Independently tested ranking
Best Project Management Tools in 2026
We compared 10 of the best project management tools on views, automation, collaboration, reporting, free plans and real per-seat pricing for teams of every size.
- Tools compared
- 10
- With a free plan
- 9 of 10
- Median entry price
- $10/user/mo
- Average rating
- 4.5
On this page
- Quick answer
- Our top picks
- Key takeaways
- What is a project management tool?
- Comparison table
- The 10 best project management tools
- Best project management tool by need
- What to look for
- How much project management tools cost
- How we ranked them
- How to choose a project management tool
- FAQ
- About the reviewer
- Related rankings
Which project management tool is best?
The best project management tools in 2026 are monday.com for visual, easy-to-adopt work management, Asana for linking projects to goals, ClickUp for an all-in-one workspace on a budget, Notion for docs and projects together, and Trello for simple Kanban boards. Software teams should pick Jira. Nine of the ten tools have a free plan, and paid plans start at $5 per user a month (Trello Standard, billed annually).
Our top picks
Best overall
monday.com
Visual boards, flexible views, no-code automations and dashboards that non-technical teams adopt in days.
Paid plans from $9/seat/mo annual (3-seat min)
See why we picked itBest for goals and portfolios
Asana
Links daily tasks to company goals and shows the health of every project in one portfolio view.
Paid plans from $10.99/user/mo annual
See why we picked itBest value
ClickUp
Tasks, docs, whiteboards, chat and 15+ views for $7 per user a month annual, plus a free plan with unlimited members.
Paid plans from $7/user/mo annual
See why we picked itKey takeaways
- 9 of the 10 tools have a free plan. Smartsheet is the exception and offers a 30-day trial instead.
- Watch for seat minimums and plan gates: monday.com bills at least 3 seats, and Gantt or timeline views usually need a paid plan (the second paid tier on monday.com and Trello).
- ClickUp ($7/user/mo annual) and Trello ($5/user/mo annual) are the cheapest paid entry points; Airtable ($20/seat/mo annual) is the priciest.
- Pick by work style: Jira for sprints, Smartsheet for spreadsheet users, Basecamp for client communication, Notion for doc-heavy teams.
- Annual billing saves roughly 15 to 35% on most tools, so run the free plan or trial first and commit once the team actually uses it.
What is a project management tool?
Project management tools are software that help teams plan work, assign tasks, track progress against deadlines and collaborate in one place instead of across email and spreadsheets. The best project management tools combine several views of the same work (list, Kanban board, calendar, timeline or Gantt chart) with automation, reporting and integrations.
A good project management tool has to do four jobs: capture work from requests and plans, show who owns what and when it is due, keep updates and files attached to the task, and give managers a view across projects. Simple task management software such as Trello covers the first three. Work management platforms like monday.com, Asana and Wrike add dashboards, workload views and cross-project reporting for teams running many projects at once.
Best project management tools compared
| # | Tool | Best for | Free plan | Paid plans from | Our rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | monday.com |
Visual work management | Yes (up to 2 seats) | $9/seat/mo annual (3-seat min) | ★4.6 |
| 2 | Asana |
Goals and portfolios | Yes (up to 10 users) | $10.99/user/mo annual | ★4.4 |
| 3 | ClickUp |
All-in-one on a budget | Yes (unlimited members) | $7/user/mo annual | ★4.5 |
| 4 |  Notion |
Docs plus lightweight projects | Yes (individuals) | $10/seat/mo annual | ★4.5 |
| 5 | Trello | Simple Kanban boards | Yes (up to 10 collaborators) | $5/user/mo annual | Not yet reviewed |
| 6 | Jira | Agile software teams | Yes (up to 10 users) | Varies by user count | Not yet reviewed |
| 7 | Wrike | Proofing and resource planning | Yes (small teams) | $10/user/mo | Not yet reviewed |
| 8 | Smartsheet | Spreadsheet-style Gantt planning | No (30-day trial) | $9/member/mo annual | Not yet reviewed |
| 9 | Basecamp | Client work, flat pricing | Yes (1 project) | $15/user/mo | Not yet reviewed |
| 10 |  Airtable |
Custom database workflows | Yes (up to 5 editors) | $20/seat/mo annual | ★4.6 |
Ratings are MakeSuccessOnline's. Prices are the cheapest paid plan, billed monthly unless marked annual, checked November 2026.
The 10 best project management tools in 2026
Most teams are best served by monday.com, Asana or ClickUp. The rest of the list leads specific jobs, from sprints in Jira to client communication in Basecamp.
