FlexTable vs wpDataTables
Updated 14 Oct 2026. 18 features compared side by side.
WPPOOL plugin (formerly Sheets to WP Table Live Sync) that shows Google Sheets as live, searchable WordPress tables, with export and AI summaries in…
Data-heavy table and chart plugin: Lite imports Excel, CSV, JSON and XML with 23 chart types; paid plans add MySQL, editing and WooCommerce tables.
Choose FlexTable if…
- Sites whose data already lives in Google Sheets and needs to be published as live, searchable tables
Choose wpDataTables if…
- You need spreadsheet-style editor and CSV & Excel import
- You also want charts and database & query tables
- You want the more complete feature set (100/100 vs 50/100)
- You prefer the more widely used option
wpDataTables has 6 that FlexTable lacks, including Spreadsheet-style editor, CSV & Excel import and Database & query tables. Both include 11 of the 18 features we track. 1 feature is not yet verified for one or both plugins.
At a glance
Feature comparison
Click a screenshot to see both plugins side by side.
FlexTable wpDataTablesBuilding tables2/66/6
There is no in-WordPress table editor; data is edited in Google Sheets.
Excel-like builder with merged cells, undo/redo and resizable rows/columns in Lite.
Only Google Sheets is supported; no CSV or Excel file upload.
Lite links or imports Excel, CSV, XML, JSON and serialized PHP arrays.
Core free feature: tables update from the linked Google Sheet.
Public Sheets auto-sync from Starter; private Sheets via the Google API from Standard.
No MySQL or external database sources.
MySQL query tables plus external MySQL, MS SQL and PostgreSQL connections.
Product data kept in a sheet can be shown as a table; no native WooCommerce add-to-cart.
WooCommerce product tables with add-to-cart that sync with the store.
Cannot list WordPress posts or custom post types.
WP Posts Builder creates tables of posts, pages or custom post types.
Display5/77/7
Free default, collapsible and scrollable responsive styles per the current readme.
Tables adjust automatically to screen size in Lite.
Sorting and search are free.
Global, per-column and multi-column sorting plus search in Lite.
Per-column single, multi-select or text filters (Smart Table Filtering) are listed as Pro.
Advanced per-column filters from Starter; cascading filters need the paid Powerful Filters add-on.
Free pagination with rows per page; extra pagination styles are Pro.
Pagination and display length controls in Lite.
Free has two themes and merged cells; theme builder, sheet colours and custom CSS need Pro.
Cell formatting, fonts and merged cells in Lite; per-table skins and colours in paid plans.
No native rules; Pro can import sheet colours but docs do not say if conditional formatting carries over.
Highlight rows, columns or cells by conditions (Conditional Formatting).
No charts from table data in the readme or pricing list.
23 chart types (Google Charts, Chart.js) in Lite; Highcharts/ApexCharts from Standard.
Data & editing4/55/5
Sync is one-way from Google Sheets; no front-end editing.
Inline, popup and Excel-like front-end editing; users can be limited to own rows.
Caching and asynchronous loading help with big sheets; no server-side processing is documented.
Server-side processing for big datasets; vendor cites millions of rows via MySQL.
Visitors export to CSV, Excel, PDF, JSON, print or copy.
Copy, CSV, Excel, PDF and print buttons are included in Lite.
Formulas run in Google Sheets and their results sync; no formulas inside WordPress.
Formula (calculated) columns; Starter has no formula columns.
Free Gutenberg block; the Elementor widget is Pro.
Gutenberg blocks plus Elementor, Divi, WPBakery and Avada integrations.
Statuses: Yes Pro Add-on Partial 3rd-party No ?
Pricing compared
FlexTable Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Free | Free per year, Unlimited |
| Personal | $177 lifetime, 1 site |
| Business | $267 lifetime, 5 sites |
| Agency | $597 lifetime, 500 sites |
wpDataTables Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Lite | Free per year, Unlimited |
| Starter | £59 per year, 1 site |
| Standard | £99 per year, 1 site |
| Pro | £184 per year, 3 sites |
| Developer | £299 per year, Unlimited |
Downloads trend
FlexTable
2,059 downloads last week
wpDataTables
5,008 downloads last week
Verdict
wpDataTables scores higher on our feature checklist (100/100 against 50/100) and includes spreadsheet-style editor, CSV & Excel import and charts that FlexTable does not. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Biggest differences
FlexTable: not included. wpDataTables: included. Excel-like builder with merged cells, undo/redo and resizable rows/columns in Lite.
FlexTable: not included. wpDataTables: included. Lite links or imports Excel, CSV, XML, JSON and serialized PHP arrays.
FlexTable: not included. wpDataTables: included. 23 chart types (Google Charts, Chart.js) in Lite; Highcharts/ApexCharts from Standard.
FlexTable: not included. wpDataTables: paid version (Standard). MySQL query tables plus external MySQL, MS SQL and PostgreSQL connections.
FlexTable: not included. wpDataTables: paid version (Pro). WP Posts Builder creates tables of posts, pages or custom post types.
FlexTable: not included. wpDataTables: paid version (Standard). Inline, popup and Excel-like front-end editing; users can be limited to own rows.
Written from the feature, pricing and install data on this page, not from hands-on testing. How we compare.
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FAQ
Which is better, FlexTable or wpDataTables?
wpDataTables scores higher on our feature checklist (100/100 against 50/100) and includes spreadsheet-style editor, CSV & Excel import and charts that FlexTable does not. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Which has more features?
wpDataTables includes 18 of the 18 features we track, against 11 for FlexTable. Feature count is only part of the picture; check which of the differences matter to you.
Is FlexTable free?
FlexTable has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $177 lifetime.
Is wpDataTables free?
wpDataTables has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at £59/yr.
Feature data last changed 14 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit to FlexTable or wpDataTables. Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you; it never affects our data or rankings.