Gemini in Sheets and Google Sheets' AI function vs BrowseWiz for website data
Updated
Gemini's AI function in Sheets answers from Google Search, and generates only the first 350 selected cells at once Source 1. Opening the exact page you name, sites you sign into and scheduled refreshes aren't listed on Google's help page as of October 2026. BrowseWiz opens the pages you name in your signed-in Chrome and updates a sheet it creates.
Add to Chrome – it's freeBrowseWiz vs Gemini in Sheets
Gemini in Sheets comes two ways: the =AI( function in a cell, and the Gemini side panel. Facts about both come from Google's help pages. Where a cell says a feature isn't listed, the help page doesn't mention it on the date we read it, and Google changes these features often.
| Feature | BrowseWiz | Sheets AI function | Gemini side panel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where answers come from Source 1, Source 2 | The pages you name, read in your Chrome | Google Search, with the web sources shown for each cell Source 1 | Your sheet, your Drive and Gmail files, and Google Search when your prompt asks for it Source 2 |
| Opening the exact page you name Source 1, Source 2 | Yes, each URL you list, as Chrome shows it | Isn't listed on Google's help page as of October 2026 | Isn't listed on Google's help page as of October 2026 |
| Sites you sign into Source 1, Source 2 | Yes, with the sign-ins your Chrome already has | Isn't listed on Google's help page as of October 2026 | Isn't listed on Google's help page as of October 2026 |
| Cells per generation Source 1, Source 2 | One row per page or item it reads | Only the first 350 selected cells are generated Source 1 | Fills a range you ask for Source 2 |
| Keeping the sheet current on a schedule Source 1, Source 2 | Up to once a day, at the time you set, while Chrome is open | Isn't listed on Google's help page as of October 2026. You click Refresh and Insert Source 1 | Isn't listed on Google's help page as of October 2026 |
| Working on data already in your sheet Source 1, Source 2 | No. It writes to a sheet it creates in your Drive | Yes, on the range you pass to it Source 1 | Yes: formulas, charts, pivot tables, filters and formatting Source 2 |
| What you need Source 1, Source 2 | The Chrome extension. Free, or Pro at $35/month | An eligible Google Workspace or Google AI plan, nothing to install Source 1 | An eligible Google Workspace or Google AI plan, nothing to install Source 2 |
What Gemini in Sheets does well
The AI function, =AI(, generates text from a prompt and an optional range: it summarizes feedback, sorts inquiries into categories, rates sentiment and answers questions with up-to-date information from Google Search Source 1. Google's own examples include the capital of a country and the birthday of a book's author Source 1.
The side panel works on the sheet itself. It builds tables, formulas, charts and pivot tables, applies filters and formatting, and summarizes files from Drive and Gmail Source 2.
Both are AI for Google Sheets that starts from the sheet or from a search. BrowseWiz starts from the pages: you name them, it opens each one in your Chrome and writes what it reads into rows.
Which one to use
Choose Gemini in Sheets if…
- The answer is a public fact that Google Search can find, such as a city's population or a company's headquarters.
- You're working on data already in the sheet: summarizing, classifying or tagging rows, or building charts and pivot tables.
- You want nothing to install, and your Google Workspace or Google AI plan already includes it.
Choose BrowseWiz if…
- You need the values from the exact pages you name, not a search answer.
- The pages are on sites you sign into.
- The sheet should update on a schedule, up to once a day, while Chrome is open.
Name the pages, and the columns you want
Sign in to the tools in Chrome as usual, then type this into BrowseWiz:
Open the usage page of each tool we pay for, where I'm signed in: Trellis, Nimbus Mail, Quillpad and Ledgerly. Write the plan, seats used, seats paid for and the renewal date to a new sheet called SaaS seats, one row per tool, with the page's URL in a Source column.
BrowseWiz shows a plan first. Approve it, grant tab access and sign in to Google once when it asks. To keep the sheet current, click Update this sheet daily after the run and approve the new plan. It becomes a scheduled task.