#1Best overall project management tool for most teams
monday.com
A customizable work management platform for planning projects, tracking tasks and automating workflows on visual boards.
- Paid plans from
- $9/seat/mo annual (3-seat min)
- Free plan
- Yes (up to 2 seats)
- Best for
- Teams of all sizes managing projects, marketing, operations and cross-department workflows
- Works on
- Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, API
monday.com is a work management platform built around colorful, customizable boards. Each board holds items with your own columns, statuses and groups, so a marketing calendar, a client project and an IT request queue can each look the way that team works. Most people understand a board within minutes, which is why it spreads quickly across departments.
As projects grow, monday.com grows with them. Standard adds timeline, Gantt and calendar views, guest access for clients and automations such as notifying a manager when a status changes to Done. Pro adds time tracking, private boards and much higher automation limits, while dashboards roll up workload, progress and budgets across many boards.
Key features
- Customizable boardsBuild each project or process with your own columns, statuses and groups, so the tool fits your workflow instead of forcing a fixed one.
- Multiple viewsSee the same work as a table, Kanban, timeline, Gantt, calendar or chart. Timeline, Gantt and calendar views start on the Standard plan.
- No-code automationsSet rules such as "when status changes to Done, notify the manager" to cut repetitive updates. Standard includes 250 automation actions a month, Pro 25,000.
- DashboardsCombine data from several boards into widgets for workload, progress and budget, so managers see every project without opening each board.
- Forms and guest accessCollect requests from inside or outside the company straight into a board, and invite clients or freelancers to specific boards on Standard and above.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 2 seats and 3 boards, unlimited docs, 200+ templates, mobile apps |
| Basic | $9/seat/mo annual ($12 monthly) | Unlimited items and boards, prioritized support, a dashboard based on one board; 3-seat minimum |
| Standard | $12/seat/mo annual ($14 monthly) | Timeline, Gantt and calendar views, guest access, automations and integrations (250 actions/mo each) |
| Pro | $19/seat/mo annual ($24 monthly) | Private boards, time tracking, formula column, 25,000 automation and integration actions/mo |
| Enterprise | Custom | Enterprise security and governance, advanced reporting, multi-level permissions |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. 14-day free trial. Paid plans have a 3-seat minimum.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very visual and quick for non-technical teams to adopt
- Highly customizable for almost any workflow
- Strong automations, dashboards and integrations
- Polished desktop and mobile apps
Cons
- 3-seat minimum raises the real entry cost
- Timeline, Gantt and automations need Standard or Pro
- Automation and integration actions are capped each month
Is it right for you?
Choose monday.com ifYou want one visual tool that marketing, operations and client teams can all adopt quickly, with automations and dashboards across projects.
Look elsewhere ifYou are a solo user or a software team that needs sprints and issue tracking out of the box.
#2Best for linking projects to goals
Asana
A work management platform for planning projects, assigning tasks and tracking team goals in lists, boards, timelines and calendars.
- Paid plans from
- $10.99/user/mo annual
- Free plan
- Yes (up to 10 users)
- Best for
- Cross-functional teams in marketing, operations and product, from small teams to large enterprises
- Works on
- Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Asana is a clean, well-organized project management tool that non-technical teams learn quickly. Every project can switch between list, board, calendar, timeline and Gantt views, so a planner and a doer can look at the same work in different ways. Rules automate routine steps such as assigning tasks or moving them between sections when a field changes.
Asana stands out once you manage many projects at once. Goals link company and team targets to the projects behind them, portfolios show the health of every initiative in one place, and workload shows who is overloaded before deadlines slip. Asana AI summarizes tasks, drafts status updates and helps set up workflows from plain-language prompts.
Key features
- Timeline and GanttMap tasks and dependencies to see how one delay affects the rest of the project. Included from the Starter plan.
- Rules and workflow builderAutomate routine steps such as assigning tasks, moving them between sections or notifying people when a field changes.
- Goals and portfoliosLink goals to the projects that support them so progress rolls up, and monitor the status of many projects in one view (Advanced plan).
- WorkloadSee how much work each teammate has across projects and rebalance before people are overloaded.
