Swatcha vs Spreadsheets
Most designers and builders start with spreadsheets. Here's an honest comparison of both approaches to creating selection schedules.
Overview
Swatcha
Swatcha is a dedicated selection schedule tool that uses AI to extract product data from supplier documents, automatically find product images, and export branded PDFs.
Spreadsheets
Spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets) are general-purpose tools that can be adapted for selection schedules. They're flexible and familiar, but require manual data entry and formatting.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Swatcha | Spreadsheets |
|---|---|---|
| AI data extraction | ||
| Product image search | ||
| Background removal | ||
| Branded PDF export | Manual formatting | |
| Formulas & calculations | Basic | |
| Custom structure | ||
| Free option | Free trial | |
| Works offline | ||
| Learning curve | Minimal | Low |
| Time per selection | ~40 minutes | 4-8 hours |
Pricing
Spreadsheets are free (if you already have Office or Google Workspace). Swatcha's Starter plan is a monthly subscription — but the time savings typically pay for itself within a single project.
Who Should Use Which?
Choose Swatcha if…
Designers and builders who create selection schedules regularly and want to save hours on every project. Anyone tired of manual data entry and formatting.
Choose Spreadsheets if…
Those who only create one or two schedules per year, or who need advanced formulas and pivot tables for budget analysis.
The Swatcha Advantage
The average time to complete a single-storey home selection in Swatcha is 40 minutes. The same process in a spreadsheet typically takes 4-8 hours. Over a year, that's hundreds of hours saved.
