Google Sheets API: What it is and how to use it

The Google Sheets API allows you to manipulate Sheets data from outside Google Sheets. You can manipulate it programmatically using your preferred programming language or through any app or platform that lets you connect to an API. This allows you to use your Google Sheets spreadsheets as databases.

In this post, you will learn all about the Google Sheets API, including what it is, its pricing, and its limitations. You will also learn how the API works, the different connection options available, as well as where to find documentation for your preferred programming language.

What is the Google Sheets API?

The Google Sheets API is a RESTful interface that you can use to read and write data to Google Sheets. You can connect to it from another app or platform or use your preferred programming language, including JavaScript, PHP, and Python.

Some of the most common uses of the Google Sheets API include the following:

Create spreadsheets
Read and write values to cells
Update formatting
Manage Connected Sheets

Is the Google Sheets API free?

Google Sheets’ API is free to use, but usage limits apply to each user. If your app experiences heavy traffic from many users, you’ll see an error message (429: Too many requests). In other words, if you exceed the number of requests, your account won’t be charged for the overage.

Google Sheets API limits

The Google Sheets API has some built-in limitations to protect the system from hackers. These limits or quotas apply to both read and write requests.

Read & write requests

The quotas below apply separately to each type of request: read and write.

Per day per project: unlimited
Per minute per project: 300
Per minute per user per project: 60

Time-based quota errors

The Google Sheets API documentation recommends using an exponential backoff algorithm to implement a small delay to resolve time-based quota errors. For more instructions, you can check out the Google Cloud Storage documentation on how to implement the exponential backoff algorithm.

View quotas

You can view and manage your quotas using a variety of methods.

Google Cloud Console
Google Cloud CLI
Service Usage API
Quota Metrics in Cloud Monitoring

Request higher quotas

If you exceed your quotas, you can request higher ones. However, this process requires that your request meet a set of undisclosed and strict criteria. You will be notified whether your request has been approved or denied.

How does the Google Sheets API work?

Google Sheets’ RESTful Application Programming Interface (API) allows you to interact directly with your spreadsheets. You can choose whether to code an app or use a no-code solution, depending on your needs and programming skills. No-code solutions include existing apps that allow you to connect to an API, like Tableau or Supermetrics. In order to connect, you will need to enable the API and generate the necessary API key.

Enable the Google Sheets API

To enable the Google Sheets API, follow the instructions below.

1. Log in to your Google Cloud Console.

Google Sheets API — Google Cloud welcome page for SampleProject with the project number and ID

2. Click the menu to access “APIs & Services”, then “Enabled APIs & services”.

Google Sheets API — Google Cloud menu with APIs & Services open and Enabled APIs & services listed

3. Click the button that says “+ ENABLE APIS AND SERVICES”.

Google Sheets API — APIs & Services page with the Enable APIs and Services button at the top

4. Search for the Google Sheets API, as shown below and click on the result.

Google Sheets API — API Library search for sheets with Google Sheets API as the only result

5. Click to enable the Google Sheets API.

Google Sheets API — product details page with the Enable button

6. Click the blue button to create the credentials.

Google Sheets API — API/Service Details page with the Create Credentials button

7. To define the credential type, make sure that you have selected the Google Sheets API.

Google Sheets API — Create credentials form with Google Sheets API selected as the API

8. Select whether you want to access user data or application data.

Google Sheets API — Create credentials form with Application data selected

9. Specify whether you will be using any of the products listed and click “Next”.

Google Sheets API — Compute Engine question answered with No, I'm not using them

10. Type in the required account details.

Google Sheets API — Create service account form with the name Sheets filled in

11. Select the role you want to grant, then click “Done” to finish.

Google Sheets API — role menu for the service account with Editor highlighted

Google Sheets API documentation

The Google Sheets API documentation offers Quickstarts with detailed instructions and the code required to connect using Go, Google Apps Script, Java, JavaScript, Node.js, and Python. Additionally, the documentation includes detailed instructions and the code needed for the following:

Create Spreadsheets
Read/Write Cell Values
Update Spreadsheets
Date/Number Formats
Pivot Tables
Conditional Formatting
Filters
Developer Metadata
Connected Sheets
Field Masks
Google Charts

These instructions and samples are available for various programming languages: Google Apps Script, Java, JavaScript, Node.js, PHP, Python, and Ruby.

Conclusion

As you have seen, the Google Sheets API allows you to interact with your Google Sheets data programmatically. You can read and write data to your spreadsheet using other platforms and apps, including ones you build using your preferred programming language. You can then use Google Sheets as a database and run queries and functions from wherever you want.

You now know what the Google Sheets API is and the pricing, as well as the main limitations related to its use. You also know how to enable the Google Sheets API and create credentials from the Google Cloud Platform. Finally, you know how to access quickstart documentation for multiple programming languages and full Google Sheets API documentation and examples for Google Apps Script, Java, JavaScript, Node.js, PHP, Python, and Ruby.

If you’d rather not write code, Sheetgo, an AI-powered data automation platform, can connect to an API and bring the data into your spreadsheets on a schedule. To script it yourself, start with this guide to Google Apps Script in Google Sheets.