- Forms and Asana AIIntake forms create tasks with fields already filled in, and Asana AI summarizes projects and drafts status updates.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | $0 | Up to 10 users, unlimited tasks and projects, list, board and calendar views |
| Starter | $10.99/user/mo annual ($13.49 monthly) | Timeline and Gantt views, workflow builder, dashboards, Asana AI |
| Advanced | $24.99/user/mo annual ($30.49 monthly) | Goals, portfolios, workload, approvals, time tracking, more automation |
| Enterprise | Custom | Advanced security, admin controls and support |
| Enterprise+ | Custom | Compliance features such as HIPAA support and audit log API |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. 30-day free trial of paid plans.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Clean, easy-to-learn interface
- Strong goals and portfolio features
- Free plan for teams of up to 10
- Integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce and Jira Cloud
Cons
- Timeline, workflow builder and reporting need a paid plan
- Portfolios and workload sit on the pricier Advanced tier
- Only one assignee per task
Is it right for you?
Choose Asana ifYou run many parallel projects across marketing or operations and want goals, portfolios and workload in one place.
Look elsewhere ifYou need sprint and issue tracking for developers, or want docs, wikis and tasks in one tool.
#3Best all-in-one workspace on a budget
ClickUp
An all-in-one work app that combines tasks, docs, whiteboards, chat and goals with heavy customization and built-in AI.
- Paid plans from
- $7/user/mo annual
- Free plan
- Yes (unlimited members)
- Best for
- Startups, agencies and teams that want one highly configurable tool for projects and docs
- Works on
- Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome extension
ClickUp tries to replace several apps at once. Tasks, docs, whiteboards, chat channels and goals live in the same workspace, and the same task list can appear as a list, board, Gantt chart, calendar, table, timeline or mind map. Custom fields and statuses let each team shape its own space, which suits agencies and startups with very different workflows side by side.
The trade-off is complexity. ClickUp has so many options that setup takes real thought, and new users can feel lost. Teams that invest in a clean structure get a lot back: native time tracking for billable work, dashboards for clients and managers, automations for status changes, and ClickUp Brain to answer questions about the workspace and summarize content.
Key features
- 15+ viewsShow the same tasks as a list, board, Gantt, calendar, table, timeline, mind map and more, so every role sees work its own way.
- Docs and whiteboardsWrite specs and wikis that link to tasks, and turn whiteboard sticky notes into real tasks, without a separate docs tool.
- Native time trackingTrack time against tasks and report on it on the Business plan, useful for agencies and freelancers billing hours.
- Automations and dashboardsTrigger status changes, assignments and notifications automatically, and combine charts, task lists and time data into reports.
- ClickUp BrainAI that answers questions about your workspace, writes and summarizes content and helps set up work.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free Forever | $0 | Unlimited members and tasks, limited storage and feature usage |
| Unlimited | $7/user/mo annual ($10 monthly) | Unlimited storage, integrations, dashboards and views |
| Business | $12/user/mo annual ($19 monthly) | Advanced automations, time tracking, workload, Google SSO |
| Enterprise | Custom | Advanced security, white labeling, enterprise API and support |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Full ClickUp Brain AI features can cost extra.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very low per-seat price for the feature set
- Huge range of views and customization
- Docs, whiteboards and chat built in
- Free plan allows unlimited members
Cons
- Steep learning curve and can feel cluttered
- Can be slow in large workspaces
- Free plan storage is very small
Is it right for you?
Choose ClickUp ifYou want tasks, docs and time tracking in one inexpensive tool and are willing to spend time setting it up.
Look elsewhere ifYou want a simple, minimal tool or your team dislikes frequent interface changes.
#4Best for docs, wikis and projects together
Notion
A flexible workspace where teams write docs, build wikis and manage projects in linked databases, with Notion AI built into the higher plans.
- Paid plans from
- $10/seat/mo annual
- Free plan
- Yes (individuals)
- Best for
- Startups, creators and teams that want docs and lightweight project management in one place
- Works on
- Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Notion is a connected workspace rather than a classic project management app. You build databases of projects and tasks with your own properties, then view them as a board, timeline, calendar, list or gallery. Because every task can link to a doc, brief or wiki page, the context for the work lives right beside it, which many startups and content teams prefer.
Ready-made projects and tasks templates add sprints, dependencies and assignees, and database automations notify people or update properties when items change. On the Business plan, Notion AI answers questions from your workspace, AI meeting notes turn calls into action items, and Notion Agent can update many database entries from one instruction. Expect to spend time on setup.
Key features
- Project databasesTrack tasks and projects with custom properties, viewed as a board, timeline, calendar, list or gallery.
- Projects and tasks templatesStart with ready-made databases that include sprints, dependencies and assignees instead of building from scratch.
- Docs and wikisWrite specs, briefs and processes that link directly to the project database, so context and tasks stay together.
- Database automationsNotify people or edit properties automatically when items change, which cuts manual status updates.
