Format comparison · updated 2026-11-05
Three litbuy spreadsheets. Only one is a checkout.
Every week someone asks which sheet is "the real one". The honest answer: they are three different tools, and the mistake is expecting one to do all three jobs.
Side by side
Where each format wins and fails
Scores are editorial, based on a 30-row sample read on desktop and a mid-range Android phone.
| Criterion | Public Google Sheet | Static index (litbuy.bar) | Partner catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to first row | 2–4 s, longer on 3,000+ rows | Under 1 s after first paint | 1–2 s, image-dependent |
| Price freshness | Copy — can be weeks old | Stamped with review date | Live |
| Packed weight | Rarely | Every row | Usually item weight only |
| QC evidence | Occasional image link | Status per row + field guide | Native upload, per order |
| Dead links | Accumulate silently | Retired on review | Removed at source |
| Mobile ergonomics | Pinch-zoom, frozen panes | Responsive cards and tables | Filter-heavy but responsive |
| Checkout | None | None — by design | Yes |
| Best use | Skim, share, copy | Decide what to buy | Buy it |
Recommendation
Use two of the three, never one
The workflow that survives contact with a real haul is read → shortlist → buy. One tool per step.
Skim on a public sheet
Good for discovery: tabs, colours, a seller's own notes. Bad for verification.
- No install
- Easy to share in Discord
- No weight or QC standard
Decide on this index
Rows are re-read, weighed and labelled. If a row is not ready to buy, it says so.
- Review date on every page
- QC status visible on the card
- Links carry ref=litbuy.bar
Buy in the catalogue
Stock, variants, coupons, warehouse address and checkout live here — not in a sheet.
- Live stock
- Native QC upload
- Coupon applied at freight
The failure modes
What actually goes wrong with a sheet
- Stale rows: a delisted variant still looks purchasable. The click lands on an empty item page and the buyer assumes the agent is broken.
- Weight blindness: a $19 tee and a $22 tee can differ by 200 g, which changes the freight step for the whole parcel.
- Batch ambiguity: "best batch" is a seller claim. Without the seller name and a QC photo, it is a slogan.
- Currency drift: a sheet priced in CNY but read in USD looks cheap until the card statement arrives.
What we do differently
Every page carries a review date. Every row carries a packed weight. Every QC badge means an actual photo set, and "pending" is a first-class state rather than an omission.
We also refuse to host a checkout. That is not a limitation — it keeps the reading layer honest about what it can and cannot verify.
FAQ
Which litbuy spreadsheets should I trust?
Are litbuy spreadsheets free?
The public Google Sheets and this index are free to read. The catalogue is free to browse; you only pay when you place an order and settle international freight at the warehouse.
Which format has the most up-to-date prices?
The partner catalogue, because it is connected to stock. Static indexes and Google Sheets are copies, so treat any price older than a week as a rough guide.
Do I need a Google account to read a sheet?
Only for editing or copying. View-only sheets open without an account, but very large sheets can hit mobile memory limits and close the tab.