Favourite 7 Lightweight Exporters & Publish Tools (Sheet2Site, AwesomeTable, Publish to Web + Static CSV Tools, Supermetrics Publisher, Rows Embed) That Researchers Use to Share Live Data Visualizations Publicly
4 min read
Sharing data is no longer just a scientist’s chore. Today, everyone from researchers to marketers wants to quickly showcase live data — beautifully and publicly. Whether it’s survey results, dashboards, or a global cat population tracker (yes, that exists), we now have tools that make it super easy and fun.
TLDR:
You don’t need to be a coding wizard to share beautiful, live-updating data. Tools like Sheet2Site, AwesomeTable, and Supermetrics Publisher let you turn CSVs and spreadsheets into websites or visual dashboards in minutes. These 7 tools are loved by researchers for their speed, simplicity, and sharable magic. If you’ve got data and want it online, this list is your goldmine.
1. Sheet2Site – Make a Website from Google Sheets
Sheet2Site is one of the easiest ways to turn a boring spreadsheet into a beautiful website — without writing any code.
Just paste your Google Sheet URL and boom — your site is ready. It supports text, images, links, and even buttons, all straight from the sheet.
Why researchers love it:
- Perfect for directories, project showcases, or portfolios
- Live updates from Google Sheets
- No need for HTML styling — it looks good instantly
2. AwesomeTable – Make Your Data Interactive
If your data is searchable or needs filtering — AwesomeTable is your go-to. It converts your Google Sheet into a searchable table with filters and visuals.
Use it for survey results, research tables, event calendars, and more.
Why researchers love it:
- Interactive filters, charts, and maps
- Supports conditional formatting
- Embeds easily into websites or wikis
You don’t need to know JavaScript. Just point to a Google Sheet and few tweaks later, you’ve got a clean, filterable data view ready for the world.
3. Publish to Web + Static CSV Tools
Google Sheets has a secret power: Publish to Web. It lets you generate a live, publicly accessible link to your spreadsheet — or just the CSV version.
That CSV link? It’s gold. Tools like D3.js, Tableau Public, or Observable can pull directly from it.
Why researchers love this combo:
- It’s free and fast
- Works with any browser or platform
- Great for coding custom visualizations
Want version control? Connect it with GitHub Actions to auto-download and update static data files.
4. Supermetrics Publisher – From Data Warehouse to Web
If you’re into analytics, you’ve probably heard of Supermetrics. Their Publisher tool lets you fetch data from over 100+ platforms (Think Google Ads, Facebook, HubSpot) and push it to Google Sheets or Looker Studio.
From there, just publish and share.
Why researchers love it:
- Automates data collection
- Great for marketing and web tracking analysis
- Schedule refreshes and set triggers
This is a pro tool, but don’t worry! The interface is surprisingly friendly, and the automation saves hours.
5. Rows Embed – Spreadsheets That Feel Like Apps
Rows is a modern spreadsheet tool that feels like a mix between Google Sheets and Notion. Clean interface, built-in charts, and even buttons!
The best part: You can embed your live data view anywhere — a blog post, internal wiki, or research portal.
Why researchers love it:
- Looks good out of the box
- Interactive embeds with form inputs
- Supports APIs and databases
Need to pull live air quality data via API? Rows can do that. Then chart it. Then embed it. All in five minutes.
6. Datawrapper – Newsroom-Level Charts
Datawrapper lets you make clean maps, charts, and tables — instantly. It’s used by journalists worldwide. Just paste or upload your dataset, and pick the visual you want.
It supports embeddable outputs with live updates if your dataset is hosted online.
Why researchers love it:
- Beautiful output, no chart wizard headaches
- Supports custom colors and design
- Embed anywhere, from blogs to newsletters
7. Observable – For the Curious Coder
If you’re comfortable with a bit of JavaScript or want to flex that curiosity muscle, try Observable. It lets you build data notebooks with real-time code, data, and visuals — all live.
Use Google Sheet CSV links or APIs, write reactive code, and publish straight to the public.
Why researchers love it:
- Realtime, editable notebooks
- Community of data viz geeks
- Supports D3.js out of the box
Bonus: You can fork someone’s notebook, tweak the data or visualization, and make it your own. It’s like coding with collaborative superpowers.
Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | No-Code? | Supports Live Data | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet2Site | Yes | Yes | Directories, simple showcase sites |
| AwesomeTable | Yes | Yes | Interactive tables and maps |
| Publish to Web + CSV | Yes | Yes | Code-heavy dashboards, integrations |
| Supermetrics Publisher | Semi | Yes | Marketing research, scheduled reports |
| Rows Embed | Yes | Yes | API data embeds, dashboards |
| Datawrapper | Yes | Yes (with linked data) | Charts, visual storytelling |
| Observable | No | Yes | Custom coders, advanced viz |
Final Thoughts
No matter your skill level, there’s a tool here to help you show your data to the world — beautifully and effortlessly. From clickable tables to charts that update in real-time, data sharing has never been simpler — or more fun.
So pick a favorite, experiment a little, and let your data speak fluently on the open web.
Your spreadsheet deserves the spotlight!