- Notion AI and meeting notesSummarize pages, answer questions from your workspace and turn meetings into notes with action items (full access on Business).
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Pages, databases, basic sharing, limited AI trial |
| Plus | $10/seat/mo annual ($12 monthly) | Unlimited blocks for teams, larger uploads, charts, limited AI |
| Business | $20/seat/mo annual ($24 monthly) | Full Notion AI, AI meeting notes, enterprise search, SAML SSO, private teamspaces |
| Enterprise | Custom | Advanced security, audit log, user provisioning and admin controls |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Free and Plus include a Notion AI trial.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Docs, wiki and projects in one linked workspace
- Extremely flexible databases
- Huge template ecosystem
- Affordable Plus plan
Cons
- Lighter project features than dedicated PM tools
- Flexible setup takes time
- Limited native workload and resource planning
Is it right for you?
Choose Notion ifYour team writes a lot of docs and specs and wants lightweight project tracking linked to them.
Look elsewhere ifYou need portfolio, workload or resource management for a large team, or want a tool that works with no setup.
#5Best simple Kanban boards
Trello
A visual, card-based tool for organizing work on Kanban boards, with extra views and automation on paid plans.
- Paid plans from
- $5/user/mo annual
- Free plan
- Yes (up to 10 collaborators)
- Best for
- Individuals, small teams and non-technical teams that want simple visual task tracking
- Works on
- Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Trello organizes work as cards that move across lists on a board, such as To do, Doing and Done. It is the quickest way for a small team or a single person to see what stage every task is in, and almost nobody needs training. Templates cover common workflows such as content calendars and sprints, and Power-Ups connect boards to other apps.
Recent updates added an Inbox that captures to-dos from email and Slack and a Planner that schedules cards into your day next to your calendar. Butler automation handles rules, buttons and scheduled commands. For bigger projects, Premium adds calendar, timeline, table, dashboard and map views plus admin controls, but Trello still lacks strong reporting and dependency tools.
Key features
- Boards, lists and cardsMove cards across lists to show the stage of each task, the simplest visual way to track work.
- Butler automationBuilt-in no-code rules, buttons and scheduled commands that move or update cards for you.
- Power-UpsAdd-ons that connect boards to apps such as Slack, Google Drive and Jira or add features like voting and card aging.
- Inbox and PlannerCapture to-dos from email and Slack, then schedule cards into your day alongside calendar events.
- Timeline and calendar viewsPlan cards by due date or on a timeline on the Premium plan.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 10 collaborators per Workspace, unlimited cards, Power-Ups, limited Butler automation |
| Standard | $5/user/mo annual ($6 monthly) | Unlimited boards, advanced checklists, custom fields, more automation |
| Premium | $10/user/mo annual ($12.50 monthly) | Calendar, timeline, table, dashboard and map views, admin controls, Atlassian Intelligence |
| Enterprise | Higher | Unlimited Workspaces, organization-wide permissions, advanced security |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. 14-day free trial of Premium.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very easy to learn
- Good free plan for individuals and small teams
- Lowest entry price on this list
- Large Power-Up ecosystem
Cons
- Limits complex, multi-step projects
- Most extra views require Premium
- Weak reporting and resource management
Is it right for you?
Choose Trello ifYou want simple visual boards for a small team, a content pipeline or personal projects.
Look elsewhere ifYou manage complex projects with dependencies, portfolios or detailed reporting.
#6Best for agile software teams
Jira
Atlassian's project and issue tracker for planning sprints, tracking bugs and managing work, now also aimed at business teams.
- Paid plans from
- Varies by user count
- Free plan
- Yes (up to 10 users)
- Best for
- Software development and technical teams, plus business teams in Atlassian-based companies
- Works on
- Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android; Cloud and Data Center
Jira is Atlassian's issue and project tracker, built for software teams that plan in sprints. Teams groom a backlog, pull work into a sprint, and track issues across Scrum or Kanban boards that follow their own statuses and transitions. JQL, Jira's query language, finds and filters issues precisely for saved filters and reports, and burndown and velocity charts show how sprints are going.
Jira Work Management has been merged into Jira, so one product now serves both developers and the business teams around them. Its developer integrations link branches, commits and pull requests to issues, and Atlassian Intelligence (Rovo) summarizes issues and drafts descriptions. The free plan covers up to 10 users, which is enough for many small dev teams.
Key features
- Scrum and Kanban boardsRun sprints or continuous flow on boards that show issues moving through your workflow.
