Show Sourcing vs Excel and Google Sheets for trade show sourcing
Most buyers start with a spreadsheet. It is free, everyone knows it, and it sorts by price. For a small trip it is often enough. It gets hard when a show means hundreds of products, a phone in one hand, and three teammates editing at once.
The short answer
- Use Excel or Google Sheets if you visit a few booths, buy alone, and mainly need a price list.
- Use Show Sourcing if you need the photo, the vendor's card, the price, the price breaks and the landed cost to stay together, on a phone, offline, with a team.
Side by side
| Show Sourcing | Excel / Google Sheets | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $60 per seat for 6 months, or $102 per seat per year | Free versions exist; Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are paid plans |
| Product photos | Attached to each product, many per product | Possible in cells, awkward on a phone |
| Business card scan | Yes, into vendor records | No |
| Voice notes | Yes, transcribed on the device | No |
| Price breaks and price terms | Built in | With your own columns |
| Landed cost with US tariffs | Built in (HTS codes, Section 301, freight per unit) | With your own formulas and tariff lookups |
| Works offline on a phone | Yes | Depends on app and setup |
| Several buyers at once | Live sync, everyone sees new products in seconds | Shared sheets work; editing on phones is slow |
| Search words printed in photos | Yes | No |
| Export | Excel, with photos in cells and live landed-cost formulas | Native |
Where a spreadsheet wins
- It is free or already paid for.
- Total flexibility. Any column, any formula.
- Everyone can open it, including your customer and your accountant.
Where a spreadsheet hurts at a show
- Photos and rows drift apart. The photo is in the camera roll, the price is in row 214.
- Typing on a phone is slow. A booth visit becomes five minutes of data entry.
- Cards stay as cards. Someone has to type 300 of them after the show.
- Landed cost needs work. You build and maintain the formulas and tariff rates yourself.
Use both
Show Sourcing exports products and vendors to Excel, with photos in the cells and landed-cost formulas that still work. Capture in the app at the show, and share the spreadsheet afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Excel or Google Sheets to track products at a trade show?
Yes. It works well for small trips and one buyer. It gets hard with many photos, business cards, price breaks and several teammates editing on phones.
Can Show Sourcing export to Excel?
Yes. Paid plans export products and vendors to Excel, with photos in the cells and live landed-cost formulas.
Is there a free trade show sourcing app?
Show Sourcing has a 30-day free trial with every feature. Spreadsheets are free but need your own setup for photos, cards and landed cost.