Getting started
GPTSheetsPlus adds AI, web scraping and web search functions to Google Sheets. Every feature is a formula: =GPT(), =GEMINI(), =PPLX(), =SCRAPE(), =SERP() and friends. This page gets you from install to your first working formula.
1. Install the add-on
- Open the GPTSheetsPlus listing on the Google Workspace Marketplace and click Install.
- Open any Google Sheet. A new menu named GPTSheetsPlus: AI + Scraper appears in the menu bar. If you do not see it, reload the sheet.
The menu contains:
| Menu item | What it does |
|---|---|
| Activate License | Enter the license key you bought. Needed before you can add your own API keys. |
| Set API Keys ▸ | Sub-menu with one item per provider: OpenAI, Perplexity, Bright Data (plus an optional zone), Firecrawl, Gemini and EXA. |
| Tutorial & How to use | A quick in-sheet cheat sheet of every function. |
| Contact Support | Our support email address. |
2. Try it for free
You do not need a license or any API keys to start. Type a formula into any cell:
=GPT("Give me three taglines for a coffee subscription")=PPLX("What is the latest price of Bitcoin?")=GEMINI("Translate 'good morning' into Japanese")=SCRAPE_TITLE("https://example.com")=SERP("AI note-taking apps", 5)The free trial gives you 10 uses of each provider (OpenAI, Gemini, Perplexity, web scraping and web search) on our shared keys. Only =Firecrawl() needs a license and your own key.
3. Activate your license
Once the trial runs out, cells show a message starting with Free trial for ... used up (10/10).
- Buy the lifetime license ($19, one time). Your license key arrives by email.
- In a spreadsheet you own, open GPTSheetsPlus: AI + Scraper → Activate License.
- Paste the key and click OK. You should see “License activated successfully!“.
The license is stored against your Google account, so it works in every spreadsheet you open from now on. Details are in License and free trial.
4. Add your API keys
After activation, functions run on your own provider keys. Add only the ones you plan to use.
| Provider | Used by | Get a key at | Menu item |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | =GPT() family, =EXTRACT_INFO(), =SUMMARIZE_BULLETS(), =LIST_STUFF() | platform.openai.com/api-keys | Set API Keys → Insert OpenAI API Key |
| Google Gemini | =GEMINI() family | aistudio.google.com/apikey | Set API Keys → Insert Gemini API Key |
| Perplexity | =PPLX() family | perplexity.ai/settings/api | Set API Keys → Insert Perplexity API Key |
| Bright Data | =SCRAPE() family, =BRIGHTDATA() | brightdata.com: create a Web Unlocker API zone, then copy the key from Account settings → API keys | Set API Keys → Insert Bright Data API Key |
| Exa | =SERP() family | dashboard.exa.ai/api-keys | Set API Keys → Insert EXA API Key |
| Firecrawl (optional) | =Firecrawl() | firecrawl.dev/app/api-keys | Set API Keys → Insert Firecrawl API Key |
Each menu item shows your current key and asks whether you want to replace it. Keys are saved to your Google account’s add-on properties, so you set them once and they work in every sheet.
5. Write your first formulas
=GPT("Summarize this in one sentence: " & A2)=GPT6("Draft a polite follow-up email", "You are a sales assistant")=Gemini4("Classify the sentiment of: " & B2)=PPLX_PRO("Who is the CEO of " & A2 & "?")=SCRAPE("https://example.com/pricing")=EXTRACT_INFO(C2, "price per month", "number")=SERP("CRM software", 5, "company")Drag a formula down a column to run it for every row. Functions that return lists, such as =SERP() and =LIST_STUFF(), spill into the cells below.
Next steps
- Complete guide: every function on one page.
- Use cases: research pipelines you can copy.
- Formula reference: parameters, models and examples per provider.
- Troubleshooting: what each error message means.
There is also an older video walkthrough on YouTube. The menu has changed a little since it was recorded, but the flow is the same.