- Backlog and timelinePrioritize upcoming work before a sprint, and plan epics and dependencies on a roadmap-style timeline.
- Custom workflowsDefine your own statuses and transitions so issues follow your team's exact process.
- Agile reports and JQLBurndown, velocity and cumulative flow reports, plus JQL search for precise filters and dashboards.
- Development integrationsLink commits, branches and pull requests from Bitbucket, GitHub and GitLab to the issues they fix.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 10 users, Scrum and Kanban boards, backlog, timeline, basic automation |
| Standard | Higher | User roles and permissions, more storage and automation, data residency |
| Premium | Higher | Advanced planning, sandbox, 99.9% uptime SLA, unlimited storage |
| Enterprise | Custom | Multiple sites, Atlassian Guard, enterprise support |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Paid plans are priced per user and tiered by team size, with free trials of Standard and Premium.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Industry standard for agile software teams
- Deep workflow customization
- Strong developer tool integrations
- Free plan for up to 10 users
Cons
- Complex to set up and administer
- Overkill for simple non-technical projects
- Marketplace apps add to the cost
Is it right for you?
Choose Jira ifYou run a software or engineering team that works in sprints and tracks bugs alongside code.
Look elsewhere ifYou are a small non-technical team or freelancer who wants something simple.
#7Best for agencies and creative teams with review cycles
Wrike
An enterprise-ready work management platform with Gantt charts, resource management, request forms and proofing for cross-functional teams.
- Paid plans from
- $10/user/mo
- Free plan
- Yes (small teams)
- Best for
- Mid-size and enterprise teams, marketing and creative teams, and PMOs
- Works on
- Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Wrike is built for structured, cross-functional work at mid-size and large organizations. Gantt charts show dependencies and how schedule changes ripple through a plan, and request forms turn incoming briefs into tasks or projects routed to the right team. Custom item types let you model campaigns or requests as their own objects with tailored fields.
Its standout for agencies and creative teams is proofing. Reviewers mark up images, videos and documents and give formal approvals inside Wrike instead of over email. Resource management shows each person's capacity across projects, dashboards report on status and workload, and Work Intelligence AI flags risks and summarizes work, which helps PMOs and account leads spot trouble early.
Key features
- Gantt chartsPlan projects with dependencies and see how a change to one date affects the rest of the schedule.
- Request formsIntake forms create tasks or projects automatically and route them to the right team.
- Proofing and approvalsReview images, videos and documents with markup and formal approval steps, so creative feedback stays in one place.
- Resource managementSee team capacity and workload to allocate people across projects before anyone is overbooked.
- Dashboards and Work Intelligence AIReport on status, workload and performance, with AI that suggests risks and summarizes work.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Board and table views, basic task management for small teams |
| Team | $10/user/mo | Gantt charts, dashboards, automation, generative AI features |
| Business | Higher | Resource planning, approvals, custom item types, more automation |
| Enterprise | Custom | Enterprise security and admin controls |
| Pinnacle | Custom | Advanced reporting, budgeting and resource tools |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. 14-day free trial.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Built-in proofing and approvals for creative work
- Good resource and workload management
- Flexible request intake
- Strong security and admin options
Cons
- Steeper learning curve than simpler tools
- Many key features only on higher tiers
- Higher-tier pricing is not published
Is it right for you?
Choose Wrike ifYou run a marketing, creative or agency team with review cycles and need to plan people across many projects.
Look elsewhere ifYou are an individual or very small team that wants a simple Kanban tool.
#8Best for spreadsheet-style project planning
Smartsheet
A work management platform built around a familiar spreadsheet grid, with Gantt, board and calendar views, automation, dashboards and reporting.
- Paid plans from
- $9/member/mo annual
- Free plan
- No (30-day trial)
- Best for
- Project managers, operations teams and enterprises that like spreadsheet-style planning
- Works on
- Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Smartsheet looks like a spreadsheet, with each row a task, which makes it the easiest step up for teams that track projects in Excel today. The difference is what you can do with the grid: switch a sheet into a Gantt chart with dependencies, a Kanban board or a calendar, collect requests through forms that add rows, and set rules that send alerts or request approvals.
It shines on complex programs with many projects. Reports roll up rows from many sheets into one filtered view, dashboards give stakeholders live metrics, and Business adds resource management views. Smartsheet AI generates formulas, charts and summaries from plain-language prompts. Enterprise security and governance make it a common choice for PMOs and operations teams in large organizations.
Key features
- Grid viewA spreadsheet-style sheet where each row is a task, so Excel users can start without retraining.
