused seats and plan mismatches early.
• Notes and history: decisions don’t live in someone’s head or a hidden tab.
• Calmer cadence: monthly and annual reviews take minutes, not hours.

Objections and honest answers

• “We’re too early.” If you manage fewer than 10 tools and feel in control, stay on a sheet. Revisit when any of the five signs appear.
• “Another tool means more cost.” The point is to spend less overall by avoiding renewals you don’t want and plans you don’t need.
• “Migration sounds painful.” It isn’t. You can import a CSV and add owners in one pass.

A simple migration plan

1) Export your sheet with columns for vendor, plan, price, cycle, renewal date, owner, and notes.
2) Import to your subscription manager using the CSV import.
3) Assign owners per subscription and set a default monthly review.
4) Add quick rules: new tools need a named owner; renewals require a one-line justification.
5) Run your first 30-minute review and mark actions: keep, right-size, negotiate, cancel.

The outcome you’re aiming for

You will know what renews when, why you still pay for each tool, and who owns the next step. That’s the moment your stack starts serving the business again.

Ready to switch from spreadsheet to something calmer? Crodor keeps subscriptions, renewals, and notes in one place for small teams.