The Unformulaic Demise of Formulagod.ai: A Look Into the Rise and Quiet Fall of an AI-Powered Spreadsheet Tool

Ever wished your spreadsheet formulas could write themselves? That’s exactly what Formulagod.ai promised—until it disappeared.

In the rapidly evolving world of AI productivity tools, Formulagod.ai seemed poised for success. Launched in late 2022, the tool gained early traction with its clever promise: “Talk to Google Sheets with AI.” Yet by early 2025, its website had vanished, updates stopped, and the app quietly faded from the AI scene.

So, what happened? Why did this promising tool disappear despite glowing reviews and a solid use case?

Here’s the short answer: Formulagod.ai likely failed due to low user adoption in a crowded, competitive market—combined with limited resources and a shift in the developer’s focus.

The long answer? Well, let’s dig a little deeper.

What Was Formulagod.ai?

Formulagod.ai was an AI-powered add-on for Google Sheets that helped users generate formulas using plain English. Instead of memorizing tricky rules like =IF(AND(A1>5,B1<10), "Yes", "No"), you could type something like: “If A1 is greater than 5 and B1 is less than 10, return ‘Yes’; otherwise, return ‘No’.”

Key Features Included:

• Natural language to spreadsheet formula generation
• Real-time assistance inside Google Sheets
• Graph and chart suggestions based on selected data
• A freemium model offering 5 free queries at install

Launched in beta around November 2022 and developed by Andrew Charlton (a freelance SEO consultant and toolmaker), Formulagod.ai made waves on Product Hunt, garnering praise for saving time and removing spreadsheet friction for casual users and non-technical professionals.

For a moment, it looked like Charlton had struck gold in a niche area of AI tooling.

But by 2025, not only was the website offline—there was no Product Hunt update, no chatter on LinkedIn or Twitter (X), and no listing for the add-on in the Google Workspace Marketplace. In startup terms? Radio silence.

Why Did Formulagod.ai Fail?

The Short Answer:

Formulagod.ai struggled to compete in a saturated market, likely lacked monetization traction, and quietly shut down to allow the developer to pivot to other, more sustainable projects.

The Long Answer:

Several interconnected factors probably led to the downfall of Formulagod.ai:

1. Market Fit Challenges

Formulagod solved a real problem, but only for a subset of users—those who found formulas daunting. Power users, who rely heavily on spreadsheets, already know how to build formulas quickly. And light users might not need complex formulas often enough to justify installing a plugin.

While many reviews praised its concept, others noted its limited appeal for spreadsheet veterans. Additionally, the product never seemed to graduate from a public beta, which might’ve turned off institutional users or companies that require robust support and long-term reliability.

2. Monetization and Financial Sustainability

The tool followed the freemium model—offering five free queries, then presumably requiring payment or upsell. But developing and maintaining an AI product, especially one that relies on natural language processing, is expensive.

With no evidence of outside funding or revenue from subscription plans, the economics likely didn’t add up. It’s not hard to imagine server costs, API usage (especially around AI models), and user support quickly outweighing any early income.

Given the solo or small-team nature of its development, it’s unlikely Formulagod could scale operations—or even survive financially for long.

3. Competitive Landscape

By the time Formulagod launched, the spreadsheet-AI space was heating up. Alternatives like:

• formula.dog: A competitor that covered both Excel and Google Sheets, and maintained steady updates.
• Bricks: A generalized spreadsheet AI tool with a broader product suite.
• Formula Studio: Focused on advanced formulas with a built-in code interface.

These tools not only provided similar or better utility, but they often came from teams with more development power and marketing visibility. When standing next to well-funded, frequently updated competitors, Formulagod risked becoming a novelty rather than a go-to solution.

4. Leadership Focus Shift

Andrew Charlton, the creator, has since focused on other projects—particularly SEO tools like Keywords in Sheets and automation aids like Sheet Copilot. His online presence has pivoted toward those newer ventures, leaving Formulagod without updates or mention since early 2023.

Without ongoing support, maintenance, or marketing, even a good product can wither.

5. Lack of Momentum Post-Beta

Beta launches are supposed to lead into a full version. But in Formulagod’s case, it never seemed to cross that line. There was no visible product roadmap, no documentation growth, and no update cadence.

In the fast-moving world of AI tools, stagnation is a red flag—and often, the prelude to quiet abandonment.

Why Tools Like formula.dog Still Thrive

So if Formulagod failed, why are tools like formula.dog still active?

Here’s what successful competitors seem to do differently:

• Cross-platform support: Some serve Excel and Google Sheets users.
• Persistent feature updates: Teams behind them continually ship improvements, integrations, or UI changes.
• Stronger communities: Ongoing engagement with users via social media or newsletters builds long-term relationships and trust.
• More aggressive monetization plans: Some competitors leaned into tiered pricing or enterprise solutions early on, giving them consistent income streams.

In contrast, Formulagod was a promising side project—clever, effective, but likely under-resourced and under-promoted.

Final Thoughts: Not All Good Ideas Survive

Formulagod.ai filled a useful gap. It simplified the lives of non-technical spreadsheet users, offered clear value, and rode the AI wave just as ChatGPT and other tools were exploding. For a time, it was hailed on platforms like Product Hunt, drawing in impressive attention.

But attention is not retention.

Without funding, user growth, or ongoing investment, even clever tools like Formulagod can fade into obscurity. It’s a lesson in execution, focus, and the reality of turning a good idea into a sustainable product.

Still, it likely paved the way or inspired similar tools that are thriving today. And in the rapidly-shifting world of AI, that kind of brief impact can quietly echo longer than expected.

FAQs About Formulagod.ai

Who founded Formulagod.ai?
Formulagod.ai was developed by Andrew Charlton, a UK-based freelance SEO consultant and tool creator.

When did Formulagod.ai come out?
The tool launched in public beta around November 2022 and gained attention on Product Hunt shortly after.

When did Formulagod.ai shut down?
Although there was no official announcement, evidence suggests it became inactive and was shut down sometime between mid-2024 and early 2025.

How much funding did Formulagod.ai raise?
There’s no record of any external funding or investment—Formulagod appears to have been a self-funded or bootstrapped project.

Why did Formulagod.ai fail?
Likely due to a mix of low user adoption, lack of monetization, resource limitations, and tough competition in the AI-assisted spreadsheet space.

Is there a tool like Formulagod still active?
Yes. Alternatives like formula.dog, Bricks, and Formula Studio are still active and offer similar (and sometimes more advanced) AI spreadsheet features.

In the end, Formulagod.ai is another example of how a great idea with a niche following can still fall short. Whether due to timing, competition, or simple bandwidth, not every startup scales—and not every project gets its second act.