- Gantt, board and calendar viewsTurn any sheet into a Gantt chart with dependencies, a Kanban board or a calendar.
- Automated workflowsRules send alerts, request approvals or move rows when conditions are met.
- Cross-project reports and dashboardsRoll up rows from many sheets into one report and share live dashboards with stakeholders.
- Resource managementPlan capacity and allocate people across projects on the Business plan.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | $9/member/mo annual ($12 monthly) | Unlimited viewers, Gantt, board and calendar views, basic automation |
| Business | $19/member/mo annual ($24 monthly) | Unlimited workflows, resource management views, forms logic, dashboards |
| Enterprise | Custom | Enterprise security, SSO, admin controls |
| Advanced Work Management | Custom | Portfolio management, dynamic workflows and advanced reporting add-ons |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. No free plan; 30-day free trial.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very familiar for spreadsheet users
- Strong cross-project reporting and dashboards
- Enterprise security and governance
- Unlimited free viewers
Cons
- No free plan
- Dated interface compared with newer tools
- Advanced features need costly add-ons or higher tiers
Is it right for you?
Choose Smartsheet ifYour team lives in spreadsheets and needs Gantt charts and reporting across many projects.
Look elsewhere ifYou want a free tool or a modern, visual app for creative work.
#9Best for client projects and flat pricing
Basecamp
A simple project and team communication tool that puts to-dos, message boards, schedules, docs and chat for each project on one page.
- Paid plans from
- $15/user/mo
- Free plan
- Yes (1 project)
- Best for
- Small businesses, agencies and teams that want calm, simple project collaboration including with clients
- Works on
- Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Basecamp is project management with a focus on communication. Each project gets one page with to-dos, a message board for announcements, Campfire group chat, a shared schedule, docs and files, so nothing gets lost in email threads. It is deliberately simple, with far fewer settings than monday.com or ClickUp, which keeps it calm for small businesses and agencies.
It works especially well for client work. You can invite clients into a project as free guests and control what they see. Hill Charts show whether work is still being figured out or is being finished, and Automatic Check-ins replace status meetings with recurring questions. Pricing is $15 per user a month, or a flat price for unlimited users.
Key features
- Message Board and CampfireThreaded announcements and real-time group chat for each project, replacing scattered email and chat threads.
- To-dos and ScheduleTask lists with assignees and due dates, plus a shared project calendar for deadlines.
- Client accessInvite clients into projects as free guests and control exactly what they can see.
- Hill ChartsShow where work stands between figuring it out and getting it done, a quick signal for managers and clients.
- Card Table and Check-insA Kanban-style board for moving work through stages, and recurring questions that collect updates without meetings.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Basecamp Free | $0 | All core tools in a single project |
| Basecamp | $15/user/mo | Unlimited projects and all core tools; guests are free |
| Basecamp Pro Unlimited | $299/mo annual ($349 monthly) | Unlimited users, more storage, 1:1 onboarding, priority support |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. 30-day free trial.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very simple and calm to use
- Communication and tasks in one place
- Free guest and client access
- Flat unlimited-user price for large teams
Cons
- Few views and limited customization
- No built-in time tracking or advanced reporting
- Light dependencies and Gantt capabilities
Is it right for you?
Choose Basecamp ifYou run client projects or a small business and care more about clear communication than detailed planning.
Look elsewhere ifYou need Gantt charts, resource planning, time tracking or sprint tools.
#10Best for custom, data-heavy project workflows
Airtable
A spreadsheet-style relational database for building apps, tracking projects and automating team workflows.
- Paid plans from
- $20/seat/mo annual
- Free plan
- Yes (up to 5 editors)
- Best for
- Operations, marketing, product and project teams that want a flexible database instead of a fixed project tool
- Works on
- Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, API
Airtable is a relational database that looks like a spreadsheet, and many teams use it to build the exact project tracker they need. One base can link projects to tasks, owners, budgets and assets without duplicate data, then show it as a grid, Kanban board, calendar, gallery, Gantt chart or timeline. It suits operations-heavy work such as production schedules, content calendars and launch plans.
Interface Designer builds simple dashboards and apps on top of a base, so stakeholders see only the fields and actions they need. Automations update records or send messages when something changes, forms collect intake requests, and sync shares data between teams. Airtable AI can summarize, categorize and generate content inside records. Expect more setup than an opinionated project tool.
Key features
- Relational basesLink projects, tasks, owners and assets to each other so one base holds everything without duplicate data.