The rows it writes
Each value comes from the tool's own usage page, as your account sees it. Then point =AI( at the rows to summarize them, as in the FAQ below.
| Tool | Plan | Seats used | Seats paid | Renews | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trellis | Team | 14 | 15 | Nov 12 | app.trellis.example/settings/usage |
| Nimbus Mail | Business | 22 | 25 | Jan 3 | admin.nimbusmail.example/billing |
| Quillpad | Pro | 9 | 9 | Dec 1 | quillpad.example/workspace/plan |
| Ledgerly | Growth | 4 | 6 | Mar 18 | ledgerly.example/account/subscription |
Where BrowseWiz is the wrong tool
- It doesn't work in your sheet. BrowseWiz writes only to sheets it created, so it can't fill a column next to your own data the way
=AI(does. Pull its rows into your workbook with) IMPORTRANGEand click Allow access the first time Source 3. - There's an extension to install. Gemini in Sheets is built in; BrowseWiz is a Chrome extension.
- Chrome has to be open. Schedules run only while Chrome is running.
- Once a day is the fastest schedule, on every plan.
- Runs can differ. An AI agent reads the page each time, so values can vary between runs. Ask for a source link per row, so you can check each value.
- Site terms are yours. You're responsible for following each site's terms when you collect its data.
What BrowseWiz costs
Start on Free: it includes one daily scheduled task, one monitor and 10M credits a month. Gemini in Sheets comes with an eligible Google Workspace or Google AI plan Source 1. A BrowseWiz run uses credits for the page text it reads.
Free
$0 / month
- 1 scheduled task, up to once a day
- 1 page monitor
- 10M credits a month
Pro
$35 / month
- Up to 10 scheduled tasks, up to once a day
- Up to 30 page monitors
- 250M credits a month
Max
$95 / month
- Up to 10 scheduled tasks, up to once a day
- Up to 30 page monitors
- 1B credits a month
Prices include VAT. See how credits are counted.
Questions
It answers from Google Search: the AI function brings up-to-date information from Search into a cell, and you can open the web sources behind each answer Source 1. Opening a specific URL you give it isn't listed on Google's help page as of October 2026. For a value from one exact page, use IMPORTXML on a public page, or BrowseWiz, which opens the page in your Chrome.
=AI( is a Sheets function that generates text from a prompt and an optional range: summaries, categories, sentiment, and up-to-date facts from Google Search. It needs an eligible Google Workspace or Google AI plan, and when you select many cells, only the first 350 are generated Source 1.
A scheduled refresh isn't listed on Google's help page as of October 2026. The help page says you refresh an AI function's output by clicking Refresh and Insert Source 1. BrowseWiz runs a task up to once a day, at the time you set, while Chrome is open, and updates the sheet it created.
Reading sites you sign into isn't listed on Google's help page as of October 2026. The AI function's web answers come from Google Search Source 1. BrowseWiz reads pages in your Chrome, where you're already signed in, and writes the rows to a Google Sheet it creates.
Related pages
- IMPORTXML troubleshootingIMPORTXML not working? How to fix it, and an alternative when you can'tWhy IMPORTXML and IMPORTHTML return empty or #N/A, how to fix the XPath, and what to use when the page needs JavaScript or a login.
- Use caseAutomatically update Google Sheets from a websiteDescribe the data once and BrowseWiz updates a Google Sheet on a schedule, even from pages behind your login. Up to once a day, at the time you set.
When the data lives on a page, name the page
Add BrowseWiz to Chrome, list the pages and say which columns you want. Free includes one scheduled task.
Add to Chrome – it's freeSources
- Google Docs Editors Help: Use the AI function in Google Sheets (opens in a new tab)support.google.com, checked
- Google Docs Editors Help: Collaborate with Gemini in Google Sheets (opens in a new tab)support.google.com, checked
- Google Docs Editors Help: IMPORTRANGE (opens in a new tab)support.google.com, checked