According to XDA-Developers, privacy-focused company Proton has officially launched Proton Sheets, a fully end-to-end encrypted alternative to Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. The new tool, announced via a blog post, offers real-time collaboration, support for common formulas, data visualization, and cross-device access. It allows users to securely import existing CSV or XLS files and maintains that no one, not even Proton itself, can access spreadsheet contents or metadata. Proton Sheets will become available to all users within the coming days, marking the latest addition to Proton’s suite of encrypted productivity apps which already includes Mail, Drive, Calendar, and Meet.
The Privacy Pitch
Here’s the thing: Proton’s entire business model is built on being the anti-Google, the anti-Microsoft. And in an era where every big tech product seems to be an AI data vacuum, that pitch is getting more potent by the day. They’re not just selling a spreadsheet; they’re selling peace of mind. The promise that your financial models, your client lists, your internal metrics aren’t being scanned, analyzed, or monetized. It’s a powerful differentiator when the default tools feel increasingly invasive.
The Real Hurdle
But let’s be real. The spreadsheet game isn’t won on encryption alone. It’s won on ecosystem, muscle memory, and insane depth of features. Can Proton Sheets handle a VLOOKUP? Probably. But what about the labyrinthine macros, the Power Query integrations, the decades of niche functionality that power users rely on? Probably not yet. Their bet seems to be that for 80% of users doing 80% of tasks, familiar basics with ironclad privacy will be enough. That’s a smart bet, but it’s also a bet on whether teams are truly willing to switch their entire workflow over a principle.
A Bigger Play
This isn’t really about killing Excel or Sheets tomorrow. It’s about completing Proton’s walled garden of privacy. Think about it: they now have encrypted mail, cloud storage, calendar, video meetings, and documents. For a business or an individual deeply concerned about surveillance, that’s a compelling, one-stop shop. They’re building a parallel universe of productivity software. The success of Sheets will depend less on beating Microsoft at formulas and more on convincing people to live entirely within Proton’s secure ecosystem. So, will it work? For a security-conscious niche, absolutely. For the general public still happily trading data for free Gmail? That’s a much tougher sell.