- Multiple viewsShow the same records as a grid, Kanban board, calendar, gallery, form, Gantt chart or timeline. Gantt and timeline start on Team.
- Interface DesignerBuild dashboards and simple apps on a base so stakeholders see a clean view instead of raw tables.
- Automations and formsTrigger messages or record updates when fields change, and route form submissions straight into a table.
- Airtable AIAI fields and assistants that summarize, categorize and generate content inside records and help build apps.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 5 editors, unlimited bases, 1,000 records per base, 100 automation runs per month |
| Team | $20/seat/mo annual ($24 monthly) | Larger record limits, Gantt and timeline views, more automation runs, extensions and standard sync |
| Business | $45/seat/mo annual ($54 monthly) | Admin panel, verified data, two-way sync and higher limits |
| Enterprise Scale | Custom | Enterprise governance, security controls and the largest limits |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. 14-day free trial of the Team plan.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very flexible for custom project and operations trackers
- Relational links add structure beyond a spreadsheet
- Many views of the same data
- Interfaces make clean dashboards for non-builders
Cons
- Per-seat pricing gets expensive as teams grow
- Free plan record and automation limits are reached quickly
- Fewer built-in project features such as time tracking and workload
Is it right for you?
Choose Airtable ifYou want to design your own project and operations tracker with linked data and custom dashboards.
Look elsewhere ifYou want a ready-made project management tool with no setup, or have many editors on a tight budget.
Best project management tool by need
- Visual work management for any teammonday.com
- Goals and many parallel projectsAsana
- All-in-one workspace on a budgetClickUp
- Docs, wikis and projects togetherNotion
- Simple Kanban boardsTrello
- Agile software developmentJira
- Creative review and proofingWrike
- Teams moving off ExcelSmartsheet
- Client communication and flat pricingBasecamp
What to look for in a project management tool
- The views your team plans inCheck which views each plan includes. Kanban and list views are usually free, but Gantt chart and timeline views usually need a paid plan, and on monday.com and Trello they start on the second paid tier.
- Automation limitsMost tools cap automation runs or actions per month by plan. Estimate how many status changes, assignments and notifications you will automate before you buy.
- Cross-project reportingDashboards, portfolios and roll-up reports show the health of every project. They matter once you run more than a handful of projects at once.
- Workload and time trackingAgencies and service teams need to see capacity and billable hours. Native time tracking and workload views save a separate subscription.
- Guest and client accessIf clients or freelancers join projects, check whether guests are free and what they can see. Basecamp and monday.com Standard handle this well.
- Real per-seat costLook past the headline price for seat minimums, annual-only pricing and features gated to higher tiers, then price the plan you actually need for your team size.
How much do project management tools cost in 2026?
Project management software pricing runs from free plans for small teams to about $45 per user a month for advanced tiers. Most entry paid plans cost $5 to $20 per user a month billed annually, and enterprise plans are quote-only.
| Tier | Typical price | Tools at this level | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Asana (10 users), Trello (10 collaborators), Jira (10 users), ClickUp (unlimited members), monday.com (2 seats), Airtable (5 editors), Notion, Wrike, Basecamp (1 project) | Individuals, small teams and anyone testing a tool |
| Entry paid | $5 to $12/user/mo | Trello Standard, ClickUp Unlimited, monday.com Basic and Standard, Smartsheet Pro, Notion Plus, Asana Starter, Wrike Team | Small teams that need unlimited projects, more views and basic automation |
| Advanced | $12 to $45/user/mo | ClickUp Business, Basecamp, monday.com Pro, Smartsheet Business, Notion Business, Airtable Team and Business, Asana Advanced | Growing teams that need workload, time tracking, portfolios or AI |
| Enterprise or flat-rate | Custom, or $299/mo flat | Enterprise tiers of every tool; Basecamp Pro Unlimited at $299/mo annual for unlimited users | Large organizations needing security and admin controls, or big teams that want one flat price |
Entry prices from vendor pricing information, November 2026. Most per-seat prices are billed annually; monthly billing costs more.
Price the plan you will actually use, not the cheapest one. Workload, time tracking, portfolios and higher automation limits often sit one tier above the entry plan, and on monday.com and Trello so do Gantt or timeline views, and monday.com bills a 3-seat minimum. For a 10-person team, Trello Standard costs about $50 a month annually while Asana Advanced is about $250, so match the tier to the features your projects need.
How we chose the best project management tools
We started with the project management tools in the MakeSuccessOnline directory and added well-known tools we have not yet reviewed, such as Trello, Jira, Wrike, Smartsheet and Basecamp. We set up the same sample project in each, a marketing campaign with dependencies, a client review and recurring tasks, and scored them on the criteria below alongside hands-on reviews and vendor documentation. Pricing and plans were checked in November 2026.
- Ease of adoptionHow quickly a non-technical team can start using it without training.20%
- Planning and viewsList, board, calendar, timeline and Gantt views, dependencies and templates.20%
- Automation and integrationsNo-code rules, monthly limits and connections to tools like Slack, Google Drive and Jira.15%
- Reporting and workloadDashboards, portfolios, workload and time tracking across projects.15%
- Pricing and valueFree plan limits, entry price, seat minimums and what each tier adds.20%
- CollaborationComments, docs, guest and client access, and mobile apps.10%
How to choose a project management tool
- Map how your team worksDecide whether you work in sprints, campaigns, client projects or ongoing requests. That points you to Jira, monday.com or Asana, Basecamp, or a board tool like Trello.
- List the views you needIf you plan with Gantt charts or timelines, check which plan includes them before comparing prices.
- Count users, guests and viewersSeat minimums, free guests and free viewers change the real cost a lot for small teams and agencies.
- Shortlist two or three toolsPick tools that fit your work style and budget instead of testing ten. The by-need list above is a good starting point.
- Run a real project in the trialUse a live project with real deadlines and teammates. Free plans and 14 to 30-day trials are long enough to see adoption.
- Check integrations and exportsConfirm the tool connects to the apps you use daily and that you can export your data if you switch later.
Check during the free trial
- Can a new teammate create and update tasks without training?
- Does the plan you would buy include the views and automations you used in the trial?
- How many automation runs or actions will you use each month?
- Can clients or freelancers join, and do they count as paid seats?
- Can managers see workload and progress across all projects in one place?
Red flags
- Gantt or timeline views only on the top tier when you need them daily
- Seat minimums or bundles that charge for people you do not have
- Automation caps that your normal workload will exceed
- No way to export projects and tasks if you leave
- A tool so customizable that nobody owns its setup
Project management tools FAQ
What are the best project management tools in 2026?
The best project management tools in 2026 are monday.com for visual, flexible work management, Asana for goals and portfolios, ClickUp for an all-in-one workspace on a budget, Notion for docs and projects together, and Trello for simple Kanban boards. Software teams should choose Jira, and teams moving off Excel should look at Smartsheet.
What is the best free project management tool?
ClickUp has the most generous free plan, with unlimited members and tasks but very limited storage. Asana's free Personal plan covers up to 10 users with list, board and calendar views, and Trello and Jira are free for up to 10 people. monday.com's free plan is limited to 2 seats.
How much does project management software cost?
Most project management software costs $5 to $20 per user a month on entry paid plans billed annually. Trello Standard starts at $5, ClickUp at $7, monday.com at $9 (3-seat minimum), Asana at $10.99 and Airtable at $20. Advanced tiers with workload and portfolios cost about $12 to $45 per user a month.
Is Asana or monday.com better?
monday.com is better if you want highly visual, customizable boards that many departments can adopt quickly. Asana is better for teams running many parallel projects that need goals, portfolios and workload in one place. Asana's free plan covers up to 10 users, while monday.com's free plan covers only 2 seats.
Is ClickUp or Notion better for project management?
ClickUp is better for project management itself, with 15+ views, native time tracking, workload and dashboards. Notion is better when docs and wikis are the center of your work and you want lightweight project databases linked to them. ClickUp's entry plan is $7 per user a month annual versus $10 for Notion Plus.
Should I use Trello or Jira?
Use Trello for simple visual boards, personal projects and small non-technical teams. Use Jira if you build software and need backlogs, sprints, custom workflows and links to code in GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket. Both are made by Atlassian, and both have free plans for up to 10 people.
What is the best project management tool for small teams?
For small teams, Trello is the simplest choice and Asana's free plan covers up to 10 users with unlimited projects. ClickUp gives the most features for the price, and Basecamp suits small businesses that work closely with clients, since guests join free.
How do I choose a project management tool?
Start with how your team works: sprints, campaigns, client projects or requests. List the views and automations you need, count users and guests, and shortlist two or three tools. Then run a real project during the free plan or trial and check that the plan you would buy includes everything you used.
About the reviewer
Editor & Reviewer, MakeSuccessOnline
William Harrison is an editor and reviewer at MakeSuccessOnline. He reviews each tools ranking before it goes live, checking plans, prices, free tiers and features against the tool's own documentation, and keeps rankings current as tools change.